By Michael Newman

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For just one more time, we will see the excellence of John Meyer Jr. and Zachery Bradford perform on the big stage of the IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championships.

Just one more time.

It will be worth the memories to sweat in the heat of O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. Both are once in a lifetime student/athlete.

John Meyer Jr. has been untouchable in the Shot Put with the nation’s best throw of 70-6.5. It is not a matter of if Meyer will break the record but when on Friday or Saturday that he does it.

The same applies to Zachery Bradford. He set the meet record in the Pole Vault last year clearing 17-4. In between then and now, Bradford has won the New Balance Indoor Nationals and cleared 18-0.5 in the process. Both athletes will be going for their third straight titles in those events. Both should accomplish that feat.

One of the best groups of distance runners ever in this state run one more state race on the Big Blue Oval with Danny Kilrea vs. Clayton Mendez in the 3200 Meter Run, Charlie Kern, Phillip Hall and Dylan Jacobs in the 3200 Meter Relay, Kern and Hall and others in the 800 Meter Run, and finally Mendez and Jacobs in the 1600 Meter Run. Fun to watch. Hard to see them leave.

The sprints: Marcellus Moore vs. Declan Rustay vs. Courtney Lindsey. Need I say more.

Homewood-Flossmoor has the athletes to win the 3A title. It could be Neuqua Valley, Barrington, Hoffman Estates, or Plainfield North that could prevent that.

Get your sun screen ready to lather on. It should be one of the top 3A state meets that we will see.

Here are previews of some of the top teams as well as every event in the 3A meet program.

 

3A Teams to Watch

Homewood-Flossmoor

Qualifiers – 15 (11 Individuals, 4 Relays)

Outlook – In a wide-open 3A state meet, Homewood-Flossmoor appears to be the team that has the edge over the rest. A good of Friday afternoon of prelims could solidify their favorite’s role. The return of sprinters Joshua Bridges and Jesuseun Adeyiga from injury just in the nick of time will be a help. Both could score points in the 100 Meter Dash. The two were part of the 400 Meter Relay team that ran the fastest time in the state last week.

Matthew Lewis-Banks will be one of the favorites in the 110 High and should also score in the 300 Intermediates. Grant Floyd could be in the mix for points in the 200 Meter Dash and Christian Reed could score in the 400 Meter Dash. Quinton Stringfellow will be one of the favorites in the Triple Jump while EJ Burruss could place in the top five in the Long Jump. Getting three of the four relays to Saturday’s finals puts the Vikings in a good spot to win the 3A team championship.

Naperville Neuqua Valley

Qualifiers – 14 (12 Individuals, 2 Relays)

Outlook – The key for success of the Wildcats could be in the field events this weekend Neuqua Valley. 7 of their 12 individual qualifiers come from those six events. Matthew Appel could score in the Discus. It would be a bonus if he picks up points in the Shot Put. Ike Oketona could be one of the top five in the Long Jump. McKenzie Mitchell could be one of the top finishers in the Triple Jump.

Both their 3200 Meter Relay and 1600 Meter Relay could get points if they advance to the finals. Donovan Turner, who will anchor their 1600 Meter Relay, will be one of the favorites in both the 110 Highs and 300 Intermediates. Zach Kinne will be among the top five in the 3200 Meter Run.

Hoffman Estates

Qualifiers – 11 (8 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Outlook – A fourth-place finish is what Hoffman Estates left Charleston with the conclusion of last year’s state finals. The Hawks could be taking home some more hardware this weekend if everything works out as planned. It starts with two-time defending state champion Declan Rustay in the sprints. Rustay points for this one weekend to peak. He showed us that last year. Watch for him in the 100 and 200 Meter Dash. Rustay will also be a part of teams in the 400 and 800 Meter Relay that could pick up major points.

PJ Rodriguez is a possibility of getting to the finals in the 110 Highs and the 300 Intermediates. Jaylan Alexander could be among the top five in the Discus. Anjiel Jones could be among the tops in the Long Jump. It would be a bonus if Marshall Davis advances to Saturday’s finals. Jonah Walton, a freshman, could be a surprise in the High Jump.

