By Michael Newman

DyeStat Illinois Editor

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It was a team effort last fall as Sandburg last fall led by the third place finish by Sean Torpy. It was same during track as Torpy helped his teammates capture the 4 x 1 Mile Championship at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in March, the Class 3A 3200 Meter Relay title, and the third place finish for Sandburg at the IHSA 3A State Track Meet. It was the individual accomplishments that he achieved towards the end of the year and the post-season that made it clear that he should be the 3A Athlete of the Year.

After running the third leg of Sandburg’s winning 3200 Meter Relay, Torpy came back to win the an individual state championship in the 1600 Meter Run. A week later at the Magis Miles on the campus of St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, Sean, along with his brother Chris, ran in the invitational mile with college runners and professionals. Torpy ran a personal best 4:05.10 to finish fourth overall more than a second ahead of his brother. His time was tied for the tenth fastest high school runner in the nation. His split on the way to the finish for 1600 Meters (4:03.42) was the fastest time this year in the nation for that distance.

The following week at the Midwest Distance Classic at Benedictine University, Torpy made his presence known again nationally this time in the 800 Meter Run. His brother Chris led for 700 meters of the race. Sean passed him with a little more than 100 meters to go and crossed the line winning in 1:47.95. It ended up the fastest time nationally this year for the event. It was also the fastest 800 meter / 880 Yard time ever by an Illinois High School runner.

Josh Eiker (Galesburg HS) had a great sprint season capturing two more individual titles in the 100 Meter Dash and the 200 Meter Dash. Eiker ran the fastest wind legal time ever in Illinois in the 200- Meter Dash (20.83) at the Bob Cohoon Invitational on April 22. He ran 10.34 (wind aided) in the prelims of the 100 at the state meet. That time was eleventh fastest in the nation this season regardless of conditions. It was what Sean Torpy did at the end of the season that earned him this honor.

We are proud to congratulate Sean Torpy of Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park as the 2016 DyeStat Illinois 3A Boys Athlete of the Year.