By Michael Newman

[email protected]

 

The final session of the 2019 Illinois Top Times Championships starts at 1:30 PM with the Class 3A Field events. The big race of the meet comes in the Girls 800 Meter Run as five of the top six runners in the state are entered featuring seven-time state champion Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West.

The Boys Meet will have Marcellus Moore of Plainfield North, the state record holder at 100-meters, going after meet records in the 60 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash. He will also try to help his team defend their title in the 800 Meter Relay.

Here is a look at each of the events that will take place in the Class 3A Meet.

 

WATCH THE MEET LIVE | 3A Meet Heat Sheets

GIRLS FIELD EVENTS

 

Long Jump – 1:30 PM

ITT Record – 19-11 – Jaimie Robinson, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2017

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 19-4.5 – Raelyn Robinson, Glenview Glenbrook South

2019 3A Indoor Best – 19-4.5 – Raelyn Robinson, Glenview Glenbrook South

Preview – The top three 3A athletes on the leaderboard list are in this event led by Raelyn Robinson. The senior jumped a personal best of 19-4.5 in her conference meet at Glenbrook South where you are not allowed to wear spikes. Madison Myrick of Homewood-Flossmoor jumped 19-2 in February on her home track facility. Myrick jumped 17-5.50 last week at the Gene Armer Invitational.

Riley Ammenhauser of Neuqua Valley is better known for her jumps in the Triple Jump. The sophomore is growing in this event jumping 19-0 at her conference meet at North Central College last week. We could see a big jump from her in this meet. Danville’s Ameia Wilson jumped a seasonal best of 18-6.50 at the U of I last Saturday. She did jump over 19-feet seven times outdoors last season. She will be dangerous in this meet. Lyn’Nikka Vance of Crete-Monee jumped 18-7.50 at Bloom in February. She is capable of going past 19-feet in this competition.

 

Pole Vault – 1:30 PM

ITT Record – 12-9 – Katherine Schroeder, Grayslake Central, 2016

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 13-1.25 – Samantha Spencer, New Lenox Providence Catholic

2019 3A Indoor Best – 11-9 – Yasmin Ruff, Oak Park-River Forest

Preview – Most of the focus in this meet will be on the Class 1A & 2A Pole Vault. This classification does not have an athlete over 12-feet this indoor season. This event has the top four 3A athletes in this event led by Yasmin Ruff. The junior cleared 11-9 at the Windy City Pole Vault Summit at the beginning of the month and has her eyes on the title in this meet.

The next three athletes have all cleared 11-6. Kelsey Rothas of Lake Zurich, Noor Abdellatif of Antioch, and Noelle Jones of Lakes Community all could be going after personal bests in this competition. Any of these three could win in this meet. Andi Hennessey of Lockport Township and Abigail Kuhn of West Aurora have bests over 11-2 and could be in the hunt for a top five finish.

 

Shot Put – 1:30 PM

ITT Record – 48-8 – Courtney Morgan, Aurora Metea Valley, 2017

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 49-8 - Chloe Lindeman, Fulton

2019 3A Indoor Best – 48-2.50 – Jasmine Mitchell, South Holland Thornwood

Preview – Jasmine Mitchell is close to the 3A Meet Record of 48-8. The defending 3A outdoor state champion has gone undefeated this season in her nine meets with her “worst” winning throw at 44-7 last week at her conference meet. She has nine of the top 10 marks this season. She could get the 3A Meet record but could have her eyes on KD Young’s meet record of 49-1.25. Mitchell is the defending meet champion in this event.

Mitchell is not a lock for this title but pretty close to it. She will be pushed by Katie Fare of Machesney Park Harlem. The senior had a personal best 45-1 put last week in her conference meet which was a best by over one foot. Fare’s has showed tremendous improvement with her 2018 best at 36-9.

Mitchell’s teammate Morgan Reed had a personal best put of 43-4.50 in her conference meet last week and will challenge for a top spot. There is good quality depth with six other athletes in this event over 40-feet in this field led by Miranda Cadwell of Plainfield South. There will be no surprises in the top five Saturday afternoon.

