Illinois High School Track & Field Weekend Highlights - March 6, 2022

By Michael Newman [email protected]

March did certainly come in like a lion for athletes and teams in this Illinois Indoor season this past weekend. It started with the NCC Cardinal Girls High School Classic (Recap), the York Boys Invitational on Friday (Recap), and just steamrolled from there. You can watch race videos from those two links above.

Here is a look at highlights of some of the meets that took place this past weekend.

Batavia Coach DiDomenico Invitational (3/4)

Some of the hotter performances in the state this weekend came from this small 8-tea meet at Batavia. Tyler Colwell of Minooka stepped up to run 6.54 (IL #2) to win the 55 Meter Dash ahead of teammate Cael Hiser who ran 6.64 (IL #5). Colwell currently has the state’s fastest time in the 60 Meter Dash. Colwell came back to run 22.48 to win the 200 Meter Dash ahead of Batavia’s Jacob Hohmann (22.96).

Minooka and host Batavia are two of the distance powers in the state and went against each other again in this meet. Batavia slightly had the advantage in the 4x200m Relay running 1:33.66 just ahead of Minooka’s 1:33.90 time. The margin was larger as Batavia ran 3:34.27 to win the 4x400m Relay with Minooka again finishing second (3:38.71). Jonah Fallon of Batavia improved on his time in winning the 400 Meter Dash clocked at 50.65 (IL #5).

Zachary Balzer of Minooka ran a great race in 1:58.39 (IL #6) to win the 800 Meter Run by four seconds ahead of West Aurora’s Seth Kunio (2:02.47). It was a close finish in the 1600 Meter Run as Batavia’s Quentin Lowe (4:30.14) edged Emerson Fayman of Minooka (4:30.52) in that race.

Cooper Cerese of Lake Park put the Shot 56-10 (IL #5) to win that event. Andrew Undesser of Minooka and Nicholas Fortino both cleared 14-2 in the Pole Vault with Undesser winning on fewer misses. Desmond Horton of Lake Park jumped 22-4 to win the Long Jump.

Windy City Pole Vault Summit

The COVID-19 pandemic could not slow this meet down. It did not miss in 2021 having moved the event from March to May. Saturday’s event at Rolling Meadows failed to disappoint.

Charles Cruse of Normal Community was on the top of his game clearing a personal best of 16-0 to win the Boys title with the best height in the state so far this season.  The senior entered this season with a 15-7 best. A 15-6 clearance at Normal West and then on Saturday makes him one of the athletes to contend for the 3A title in May. Nicholas Fortino of Batavia and Ridge Willard of Cornerstone Christian Academy both cleared 14-9 to finish second and third. Cruse entered the competition at the 14-6 height on his first attempt and passed to 15-0. Fortino and Willard cleared on their third attempts at 14-9 (IL #5 tie) but could go no higher than that. Cruise cleared on his second attempt at 15-0, first attempt at 15-6, and used all three attempts to clear his new personal best.

Lilianna Ifft of Bloomington was nearly perfect in winning the Girls title with a 12-6 clearance. She has the top height in the state clearing 12-6 earlier in the year at a meet in the Shirk Center. The senior came into the competition at 11-6 clearing that height and then 11-9, 12-0, and 12-3 on her first attempts. She cleared her winning height on her third attempt. She made two good attempts at 13-0 missing both before ending her day. Tessani Foster of Plainfield Central had a great competition clearing a personal best of 12-3 (IL #3) on her first attempt and then missing at 12-6 while finishing second. Mia Morello of Grayslake Central cleared 12-0 to finish third. Morello has also cleared 12-6 this season.

Homewood-Flossmoor Boys Invitational (3/4)

Homewood-Flossmoor turned in the fastest time in the state as they ran 1:31.20 to win the 4x200m Relay more than four seconds ahead of Warren Township’s 1:35.97. Gabe Czako of Lockport ran 8.38 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles ahead of Homewood-Flossmoor’s Jerry Hester III (8.85). Czako ran 8.29 last week at Olivet Nazarene. Sterling Shumpert of Homewood-Flossmoor had a 21-5 best to win the Long Jump. Sam Bowerman of Downers Grove North jumped 44-6.5 (IL #4) in winning the Triple Jump.

Eastern Illinois Invitational (3/4 & 3/5)

This meet used to be a meet spread over two weekends. The Girls competed on Friday with the Boys meet following on Saturday this year.

Alyssa Williams of Tuscola was in the spotlight on Friday winning three individual events in her second meet of the season. She jumped a season’s best of 16-10 to win the Long Jump. She went to the track to run 7.76 (IL #6) to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of freshman Takia Tiller of Belleville East (8.05). Williams came back to run 26.11 (IL #9 tie) to win by almost a second ahead of Tiller.

Friday’s meet was the return of Tatum David of Richland County in her first race in the state in two years. David ran 2:19.90 (IL #12) to win the 800 Meter Run with Ashleigh Anderson of Mt. Zion (2:22.97) and Colleen Zeibert of Rochester (2:23.06) her closest competition. David was dominant in the 1600 Meter Run running a season’s best of 4:57.10 (IL #5) to win the race by 26 seconds ahead of Tolono Unity’s Erica Woodard (5:23.01).