Barrington

Qualifiers – 10 (7 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Outlook – The Broncos have come on strong at the end of the season. They have the qualifiers to make a run at a trophy, perhaps a championship. Brad Warman will be among the top three in the Shot Put. Their 800 Meter Relay has the fastest time in the state and will hope for big points. The 1600 Meter Relay is strong enough to make a push for one of the nine qualifying teams. That event is wide-open that anything could happen for this team.

Luis Cossio IV is the defending champion in the 400 Meter Dash. He will defend his title in that race as well as helping the Broncos in their three relays. Kevin Curet could be among the finalists in the 110 Highs. Nick Laning qualified in both the 3200 and 1600 Meter Run. He could get points in both of those events.

Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

Qualifiers – 10 (6 Individuals, 4 Relays)

Outlook – This could be a team that surprises in the top five by the end of the day on Saturday. They have one of the top times in the 800 Meter Relay and could pick up that event along with the 400 Meter Relay. Their 1600 Meter Relay team could be one of the favorites in that event. The Hilltoppers did not load up their 3200 Meter Relay. The talent that they have could get them to Saturday’s finals.

Alec Pierce could pick up surprise points in the Triple Jump. Cameron Benes could be among the top five in the 800 Meter Run. Brady Heller could be among the scorers in the 300 Intermediates. Stephen Moody qualified in the 3200 Meter Run but will be in the first section of that race. The earlier race time with cooler temperatures could mean a faster time for this junior. He did run 9:09 in April. Success in the relays on Friday puts them in the trophy conversation on Saturday.

Lockport Township

Qualifiers – 5 (3 Individuals, 2 Relays)

Outlook – There is no room for mistakes on Friday for this team. A perfect prelim Friday could mean a trophy heading back to Lockport. It is almost a certainty that John Meyer Jr. will win the Shot especially with the season he has put together. Meyer Jr. will be one of the favorites in the Discus. Conor McCarthy will be one of the favorites in the Long Jump. He will a big a part of the Porters success in both the 800 and 1600 Meter Relays. Anything could happen on Saturday. Getting their puts Lockport in a position for a trophy.

Plainfield North

Qualifiers – 5 (3 Individuals, 2 Relays)

Outlook – Another team that cannot have any mistakes during the prelims on Friday. Marcellus Moore is the key as he will be in four events. Moore will be one of the favorites in both the 100 and 200 Meter Dash. He is also a part of the 400 and 800 Meter Relay team that expect some big points. It would be a bonus if Dylan Webb makes the finals in the High Jump.

Batavia

Qualifiers – 12 (9 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Outlook – Do not sleep on the Bulldogs. They do have the qualifiers that could make a run towards the trophy. They showed relay success at last year’s state meet with the win in the 800 Meter Relay. Their teams in the 3200 Meter Relay and 1600 Meter Relay should advance to Saturday and could pick up points in both. Batavia’s squad is good enough to also make the finals in the 400 Meter Relay. Good stick passing should accomplish that.

Sam Conger will be among the favorites in the 110 Highs and 300 Intermediates. Jack MacDonald could be among the scorers in the Triple Jump. Owen Schuster and Matt Dauksha both qualified in the Pole Vault. It would be a bonus if either of these athletes makes Saturday’s finals. The same holds true for Elijah Green in both the Shot Put and Discus.

Bloomington

Qualifiers – 6 (4 Individuals, 2 Relays)

Outlook – Just like Plainfield North and Lockport, the Purple Raiders could bring back another trophy back home. They finished third last year. Zachery Bradford is the BIG favorite in the Pole Vault and ensures his team 10 points. Bradford is also a part of the 1600 Meter Relay that has the top sectional time in the event. Bloomington could also make the finals of the 400 Meter Relay.

James Ellis could get points in the High Jump. Drew Crooks could also score in the Long Jump and possibly the 400 Meter Dash.