 

Triple Jump – 3:30 PM

ITT Record – 41-4.5 – Jaimie Robinson, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2017

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 40-4.25 – Riley Ammenhauser, Naperville Neuqua Valley

2019 3A Indoor Best – 40-4.25 – Riley Ammenhauser, Naperville Neuqua Valley

Preview – People took notice while watching the Triple Jump in last year’s Illinois Top Times Championships when a freshman Riley Ammenhauser finished fourth behind three seniors. One year later now a sophomore, Ammenhauser has an outdoor state championship under her belt and a state best of 40-4.25 (US #7). She is within a foot of Jaimie Robinson’s meet record. Ammenhauser may get close to it in this meet.

This is a good field with the top six 3A jumpers this indoor season competing. Daryn Davis of Huntley is the closest to Ammenhauser with a 39-6.75 best. Lovie Annafi of Whitney Young has a 38-11 jump along with Aja Bradshaw of Plainfield North. Both will be going after a top three finish. Trinity Daniels of Homewood-Flossmoor and Sydney Willits of Glenbrook South are the only other athletes over 38-feet. They have the potential to finish high in this event.

 

High Jump – 3:30 PM

ITT Record – 6-1 – Jelena Rowe, Chicago Heights Bloom Township, 2017

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 5-8 – Jenelle Rogers, Oswego; DaeLin Switzer, Decatur St. Teresa

2019 3A Indoor Best – 5-8 – Jenelle Rogers, Oswego

Preview – Jennelle Rogers’ performance at last week’s conference meet is even more amazing due to the fact that you can’t wear spikes in this event at Plainfield North. Rogers should be the favorite in this meet. She finished last year’s outdoor state meet finishing third with a 5-7 best.

This field is tough with six other athletes clearing 5-5 or better in 2019. Madison Myrick of Homewood-Flossmoor cleared 5-7 in her home facility in February and could be a threat for the win. Grace Daun of Wauconda and Valerie Daehler of Rockford Guilford have cleared 5-6 and will be in contention to win. Emma Ludwig of Glenbard East, Meghan Fletcher of Grayslake Central, and Erin Oleksak of Palatine are the only other athletes that have cleared 5-5. Keep an eye on them to also be in the hunt to win in this 16-athlete field.

 

BOYS FIELD EVENTS

 

Long Jump – 1:30 PM

ITT Record – 24-4.25 – Reggie Torian, South Holland Thornwood, 1993

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 23-5.75 – Tate Walcott, Colfax Ridgeview

2019 3A Indoor Best – 23-3.50 – Quinton Stringfellow, Homewood-Flossmoor

Preview – This event should be a good start to the 3A meet. The top four athletes entered are within six inches of each other. Jamal Safo of Crete-Monee made a statement when he jumped 23-0 last week at Huntley. He could go longer in this meet. Jaylen Hobson of DeKalb is also on a hot streak having jumped 22-10.50 and 22-6 at North Central College the past two weeks. A 23-foot plus jump could be in his future on Saturday.

Safo’s teammate Kavon Jones has a seasonal best of 22-7.50 and will challenge in the top three. Kaden Turner of Bloom Township and Temi Osobamiro of Metea Valley have gone past 22-4 this season and will also challenge for a finish in the top three.

 

High Jump – 1:30 PM

ITT Record – 7-0.25 – Major Clay, Springfield Lanphier, 2007

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 6-9.25 – Zachary Pluff, Freeburg

2019 3A Indoor Best – 6-8 – David Lehenbauer, Lemont

Preview – David Lehenbauer finished 10^th in last year’s state meet clearing 6-8. His season al best heading into last weekend’s home meet was 6-4. He cleared 6-8 in that meet for a state leading best. Can he duplicate that effort on Saturday afternoon?

There are three athletes that have cleared 6-5 or higher indoors with Alex Babbington of Plainfield East, Antonio Buchanan of Champaign Centennial, and Jimi Taiwo of Whitney Young. Any of these athletes could end up the winner. The next four athletes have cleared 6-4. Keep an eye on freshman Ray Zhao of Stevenson who cleared that height in his first year of high school competition.

