Walcott over 24-feet in the Long Jump; Bianchi repeats 100/200 double; Wells wins 2^nd 800 title

Photo: Easton Bianchi winning the 200m Dash (Laura Duffy Photo)

By Michael Newman

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Charleston – A disqualification in the prelims by Mason Barr might have been the reason why Ridgeview won the 1A team title Saturday afternoon. Barr, who was the defending champion in the 300 Hurdles, did not report to the check-in tent on time and was not allowed to run. Barr admitted afterwards that it might have been a motivating factor.

Ridgeview scored big in the final two events to capture their first 1A title with 50 points. Rockford Christian (44 points) and Rushville-Industry (37 points) finished second and third. Illini West, the 2017 1A champ, missed the podium by two points finishing fourth.

The Mustangs scored 15 points in 200 Meter Dash with a 2-3 finish from Barr and teammate Tate Walcott. Barr came back to anchor Ridgeview to a sixth-place finish in the 1600 Meter Relay.

Ridgeview started their day with a win in the Long Jump. When Illini West’s Connor Artman fouled on his final attempt, Walcott knew he had the win. “I relaxed after that,” Walcott said. “I just went out and just jumped.” That final attempt resulted in a 24-0.25 jump to secure his win.

Walcott and Barr ran the final two legs of the 800 Meter Relay. The Mustangs defended their state crown running 1:20.06 for the title ahead of a charging Rockford Christian (1:29.64).

“That disqualification fired me up a bit,” Barr said. “Qualifying the 200 and getting the 1600 Meter Relay into the finals really helped us get a team trophy.”

Bianchi repeats 100/200 double.

“When I came out of the blocks, I still could feel a little of that pain,” Easton Bianchi said about his start in the 100 Meter Dash. A hip-flexor injury slowed down the Sterling Newman senior during most of this outdoor season. It did not seem to prevent him from winning the 10 and 200 Meter Dash for the second time in as many years.

He was the commanding force in both sprint races as he was in last year’s state meet. His start was average, but he had the lead 50-meters into the race. Bianchi stormed away to a personal best 10.60 for the state title ahead of Warrensburg-Latham’s Diondre Lewis (10.89).

The story was the same in the 200 Meter Dash. Bianchi had the lead coming off the curve crossing the line with the win (21.73) ahead of Barr and Walcott who were both times at 22.41.

“I’d say it feels better than last year. To repeat is a way better feeling,” Bianchi said. “It proved last year was not a fluke. I just worked my butt off. All this has really paid off especially with the injury.”

Second year in a row a win for Wells in the 800 Meter Run

Just when you think that Riley Wells is too far back, the Rockford Christian junior fools you and storms away for the win. Lightning struck twice again for him as he won his second straight 1A title in the 800 Meter Run.

Wells had hoped to run under 1:51 in this race. That never materialized as the pack led by Jacob Bryan of Illini West and Nashville’s Brandon Schnitker went through 400-meters in 57.6 with Wells hanging back in sixth. Wells worked his way up through the pack on the backstretch taking the lead with 120-meters left. He unleashed his kick in the final straightaway for the win (1:53.72) holding off Bryan (1:54.11), Shane Yamco of Riverton (1:54.33), and Schnitker (1:54.78).

Wells gave it his all in anchoring his team in the 1600 Meter Relay. He moved up from fifth diving at the line to get second (3:23.67) just behind Pleasant Plains (3:23.01) and just ahead of Macon Meridian (3:23.01)

“The pace went out a little slow,” Wells said. “I just made my move at the 300 and kicked in. I got the win, so I can’t complain about that.”

Other 1A Highlights

Morrison put their quartet together for the first time in their sectional race just to get to state. Third-runner Keegan Anderson took the lead during his leg, then anchor Koby Brackemeyer extended it. Morrison ran 8:0.59 to win by more than five seconds ahead of Pleasant Plains (8:06.14) and Elmwood (8:08.50). Morrison should be back for the next two years. All four runners in their relay are sophomores.

The 3200 Meter Run started out slowly but finished up quickly. The heat on the track kept the pack together as eight runners passed the first 1600-meters in 4:52. El Paso-Gridley’s Noah Smith took the lead at that point opening a five second lead on Athens’ Wyatt McIntyre, Arthur-Lovington’s Logan Hall, and Jack McNabola of FW Parker who ere waiting to make a move closer to Smith. The three caught Smith with 800-meters left.

Then the racing began.

Hall made a surge with 600-meters left dropping McIntyre from the front with McNabola hanging close by. The seventh lap was run in 65 seconds. McNabola took the lead continuing to look back nervously. Hall tried to surge to the lead with McNabola not letting him. The two came down to the finish together with McNabola keeping that slight lead. McNabola captured his first state crown (9:24.68) just ahead of Hall (9:25.14). McNabola closed in a 58 second final lap.

Tactics also played a part in the 1600 Meter run with Eli Ten Eyck of Pittsfield taking the lead in the final lap. Hall took the lead with 200-meters left, then held off Ten Eyck and a charging Wyatt McIntyre to take home his second state title (4:22.45) running the final 400-meters in 59 seconds. McIntyre was next (4:22.93) followed by Ten Eyck (4:23.17) and McNabola (4:25.69).

AJ Christensen of Forreston was in command of both hurdle races. He ran a personal best of 14.37 to win the 110 High Hurdles (14.37) ahead of Mason Barr (14.59). Christensen followed that up by running 37.97 to win the 300 Intermediate Hurdles (37.97) ahead of St. Joseph-Ogden’s Riley Baker (38.55). Illini West’s Connor Artman finished fifth in that event. Artman earned all-state in four events finishing second in the Long Jump, fourth in the Triple Jump, and fourth in the 110 High Hurdles.

Diondre and Dionte Lewis ran the final two legs to lead Warrensburg-Latham to a win in the 400 Meter Relay ahead of Lena-Winslow (43.00) and Rockford Christian (43.10). Their teammate Jorden Tedford cleared 6-8 to win the High Jump.

Hunter Woodard of Tuscola went over 60-feet with a 60-4.50 put to win the Shot Put. Peyton Taylor of Mt. Pulaski had a 177-3 throw in the prelims of the Discus. That mark held up to win the state title.

Peyton Sopiars of Galva jumped 45-0.75 to win the Triple Jump ahead of DuQuoin’s Dasani Edward (44-4.75) and Ramsey Hunt of Hume Shiloh (44-3.25). The top three finishers are all sophomores. Kyle Kruhtoff of Erie cleared a personal best of 15-6 to win the Pole Vault. Garrett Bachtold of Paxton-Buckley-Loda placed second (14-9). The faces should be the same next spring in this event. All top nine all-state athletes are underclassmen.