Belleville West

Qualifiers – 5 (2 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Outlook – A qualifying team with small numbers that could make an impact in this meet. Their relay teams define the Maroons. All three relay teams are among the top squads in 3A. All could pile up some huge points. Curtis Williams could be among the top five in the Triple Jump. Cameren Stevens could be a surprise in the 110 Highs. A perfect prelim Friday puts this team among the front runners on Saturday.

Edwardsville

Qualifiers – 10 (9 Individuals, 1 Relay)

Outlook – The defending state champions have 10 qualifiers back for this weekend. With a little luck, the Tigers could be in a hunt for a trophy. They will need to score in multiple events to get over 30 points and in contention for a trophy. Franky Romano could be one of the top finishers in the 800 Meter Run. Amari Brooks has a chance to score in both the Shot Put and the Discus. Blake Neville could be among the top nine in the Pole Vault. Kenyon Johnson has come on strong at the right time. The sophomore is in position to get points in both the Long Jump and the Triple Jump. With the 1600 Meter Relay wide open, the Tigers could also get points in that relay.

Minooka

Qualifiers – 7 (6 Individuals, 1 Relay)

Outlook – A team with an outside chance to finish in the top five. Brandon Adams leads this team. The senior will be one of the favorites in the 400 Meter Dash. He could also get to the finals in the 200 Meter Dash. Dominic Ruettiger could be in the mix for a top five finish in the Pole Vault. Antonio Hayden could be among the top five in the High Jump. Their 3200 Meter Relay team is “sneaky good”. It would be a bonus if the Indians make the Saturday finals in that race.

Oak Park-River Forest

Qualifiers – 21 (18 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Outlook – The Huskies qualified the most out of any 3A teams with 21. That number could be a little inflated consider they were in the Proviso East Sectional. Oak Park does have some qualifiers that could move them into the top five. JT Lowder could be among the favorites in the 110 Highs. He could also score in the Long Jump. Koren Leonard has a good shot of making it in the 300 Intermediates. A spot on the starting line in the 110 Highs is a possibility.

Matt Vietzen could finish among the top five in the 1600 Meter Run. Myles Molette-Hughes could be one of the favorites in the Triple Jump. Their team in the 400 Meter Relay has a shot of making the finals along with the quartet in the 1600 Meter Relay.

Downers Grove North

Qualifiers – 6 (5 Individuals, 1 Relay)

Outlook – You usually do not see a distance team among the top squads. The Trojans could be among the top five if they go through prelims on Friday with no problems. The 3A State Cross Country team from the fall could have Miles Christensen and Jack Roberts pick up some big points in the 3200 Meter Run. Their 3200 Meter Relay finished fourth in the sectionals. They could be among the top teams in the finals. Jacob Ridderhoff could get points in the 1600 Meter Run. Ryan Birkmeier could also get his team points in the 800 Meter Run.

 

FIELD EVENTS

Long Jump

3A Seasonal Best – 24-1.5 - Peyton Frankenreider, SR, Yorkville

3A Sectional Best – 24-1.5 – Peyton Frankenreider, SR, Yorkville

Outlook – How tough could this event be this weekend? The top ten athletes on the leaderboard all have jumps of 23-feet or longer. Some of that has to do with the windy conditions that some of the sectionals took advantage of last week. It is anyone’s guess who could win. Do not be surprised if we have all-state athletes in the 22’s.

Peyton Frankenreider is jumping in only his fifth time in this event. We will see if he can have the jumps like he had last week. Geremiah Lawson of Plainfield Central, Ife Oketona of Neuqua Valley, Bryan Keubeng of Plainfield East, Stefan Baldwin of Crete-Monee, Kevin Sylvester of West Aurora, and EJ Burruss of Homewood-Flossmoor all have a chance of winning this event. A group led by Frank Massey of Bloom Township could be in the nix for all-state finishes.

Expect the unexpected in this event. There are going to be some “names” that do not make the finals.

