Fast action Mundelein Mambas Track Club making the most of its inaugural season

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Max Roberts, who will be a freshman at Libertyville High School, races to a state title in the 100 hurdles in June. A competitior for the Mundelein Mambas Track Club, he earned four titles at last weekend's regional at Plainfield Central High School. | Su

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Updated: August 12, 2011 4:32PM

Call it a snake attack.

The Mundelein Mambas, a first-year track club, has been turning heads and sneaking up on competition all summer. The new team, which is headed up by Toni Carmichael, definitely came to the forefront in last weekend’s USATF Region 7 Championships at Plainfield Central High School.

The Mambas went home with seven regional championships. And, along the way, they had national qualifiers in 19 events.

“Mambas?” said Carmichael. “They’re the fastest snakes in Africa.”

See the correlation?

Carmichael and her staff are trying to put their sprinters, distance runners, throwers and pole vaulters on the fast track.

“That’s what were trying to do,” said Carmichael, an assistant coach at Mundelein High School. “Develop (the athletes) on this team.”

Who came up with the name? Credit Toni’s husband, Rob Carmichael. He’s a former baseball star who certainly knows snakes. He’s the curator at the Lake Forest Wildlife Discovery Center.

The Mambas definitely had a collector at the Region 7 Meet. Max Roberts, who will be a freshman at Libertyville High School, was a four-time champion. In addition to winning the Youth Division pentathlon — placing first in the long jump, hurdles and 1500 — Roberts claimed titles in three open events: 100 hurdles (14.28), 800 (2:08) and 1500 (4:41).

“He’s just a great all-around athlete,” said Carmichael. “He’s got talent but he also works so hard on technique. That’s why I love to work with him so much.”

Intermediate Division

Championship showings were turned in by Haley Becker (Libertyville), Nicole Jaffke (Libertyville) and Oleg Babin (Vernon Hills).

Becker cleared 5-5 to take the high jump title, while Jaffke (10-6) and Babin (13-) captured top honors in the pole vault.

Jaffke, a rare talent, also qualified in the 1500.

“It’s a little odd for a distance runner to be so good in pole vault,” Carmichael said.

Babin is a fun watch, according to the coach.

“He idolizes (Sergey) Bubka,” said Carmichael, noting that Babin came to America from the Ukraine when he was four years old.

You can see a little Bubka in Babin’s technique.

“He’s a raw-talent kid,” Carmichael said.

A pole change could work to Babin’s advantage. “I say he’ll clear 14-0 at nationals.” the coach predicted.

She also has big plans at nationals, which will be held in Wichita, Kan, on July 26-31, for another Mamba pole vaulter: Carolina Carmichael.

“She wants 13-6,” said the coach.

This Lake Forest High School senior-to-be, who took second in the IHSA Class 3A state meet in the spring (12-3), earned runner-up honors (11-6) at Plainfield. The regional became a little tricky for her. She tweaked her back in the hurdles when one of the other competitors was called for a false start.

“She had to stop abruptly,” the coach said. “Which is what you have to do in the hurdles. “We had to pull her out of the event.”

Nick Foley, who will be a junior at Vernon Hills, took third in the high jump (6-1) and also went 11-0 in the pole vault but did not qualify.

Emily Zagula (Mundelein) qualified to nationals in the high jump (4th, 4-6) and just missed it in the 1500 (sixth place).

Young Men Division

Brad Stambolic (Lake Forest) finished with runner-up honors in javelin (114-0), while Jonathan Tazioli (Mundelein) qualified to nationals in the pole vault (10-6).

This duo also teamed up with Clifton Brune (Lake Forest) and Jack Becker (Grayslake North) to place fifth in the 4x400 relay.

Youth Girls Division

Three runners from Vernon Hills — Shannon Skeoch, Lexi Reich, Mackenzie Renihan — joined forces with Kelsey Machnics (Lakes) to take third in the 4x400 relay. Skeoch also qualified to nationals in the 800 (5th).

Meanwhile Samatha Hershman, who also will be a freshman at Vernon Hills HS, got the job done in the 3000 (4th) and 1500 (5th).

Midget Girls Division

Marisa Richards claimed the final qualifying spot in the 800 meters. She took fifth in 2:42.

“That was a very competitive race,” said Carmichael.

USATF State Meet

The Mambas came away with a ton of medals at the USATF State Meet in June.

The winners included Carmichael (12-0, pole vault), Roberts (14.78, 100 hurdles), Becker (5-3, high jump) and the Youth Girls 4x400 relay.

The runner-up finishes belonged to Jaffke (10-0, pole vault), Roberts (4:37.36, 1500) and Foley (5-9 3/4, high jump).

The bronze medalists were Giancarlo Vassalo (1:59.13, 800), Stambolic (118-8, javelin) and Roberts (2:10.98, 800).

Other top-six performances were recorded by Carmichael (4th, 100 hurdles), Hershman (5th, 3000; 6th, 1500), Zagula (5th, high jump), Richards (5th, 800), Skeoch (6th, 800), Tia Jackson-Brunette (6th, 100 hurdles) and the Young Men 4x400 relay (sixth).