Livengood, Chargers take leap to CL Central title
Dundee-Crown sophomore Pat Livengood was not sure if he wanted to continue his baseball career or pursue track this spring.
As a freshman, Livengood started every game as a catcher for the Chargers, but he was swayed into returning to the long jump -- an event he competed in during eighth grade.
After taking second at last week's Wheeling Invitational and claiming top honors during Saturday's 47th annual Crystal Lake Central Invitational, Livengood is doing just that -- living good.
"I was doing good (in the long jump), so I decided to stick with track," Livengood said. "(Today) we didn't do that great, but we still won."
D-C jumped a combined 16 feet, 3 inches to take the long jump relay. The Chargers (120) won the championship, edging the host Tigers (110).
Fox Valley Conference schools Crystal Lake South (98, third), Johnsburg (80, fourth) and Cary-Grove (76, fifth) rounded out the top 5, while Jacobs (53) finished seventh.
Aside from their first-place finish in the high jump, the Chargers won the 3,200 relay (8:31.7) and finished second in the 1,600 relay (3:47.6).
The CLC Invitational also gives coaches an opportunity to field some different relay teams
"We throw some groups together," said Chargers coach Tom Smith. "It's an opportunity to get some different guys involved. It's a chance to get out and compete. This keeps them sharp."
In events like the 400 relay, each school is required to have two runners from the freshman/sophomore team competing. This gives teams like Jacobs a chance to experiment with some different lineups before the outdoor season begins.
The Golden Eagles, jump-started by a strong opening leg from senior JM Salcedo, finished second in the 400 relay (1:08.1) with a true medley of classes.
Junior Jay Bradford anchored the group, which finished second to Johnsburg (1:07.3) and also included sophomore Danny Trevor and freshman Joey Cieniewcz. Dundee-Crown (1:08.3) finished third.
"JM got us off to a good start," Bradford said. "He helped us from the beginning because this track is so hard to pass on."
Cieniewcz has been drawing praise from coach Jason Borhart for his efforts during the indoor season. The freshman middle-distance runner figures to be a part of the Golden Eagles' mix once the outdoor season begins.
"Joey is looking strong for us," Borhart said. "He'll be a middle distance runner and high jumper."
South finished second in the 3,200 relay (8:33.7), pole vault (29-3) and shot put (122-1ΒΌ). Cary-Grove finished first in the 3,00 relay (8:12.8), blowing past Central (8:18.0).