Boys track and field: Speedy York senior Cash Langley is money in the 100 at Red Grange Invitational

WHEATON – The race went just like Cash Langley thought it would go.

The York senior didn’t lead through his first phase of the 100-yard dash, but was there at the end to win the race at the Red Grange Invitational at Wheaton Warrenville South.

Langley’s time of 11.01 seconds topped Mason Ellens (11.06) of Glenbard West and Da’jion Riley (11.10) of the host Tigers in the fast heat of the A-B-C meet format on Friday.

“I was very exited because I knew a lot of people in my race,” said Langley, who also joined Bruno Massel, Danny Karnatz and Cole Hunter on a winning 4x200 relay, and ran on the Dukes’ 4x100 relay that finished second to Homewood-Flossmoor by 0.01 second.

“I know what they run and how talented they are,” Langley said. “I also know how some of them run — a couple guys that get out real quick, a couple guys that come in at the very end. I know who I am, I’m someone who kind of hits it in the last couple meters and gives it all I’ve got,” Langley said.

Formerly “a big football guy, soccer guy,” Langley said he felt he was good in those sports because of his speed. He sought to capitalize on that, and starting late in his sophomore year, discovered track.

“I found my home,” he said.

Homewood-Flossmoor found the Grange title. The defending Class 3A champions won the 17-team invite ahead of Grayslake Central, Evanston, WW South and Wheaton North.

Like Metea Valley coach Aaron Lewis said, “If you can do well here you can do very well in May.”

WW South’s Josiah Narayanan ran a crisp 4 minutes, 20.45 seconds to win the 1600, while fellow Tigers junior Amari Williams set a new personal best in the 300 hurdles with a winning 39.43-second time.

Williams also won the 110 hurdles at the A level, though Grayslake Central’s Alex Carter ran the fastest time out of the B heat, at 15.29.

Wheaton North’s Luke Haworth won the 3200 at 9:41.64, and was hanging out afterward with teammate and B-level winner Isaac Shuda.

Haworth chugged away with Glenbard West’s Matt King until just one lap remained, then took off.

“We came across the 400 and I was like, it’s time to go,” Haworth said.

“I definitely kicked it in. I’ve started running the 800 more and I haven’t really done that before, so it’s kind of like this new mode of running for me, where it’s like a sprint.”

It’s nice to be able to be as down as Glenbard West’s Luke Benson was with his triple jump, and win the event with a consistent series of attempts.

Benson, also fourth in long jump, won with an opening attempt of 13.94 meters (45 feet, 8¾ inches), with all of his jumps at least 13.78 meters.

“My form was awful compared to my last couple meets, leaning forward way too much. When I’m jumping my PR with awful form I know I can do better,” Benson said.

In a great touch near the end of the meet, WW South coach Rob Harvey brought up former Tigers coach Ken Helberg, along with his wife, Paula, and sons, Jeff and Ross, to dedicate the 4x400 relay as the “Ken Helberg 4-by-4 Relay,” with an annual plaque to the winner.

Helberg felt the relay was his signature event over his 28 years as Tigers coach.

“It’s definitely an honor to be recognized for the accomplishments,” said Helberg, joined on the track by current coaches Chris Arthurs (Naperville North), Nate Roe (Wheaton North), Jon Schweighardt (Glenbard West) and Dustin Waddell (Lincoln-Way Central).

“I didn’t do all that stuff, the athletes did,” Helberg said. “I was the one steering the ship, kind of making sure that we were zigging when we needed to instead of zagging. I was obviously blessed with a lot of really talented athletes, which makes a big difference.”

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