Photo: Jacob Gebhardt just missed a state title last fall. One could be within his reach this track season (Laura Duffy Photo)

By Michael Newman

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It went down to the wire in last November’s 2A Boys State Cross Country Championships. Kaneland’s Matt Richtman edged his friend and rival Jacob Gebhardt of Sterling by just seven tenths of a second.

The two will race against each other several times during the season. It just won’t be in Charleston at the end of May. Kaneland has moved up to the 3A Classification nullifying a chance for the two runners to square off on the big blue oval for a state championship.

All eyes will be on Gebhardt in this classification for the distance events. He would like to finish his prep career with a state title before he heads off to Indiana University and Big Ten running this fall. Along with his second-place finish at Detweiller last November, he finished second in Charleston behind Jake Gillum in the 1600 Meter Run.

The Sterling runner has the fastest returning time in both the 1600 and 3200 Meter Run. The question is whether he will try for the one title in just one event or try to double and win both titles. We will get a better idea by the time we get to the state series in the middle of May.

Here is a look at each of the three 2A distance events that will take place in 2018. A preview for the 3200 Meter Relay will also be included.

3200 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – With 2017 champion Brayden Hamblen graduated and last year’s runner-up Matt Richtman competing in 3A this spring, the door could be open for Jacob Gebhardt if he decides to run in this event. He ran twice during the regular season with 9:28.58 at his conference meet as his best time. After the IHSA season was over, Gebhardt came back to run 9:18.11 two weeks after state at the Midwest Distance Classic. If he chooses it to run this event, he has the fastest returning time in 2A by eight seconds.

There are seven runners back that finished in the top nine last May in Charleston. All their seasonal times are separated by only 13 seconds. If Gebhardt does not run this race at state, then it is anyone’s guess who could step up to the top spot.

Austin Ohm of Illiana Christian is the highest returning place runner from the state meet placing third and running 9:26.90. Mathias Powell of Mahomet-Seymour and Adam Gilbreath-Glaub of Metamora took the next two spots at state. They could both be dangerous this spring at this distance.

Alex Helmuth and Garrett Dixon of Monticello, Stephen Poorten of Sycamore, and Charlie Parrish all earned all-state medals last May. All three should be under 9:30 and challenging for a top five finish.

Spencer Smith of Rock Island Alleman finished 13^th in last year’s final. He did run 14:49 at Detweiller Park last fall as well as finishing 12^th in the 2A State finals. He showed improvement in the past 12 months. I would not count him out this spring in this event. Michael Ronzone of Marmion Academy ran 9:29.46 last spring but concentrated at state in the 1600 Meter Run. He could place in this event if he chooses to run it.

800 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – Is this the year that Rochester’s Josh Cable wins a state championship?

Cable finished fifth as a freshman, seventh as a sophomore, and third last year. He did run a personal best of 1:53.25 in 2016. Last winter, he won the 2A 800 Meter Run at the Illinois Top Times Championships. The one thing that he is missing is a state championship that has eluded him. It could be within his grasp this spring.

The field is wide-open with only two of last year’s all-state finishers back. Mitchell Kremer of Mattoon, sixth-place last year, and Nick Oakley of Charleston, ninth-place last year, are back with state meet experience. There seasonal best times, however, are more than two seconds behind that of Cable.

Falcon Mack of Rich East had a seasonal best time of 1:56.30 last spring. He qualified for state in this event as well as the 1600 Meter Run. He did not compete in either. Nick Swartzendruber of Geneseo concentrated on the 4x8 for his team but did run 1:56.78 during the season. Riley Fortune of Mahomet-Seymour was one of the key runners for his team’s 3200 Meter Relay. He did not qualify for the finals in this race but did run 1:56.91 during the season. Any three of these runners could also challenge for the state title.

1600 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – This could be the toughest of the three distance events. The top five runners coming back all ran 4:22 or faster for this distance. Jacob Gebhardt will be one of the runners to watch. He ran 4:19.39 to finish second in the finals. A month before at Distance Night in Palatine, he achieved a personal best of 4:14.51 to finish fourth in that race. Five days after the state final, he ran 4:10.09 to finish fifth for a full mile at the Festival of Miles in St. Louis. His confidence continues to grow as we saw with his races last fall. A state championship could come in this race.

There are three other runners that went under 4:20 that return. Jared Schuckman of Normal University finished third in the finals. His 4:13.06 came in winning his sectional race. He could be the one to push Gebhardt. Michael Ronzone finished ninth in the finals but did run a 4:17.63 during the season. Don’t count him out. Austin Ohm ran 4:19.76 but decided on the 3200 Meter Run last state meet. This could be his event this May.

Austin Knight of Carterville and Daniel Chen of Illinois Math & Science Academy both earned all-state honors. Both could challenge for a finish in the top five. Ryan Hodge of Mahomet-Seymour, Matthew Zacharias of Normal University, and Owen Habeger of Illinois Valley Central all were under 4:25 and are some of the other runners to keep an eye on.

4x800 METER RELAY

2017 Top Times

Notes – Normal University is the defending champion and the team to beat again this year. Their time of 7:48.13 was less than two seconds behind the 2A State Record. They could get that with three runners coming back led by Jared Shuckman and Zachary Wolford.

The one team that could cause problems for the Pioneers is East St. Louis-Senior. The Flyers finished eighth in last year’s 3A finals. They did run 7:48.93 in that race with two runners back from that team. It they can find two 1:56 to 1:58 800-meter runners, this team could challenge U-High.

It is hard to find the one team that could challenge these two teams. Graduation has hit this event hard. Mascoutah and Burlington Central return three and could be among the top five. Sycamore returns three but loses all-state Evan Jacobs to graduation. Mahomet-Seymour, who finished fourth, has two runners back led by Riley Fortune plus a talented group behind him waiting for their opportunity. Cahokia could be among the finalists this fall. The same is true for Marmion Academy especially if Michael Ronzone is in the lineup.