Anders Moranchek

Freshmen Agastya Kalal running in the JVs 4×4 relay.

North Central College is home to one of the most highly anticipated meets in the state of Illinois: the men’s DVC Indoor Championship.

Competing against top teams such as Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central, the Mustangs placed 5th overall at this year’s DuPage Valley indoor conference meet. However, the final score does not capture the level of performance the Mustangs showcased. Across all levels, the team had 24 personal records (PRs) and 12 top-3 finishes.

The biggest moment of the meet came in the 400m dash, where history unfolded. Not only did senior Henry Faber come in first place with a time of 48.7 seconds, but he and four other athletes broke the meet record that was previously held by Faber himself last year. With this new mark, Faber not only broke his own PR, but he now has the 2nd-best 400m time in the state.

“During the race, I was thinking about how I just gotta finish.” Faber comedically mentioned. “I wanted to eat the meet snacks, so finishing the race fast got me closer to that. I’m proud of the Illinois track community for showing that we really can compete and slowly bridging the gap towards the southern states.”

Another standout moment from this meet came in the long jump, where senior Zoelen Terry, last season’s state champion, delivered an impressive performance. Terry jumped 7.05 meters to secure 2nd place and record the 10th-best mark in the state, reinforcing his position among Illinois’ top competitors. The event also featured a meet-record performance from Neuqua Valley’s Daniel Robinson, who jumped 7.27 meters, but Terry’s mark stood out as a major highlight for the Mustangs and a strong statement as the season continues.

In the 60m dash, senior Trent Sterling led the way with a 3rd-place finish of 6.98, while Henry Faber added another top finish by placing 5th with a 7.06-second time. In the distance events, Dylan Bennett-Garza stood out with a 2nd-place finish in the 1600m run, clocking a 4:30.53 in a highly competitive heat of athletes. In the field events, Arnav Grover secured 3rd in the triple jump with a mark of 42 feet, 11.5 inches, while sophomore Samy El-Sayad followed closely behind with a 4th place finish, highlighting the team’s strength and depth across events.

The night concluded with one of the most exciting moments of the meet in the 4×400 relay. The team of Henry Faber, David Igabalajobi, Ben Vallandingham, and Kofi Kwakyi delivered a dominant performance, taking 1st place with a time of 3:30.37, landing them the 31st-best mark in the state. Their finish not only secured a win but also capped off the meet with energy and momentum for the Mustangs.

“I love hearing my name and seeing my teammates push themselves, which gives me lots of confidence and motivation to finish so I can eat more snacks,” Faber said.

While the final standings may not fully reflect it, the Mustangs left North Central College with something more important than a placement: confidence. With record-breaking performances and standout efforts across the board, Metea Valley established itself as a team to watch as things progress, with this being the perfect halfway point in their season. They will be bringing the heat as the outdoor season rolls in.