 

Triple Jump – 3:30 PM

ITT Record – 50-2.75 – Troy Doris, Bolingbrook, 2007

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 49-1.50 - Quinton Stringfellow, Homewood-Flossmoor

2019 3A Indoor Best – 49-1.50 – Quinton Stringfellow, Homewood-Flossmoor

Preview – Even without list leader Quinton Stringfellow competing in this meet, this is a high-quality field with the top four seeds all over 46-feet. Fard Farrakhan of Lincoln-Way East put his face on the Triple Jump map when he jumped 48-0 feet at Argo two weeks ago. Farrakhan finished fifth in last year’s state meet and looks like he wants to take this title with him. Jayden Lambert of Downers Grove South finished third in last year’s state final and has leaped 47-5. He has demonstrated he is a big meet jumper. Watch out for him in this meet.

Jamal Perrin of Evanston Township and Kwesi Yeboah of Oak Park-River Forest both had big jumps in their conference meets last week. Perrin jumped a personal best of 46-7 in winning the CSL-South Meet. Yeboah also achieved a personal best jumping 46-5 to win the WSC-Silver Meet. Any of these four athletes could win.

Kevin Szczepaniec of Taft is the only other athlete over 45-feet in this field. He did that at York at the beginning of March. Too much quality up front in this event. We could see a 49-foot or better jump winning this championship.

 

Pole Vault – 3:30 PM

ITT Record – 17-6.25 – Zachery Bradford, Bloomington, 2018

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 16-0 – Chandlar Ifft, Fairbury Prairie Central

2019 3A Indoor Best – 15-0 – Luke Fissinger, Palatine Fremd

Preview – This could be an interesting event even though four of the top six 3A athletes in the event are not in this field. Andrew Saloga of Marmion Academy cleared 14-10 at Rockford in February and has three meets where he has cleared 14-6 or higher. Zach Frye of Lake Park cleared 14-6 at the Windy Pole Vault Summit. Brandon Ng of Glenbrook North cleared 14-6 in a small home triangular meet. Any of these three athletes could win this competition.

Michael Shuff of Lake Park, Aidan Ouimet of St. Ignatius, and Reed Wilson of Normal Community all have seasonal bests of 14-0 or higher. This is a wide-open event. Any of these athletes could come away with the win.

 

Shot Put – 3:30 PM

ITT Record – 68-0 – John Meyer Jr., Lockport Township, 2018

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 63-0.25 – Sam Liokumovich, Deerfield

2019 3A Indoor Best – 63-0.25 – Sam Liokumovich, Deerfield

Preview – Sam Liokumovich caught most everyone by surprise in the first week of the season when he unleashed a 63-0.25 put at Rockford. It was more than a three-foot personal best for the senior. Liokumovich has gone past 60-feet in four of five meets. He did win last week at his conference meet with a 58-8.5 put.

Amiri Buchanan of Romeoville has been on a hot streak the past three meets with a personal best of 60-3 last week at the Southwest Prairie Conference Meet his best. Both Liokumovich and Buchannan should push each other in this competition. We could see a new Illinois seasonal best from that. Two other athletes, Jordan Johnson of Quincy and Joe Boyer of Rolling Meadows have bests of 59-0 or better this season. Either of these two could also end up winning.

Also watch for Shawn Lee of Downers Grove South and Jason Petko of Cary-Grove who could be in the top five. Lee has a seasonal best of 55-7.

 

GIRLS RUNNING EVENTS

 

60 Meter Hurdles – Prelims: 2:40 PM; Finals: 4:20 PM

ITT Record – 8.64 – Jayla Stewart, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2015

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 8.60 – Kayla Walters, Bolingbrook

2019 ITT 3A Indoor Best – 8.60 – Kayla Walters, Bolingbrook

Preview – This field is dynamite with the top three hurdlers in the state in this field. Both Kayla Walters and Kaylah McCall of Homewood-Flossmoor both have times under the 3A meet record and should surpass it in the finals. Halle Bieber of Naperville North finished second behind McCall at state in the 100 Hurdles. Bieber has run 8.36 for 55 meters. Erin Oleksak of Palatine has been running hot this indoor season having run 8.21 for the 55 Hurdles last Saturday at North Central College. I would not count her out from winning this event.

