By Michael Newman

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It will be hard to replace two G.O.A.T.S. in this 2019 Track & Field Season.

John Meyer Jr. and Zachery Bradford graduated their respective high schools as the best Illinois Track & Field athletes ever in their respective disciplines.

Replacing them is impossible. Treasuring their accomplishments will be something that Illinois High School Track & Field fans will be doing for decades to come.

Only the Discus has a defending state champion back with Quincy’s Jordan Johnson. The other five events are waiting for someone to step into the spotlight.

Here is a look of what we could see this season in the six 2A Boys Field Events.

Discus

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – Justin Johnson made his jump in this event in 2018 from placing ninth as a sophomore to winning the 3A State championship last May. He could make it back to back in 2019. He has the best returning throw by 30-feet. Will anyone get close to him? We will wait and see. We can expect a throw over 200-feet this spring. He improved 24-feet from his sophomore to his junior season.

Amari Brooks (6^th), Jason Petko (7^th), and Chase Becker (8^th) are the other all-state athletes back in this event. Matthew Appel threw over 160-feet and could be in the top nine mix. Henry Boudreau, Sam Liokumovich, and Maema Njongmeta all have bests over 165-feet and could be difference makers in the top five.

Shot Put

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – John Meyer was the 3A state champion for the past three seasons. With Meyer now doing some great things at the University of Michigan, it is time for a new state champion. There are plenty of athletes that could step into the top spot.

This event is open. I mean REALLY open. Sam Liokumovich, who finished sixth in the state finals last year, is the only athlete back that finished in the top nine. Amiri Buchanan made it to Saturday in 2018 but finished 11^th in the finals. Matthew Appel and Henry Boudreau join Buchanan and Liokumovich as the only athletes back that have bests past 55-feet. Any of these four could take home the state championship.

The same can be said about Amari Brooks, Joseph Boyer, Shawn Lee, and Matt Becker. They are some of the athletes that have season bests past 53-feet and could be ready to make the jump into the top circle.

Pole Vault

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – There were seven 3A athletes during the 2018 season that went higher than 15-feet led by Zachery Bradford’s 18-2.5 all-time Illinois State best. Heading into this season, there are no athletes back that have cleared 15-feet outdoors. Two all-state athletes are back. Welcome to the event of opportunity.

It could busy near the top with nine athletes with seasonal best clearances above 14-feet. Reed Wilson (8^th) and Jake MacConnachie (9^th) cleared 14-6 last year and lead this group. James Leahy made it to last year’s finals and returns with the best clearance (14-7).

Andre Jones and Gilbert Braglia cleared 14-6 last year and will be in the chase for the title. This is the second full year of vaulting for Brendan Hill. He cleared 14-3 last year and is figuring out this event. He could the surprise in 2019. Zach Frye, Matt Dausha, and Josh Cotter cleared 14-0 last spring and will also be factors.

High Jump

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – Only two athletes are back in this event that earned all-state honors in 2018. Alexander Babbington, who finished fifth last year, leads this event starting the season as he cleared 6-8.75 at the USATF Junior Olympics at the end of July.

Michael Shafis finished eighth in Charleston and is the other all-state athlete back. David Lehenbauer, Olujimi Taiwo, and Antonio Buchanan  return as the only other athletes that cleared 6-5 or better last spring. Eight other athletes are back that cleared between 6-3 to 6-5. There will be a lot of sorting out to figure out who will be the favorite. That might take until we start the prelims at the state meet.

Long Jump

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – An open event. The talent is here where we could see jumps over 24-feet sometime during the season. Four athletes are back that went past 23-feet last year outdoors led by the 23-9 jump from Geremiah Lawson. He ended up tied for seventh at state. Jamal Safo (5^th) and Jalen Hunter (9^th) are the other returning all-state athletes. Stefan Baldwin and Kenyon Johnson went past 23-feet last year and could also see the top of the podium when we get to Charleston.

There are 13 athletes returning that went past 22-feet outdoors. We could see JT Lowder, Calvin Johnson, and Temi Osobamiro among the top five when they finish the state meet competition. There is so much balance in this event after the four 23+ jumpers. Let’s see what develops.

Triple Jump

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – Three of last year’s top five finishers in this event are back led by Jayden Lambert and his third-place finish. Quinton Stringfellow (4^th) and Fard Farrakhan (5^th) round out the top five trio. Those three jumpers, along with Isaiah Graham, have best returning jumps past 46-feet.

Temi Osobamiro made the finals finishing 12^th. Moshe Rogers jumped past 45-feet along with Osobamiro. This event is deep with talent as there are 10 athletes behind Osobamiro that are within a foot of each other.