Pink.
Hot, luscious, passionate pink.
When the Proviso East Pirates opened their lockers late Friday afternoon and looked inside, they found a nice surprise, courtesy of head coach Steve Lawrence.
The pink track jerseys hanging there were Lawrence’s way of telling this year’s team that in his eyes they are something special.
A symbol of excellence since 1980, when the Pirates won the state championship, the pink uniforms are retrieved from storage “only when we feel we have one of the top five teams in the state, which we think we do,” said Lawrence.
Friday night at Proviso West, though, it was the deep blue of Lake Park that carried the day as the Lancers claimed the third Pirate Indoor Classic by a scant 108-103 1/2 score over Proviso East. Joliet West was third with 85.
Proviso had the edge in individual stars in the final climate-controlled meet of season and appears to have the most state-meet potential as action heads outdoors, but Lake Park had the depth Friday. The Lancers also got a break when the heat was on.
The Pirates’ undoing came in the meet’s next-to-last event, when the anchorman on the 1,600-meter sophomore relay threw the baton to the ground after Proviso’s “victory,” drawing a disqualification from race official Al Rexrot. The Pirates thus received no points for that event, giving Lake Park the final margin for victory.
“That’s the way it goes,” said Lawrence. “Al was the best man in my wedding and as honest as the day is long. Those things happen.”
Keying Lake Park’s effort were Chris Ditomo, who was on the winning two-mile sophomore relay, was on the third-place mile relay and took third in the 800 and 600 meters. With top pole vaulter Mike Quinlan on vacation, Josh Beuder filled in with a second place and Brad Post added a first in the high jump (6-2).
Lancer coach Bob Nihells said victory was sweet even though it came on a technical violation.
“Our kids worked hard,” he said. “We had some downfalls, too. I’m surprised we won, but we’ll take it. There weren’t too many nicks in our armor tonight.”
Keying the Proviso East effort were the high-flying act of Lee (Michael) and Lopez (Andre) as the Pirates kept alive a tradition that has seen the school send 24 long and triple jumpers to the state meet in the last 15 years.
Lee won the long jump at 22 feet 1 inch and Lopez was just an inch behind. Both used their final jumps to overcome the 21-11 1/2 third-place effort of Glenbard South’s George Starks.
In the triple jump, in a field that included five who’ve already gone over 45 feet, Lopez won in a meet-record 45-5 3/4. Lee was fourth and also won the 400 meters. Lopez suffered a muscle knot in his right thigh and had to pull out of the 200 meters.
But both jumpers felt Friday’s meet was a huge slump-breaker.
“This helped my confidence a lot,” said Lee after his high-jump win. “I missed the (West Suburban) conference meet because of a misunderstanding between me and my dad. He told me I couldn’t go.
“And I haven’t been jumping well. I’ve been dragging my left leg. I feel like I’m back a little bit.”
Lee said Stark’s 21-1 1/2 didn’t concern him, even though he was down to his final jump. Lopez echoed Lee’s tune.
“That (Starks’ effort) just hyped me up more,” said Lee.
By besting a field that included five jumpers who had gone over 22 feet already, Lee and Lopez helped Proviso East send a signal.
“We won all the events we were supposed to win,” said Lawrence, “but he (Nihells) has more depth. We’ve got the kind of team that will do well at state, I think.”