Victoria Spagnola of West Aurora has run 9.05 indoors and will be in the mix for a top finish. Brianna Barwick of DeKalb, Lauren Ferguson of Springfield, and Daryn Davis of Huntley are some of the other athletes to watch that could make the finals. The 3A meet record should be eclipsed on Saturday. The question is which athlete will achieve that?

 

60 Meter Dash – Prelims: 2:50 PM; Finals: 4:35 PM

ITT Record – 7.50 – Shaliyah Dixon-Tucker, Downers Grove South, 2015

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 7.57 – Serena Bolden, Springfield Southeast

2019 3A Indoor Best – 7.68 – Ameia Wilson, Danville

Preview – Ameia Wilson is the defending champion in this event. The senior ran 7.56 to win last year. Wilson has a 7.68 best but could threaten the 3A meet record of 7.50.

While Wilson is the favorite, there is plenty of quality sprinters that could win in the finals. Lyn’Nikka Vance of Crete-Monee ran 7.71 at the University of Chicago in December with her next best of 7.77. She does have the fastest time in the state at 55-meters (7.17). Kaylah McCall of Homewood-Flossmoor will be coming right back after running the hurdles. McCall has a best of 7.74 running that double. She could be in the mix for the win. Taylor Gilling of Highland Park was not pushed when she ran 7.79 in the prelims at Olivet Nazarene in February. She was a surprise last May in the state meet earning all-state honors in two events. Don’t overlook her when she steps into the blocks on Saturday.

Homewood-Flossmoor’s Ashanti Denton and Trelyn Newkirk have times under 7.82 and could give their team three runners in the finals. Ayanna Tommy of Antioch, Taylor Wright of Lincoln-Way East, and Sydney Weaver of Kenwood Academy are some of the athletes that will be looking for a spot in the finals.

 

3200 Meter Run – 3:10 PM

ITT Record – 10:11.51 – Katelynne Hart, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West, 2017

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 10:02.46 – Katelynne Hart, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

2019 3A Indoor Best – 10:02.46 – Katelynne Hart, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

Preview – This field is almost a repeat of what we saw at Batavia Distance Madness two weeks ago. In that race, Emma Watcke of Hinsdale Central pulled away from the field in the final 400-meters to claim an eight second win with a 10:37.96 personal best. This field is good with seven runners having run under 11-minutes indoor. Alex Morris of Naperville North ran a solo 10:43.78 last week at North Central College and will push the pace from the gun. Kailey Fox of Yorkville and Abby Lopez of Argo both finished ahead of Morris at Batavia with Fox running 10:45.78 and Lopez running 10:46.35. Both runners could go under 10:40 in this race.

Brenna Cohoon of Downers Grove South ran an indoor personal best of 10:51.67 to finish sixth at Batavia. We could see a faster time from the junior in this race. Ella Behrens of Whitney Young and Vivian Van Eck of Minooka both have been under 11-minutes indoors. Watch for them to be in the mix near the front. Sophia McDonnell of Geneva, Katie Hohe of Glenbard West, and Maggie Gamboa of Naperville North could see themselves under 11-minutes for the first time of the season.

 

3200 Meter Relay – 3:45 PM

ITT Record – 9:18.77 – Glen Ellyn Glenbard West, 2012

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 9:20.49 - Downers Grove South

2019 3A Indoor Best – 9:20.49 – Downers Grove South

Preview – This could be an interesting relay especially with list leader Downers Grove South not using the lineup that they had at the Mustang Relays almost three weeks ago. Erin Reidy opted to run in open events in this meet instead of in the relay. South will be one of the favorites in this race pushed by Yorkville led by Helena Kleronomos. Yorkville could have Kailey Fox in their lineup coming back from the 3200 Meter Run. It will be the same with Downers Grove South as Brenna Cohoon will be doubling back.

