By Michael Newman

Four of last year’s state champions in the field events return in 2A this season. Ali Munson won the Pole Vault, but Benet Academy was moved back up to 3A for the upcoming season.

All eyes will be on the horizontal jumps runways especially on Imani Carothers (Brooks College Prep, junior). The then sophomore put on a show last year winning both events and setting a new 2A record in the process. She should be the big favorite in that event but could be pushed in the Long Jump. Nevertheless, it could be a memorable season for Carothers.

The weight events could be fun to watch. The top five finishers in the Shot Put are back led by defending champion Latavia Maines (Centralia, senior). Tayla Schwarz (Dixon, junior) is the defending champion in the Discus that has three of the top five back. We could see new faces emerge in the High Jump with the majority of last year’s finalists graduated. The Pole Vault could be interesting with a number of athletes ready to grab the title.

Long Jump

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – Imani Carothers is the defending champion and one of three athletes to watch that have 19 foot or better marks returning. Erika Furbeck (Geneseo, junior) jumped 19- ½ to finish second last year and could be Carothers’ biggest threat for the win. Mariya Hudson (Cahokia, senior) jumped the same distance in April last year. She will be running the sprints most likely at state as well as a relay event like she did last May. If she is in this event, she could also be a threat. Carothers jumped 19-6 at an invitational last April.  Jump at 20 feet or better could be in her sights.

Aanise Sajna (Dunlap, junior) finished eighth last year and is the only other all-state jumper back. LaQwasia Stepney (Cahokia, sophomore), Savannah Sullivan (Dunlap, junior), and Alissa Ashlock (Centralia, senior) are some of the other athletes to keep an eye on s the season progresses.

Triple Jump

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – Imani Carothers could threaten the overall IHSA State Meet record when we get to Charleston this May. She did break the 2A mark last year (40- ¾) and is only 17 inches away from Deana Simmons 1996 state record (41-5). The possibility is there that she could get it.

Carothers is also the overwhelming favorite in this event. Dominique Anderson (Illinois Math & Science Academy) is the next closest returning athlete and she is more than two feet behind Carothers. There is another gap of nearly a foot before Alex Schaub (Dunlap, junior) and Jayla Campbell (Rich Central, sophomore) are. This is not the deepest of field events with only four athletes at 36 feet or better. The opportunity for a fresh face to jump into the top three is there.

High Jump

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – Only two all-state athletes are back from last year’s final nine making this an event of opportunity. Shaniya Howard (Urbana, junior) is the highest placer back with her fourth-place finish. Her 5-6 seasonal best is also the top clearance coming back. Addison Freitag (Metamora, senior) cleared 5-5 at her conference meet but did not qualify for the state finals. Chloe Phillips (Salem, junior), Sarah Flight (Charleston, sophomore), and BryLeigh Buchanan (Harrisburg, junior) are some of the athletes to keep an eye on as the season moves on closer to the state series.

Pole Vault

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – With defending champion Ali Munson now in 3A, the focus could move towards last year’s top two returning finishers Josie Held (Mt. Zion, junior) and Aliyah Welter (Monticello, junior). Held achieved her personal best clearance of 12-3 while finishing second in the state finals. Welter finished fourth clearing 11-6 at Charleston. She does have the best mark coming back (12-8) that she achieved in winning her sectional meet.  They are the only two athletes coming back that have gone 12 feet or better.

Nicole Bagwell (Tolono Unity, senior) cleared 11-7 last year but did not place at state last May after failing to clear her opening height. That could be a huge plus to do some big things this track season. Cora Uidl (Woodstock, senior), Taylor Millsap (Tolono Unity, junior), and Lexie Guerra (Kaneland, junior) all were all-state last year and will look to repeat that. Sydney Bertschy (Dunlap, junior) could be another athlete that could get into the top five at state.

Shot Put

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – This is the toughest of the six 2A field events this year. The top five finishers from last year’s state final are back. Latavia Maines, the 2016 state champion, will again the athlete to beat. The senior had a 45-9 ½ put in her sectional meet last year. She could go 47 feet or better in her final prep season. Tayla Schwarz (Dixon, junior) finished second and again will be Maines’ chief competition. The 44-6 mark at her sectional competition could show the promise that she has heading into this season.

Deambrea Brown (Manual Academy, senior), A’veun Moore (Mt. Vernon, senior), and Bridget Bishop (Boylan Catholic, senior) finished third through fifth last year and could better hose spots. Nikita Maines (Centralia, junior) finished eighth and could find her way into the top five.

Discus

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – Tayla Schwarz is a good bet to defend her state title. The junior threw 145-8 to win the state title. A’veun Moore finished fifth but has the next best returning performance (134-3) that is nearly 11 feet behind that of Schwartz. Demaya Gunn (Marion, junior) finished third last year and could be a threat again for one of the three top spots. There is a 13 foot gap between this trio and the rest of the returning throwers. It will be interesting to see how this event develops.