This Weekend in Illinois High School Track & Field - February 19, 2024

Photo - Josh Methner congratulates Marion's Dylon Nalley after his race Saturday at Notre Dame (Daniel Nalley Photo)

By Michael Newman

The weekend started on Thursday night at North Central College when Patrick Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic ran a spectacular 1:50.50 to take over the lead nationally in the 800 Meter Run. The performances for Illinois athletes rolled from there.

There were some great performances around the state this weekend. You can watch videos from North Central College, York, and Wheaton-Warrenville South. There will be some huge meets coming up this coming weekend. But first, let’s look back at some of those special performances the past few days.

Results – 2/15 | 2/16 | 2/17

Alex Wilson Invitational @ the University of Notre Dame – This college meet had one high school race as part of it’s meet schedule. The Golden Dome 2-Mile Run produced some eye-popping performances. A month before this race took place, Dylon Nalley of Marion chose to start the season traveling north to Notre Dame. That chance paid off in a big way for the two-time Illinois 2A State Cross Country Champion.

The race produced the top five times at the 2-Mile distance in the United States. It included Nalley who ran a huge personal best of 8:50.47 to finish fourth overall. The big news in this race is that Foot Locker XC National Champion Drew Griffith of Butler Area PA ran a national high school record of 8:38.67 to win the race. The old record of 8:38.15 was run by Edward Cheserek in 2013.

The race on the oversized track inside Notre Dame’s Lotus Center played out as planned for Nalley as he stuck with the front pack passing the first mile in 4:25 along with Griffith, TJ Hansen of Freeland MI , Ryan Pajak of Ringgold PA, and Will Conway of Floyd Central IN. Griffith pulled away from the rest of the field with 1200-meters left in the race. Nalley stayed in fifth-place for most of the race until passing Hansen in the final lap. Nalley ran even splits of 4:25/4:25.

Nalley made some history for Illinois runners with the third fastest time ever indoors for 3200-meters/2-Miles. The Marion senior’s time of 8:47.27 converted down to 3200 from 2-Miles places him sixth all-time for those distances in the state. It was his first race of the season. Let’s see what he does from here. Nevertheless, it will be exciting to watch Nalley run.over the next couple of months.

York Girls Invitational #1 – The highlight race in this meet was the 3200 Meter Run featuring the top two runners in last November’s State meet race at Detweiller Park with Scout Storms of Barrington and Liv Phillips of Naperville Central along with York’s Katherine Klimek and Anna McGrail. The four runners broke away from the rest of the pack in the first 400-meters of the race. It was then Storms and Phillips went about on their own passing the first mile in a slowing pace at 5:20. They ran 82 and 83 second 400’s leading to that mile. Phillips made the decision to push the pace at that point running 80 second 400’s the rest of the way. Storms stayed close for the first two laps after the surge but began to drop off. The first four finishers in the race ran the four of the top seven times in the state. Phillips ran 10:40.08 (US #13) for the win with Storms at 11:00.74 (IL #3), Klimek at 11:18.64 (IL #5), and McGrail at 11:30.25 (IL #7). Lily Babiak of Waubonsie Valley ran 11:37.46 (IL #9) to finish fifth.

Mia Sirois of Barrington was looking for running under five-minutes for 1600-meters for the first time. She would have to pace it by herself losing the rest of the field after the first two laps. Sirios passed 800 in 2:28, 3:44 for 1200-meters, and crossing the line in 5:00.44 (IL #3) for the win. Delilah Helenhouse of Benet Academy ran 5:13.50 (IL #10) to finish second.  Elaine Paul of York ran a state leading 7.21 to win the 55 Meter Dash. Paul also cleared 11-3.75 (IL #8) to set a new fieldhouse record in winning the Pole Vault. Lily Hodneland of Hinsdale Central ran 2:22.09 (IL #10) to edge Sophia Galiano-Sanchez of York (2:22.60) and Abby Lewis of Barrington (2:22.81) to win the 800 Meter Run.

Brooke Sawatzky of Naperville Central opened with three wins in her opening meet of the season. Sawatzky ran 8.91 (IL #2) to win the 55 Meter Hurdles ahead of Gabrielle Brown of Benet Academy (9.19, IL #6). Sawatzky also jumped 17-0.75 to win the Long Jump and 37-3.25 (IL #4) to win the Triple Jump. York ran 10:08.02 (IL #2) to win the 4x800m Relay.