Evanston Township, Prospect, and Hersey all have times under 9:42 and could be in the hunt for a top three finish. Perennial distance powers Naperville and Minooka are teams to keep an eye on.

 

800 Meter Run – 4:45 PM

ITT Record – 2:11.44 – Madison Marasco, Schaumburg, 2018

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 2:11.47 – Erin Reidy, Downers Grove South

2019 3A Indoor Best – 2:11.47 – Erin Reidy, Downers Grove South

Preview – This should be the highlight race of the meet. Erin Reidy of Downers Grove South and Claire Hill of Naperville North are within tenths of a second of each other with Reidy winning at North Central at the end of February. Marne Sullivan of New Trier has run 2:13.33 this year and will be a threat for the win. McKenna Robinson of Neuqua Valley has a 2:15.75 seasonal best. She did run 2:11.83 to finish third in last year’s state finals. This field is loaded with five of the top six 3A athletes scheduled to compete.

We did not forget about Glenbard West’s Katelynne Hart. The junior has been rocking the Illinois distance scene this winter running all-time state indoor state bests for 1600-meters and 3200-meters as well as finishing second at New Balance Indoor Nationals running an all-time best of 9:58.42.

Hart has been wanting to go under 2:13 in an open 800 and here is her chance. She ran 2:13.46 solo at Proviso West winning by 14 seconds. An indication that she could run a fast 800 came last week at the WSC-Silver Championships when she ran a 2:11.4 anchor split to help her team win the 3200 Meter Relay.

There will be a meet record in this race. Hill and Reidy like to push the pace Hart is the same and will not want to give up the lead once she gets it. Madison Marasco set the meet record (2:11.44) in what was a fantastic finish a year ago. This race Saturday afternoon may trump that. We should see a new meet record. We could even see a winning time in the upper 2:09’s.

 

800 Meter Relay – 4:55 PM

ITT Record – 1:40.83 – Evanston Township, 2006

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 1:43.25 – Homewood-Flossmoor

2019 3A Indoor Best – 1:43.25 – Homewood-Flossmoor

Preview – Homewood-Flossmoor should be the class of this event. The Lady Vikings ran the 2019 state’s fastest time in winning at the Gene Armer Invitational. Homewood-Flossmoor won this event last year with a time under 1:43 (1:42.18). The question could be if this team dips into the 141’s in the final section.

Bloom Township ran 1:45.16 to finish behind HF last week. West Aurora has the second fastest time in the state (1:44.81). That was done with Dajour Miles as their anchor. Miles is not competing in any of the open events in this meet and she is not on West Aurora’s relay card. Whitney Young is also in the final section and could be a difference maker. Keep an eye on Bolingbrook and DeKalb from Section 3. Both teams could find their way into a top three finish overall.

 

400 Meter Dash – 5:30 PM

ITT Record – 55.09 – Adia McKinnon, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2000

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 55.09 – Dajour Miles, West Aurora

2019 3A Indoor Best – 55.09 – Dajour Miles, West Aurora

Preview – Dajour Miles is the defending champion but will not compete in this meet. This title should be up for grabs with three runners within 22 hundredths of a second of each other. Janii Jenkins of Warren Township, who finished fourth last year, has the third fastest 3A time in the state ran last week at the Lake Michigan Invitational. Taylor Wright of Lincoln-Way East ran 57.82 in winning at North Central College at the end of February. Ashanti Denton of Homewood-Flossmoor, who finished second last year, has a 57.90 best at a home invitational in February. Any one of these great runners could come away with the win.

There is a two second gap between the first three and then the rest of the pack. Marissa Valentini of Prospect, Haley Dahl of Belvidere North, and Homewood-Flossmoor’s Alexandria Edison and Ayah Mustafa all have times under 60 seconds. Any of these four runners could finish in the top three.

