Success academic for Ziegenfuss

Prospect senior Patrick Ziegenfuss missed a track meet Monday, but he had a good excuse.

He was in Bloomington receiving an award for being one of 26 athletes named to the IHSA all-state academic team. He is the first male athlete in Prospect history to win the prestigious award, while classmate Marietta Smith became the first girl to do so.

''That was a great award,'' Ziegenfuss said. ''A lot of people get great academic awards or great athletic awards. It's kind of cool for me because it combines both. You have to be really well-rounded, so I think that was most significant to me.''

Ziegenfuss' high school experience has been significant. In addition to carrying a 5.0 GPA (out of 5.0) and singing and dancing for the show choir, he was an all-conference defensive back for the football team, starting guard on the basketball team and -- his coaches say -- the best hurdler in school history.

After qualifying for state in the 110 and 300 hurdles as a junior, Ziegenfuss began the spring with high expectations. Despite limited chances to run -- he missed the indoor season because of basketball -- he has impressed.

The 14.5 that Ziegenfuss clocked in the prelims of the 110 hurdles at Friday night's Prospect Invite was a personal best and came just before thunderstorms postponed the finish of the meet until today.

Prospect coach Mike Kamedula thinks Ziegenfuss can win a medal in at least one hurdles race. Ziegenfuss, who has his eye on Mike O'Brien's school record of 37.6 in the 300 hurdles, is just enjoying what's left of his athletic career. He will attend Illinois or Penn State but does not plan to run in college.

''Right now I'm definitely savoring the last couple weeks I have left because I know it's going to go by really fast,'' said Ziegenfuss, who also competes in the triple jump, high jump and 1,600 relay.a

Color Photo: Stacia Timonere, for the Sun-Times / York's Anthony Whyte (right) beats Niles North's Karl Williams in a 200 prelim at the Prospect invite, which was suspended until today by bad weather. ;