Triple Jump

3A Seasonal Best – 47-2 – Peyton Frankenreider, SR, Yorkville

3A Sectional Best – 47-2 – Peyton Frankenreider, SR, Yorkville

Outlook – Along with his bomb that he dropped in the Long Jump, Peyton Frankenreider had a huge 47-2 3A leader in this event. He will be tough to beat against a tough field. Quinton Stringfellow of Homewood-Flossmoor has been in the 45 to 46-foot range for most of the season. He will push for the win in this event. Evanston Township’s Jonathan Wilburn soared to a 46-7 leap at Loyola last week. He will also be in the hunt for a state title. Myles Molette-Hughes of Oak Park-River Forest will be among the athletes that could challenge for top five finishing spots. McKenzie Mitchell of Neuqua Valley, TJ Neal of Joliet West, Moshe Rogers of West Aurora, and Temi Osobamiro of Metea Valley are some of the athletes that you could also see on the podium on Saturday.

High Jump

3A Seasonal Best

6-10 – Frank Massey, SR, Chicago Heights Bloom Township

6-10 – Camron Donatlan, SR, West Aurora

3A Sectional Best – 6-8 – Camron Donatlan, SR, West Aurora

Outlook – It looked like we could see a tight event two weeks ago after Frank Massey cleared 6-10 at his conference meet. That changed last week after Massey failed to qualify for state. The door is open a little wider for Camron Donatlan to compete for his third straight state title. Devin Moody of Riverside-Brookfield and Jon Cherian of Niles West are the closest to Donatlan with 6-8 clearances during the season. Brandon Ellis of Warren Township, Antonio Buchannan of Champaign Centennial, and Maki Mohr of McHenry have cleared 6-7 and will be in the mix for a top five finish. Antonio Hayden of Minooka, Michael Shafis of Prospect, Peter Willis of St. Charles North, and James Ellis of Bloomington are some of the other athletes that could contend for a top nine finish.

Pole Vault

3A Seasonal Best – 17-9 – Zachery Bradford, SR, Bloomington

3A Sectional Best – 17-9 – Zachery Bradford, SR, Bloomington

Outlook – The east side stands at O’Brien Stadium will be packed wondering who will get second in this event. More so, fans will be there to get a chance to see Zachery Bradford vault one more time in the state meet. What else can we say about Bradford? He has cleared 17 feet or better this indoor and outdoor season 11 times. No other Illinois prep athlete has achieved numbers like that. Bradford cleared 18-0.5 to win the New Balance National Indoors Championship in March. He should break his own meet record of 17-4 on Saturday. How much higher could he soar in his final high school meet on Illinois soil?

This field is quite good after Bradford with five other athletes in this field over 15 feet. Tom Paprocki of Lake Park cleared 16-3 last week in his sectional and could be the last man standing before Bradford enters the competition. Declan Ritzenthaler of Loyola Academy and Matthew Ogilvie of Oswego both have cleared 15-6 outdoors. Dominic Ruettiger of Minooka and Jared Middleton of Oswego have cleared 15-0. Any of these four athletes could finish in the top three.

Shot Put

3A Seasonal Best – 70-6.5 – John Meyer Jr, SR, Lockport Township

3A Sectional Best – 68-1 – John Meyer Jr., SR, Lockport Township

Outlook – It is only a matter of when this weekend will John Meyer Jr. will set the new IHSA State Meet Record. The senior has the best throw in the country of 70-6.5. Let’s put more into perspective what kind of season Meyer has had. The IHSA State Meet Record is 66-5.75 set by Jermaine Kline in 2011. Meyer has gone past that in ten meets this season with six meets of 66 feet or longer. One of the greatest this state has even seen will go for 70 feet or farther one more time on Friday and Saturday.

Brad Warman of Barrington has a 62-1.5 seasonal best this spring. In any other year, that would get you a state title. It will interesting if we see two athletes over 63 feet in this event. Clayton Hannula of Kaneland has an over 59-foot throw along with Sam Liokumovich of Deerfield. Both could go past 60-feet in this meet. Andrew Stokes of Cary-Grove, Matt Bilek of Fremd, Brian Keyes of McHenry, Will Rezny of Rolling Meadows, and Henry Boudreau of Deerfield will also be athletes to keep an eye on.