 

1600 Meter Run – 5:50 PM

ITT Record – 4:53.60 – Madeline Perez, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West, 2013

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 4:44.42 – Katelynne Hart, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

2019 3A Indoor Best – 4:44.42 – Katelynne Hart, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

Preview – Katelynne Hart will have an hour to recover before this race. We have seen her in this kind of situation before. We know what kind of condition she is in. Now we will find out what kind of double she can run with the 800. Hart ran 4:44.42 last week after running 2:11.4 split on the 4x8 with close to a 2-hour gap. She missed the meet record by eight hundredths of a second when she won as a freshman two years ago. She should go past that time maybe even under 4:50.

This field is good and should push Hart. Campbell Petersen of Naperville North will only run in this race. She ran 4:59.67 at North Central College in February. We could see a faster time on Saturday. Erin Reidy of Downers Grove South ran 4:58.42 at Batavia Madness fresh. She will be attempting the same double as Hart.

Katherine Olsen of DeKalb, Aly Negovetich of Grant Community, and Isabelle Christiansen of Oswego are the only runners in this field that have 2019 bests under 5:05. All three could dip under five-minutes in this race.

 

200 Meter Dash – 6:05 PM

ITT Record – 23.91 – Morolake Akinosun, Aurora Waubonsie Valley, 2012

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 24.80 – Ameia Wilson, Danville

2019 3A Indoor Best – 24.80 – Ameia Wilson, Danville

Preview – Ameia Wilson is the only runner under 25-seconds in this event. She ran 24.80 on a bank track at the University of Arkansas. She ran 24.85 to win at the Gene Armer Invitational last weekend. Wilson finished second behind Dajour Miles in this event last year. We could see Wilson run 24.7 or faster in Saturday’s fourth section of this event.

The battle could be for second in this event. Taylor Gilling of Highland Park ran 25.25 at Olivet Nazarene and could be Wilson’s closest competition. Kaylah McCall of Homewood-Flossmoor, Zakiya Johnson of Kenwood Academy, and Halle Bieber are all in the section with Wilson and will challenge for a top three spot. Taylor Wright of Lincoln-Way East could finish in the top five even though she will be running in Section 3.

 

1600 Meter Relay – 6:30 PM

ITT Record – 3:53.70 – Chicago Morgan Park, 1996

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 3:59.92 – Homewood-Flossmoor

2019 3A Indoor Best – 3:59.92 – Homewood-Flossmoor

Preview – It will be a question not that Homewood-Flossmoor will win but how close to 3:55 can this team get in winning. The Lady Vikings have four runners this indoor season that have run 60 seconds or faster. The team ran 3:59.92 in easily winning the Gene Armer Invitational last weekend. HF edged Proviso Wet by 15 hundredths of a second last year for the win last year. The margin should be wider in the final Girls race of the meet.

Glenbard West ran 4:07.25 last week with Katelynne Hart anchoring in 59.9 split. The Lady Hilltoppers could challenge for the second position along with West Aurora and Downers Grove South.

 

BOYS RUNNING EVENTS

 

60 Meter Hurdles – Prelims: 2:20 PM; Finals: 4:20 PM

ITT Record – 7.89 – William Session, Belleville East, 2016

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 7.94 – Victor Cameron, Crete-Monee

2019 2A Indoor Best – 7.94 – Victor Cameron, Crete-Monee

Preview – Victor Cameron is one of the athletes to watch in this event. The senior ran a state leading 7.94 at Homewood-Flossmoor at the beginning of the month and has won six of seven meets that he has competed in either the 55 or 60 Hurdles. The only loss for Cameron came from defending meet champion JT Lowder of Oak Park-River Forest. The two faced each other at the Proviso West Invitational with Lowder getting the win by only one hundredth of a second. The two could push each other to a new state best as well as William Session’s meet record.

Robert Williams of Springfield has an 8.21 seasonal best and could challenge for place in the top three. Kyle Burke of Plainfield North, Daylin Williams of Homewood-Flossmoor, and Jalen Anderson of Hononegah are some of the athletes that you could see in the finals challenging for a top three finish.

