2020 ILXCTF.com Illinois Track & Field Previews - 2A Boys Teams

By Michael Newman

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East St. Louis-Senior had a chip on their shoulder entering the 2019 season after missing the previous year’s state meet. Their answer was a resounding one as they doubled the score to their closest competition to roll to a state championship.

The same will hold true in 2020. The Flyers have more depth, more quality point scorers to enter Charleston at the end of May to win back to back titles. A team like Eureka or maybe Finnigan Schirmer from Marengo can slow them down.

Here is a look of some of the teams to keep an eye on in 2020.

Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Arlington Heights (St. Viator)

Preview – A team that has the talent to finish among the first teams in Class 2A in 2020. Athan Huelskamp had a breakout junior season finishing second in both the Shot Put and the Discus. He should challenge for both state titles in those events. Patric Natindim also stepped up last spring in his junior season earning all-state honors finishing fourth in the 800 Meter Run. His seasonal best from a year ago is the second fastest returning time. He should enter the season as one of the favorites.

Cahokia

Preview – The Comanche have taken a step back from the seasons where they were on top of Class 2A. The talent is there for Cahokia to climb into the top 10 after finishing in a tie for 15th in 2019. If this group stays healthy, a top five finish is within their reach. Steven Harris earned all-state honors in both hurdle events finishing second in the 110 Highs and third in the 300 Intermediates. Harris will again be a factor this spring in both events.

Demontre Henley jumped over 21-feet as a freshman in the Long Jump. He should be someone to watch for in that event. Antwan Baker could also be a difference maker in the High Jump. Also keep a watch for Randy Wright in the Shot Put. Cahokia has a good group of sprinters, led by Avion Liddell, that along with Henley and Harris could push their sprint relays to the front.

East St. Louis-Senior

Preview – The Flyers had the strength in 2019 ahead of the rest of the 2A field doubling the point total of the closest team. Most of their point scorers are back from that state championship team. It might be tough to duplicate or go past their 84 point total from a year ago. They will enter 2020 as the team to beat in this classification.

Willie Johnson and Marcus Lampley are the two athletes that lead this team. The two swept the first two spots in the 400 Meter Dash. Lampley finished second, Johnson fifth, in the 200 Meter Dash. Lampley was part of both the winning 400 Meter Relay and 1600 Meter Relay state teams. Johnson was the anchor in the 1600 Meter Relay.

Most of the runners are back from their three sprint relays. All three will be in the hunt for state titles. Nathaniel Robinson, Keontez Lewis, and Jashawn Anderson were all parts of the relays and could make it in individual events to state.

Jamarriante Burgess clipped a hurdle in the 110 Highs finals that prevented him from finishing in the front. Burgess was all-state in both hurdle events. He will be one of the favorites in both. Darrione Williams did not make the finals in the Triple Jump. He does return with the third best returning mark. The senior will be someone to keep an eye on.

Eureka

Preview – It was a top 10 finish for the Hornets as they placed ninth overall in Class 2A. Expectations are high for this team in that they could leave Charleston at the end of May with a trophy. Trevor Heffren surprised some last track season as he won the state title in the 2A High Jump as a freshman. He will enter this sophomore season as the overwhelming favorite in the event with the possibility of getting close to the seven-foot barrier.

Aden Sears, Job Knapp, and Micah Senior lead a strong Eureka sprint group. The three athletes were part of their 1600 Meter Relay team that finished just under a second behind champion East St. Louis-Senior. Sears finished eighth in the 400 Meter Dash. Sears has the fourth fastest returning time in the event. Senior’s time is ninth fastest back in the event. Jack Cook leads the distance team with hopes of scoring again in the 3200 Meter Relay. Cook is the only runner back from that eighth-place state team.

Mahomet-Seymour

Preview – The Bulldogs left Charleston in 2019 with a state trophy finishing third in Class 2A. Mathias Powell, who was all-state in two events including a state win the 3200 Meter Run, has graduated. They have a nice luxury of having Hunter Hendershot back. The senior is the two-time defending champion in the Shot Put. He will also look to defend his 2019 Discus State title. He should be the favorite in both of those events.

CJ Shoaf earned all-state honors in the High Jump tying for sixth. He should be a factor in that event along with the two hurdle events on the track. Sophomore Kyle Nofziger leads a young and talented group of runners that could turn some heads this spring in the distance events.

Marengo

Preview – Finnigan Schirmer was the heartbeat of the Marengo Boys team in 2019. He scored 36 of the team’s 42 points as they finished second overall. With Aaron Sheppard graduated, all eyes (like they weren’t already) will be focused on Schirmer. He is the defending champion in the 110 High Hurdles, 100 Meter Dash, and 300 Meter Intermediate Hurdles. Schirmer finished fourth also in the 200 Meter Dash. Four wins by their star Schirmer puts this school back into trophy contention.

Metamora

Preview – The Redbirds will be the top Mid-Illini Conference team in the state this spring. They will improve on last year’s 40th place finish at state. Mitchell McKelvey was all-state in the Pole Vault. He could score in that event as well as the High Jump. Connor Lopez has one of the top 15 returning times in the 110 High Hurdles. He could score in that event. Adam Gilbreath-Glaub and Ian O’Laughlin lead a strong distance squad. O’Laughlin has showed improvement over the last year and could be a factor in one of the distance events.

Rock Falls

Preview – A team that could find their way into the top 10 when we get to Charleston. Dawson Smith had a standout fall cross country season where he finished second in the Class 1A State Meet. Smith finished in the 3200 Meter Run last year and has the top returning times. He should be one of the favorites in that event as well as all-state in the 1600 Meter Run.

Elijah Johnson put up some solid junior times in the sprints. He could be all-state either in the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash. Their 800 Meter Relay, led by Johnson, finished seventh in the state finals. They return three athletes ready to get closer to the front.

Woodstock (North)

Preview – The Thunder are another team that could find their way into the top 10 come state meet time. Elijah Pena could score in multiple events. Pena finished fifth in the Triple Jump and should contend for another top five finish. He could also be a factor in both hurdle events. Aidan Filetti qualified for last year’s state meet in the 400 Meter Dash. Keep an eye on him in this event.