Discus

3A Seasonal Best – 196-3 – Jordan Johnson, JR, Quincy

3A Sectional Best – 194-3 – Jordan Johnson, JR, Quincy

Outlook – It could come down to three athletes that could contend for the state title. Jordan Johnson has been hot in this event having thrown over 190 feet in five meets. Brian Keyes of McHenry has a 194-1 seasonal best and could stay with Johnson in this meet. John Meyer Jr. has thrown well this spring with his best at 189-11. One big throw could make things interesting.

Clayton Hannula of Kaneland, Jamir Gibson of Zion-Benton, Jaylan Alexander of Hoffman Estates, and Ben Litwin of Huntley all have gone past 170-feet and will challenge for a spot in the top five. Maema Njongmaeta of Stevenson and Zach Lyons of Waubonsie Valley could be surprises in this event this weekend.

 

TRACK EVENTS

4x800 Meter Relay

3A Seasonal Best – 7:47.75 – Orland Park Sandburg

3A Sectional Best – 7:47.75 – Orland Park Sandburg

Outlook – Could Dylan Jacobs will his Sandburg team to the state title that it missed last year? The senior ran a 1:51 anchor split and just missed catching Neuqua Valley with his team settling for second. The Eagles have the top sectional time and would like to have the fastest time just before noon in Saturday.

Danville could be one of the teams to watch. The squad that includes Phillip Hall and Quemarii Williams had the fastest time in the state for most of the season. The Vikings ran 7:49.35 last week at Belleville West. Batavia and Metea Valley both ran 7:52 last week at St. Charles North and could run faster this weekend. Hinsdale Central was second behind Sandburg last week at Downers Grove North and has a strong group headed by Sean O’Connell. The Red Devils could be one of the teams that could challenge for the win.

York is also a team to watch with a squad anchored by Charlie Kern. At the DuPage County Meet at the beginning of May, Kern made up four seconds on Naperville Central in the final lap to win by four seconds. Kern has that killer instinct heading into this weekend. That could be problems for other teams. Naperville Central, with Thomas Shilgalis, finished fourth at Downers North and could find their way into the top five. Downers Grove North has a bevy of talent led by Brendan Lockerby and Ryan Birkmeier that could go after the win. The Trojans have a season’s best of 7:54.83.

Evanston Township, Neuqua Valley, Dundee-Crown, and Glenbard West also are talented and could be one of the 12 teams to make the finals. 7:59 could be the break time to make the finals. It could take 7:44 or faster to win this race on Saturday.

4x100 Meter Relay

3A Seasonal Best – 41.62 – Homewood-Flossmoor

3A Sectional Best – 41.62 – Homewood-Flossmoor

Outlook – Homewood-Flossmoor should be the team to beat. The Vikings have been the list leaders most of this season and lowered it down to 41.62 at last week’s sectional meet. Huntley ran 41.79 in April but that was with a healthy Dubem Anikamadu. The senior is suffering with a leg injury. Huntley ran 42.29 at their sectional. They could still be tough. Belleville West ran 41.80 last week at their own sectional and have the athletes that could win this event. Plainfield North will be a factor especially with Marcellus Moore anchoring. The tigers ran 41.82 in their sectional race and could go faster this weekend. Hoffman Estates will be a factor and they will have Declan Rustay as their anchor. Rock Island had the lead on Plainfield North until the final 50-meters last week until Moore passed Courtney Lindsay. The Rocks still ran 42.11. Keep an eye on them.

Bloom Township ran under 42-seconds last week (41.86) and will play a role in who wins. South Elgin, Oak Park-River Forest, Grant Community, Alton, Collinsville, and Batavia are a few of the teams that you could see in the finals on Saturday.

