Wells leads Rockford Christian one step closer to 1A title; Hot times on hot prelims afternoon at O’Brien Stadium

Photo – Riley Wells crosses the line in a heat of the 800 Meter Run with Shane Yamco and Jacob Bryan (Mike Newman photo)

By Michael Newman

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Charleston, Il – The momentum that Rockford Christian had after the first two preliminary events was just as hot as the temperatures were on the track. The Royal Lions have the team advantage after Thursday’s prelims advancing nine qualifiers to Saturday’s finals. Colfax Ridgeview and Madison are next with seven qualifiers each.

There were many stories on this day. One of them belonged to Riley Wells. The junior and defending champion in the 800 Meter Run for Rockford Christian was in the final heat of the 800 Meter Run which had six runners that had career bests of 1:56 or better. The junior bided his time and waited for the right moment to take the lead as he came off the final curve. He had the lead with 50-meters left and then seemed to just put his stride in automatic looking around. He crossed the line with the fastest prelim time of the three heats (1:55.28) finishing ahead of Riverton’s Shane Yamco (1:55.52) and Jacob Bryan of Illini West (1:55.93). Saturday’s final should be a fast one. Wells believes it will be.

“I really did not push it in that heat,” Wells said. I did not run hard except for the 25-meters coming off the turn. I think I could have a fast time on Saturday. I am ready for that.”

Wells came back to run a 50.1 anchor split to lead his team to an automatic-qualifier in winning their heat of the 1600 Meter Relay (3:26.20). Rockford Christian qualified all their relays to the finals. Brent Brunner advanced in the 1600 Meter Run while Noah Fulcomer was a surprise qualifier in the 110 Highs. D’Artangnon Beaver will run in the 3200 Meter Run on Saturday. Brad Wood also advanced in the Pole Vault.

Colfax Ridgeview had their ups and downs during this session of the meet. They are still in contention for the state title. Their down was in the 300 Intermediate Hurdles when defending state champion Mason Barr did not check in on time for his heat of the event. By the time he got out of the tent and onto the track, the runners were in the blocks for the heats. Barr was disqualified. That may have spurred him to some bigger things in the finals two events on the track.

Tate Walcott and Barr finished together in their heat of the 200 Meter Dash with both teammates making it to the finals on Saturday. Barr’s finest moment was yet to come. He took the baton for the anchor leg of the 1600 Meter Relay in third. Barr passed Luke McGraw in the final 40-meters to get Ridgeview the win (3:24.65) and the fastest prelim time ahead of Pleasant Plains (3:24.71). Both teams advanced to the finals. Barr’s split was an eye catching 48.2 seconds.

Walcott did not make it to the finals in the 100 Meter Dash but does have the lead after the prelims in the Long Jump with a wind-aided personal best of 23-11.50 and has a lead of more than a foot.

Madison was the team surprise on this day as they could be in position to pick up the team’s first trophy in the program’s history. Alphonso Rice III advanced to the finals in the Long Jump. Joseph Wooten advanced in the High Jump. Dontez Pittman advanced in both the 300 Intermediates and the 110 Highs. Their squad in the 800 Meter Relay also advanced. Javon Watkins advanced in the 1600 Meter Run. He will also be running in the 3200 Meter Run on Saturday.

Defending champion Illini West could still challenge for a title as they will have six qualifiers led by Connor Artman and Jacob Bryan. Artman advanced in all his events including second-place in the Long Jump. Artman had one of the top times in the 110 Highs and the 300 Intermediates. Artman is currently ninth in the Triple Jump. Bryan qualified in the 800 Meter Dash and came right back to make the finals in the 400 Meter Dash.

(Editor’s Note: At the end of the preliminaries on Thursday, Artman was shot twice by someone with a BB gun while he was taking a shower. No one has taken responsibility for this. There was no other news at the time of this publishing. Artman was released from a Charleston Hospital Thursday night. He is expected to compete in the finals on Saturday. Our thoughts and prayers are with Artman and the Illini West team.)

Thursday Track Highlights

Defending 100 and 200 Meter Dash champion Easton Bianchi had missed most of the outdoor season with a hip flexor injury in his first meet of the season. In his third meet back after the injury, Bianchi is ready for the title defense. He ran the fastest prelim time in the 100 Meter Dash (10.93) into a -1.7 m/s wind. “That race gave me confidence,” Bianchi said. “I did not know what to expect today. I feel great.”

His 200 Meter Dash prelim race was even more convincing. His time of 21.93 was the fastest prelim time by about half a second ahead of Marshall Brown of Macon Meridian. Bianchi also anchored his team to a qualifying spot in the 800 Meter Relay finals.

Rushville’s Charly Tshibuabua had a good day qualifying in all three sprint events for Saturday as well as having the fastest time in the 400 Meter Dash (49.67) just eight hundredths of a second ahead of Timothy Christian’s Xavier Ross (49.75). They were the only two runners under 50 seconds in the prelims.

AJ Christensen of Forreston has the fastest prelim time in both the hurdle races. Christensen’s time of 14.54 won Heat 2 of the prelims. Mason Barr ran 14.55 to win Heat 1 just a hundredth of a second behind Christensen. In the 300 Intermediates, Christensen ran 37.91 to have the fastest time by almost a second ahead of Caine Wilson from Salt Fork (38.83).

All the expected favorites advanced to the finals of the 1600 Meter Run. In the first hear, Wyatt McIntyre of Athens made his move in the final 100-meters to win the first heat of the event (4:23.51) ahead of John McNabola of FW Parker (4:23.77) and Oregon’s Ian Hussung (4:23.92). Eight runners from that heat advanced to the finals on Saturday. Eli Ten Eyck of Pittsfield and Logan Hall of Arthur-Lovington were the runners that pushed the pace in the second heat. While Ten Eyck sprinted home to the finish winning the second section (4:21.18), Hall jogged it in finishing second (4:26.22) knowing that he would have a performance that would advance him to Saturday’s finals.

Warrensburg-Latham had the fastest prelim time in the 400 Meter Relay (43.02) ahead of Rockford Christian and Rushville-Industry who both were timed at 43.02. Less than a tenth of a second separated the top three teams after the prelims in the 800 Meter Relay. Rockford Christian won Heat 4 (1:30.11) with Lena-Winslow (1:30.12) and Walther Christian (1:30.18) close behind.

Morrison led all qualifiers in the 3200 Meter Relay running 8:08.43 to win Heat 3. Pleasant Plains and Elmwood were the other heat winners. All of Morrison’s quartet are sophomores.

Thursday Field Event Highlights

Sophomore Peyton Sopiars of Galva surprised some in the Triple Jump leading after Thursday’s prelims with a 45-0.75 personal best. Ramsey Hunt of Shiloah jumped 44-3 and is currently in second. Two of the pre-meet favorites, Connor Artman and Michael Hunt of Illini Bluffs, currently stand in ninth and tenth.

Tuscola’s Hunter Woodard has almost a three-foot lead heading into Saturday’s finals. Woodard’s best of 59-0 is ahead of Andy Bird of Warsaw (56-3) and Jackson Sheckler of Illini Bluffs (55-9.75).

Peyton Taylor of Mt. Pulaski threw 177-3 in the prelims of the Discus to hold the lead in the event by more than 20-feet ahead of Hope Academy’s Jarod Pankau (156-8) and Williamsville’s Bradley Olysav (156-2).

12 athletes cleared 6-2 to advance to the finals of the High Jump. 14 athletes cleared 13-3 with all the favorites still in the field as the Pole Vault moves forward to Saturday’s finals.