 

60 Meter Dash – Prelims: 2:50 PM; Finals: 4:35 PM

ITT Record – 6.84 – Kahmari Montgomery, Plainfield Central, 2015

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 6.65 – Marcellus Moore, Plainfield North

2019 3A Indoor Best – 6.65 – Marcellus Moore, Plainfield North

Preview – Marcellus Moore has raced in Iceland, New York, and Kentucky this indoor season as well as his home state of Illinois. A winter storm prevented Moore and his teammates from getting to the Shirk Center on time for this event. Nothing should stop him from competing in this event on Saturday.

Nothing should stop Moore from breaking the 3A record of 6.84 of Kahmari Montgomery or the 6.78 meet record set by Jonathan Boey. He could do that in his preliminary race.

Moore’s seasonal best is three tenths of a second ahead of the rest of the field. Jamal Safo of Crete Monee ran 6.95 last week at Huntley and leads that pack. Deonte Mcgoy of Alton, Jermarrion Stewart of Collinsville, Ricky Johnson of Crete-Monee, and Kamrin Williams of Bloom Township have times between 7.01 to 7.04 and could push for the second-place spot.

 

3200 Meter Run – 3:10 PM

ITT Record – 8:58.96 – Tim Keller, West Chicago, 2000

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 9:18.06 – Tyler Cushing, Bolingbrook

2019 2A Indoor Best – 9:18.06 – Tyler Cushing, Bolingbrook

Preview – Even without some of the top 3A distance programs not attending this meet, this race should be fun to watch with a winning time of 9:13 or faster a good possibility. Tyler Cushing has the state fastest time coming when he won Batavia Distance Madness two weeks ago. Ian Geisler of Huntley ran 9:22.35 in that race and Nathan Schmitt of Lake Forest ran 9:22.53 finishing right behind Geisler. Don’t count either of these runners out in this race. Andrew Kries of Lincoln-Way Central ran a solo 9:21.60 at Olivet Nazarene in February and also expects to be in the front.

Don’t let the 9:30.36 that Tommy Brady of Maine South ran in February fool you. The second-place finisher in last fall’s 3A State cross-country meet will be pushing the pace from the start and could win. Charlie Nevins of Whitney Young and Roland Prenzler of Edwardsville have run under 9:31 and could pressure for a top finish. Charlie Wetzel of Normal West will be on his “home track” and could be in the mix in the front. Dillon Blake of Mundelein and Guillermo Ibarra of Morton Township lead the rest of the pack in this quality 15-runner field.

 

3200 Meter Relay – 3:45 PM

ITT Record – 7:56.20 – Schaumburg, 1990

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 7:57.92 - Naperville Central

2019 2A Indoor Best – 7:57.92 – Naperville Central

Preview – The top eight 3A teams in this indoor season are not competing in this meet opening the door to a wide variety of possibilities. West Aurora comes in with the top seed time of 8:10.31 run at the Mustang Relays. Lane Tech is next having run 8:11.41 behind West Aurora in that race.

Evanston Township has a good group that could win this race especially with Max Peterson as their anchor. Mundelein, led by Robert St. Clair, and DeKalb both have times at 8:12. Lockport Township or Downers Grove South also have the challenge to win. We could see 8:05 or faster necessary to win this race.

 

800 Meter Run – 4:45 PM

ITT Record – 1:53.40 – Jason Van Swol, New Lenox Lincoln-Way, 1998

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 1:55.91 – Andrew O’Keefe, Granite City

2019 3A Indoor Best – 1:55.91 – Andrew O’Keefe, Granite City

Preview – This will be a wide-open race. Jadon Conroy of Huntley ran 1:57.87 on his home track ahead of Elante Humphrey of Crete-Monee (1:59.03). Both runners will be in this field. Six other runners have times under two-minutes. Max Peterson of Evanston Township will be coming back from the 3200 Meter Relay but could be dangerous in this race.

Grant Jensen of Prairie Ridge has the big race experience and ran 1:57.41 to finish second in this race last year. Alton’s Cassius Havis ran 1:24 for 600-meters and has the wheels to finish this race. It might take 1:57 or faster to win in the Shirk Center. It would not be surprising if the first five runners are within a second of each other.

