By Randy Whalen

It was quite a start to the outdoor season for the Joliet West boys' track and field team.

After having a Southwest Prairie Conference triangular meet with Oswego and host Oswego East on Wednesday, April 9, postponed because of inclement weather, the Tigers traveled to Palos Hills on Saturday, April 12, to open the outdoor season. That was at the Stagg Co-Ed Invitational.

There, the Tigers had some outstanding performances and placed second overall.

Team-wise, Oswego East (165 points) won it with Joliet West (113.5) and Marist (85) completing the Top 3 teams. Sandburg (63), Thornton Fractional South (58), Stagg (52.5), Romeoville (49.5), Joliet Central (43.5), Brother Rice (20), Thornton Fractional North (10), and Chicago University High (3) rounded out the 11-team field.

"It was our first invite of the season, and we competed well," Joliet West coach Joe Tucker said. "We had a lot of kids do well in different events, and that's all I can ask for as a coach."

Indeed, it is, and the Tigers tallied big results in the relays. They won the 4x100 relay as the foursome of senior Juelz Jones, junior Joshua Calvert, sophomore Tristan Jackson, and junior Christopher Williams had a time of 43.04 seconds.

The 4x200 relay of Jones, junior Deven Triplett, Jackson, and Williams had a time of 1 minute:32.01 seconds to place second. The 4x400 relay was a great race to end the day. The foursome of Calvert, Triplett, junior Payton Hudson, and senior James Kokuro Jr. missed first by less than a second in a time of 3:28.81 and also placed second.

Individually, Hudson had a PR time of 1:59.28 and won the 800-meter race.

"I came into the 800 with confidence, front ran the whole race, and was able to hold him off," Hudson said of second place finisher, senior Eddie Bozett from Oswego East. "We just missed the state qualifying times in both the 800 (1:57.40) and the 4x400 (3:24.94), so we are looking to get back below them.

"But everyone was able to get a PR, including in the 4x4. I love running with these guys."

Also doing well individually was senior Julian Esquivel, who had a second-place time of 10:02.15 in the 3200-meter run. Jones had a PR of 6.12 meters to place second in the long jump, and he also placed fifth in the 200-meter run with a mark of 23.29 seconds. Triplett also had a PR of 5.97 meters to also place sixth in the long jump.

In the high jump, senior Dshon Woods had a mark of 1.75 meters to place third. His senior teammate Khristian Lestz had a PR of 1.75 meters to tie for fourth in the event. Calvert came in fourth with a time of 52.80 seconds in the 400-meter race. Senior Jayden Flores found a PR of 16.76 seconds to take fourth in the 110-meter hurdles. Junior Gregory Lee placed fifth in the discus with a PR mark of 32.70 meters 

"Our 4x1 relay won, but our 4x4 can be our best relay," Tucker said. "James Kokuro won the 100 and 400. He's put a ton of hard work into it the past four years."

Kokuro missed all of his freshman and sophomore seasons with injuries. He was back last year but is now healthy. He captured the 100-meter dash in a time of 11 seconds flat. That edged out second-place finisher Anthony Miranda (11.27 seconds) from Joliet Central. 

In the 400-meter dash, Kokuro came out on top with a time of 50.09 seconds. He has high aspirations for this season. 

"I feel confident, Kokuro said. "My goal is to place at state in the 100 and the 200. My 400 was good (at the Stagg Invite). I don't primarily run that, but I got out perfect, and it felt good. 

"I just have to work on finding my form, and when I do, I'll be a monster out there. I got to experience doing well at the Illinois Indoor Championships (with PRs in the 60, 200, and 400 on March 29 at Dr. Conrad Worrill Track at Gately Center in Chicago). My goal is to get my picture up on the Joliet West wall."