York wins conference title for retiring coach

York didn’t lack motivation Friday night in the final West Suburban Silver boys track and field meet for retiring coach Stan Reddel.

The Dukes were ready to win in the final meet for their veteran coach and the team did just fine with nine wins in 18 events. In Reddel’s 14 years as the varsity coach, the Dukes claimed their 12th conference championship by scoring 149.2 points.

Three York individuals won two events each, led by Illinois State-bound senior Reid Smith, who repeated his conference titles in the high jump and pole vault. Josh Farrar won both the 100-meter dash (11.09) and 200 (22.51) and Jarvis Hill won twice in the 110 hurdles (15.36) and 300 hurdles (39.42).

“I wanted to help the cause and make him feel good about his last big bang,” Smith said of Reddel.

Smith, who will compete in the decathlon in college, didn’t have his best meet after recovering from a 100-degree plus fever earlier in the week. He won with a 6-4 in the high jump to beat Oak Park-River Forest junior Christopher Wright-Madison for the second consecutive year. In the pole vault, Smith won on 14-0, at least three inches off his season best.

Reddel was honored with a pre-meet presentation and was given a plaque by other conference coaches. He will end a 44-year coaching career and succeeded legendary coach Joe Newton in 2001 with the first of his seven state trophies, including the 2009 Class AA title.

“It has to end sometime,” Reddel said. “You get to the point when winning is a relief. That’s exhilarating. You put a lot of expectations on the kids and on the coaches.”

Downers North, which crowned four champions and scored 106 points, finished second behind titles from Nick Janicki (discus, 162-4), Jazz Charrier (long jump, 21-05), Ryan Clevenger (3,200, 9:07.22) and Zack Smith (1,600, 4:14.01).