With the days dwindling until sectionals, West Aurora’s DaVion Cross decided he had something to prove at Thursday’s Upstate Eight Meet.
Ditto for teammate Camron Donatlan, the defending Class 3A high-jump state champion.
St. Charles North’s 800-meter relay and conference champion Batavia also used Elgin’s Memorial Field as a proving ground one week before the Hoffman Estate Sectional.
“The difference between this week and (the Kane County Meet) last week was just in practice,” Cross said. “I was focused more and was more serious in practice, and looking to jump.”
Cross and Donatlan boosted West Aurora to a runner-up finish with 104 points, 100 behind Batavia and tops among Upstate Eight Valley schools.
Second in the 3A triple jump as a junior, Cross matched his season best by going 47 feet, 2.5 inches for the conference title. In the high jump, Cross rebounded from fouling out at the Kane County Meet to win in season-best 23-1.25.
“(Jumps) coach (Chuck) Hilby is a funny guy, but when he gets serious, you should get serious, too,” Cross said. “And he was serious all this week.”
Cross was also recovered from a nagging hamstring issue.
Donatlan benefited from better health as well. He cleared a season-best 6-9 and came within a whisker of 7 feet on his last try.
“My foot had been messed up since basketball, and it’s still taped up,” Donatlan said. “But everything is feeling fine now. On the runway, my steps were really smooth.
“My goal for sectional is 7 feet, 7-2 downstate. I’m already there. I’ve just got to hold it a little longer to clear it.”
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St. Charles North finished third behind two first places, including in the pole vault where Cam Wright,cleared 15-1.
The North Stars got serious in the 800 relay by entering a lineup of Eric Lins, Peter Willis, Colton Tisdall and Luke Sutherland. They won in a program-record 1:28.84.
“We’re just a quick overall team,” Sutherland said. “I’m able to chase more, which is why I anchor most of the time.”
It was Sutherland who held on, while Iowa recruit Jay Hunt of Batavia did the chasing.
Geneva claimed all the distance events. In addition to the 3,200 relay, the Vikings received titles from Florida State-signee Tyler Dau in the 1,600, Josh Rogers in the 3,200 and Brian Kuehl in the 800. Kuehl crossed in 1:54.15.
“After I ran in the (3,200 relay), I didn’t have as much as I wanted for the open 800,” Kuehl said. “But it was still a solid time for me.”
Batavia excelled in everything as usual, especially sprints and hurdles. Winners included Sam Conger in the 110 high hurdles, Will Akers in the 300 hurdles, Jeremiah Evers in the 100, Hunt in the 200 and Michael Stanley in the 400. Batavia’s 400 and 1,600 relays also won, as did Ross Berggren in shot put and discus.
After a loss to St. Charles East at the county meet, Batavia rebuilt the 1,600 relay to include Reggie Phillips, Evers, Stanley and Akers. They ran a season-best 3:20.97.
“We didn’t want to lose to East again, especially with sectionals coming up,” Evers said.
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