Kits Continue Track Tradition, Rule Phillips Relays

Tradition is still important at Evanston.

So it really didn’t matter that the coronavirus pandemic, and changes in some coaching staffs over the past two years, limited the field for the Dan Phillips Relays to just 6 teams, including host Evanston.

The Wildkits won 11 of 14 events last Friday and claimed the team title for the 13th year in a row, following a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

ETHS’ winning point total of 117 easily eclipsed runnerup Loyola Academy with 81.5 points. Also in the field were Niles North, Mundelein, Leo and Waukegan.

Evanston head coach Don Michelin acknowledged that the competition could have been stiffer for the final competitive tuneup for his squad for the upcoming Central Suburban League South division indoor championship meet, set for this Friday at Willie May Fieldhouse.

“We’re still building it (the field) back from the coronavirus,” Michelin said. “Some schools, like New Trier and Morgan Park, have different coaches now and we’re hoping to get them back. Right now I think we’re going through a transition period.

“But when you look at what Dan Phillips (former alderman and community leader) did for this community, and especially for our track program, we’ve got to do our best to keep this going. Overall, this was a good meet for us.”

Field events standouts Tim Russell and Matt Cless continued the Kits’ tradition for rising to the occasion at this particular invitational. Both seniors established personal bests in their respective specialties, as Russell ruled the shotput with a best throw of 16.35 meters (53 feet, 6 inches) and Cless equalled his best high jump performance at 2.05 meters, or just over 6-8. Cless also won the 55-meter dash in 6.83 seconds.

Russell’s showing was easily the biggest surprise of the meet. The senior southpaw didn’t practice all week due to a severe case of stomach flu and estimated that he lost at least 15 pounds because of the illness.

If anything, that made him even quicker in the throwing ring.

“This is the only day I’ve thrown since last Saturday,” Russell pointed out. “I chalk it up to being a little quicker, I guess. I had a good excuse, so I guess I had nothing to lose. I did feel I got a little lower on my way back to throw, and that’s something I’ve been working on.”

Both Russell and throws coach George Woolridge are aiming for a possible invite to the Prep Top Times Invitational set for later this month at Illinois Wesleyan University. Right now Russell ranks among the top 12 throwers in Class 3A, just good enough to earn an invitation to what is considered the unofficial indoor state meet.

“He needs to make it to the Top Times,” Woolridge pointed out. “His best was 46 feet last year, but he’s already been near 56 in practice. He just needs to put it all together in a meet.

“I think Tim’s overdue for another big jump. The Top Times would be a first step for him to be able to gauge and maintain while the others (throwers) are getting their PRs, and then his chances would be even greater at the outdoor state meet.”

Cless dominated the high jump as usual, just missing on his first attempt at 7 feet. He charged back from a slow start in the 55 race for a win in 6.83 seconds to 6.91 for runneup Marcel Siepko of Mundelein.

Also scoring individual wins for the Wildkits were Jalen James, 19-01.5 in the long jump; Skyler Lee, 8.08 in the 55 low hurdles; and Julian Weber, 8.49 in the 55 high hurdles. The hosts recorded first place finishes in 4 of the 5 relay races, too.