By Michael Newman

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3A BOYS

Marcellus Moore, the defending 3A state champion in the 100 Meter Dash and state record holder in the event, put the rest of the state at notice when he opened the outdoor season running 10.36 to win at the Belleville West Invitational at the beginning of April. That was only five hundredths of a second within his state mark. Despite a hamstring injury that “slowed” him down towards the end of the season, the junior proved doubters wrong by defending his state titles in both the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash.

Victor Cameron of Crete-Monee was the king among the 3A short hurdles athletes in 2019. Cameron went undefeated in the 110 High Hurdles solving his best for last. He ran a 13.92 wind-aided win at the Bloom Sectional. He ran a personal best of 13.86 in his preliminary heat at the IHSA State Meet. His time of 13.93 in the finals garnered him the state title in the event. Cameron was undefeated in that event. He finished third in last year’s finals. Cameron followed that up by finishing third in the 300 Intermediate Hurdles.

Moore, despite the hamstring injury, went undefeated in both the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash. He represented the United States in the Pan-Am U-20 Championships in the 400 Meter Relay where the squad set a new U-20 World record in winning the event.

Congratulations to Marcellus Moore of Plainfield North High School as the 2019 ILXCTF.com 3A Boys Sprint/Hurdle Events Athlete of the Year.

2A BOYS

When Finnigan Schirmer of Marengo earned all-state honors during his sophomore season at the 2018 2A State Meet, there was some excitement to see what he would accomplish during the 2019 season. He had run the 100 Meter and 200 Meter Dash along with the 110 High Hurdles his sophomore season. He added the longer hurdle race as part of his 2019 schedule and succeeded in that event this spring.

His state finals this May were memorable. He ran 14.22 to win the state title in the Class 2A 110 High Hurdles and then 10.62 to win the Class 2A State Title at 100-meters all within a span of 30 minutes. He was a novice at the 300 Intermediate Hurdles going undefeated during the season including running 37.71 for his third state title. Schirmer finished fourth in the finals of the 200 Meter Dash.

He scored 36 points for Marengo that ended up finishing second overall in the Class 2A standings.

Schirmer showed disappointment after that 200 race. I am sure that will drive him to bigger things in 2020.

Congratulations to Finnigan Schirmer of Marengo High School as the 2019 ILXCTF.com 2A Boys Sprint/Hurdle Events Athlete of the Year.

1A BOYS

Mason Barr of Ridgeview accomplished one thing that he did not at the 2018 State Meet: he checked in on time for the 300 Intermediate Hurdles. He was disqualified from the event by not getting to the tent on time.

That did not happen in 2019 in any of his races. He was nearly perfect in both hurdle events that he raced in. Barr won two 1A state titles in Charleston this past May. His self-motivation showed in the way that he ran in the two finals races. Barr just missed the 1A State Meet Record as he won the event in 13.94. He was dominant in the 300 Intermediate Hurdles running 37.70 to win the state title by more than a second.

This was the first season that Cody Klein of Pana competed in track & field. The senior, in his first state meet, wowed the Charleston crowd winning both the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash as well as helping his school finish second in both the 400 and 800 Meter Relay. Klein was a part of all of Pana’s36 points that helped them finish third in the 1A team championship.

Congratulations to Mason Barr of Colfax Ridgeview High School as the 2019 ILXCTF.com 2A Boys Sprint/Hurdle Events Athlete of the Year.