Dominant Yorkville sets two school records at own invite

Big-time individual performances highlighted Friday’s co-ed Matt Wulf Invitational at Yorkville.

The host Foxes got school records from Rachel Augius in the high jump (5-6) and Skyler Bollinger in the 3,200 (10:45.73) and utilized superior depth to roll to the girls team title with 216 points. Dixon was a distant second with 90.

Senior Justin Agustin had a hand in three first-place finishes (3,200 relay, 1,600 relay, 300 hurdles) and a second (110 high hurdles) to lead Oswego East to the boys title, topping the hosts 149-126.

Meanwhile, ACC middle distance standout Karina Liz turned in another eye-popping performance as did Yorkville twins Jake and Luke Hoffert in their 1-2 sweeps in the 3,200 and 1,600 boys races.

“I knew she was coming off the big win in the 3,200,” Liz said of having Bollinger challenge her in the 800. “It was exciting having someone to push me in a smaller meet. I was trying for my PR for this season.”

It’s early in the outdoor campaign but Liz got it, running a 2:13.77 improving her own outdoor state best to date by .57 of a second.

Bollinger, admitting, “I was just kinda dead for Karina in the 800,” after taking it out too fast earlier in the 3200. She was second to Liz with a time of 2:22.75, but her 3,200 time was just .24 of a second off the outdoor state best to date run by St. Anthony’s Anna Sophia Keller.

Bollinger came back to win the 1600 in 5:10.96 while Liz took the 400 in 59.99. Liz also ran a leg of ACC’s 1,600 relay in a busy meet on a calm, cool evening.

“We were going for the team win and I wanted to pace (teammate and runnerup) Maddie (Dearborn) in the mile (1,600),” Bollinger said.

Liz, who ran a 2:12 last summer in the 800, said she is still learning how to run the race but has set a goal of beating 2:10 for this outdoor season.

“I need to remember not to go out too fast in the first 200 and use all my energy,” she said.

Augus returned to action after a 10-day layoff for a groin injury to break the school mark of 5-4 she shared with Alex Balderus (2009).

Her coaches told her she could stop after wrapping up first place but she kept going.

“I didn’t feel (the tendon strain) at all, so I just kept going,” she said.

Jake Hoffert impressed by winning the 3,200 in 9:13.01 and the 1,600 in 4:28.29, which both rank among the top times recorded in the state early in this outdoor season. Luke Hoffert was right on his heels, finishing in 9:14.64 and 4:29.87, respectively, to take second in each race.

Aurora Central’s girls were sixth in the eight-team meet with 46 points.

ACC’s boys got a win from Patrick Lefevre in the 110 high hurdles (15.15) and took fourth with 65 points.