Illinois Meet of Champions @ Gately Park -  Some of the Boys races at this meet produced some top times within the state. Gavin Genisio of Benton was in complete control of the 1600 Meter Run as expected. Genisio ran 4:11.74 (IL #2) to win the race ahead of teammate Gabriel McLain who ran 4:21.56 (IL #6). Hirsi Hirsi of Mather was the next closest running 4:26.47 (IL #10) to finish third. York’s Brady Golomb continued to put up fast times during this season. Golomb ran 1:55.88 (IL #2) to win the 800 Meter Run finishing ahead of teammate Emmett Bradford (1:59.77, IL #8) and Preston Ellis of Payton (1:59.81). Golomb, along with Bradford, Max Zangan, and Avi Shah ran 3:33.63 (IL #4) to win the 4x400m Relay just ahead of Highland Park (3:34.00).

Doug Anderson of Highland Park ran a state leading 49.75 to win the 400 Meter Dash with teammate Lukaas Nales running 50.05 (IL #3) to finish second.  Joshua Boahene of Holy Trinity ran 6.96 (IL #3) to edge Ryan Williams of Hope Academy (6.98, IL #4) in the 60 Meter Dash. Gavin Schaer of York cleared 14-10.25 (IL #8) to win the Pole Vault.

Annika Swan of St. Ignatius College Prep led a deep field in the Girls 1600 Meter Run where seven runners in the race ran 5:21 or faster. Swan ran 4:57.44 (IL #2) for the win with Mia Kotler of Latin School running 5:07.56 to finish second. Jane Lynch of Loyola Academy ran 5:10.13 (IL #7) to finish third. Angelena Bullocks of Whitney Young ran a state leading 7.52 to win the 60 Meter Dash finishing just ahead of Mariyah Robinson of Simeon (7.55, IL #3). Bullocks came back to run 1:00.54 to win the 400 Meter Dash ahead of teammate Ella Sweatt (1:00.70).

Wheaton-Warrenville South Girls Invitational #2 – The athlete that was in the spotlight Saturday morning in Wheaton was Zawadi Brown of Neuqua Valley. The all-state athlete put in some stellar performances in winning three events. Brown ran 7.23 (IL #2) to win the 55 Meter Dash, jumped 18-7.25 (IL #3) in winning the Long Jump, and ran 59.62 (IL #6) to win the 400 Meter Dash. Emma Berres of Naperville North ran a solo 2:21.28 (IL #8) in winning the 800 Meter Run. Julie Piot of Naperville North was also on her own running 5:13.13 (IL #9) in winning the 1600 Meter Run.

Proviso West Boys Meet #3 – There were some fast times run in the 1600 Meter Run in this meet. Seven runners were under 4:31 in this race that had Ben Crane of New Trier running 4:19.62 (IL #4) for the win just ahead of Ryan Eddington of Downers Grove North (4:20.26, IL #5). Grant Schroder of Downers Grove North ran 4:25.58 (IL #9) to finish third.

Greg Foster Invitational @ Proviso West HS – The top two times in the state for the 3200 Meter Run was came in this meet. Luis Flores of St. Laurence ran 9:23.06 to win the race ahead of Jaden Frederick of Glenbard South (9:25.94). Freshman Tom Jochum of Glenbard South ran 9:45.48 (IL #6) to finish third.

Hononegah Girls Indoor Classic – The quartet of Sophie Fransen, Veronica Znajda, Lily Ginsberg, and Ireland Wildhart were a part of Prospect’s time of 4:10.15 to win the 4x400m Relay. On Wednesday, the Knights ran a state leading time of 4:09.41 at Huntley. Lake Zurich ran 4:13.45 (IL #4) to finish second. Znajda ran 2:16.03 (IL #2) to win the 800 Meter Run. Marley Andelman of St. Charles East (2:21.91 (IL #5) and Polina Krupsky of Lake Zurich (2:19.31, IL #6) finished second and third. Riley Betz of Lake Zurich ran 7.80 (IL #7 tie) to win the 60 Meter Dash.