3200 Meter Run

3A Seasonal Best – 8:56.84 – Danny Kilrea, SR, LaGrange Lyons Township

3A Sectional Best – 9:03.84 – Clayton Mendez, SR, Chicago Whitney Young

Outlook – The weather on Saturday with temperatures near 90 degrees will tempt this race to tactical. Danny Kilrea and Clayton Mendez will disagree with mother nature. This could be one of those memorable races that we will talk about for years to come. Kilrea ran 4:26 for the first 1600-meters in a solo win at his conference meet two weeks ago running 8:57. Mendez likes a strong opening pace and will be with Kilrea. Both were All-Americans twice during last fall’s cross-country campaign. The two runners up front will be twice as nice for the fans at O’Brien Stadium.

There are others that could challenge for the win. Miles Christensen of Downers Grove North has run under 9:10 twice this season and does have a good finishing kick that could challenge for the win. His teammate Jack Roberts just ran 9:08.39 behind Christensen in their sectional race and could finish among the top five. Zach Kinne of Neuqua Valley has quietly run 9:09.66 this season but has the talent to run under nine-minutes. Josh Methner of Hersey won the Distance Night in Palatine race in 9:06.65 and is ready for this state challenge. Marcos Garcia of Waukegan has been the surprise in this event running under 9:12 three times. Keep an eye on him.

Tommy Brady of Maine South has a 9:08.21 seasonal best and will be among the front runners. Barrington’s Nick Laning could play a factor having run 9:07.34 this spring. Also keep an eye on Bolingbrook’s Tyler Cushing that could be one of the runners in the front pushing this pace.

Keep an eye on the first sectional of this race that will be run two hours before the main event with temperatures close to 10 degrees cooler. Stephen Moody of Glenbard West and Brett Gardner of Lincoln-Way East both have seasonal bests under 9:12. Both could push each other to times that could place them in the top nine overall.

110 High Hurdles

3A Seasonal Best – 14.08 – Donovan Turner, JR, Naperville Neuqua Valley

3A Sectional Best – 14.08 – Donovan Turner, JR, Naperville Neuqua Valley

Outlook – Donovan Turner’s sectional time of 14.08 was wind-aided but don’t count him out. The junior has run under 14.5 four times during this frigid spring including 14.27 at the Arcadia Invitational in April. He could be the runner to beat in this race. Matthew Banks-Lewis of Homewood-Flossmoor is coming on strong running a personal best 14.22 in his sectional win. Victor Cameron of Crete-Monee was right behind Lewis-Banks at 14.31 and will be one of the athletes challenging for the win.

Sam Conger of Batavia and JT Lowder of Oak Park-River Forest have both run under 14.40 this season and will figure in who finishes in the top five in the finals. Peyton Frankenreider of Yorkville, Robert Williams of Springfield, and Albert Yen of New Trier are athletes that you could see in the finals. Victor Olaitan of Schaumburg, Jaden Jackson of Fremd, and Kevin Curet of Barrington are some of the other athletes that could be factors in the finals.

100 Meter Dash

3A Seasonal Best – 10.33 – Marcellus Moore, SO, Plainfield North

3A Sectional Best – 10.33 – Marcellus Moore, SO, Plainfield North

Outlook – This is one of the “must-see” events of the weekend in this meet program. It was set up in last week’s Plainfield South Sectional when Marcellus Moore ran a wind-legal 10.33 to win ahead of Courtney Lindsay of Rock Island who ran 10.44 in that race. Josh Eiker ran 10.34 two years ago in the prelims. That will be the time that these two runners (and more) will be chasing after.

Let’s not forget about defending champion Declan Rustay of Hoffman Estates in this event. The senior has a 10.60 seasonal best and has been around that time heading into this weekend. He has the reputation of running his fastest when it counts. Friday and Saturday could be another one of those times. Bobby Nuzzo of Mundelein has quietly crept into the conversation of winners in this event having run 10.56 last week in his sectional. He will be an athlete to keep an eye on.

