Jezhian Sprinkle’s night on the track Thursday began in less than ideal – and quite painful – fashion.

The Oswego junior’s knee hit the first hurdle in his first race, the 110-meter highs.

Sprinkle was well back of the lead entering the final straightaway of his last, the 300s hurdles.

“It was a little struggle to win that first race. Right after the first hurdle, started limping,” Sprinkle said. “But something in my heart doesn’t let me...I just hate losing.”

Indeed, that burning desire overcame the burn in Sprinkle’s knee.

He made a huge comeback to out-lean Waubonsie Valley’s Ishmaiah Elliott at the tape by eight hundredths of a second.

Sprinkle’s sweep of the hurdles races was one of many highlights at the Class 3A Downers Grove North Sectional.

Sprinkle, winning the 110 hurdles in 14.37 seconds and 300s in 38.86, is returning to next weekend’s state meet in both.

But he was not thinking of next weekend down the stretch in his last race.

“Hitting my knee, it screwed me up a little bit, messed up my game,” Sprinkle said. “I was trying to cruise. I knew I could run the time even when I was injured, but something just lit inside me. I just hate losing. I saw him leaving me a little too much.”

Hinsdale Central, getting second-place finishes by Dominic Tresslar and the 4x400 relay in the night’s last two events, edged West Suburban Silver rival Downers Grove North 82-75 to take the sectional title. Naperville Central (74), Neuqua Valley (73) and Oswego (68) rounded out the top five.

Downers Grove North defending 1,600 state champion Philip Cupial and teammate Will Surratt went 1-2 in the 1,600, 4:16.54 and 4:18.79.

Earlier, they ran two legs of Downers Grove North’s winning 4x800 relay in 7:52.33 on the first event on the track.

Downers Grove North coach Andrew Adelmann was already looking ahead to what’s next.

“They did what we kind of needed to do,” Adelmann said. “That’s the nature of a race like today. We want to make sure that we get through the bodies that we need. Nothing major to take from it other than checking off another box. Obviously the bigger box is every weekend after. Go on to next week and be ready to roll.”

Daniel Robinson, who swept the sprints and long jump in leading Neuqua to the DuPage Valley Conference championship two weeks ago, got his night started in a big way.

On his first long jump attempt, Robinson soared to 7.56 meters (24 feet, 9.75 inches), the No. 1 mark in the state this spring.

“Me and my coach had been on this thing of just one jump, that’s all I need to get it done,” Robinson said. “That’s been our focus, is not waiting, attacking on the first jump. I just focused on the little things to get better and I executed.”

But he’s already looking ahead.

Robinson, also qualifying by going third in the 100 (10.69), was eighth in both events at state last year.

“To me it doesn’t really mean much until the state meet,” Robinson said. “Nothing matters until what you put out there. I 100% was not satisfied with how I performed last year at state. I’m going down there with a win mentality.”

Lemont junior Nathan Murray will be making his state debut next weekend with the wind at his back.

Murray’s 47.29 in the 400, beating out returning state medalist Dontrell Young of Oswego (47.96), is the second-best time in the event this spring statewide.

Murray led eight state qualifiers in the event.

“I felt great, just happy to be moving on to state,” Murray said. “It definitely helps to have the competition around but I got more in me for sure. I usually have a fight down the home stretch and I passed him in the curve. If I have somebody in front of me more I can still push a little bit more.”

Young, who medaled in three sprints last year as a sophomore, won the 100 (10.46) and 200 (21.16).

Naperville Central’s Ben Blank was a double winner in the throws, sweeping the shot put (17.34) and discus (51.31).

Lemont’s Daniel Jaquez, who just missed medaling last year, is back in the high jump after going 1.93 meters (6 feet, 4 inches). He cleared a season-best 6 feet, 8.75 at conference, tied for fourth-best in the state.

“I’m definitely glad I’m qualifying for state but I really hope to make some noise next week,” Jaquez said. “Getting that height recently gives me confidence. Next week, I have to put it all together. I can’t be more grateful with the opportunity of going back to state.”

Other event winners were Neuqua’s Rogan Nelson in the pole vault (4.49), Romeoville’s Shaun Alexander in the triple jump (13.97), Naperville North in the 4x100 relay (41.88), Hinsdale Central’s Michael Gamboa in the 3,200 (9:16.84), Neuqua’s Grayson Meek in the 800 (1:53.31), West Aurora in the 4x200 relay (1:27.05) and Naperville Central in the 4x400 relay (3:19.46).