 

800 Meter Relay – 4:55 PM

ITT Record – 1:29.76 – Springfield Lanphier, 2008

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 1:30.00 – East St. Louis-Senior

2019 3A Indoor Best – 1:30.31 – Crete-Monee

Preview – Plainfield North won last year’s race by getting the lead early and then holding on. Crete-Monee finished second in that race as they could never get by the Tigers. We could see the same scenario in this year’s race even though Crete-Monee has the fastest time in this field. Plainfield North does have Marcellus Moore leading off for them like they did last year. Crete-Monee needs to stay close on the opening leg or this race is over.

The final section is good with Bloom Township and Oak Park-River Forest in there. Either of those teams could win. Alton or Plainfield South in Section 3 could battle for one of those top three finishes. Does the 3A meet record of 1:29.76 fall in the final section? It just might happen.

 

400 Meter Dash – 5:30 PM

ITT Record – 48.24 – Juan Coleman, Hillside Proviso West, 2000

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 48.39 – Willie Johnson, East St. Louis-Senior

2019 3A Indoor Best – 48.79 – Quemarii Williams, Danville

Preview – List leader Quemarii Williams is not in this meet. Tyler Gonzalez of Vernon Hills heads the field with a 50.07 seasonal best. Dalen Brown of Oswego could end up the winner having run 50.19 last week in his conference meet and could be the favorite.

Defending 400 state champion Jason Thormo ran his seasonal best of 50.69 in a triple at Huntley in February. We should see a faster time from him on Saturday. Katrell Askins of Proviso West, Khullen Jefferson of TF South, and Brian Ferguson of Marist all have the talent to run in the low 50’s. That could be enough to win in this event.

 

1600 Meter Run – 5:50 PM

ITT Record – 4:09.94 – Jeff Thode, Hoffman Estates Conant, 2009

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 4:16.69 – Andrew O’Keefe, Granite City

2019 3A Indoor Best – 4:16.69 – Andrew O’Keefe, Granite City

Preview – Andrew O’Keefe has been running away from other runners in the races that he has been in this indoor season. Now we will see if the 14 other runners in this field can stay close to the Granite City senior. O’Keefe has the fastest times in the state for the 800 Meter Run and the 1600 Meter Run. He is the defending champion in this event. Sam Rivera of Whitney Young ran 4:19 in the 1 Mile Run at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. He is the only other runner in this field that has a time under 4:20. Rivera is a money runner with a 4:13 outdoor best. He could be the runner to stay close to O’Keefe.

Zach Albrecht of Jacobs also has an outdoor personal best of 4:13 with a 4:21.30 seasonal best. Albrecht likes to push the pace early and could challenge up front. Charlie Smith of Antioch and Ben Rosa of Lake Forest could challenge for a finish in the top three. Connor Zydek of Wheaton North, who has run 9:28 for 3200-meters, could be the surprise in this race.

 

200 Meter Dash – 6:05 PM

ITT Record – 21.58 – Josh Eiker, Galesburg, 2016

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 21.09 – Marcellus Moore, Plainfield North

2019 3A Indoor Best – 21.09 – Marcellus Moore, Plainfield North

Preview – It is hard to see anyone getting close to Marcellus Moore in this race. The junior has the fastest time in the state 21.09 and finished second two weeks ago at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. No one else in the final section is within a second of Moore. Josh Eiker has the meet record of 21.58. Moore should surpass that in this race.

Ricky Johnson of Crete-Monee has the next fastest time (22.39) entering this race. It is open on who could finish second. It could be Khullen Jefferson of TF South or Jason Miller of Dundee-Crown who could end up second as well.

 

1600 Meter Relay – 6:30 PM

ITT Record – 3:21.90 – Hillside Proviso West, 2000

2019 Illinois Indoor Best – 3:22.09 – East St. Louis-Senior

2019 3A Indoor Best – 3:22.61 – Crete-Monee

Preview – Crete-Monee is the class of the final race of the meet with the fastest seed time four seconds ahead of the rest. Grant Community could challenge with Jason Thormo as anchor. Evanston Township and Lockport Township have good squads that could challenge for one of the top places. Crete-Monee is within a second of the meet record. They could end the 2019 championships catching that mark.