BLOOMINGTON - Rolling Meadows senior Angelos Karkalis now has a dilemma on his hands.
It seems that before the indoor portion of the track and field season started, Karkalis had set his goals for the year to be in the range of 4:14 or so in the 1,600 for a season-best effort. That included the outdoor season.
After his performance at the 21st annual Illinois Prep Top Times Invitational at the Shirk Center at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington on Saturday, things like a state title now begin to come to mind.
"I don't know now," Karkalis said. "I wanted to be in the 4:12-4:14 range this season - guess I need to look at my goals again."
One goal that Karkalis can cross off his list is that of an indoor title. By virtue of his 4:14.95 clocking, Karkalis is the indoor state titlist and now the one to beat when the season turns to the outdoors starting next week.
"I just didn't want to lose," Karkalis said of his race. "I decided that I wanted to make a move and go and not look back."
Karkalis did make his move at the halfway point of the race and really didn't look back until the very end. Had he glanced over his shoulder, he wouldn't have seen a competitor near him. Karkalis was better than three seconds ahead of the rest of the field - which also included Alec Bollman of Palatine, who finished third in 4:18.91 - and his brother Photis who completed the distance double with a 4:27.33 clocking and a 12th-place finish.
"I think he felt like the pace was just not where he wanted to be so he took off," said Meadows coach Frank Schweda. "He wanted to be through the half in 2:06 and when we saw that they were closer to 2:10, he just took off."
The Karkalis brothers weren't the only brother-versus-brother tandem at the meet. Lake Park shot put specialists Jermaine and Jeremy Kline battled for bragging rights.
After the six necessary throws, Jermaine rolled through the field, making him the latest in a long line of great throwers to win at the Top Times meet. Kline's best toss of 60-1.5 bested his brother, who threw a second-place best of 58-6.5.
"I wasn't going to let my brother beat me," Jermaine said. "I just couldn't let that happen."
Also busy for the Lancers was junior Zach Ziemek. Despite performing with a badly sprained right wrist, Ziemek captured medals in three events, including the top medal in the pole vault. His season best of 15-0 in the vault, despite having jumped just 11 times all indoor season, was good enough for a top times title.
Ziemek also captured medals in the long and triple jumps for Lake Park. In the triple jump, Ziemek leaped to a season best of 46-10.25 - better than a foot off his previous best effort. His mark was good enough for second place behind Rickie Walls of Waubonsie Valley, who also marked a personal best with a leap of 48-3.
In the long jump, Ziemek jumped 21-7.25 to finish fifth behind event winner and top-seed Shane Mollidor of Downers Grove South (22-9.25).
"Today was really the first big meet I have been able to compete in," Ziemek said. "Everything just felt real good and I didn't really feel any nerves at all."
Not being nervous also helped out Glenbard East senior Luke Chvatal. As the anchor for the Rams' 3,200-relay team, Chvatal had some work to do to catch Moline and Lane Tech. Gradually Chvatal worked his way to the front, then slowly he reeled in the last Lane Tech runner before catching and passing him on the way to the relay win.
Chvatal teamed with Brad Magnetta, Jimmy Peters and Nathan Peterson to lift the Rams to a 7:57.28 clocking - the second-fastest indoor time in the state this spring.
"Once I saw we were in second place, I planned on sitting on the Lane Tech guy in front of me," said Chvatal, who anchored the relay in a blistering 1:56.7. "Ever since we were sophomores we have been gunning to earn a top three medal at state and that's what our goal is still."
Other individual winners at the meet included Waubonsie Valley senior James Davenport in the high jump. His effort of 6-7 was good enough for the title.
Aaron Beattie of Neuqua Valley ran away from the field early in the 3,200 and won convincingly in 9:12.11.
In the morning session of Class AA, Kaneland's Nick Sinon won the meet title in the high jump by clearing 6-7.