Joshua Bridges and Jesuseun Adeyiga of Homewood-Flossmoor have times this season that could be among the top five in the finals. Franky West of Normal Community, Cedric Rowzee of Wheaton-Warrenville South, Jackson Torok of Yorkville, and Cortez Sawyer of Zion-Benton are some of the other runners that you could see in the finals.

800 Meter Run

3A Seasonal Best – 1:52.56 – Charlie Kern, SR, Elmhurst York

3A Sectional Best – 1:53.25 – Charlie Kern, SR, Elmhurst York

Outlook – It has been a long senior season for Charlie Kern as he has been battling injuries and illnesses. With dark clouds surrounding him most of the year, the sun is about to rise for this York runner. Kern comes into this meet with the fastest time in the state by almost two seconds. He ran his 1:52.56 seasonal best 90 minutes after he ran a 1:53.1 split on York’s 3200 Meter Relay team at the DuPage County Meet at the beginning of the month. He will be running both events in this meet. Kern still has the images of last year’s state champion Chris Conrad pulling away from him that could benefit him on Saturday.

Joshua English of Eisenhower and Franky Romano of Edwardsville both ran 1:54.41 in their sectional races and will play parts up front in this race. Cameron Benes of Glenbard West and Joey Simon of Wheaton North finished behind Kern and will also challenge for the win. Phillip Hall of Danville, Grant Jensen of Prairie Ridge, and Alvaro Barajas of Argo could find their way into the top five. Wes York of Waubonsie Valley has a strong kick and could be among the top finishers if he stays in position towards the front in this race.

4x200 Meter Relay

3A Seasonal Best – 1:27.83 – Barrington / Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

3A Sectional Best – 1:27.83 – Barrington / Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

Outlook – The times started to drop in last week’s sectional meets as three teams dipped under 1:28. There should be even faster times in the prelims and the finals. Barrington and Glenbard West lead all teams into this weekend with a 1:27.83 best. Stevenson finished five hundredths of a second behind Barrington at 1:27.88.

Plainfield North ran a 1:28.15 seasonal best in April but were beat by Rock Island in last week’s sectional meet. Belleville West is peaking at the right time running 1:28.27 in their sectional win. Bloom Township, Hoffman Estates, Lockport Township, and Thornton Fractional South all have run under 1:29. All are capable of being on top of the podium in what could be a wide-open race. Homewood-Flossmoor, York, Proviso West, and Oak Park-River Forest all have teams that could find their way into the finals.

400 Meter Dash

3A Seasonal Best – 48.41 – Marcellus Moore, SO, Plainfield North

3A Sectional Best – 48.69 – Brandon Adams, SR, Minooka

Outlook – With list leader Marcellus Moore concentrating on the short sprints this weekend, all eyes will turn to Brandon Adams in the leader role. Adams has been battling injuries most of his high-school career but appears to be ready at the right time. His sectional time of 48.69 was a seasonal best. Charlie Wade of St. Charles East ran 48.68 at the Kane County Meet and is a runner not to be discounted.

Quemarii Williams of Danville, Dontae Rooks of Joliet West, and Jason Thormo of Grant Community all have bests under 49-seconds making them threats in the front. Luis Cossio IV of Barrington is the defending champ and has run 49.30 this season. He will also be in the mix for the win. Sam Snell of Stagg, Zenen Cardenas of West Chicago, and Elihu Young of Eisenhower are some of the others to watch for in this event.

300 Intermediate Hurdles

3A Seasonal Best – 38.40 – Joe Zubak, SR, Wheaton-Warrenville South

3A Sectional Best – 38.40 – Joe Zubak, SR, Wheaton-Warrenville South

Outlook – This event is wide-open. The top nine athletes in this field are within half a second of each other. Joe Zubak dropped under 39-seconds last week with a 38.40 sectional best. Donovan Turner of Neuqua Valley ran 38.52 in less than perfect conditions in his sectional and could be the athlete to watch. Bobby Cayet of Grant Community is within three hundredths of a second of Turner and should also be a factor in this event.

Fremd’s Ben Konopka and Jaden Jackson, Sam Conger of Batavia, Albert Yen of New Trier, Koren Leonard of Oak Park-River Forest, and Matthew Lewis-Banks of Homewood-Flossmoor all have times under 39-seconds. All will play a factor in the outcome in this event. Robert Williams of Springfield and Peyton Frankenreider of Yorkville will also be athletes to watch for.

1600 Meter Run

3A Seasonal Best – 4:08.64 – Clayton Mendez, SR, Chicago Whitney Young

3A Sectional Best – 4:12.64 – Dylan Jacobs, SR, Orland Park Sandburg

Outlook – This could be one of the most intriguing races of the meet. Clayton Mendez of Whitney Young has the best time in the state but will be coming back from the race in the 3200. How he handles the heat will be a factor. Dylan Jacobs has the best sectional time from almost four seconds and will be running his fourth distance race within 24 hours. His experience in big meets could payoff Saturday afternoon. Jacob Ridderhoff of Downers Grove North dropped his personal best down to 4:16.28 in his sectional and could be one of the top finishers in this race. Thomas Shilgalis of Naperville Central ran 4:10.70 at Distance Night in Palatine and will be running in both this event and the 3200 Meter Relay. How much will he have left on Saturday?

There are two runners that I would keep an eye on that are only running in this event. Alex Tam of Libertyville has a 4:15.87 personal best from last year with a 4:18.34 seasonal best in 2018. Andrew O’Keefe of Granite City ran 4:13.59 in Collinsville at the beginning of the month and could be the one that could win. Matt Vietzen of Oak Park-River Forest finished second behind Jacobs in Downers Grove in April. He could be a factor.

Edwin Siuda of Downers Grove South, Sean MacGregor of York, and Charles Harders of Lyons Township all could make finals and be among the top eight in this race.

This race is more open than people think. Jacobs running against Mendez one more time could be amazing to watch. It could be a surprise athlete that captures the win.

200 Meter Dash

3A Seasonal Best – 20.88 – Marcellus Moore, SO, Plainfield North

3A Sectional Best – 20.88 – Marcellus Moore, SO, Plainfield North

Outlook – The Marcellus Moore vs. Courtney Lindsey race at Plainfield South was one of the best tactical sprint races that I have seen with Moore holding off Lindsey several times in the final 80-meters to win by six hundredths of a second. Moore’s sectional time of 20.88 surpassed Anthony Moorman’s state meet record of 20.89 in that race. The sophomore has the second-best all-time performance at this distance trailing only Josh Eiker and the 20.83 that he ran in 2016. The talent is in this race could push to a new state best if the conditions are favorable.

Declan Rustay of Hoffman Estates is the defending champion and ran a seasonal best of 21.53 last week. He will be close to Lindsey and Moore in the finals.

Jermarrion Stewart of Collinsville, Bobby Nuzzo of Mundelein, Brandon Adams of Homewood-Flossmoor, and Cedric Rowzee of Wheaton-Warrenville South all have seasonal bests under 22-seconds and will be factors in the top five in this event. Cortez Sawyer of Zion-Benton, Franky West of Normal Community, Eric Mooney of Huntley, Grant Floyd of Homewood-Flossmoor, and Jackson Torok of Yorkville could all find themselves in the finals.

4x400 Meter Relay

3A Seasonal Best – 3:19.67 - Lockport Township

3A Sectional Best – 3:19.82 – Bloomington

Outlook – This could be a great ending to the state meet. There is no clear favorite in this event. The Saturday final could be wild to watch. Lockport Township and Bloomington are the only schools under 3:20 entering this meet. Belleville West, Shepard, Danville, Bloom Township, Proviso East, and Batavia all have the talent to run under 3:20. The weather was not the best in some of the sectional meets, Teams like Grant Community, Neuqua Valley, and Barrington could find their way to the finals. It will be interesting to see which teams advance out of the Friday prelims. We could see some surprises in the final nine.