Sophia Yaklich of Bloomington Central Catholic dropped under 60-seconds in winning the 400 Meter Dash in this meet. The freshman ran 59.10 (IL #4) to win the race by more than four seconds. Maya Cook of Mattoon had a personal best of 39-3 to win the Shot Put.

1A State Cross Country Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley-Loda was a double winner in the Boys Meet on Saturday. James ran by himself throughout the 3200 Meter Run timed in 9:26.12 to win by 35 seconds. It was closer in the 1600 Meter Run as James ran 4:28.08 to win by 11 seconds ahead of Mattoon’s Brock Davee (4:39.98). Eli Mojonnier of Bismarck-Henning, who finished third in that race, earlier ran 2:02.40 to win the 800 Meter Run.

Christian Keyhea of Mt. Zion looks like one of the athletes to watch for in the 2A sprints this spring. The senior ran a personal best of 6.99 (IL #3) to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of Belleville West’s Will Nicholson (7.24). Jonovan Findley of Normal West and Jadon Robertson of Cowden Herrick both cleared 6-3.5 in the High Jump. Findley won the event due to fewer misses. Cowden Herrick’s Daniel Lucas had a huge personal best with a 57-5.75 best (IL #3) to win the Shot Put with Chris Boyd of Tuscola finishing second (54-11, IL #9).

Southern Illinois Invitational (3/4 & 3/5)

Another two day Co-Ed meet with the Girls leading off the meet. Janaysia Byrd of Belleville West ran 7.87 in the finals to win the 60 Meter Dash just ahead of Renee Raglin of Alton (7.92). Macee Rivers of Belleville West ran 9.03 (IL #4) to win the 60 Meter Hurdles by more than a second.

Peyton Schieppe of O’Fallon was double winner in the distance events. The senior ran 2:30.48 to win the 800 Meter Run just ahead of Monticello’s Rachel Koon. Schieppe came back to run 5:20.67 to win the 1600 Meter again ahead of another Monticello runner, Mabry Bruhn (5:24.06).

Kayla Braun of Sparta achieved a personal best of 40-4.25 (IL #3) to win the Shot Put followed by Josie Hapack of Highland (38-3.75, IL #8) and Desire Poole of East St. Louis-Senior (38-3, IL #9).

The Boys Meet demonstrated some great races and great performances in the field events on Saturday. Miles Sheppard of Hamilton-West Hancock decided to travel south instead of east for his first race of the season. Sheppard ran 9:22.45 (IL #10) to win the 3200 Meter Run finishing ahead of Geo Patrylak of Edwardsville (9:39.43) and Dylon Nalley of Marion (9:45.69). Gavin Genisio of Benton destroyed the field in winning the 1600 Meter Run (4:24.61) by 19 seconds ahead of Landon Swiney of DuQuoin (4:43.79).

The 60 Meter Hurdles was the closest race of the day at Southern Illinois. Demarlynn Taylor of East St. Louis-Senior edged Alec Sledge of Mt. Vernon by one hundredth of a second. Taylor’s time of 8.29 is tied for second in the state rankings. Sledge’s time was 8.30 (IL #4). Kenneth Buchanon of East St. Louis-Senior was also a double winner running 7.05 to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of Cahokia’s Symondre Brown (7.14) and then 22.42 (IL #2) to win the 200 Meter Dash by more than a second.

Samuel McClain Jr of East St. Louis-Senior improved on his personal best with a 55-6.5 mark (IL #6) to finish ahead of Salem’s Caleb Smith (54-1.5). Ty Brachbill of Shelbyville cleared 6-4.5 (IL #7) to win the High Jump. Edwardsville swept the horizontal jumps with Aarion Jackson jumping 21-9.5 to win the Long Jump and Jordan Brooks jumping 44-7.5 (IL #3) with teammate Malik Allen at 43-0.25 (IL #10) placing second.

Lakes Winter Grand Prix (3/5)

The D117 Fieldhouse again played host to another high powered meet and what was the best meet in the Chicagoland area on Saturday. The 400 Meter Dash run in this fieldhouse is so much different that you will see in any other facility in the country. The race is run in their lanes for the entire race. It did produce the top three times in the state so far this season. Alexandria Edison of Homewood-Flossmoor had a big time edge in this race running 56.25 to win by more than a second ahead of Rylee Lydon of Prairie Ridge (57.95) and Angela Alozie of Homewood-Flossmoor (57.90). Edison was busty in this meet winning two other individual events. Edison jumped 17-11.75 to win the Long Jump ahead of Huntley freshman Dominique Johnson (17-8.25) and Lydon (17.2.75). Edison came back to run 25.60 to win the 200 Meter Dash.

Alexandria Johnson of Huntley has been known for her performances in the sprints and the Long Jump. Add the Triple Jump to the list. The junior surpassed her sister Dominique on top of the leaderboard with a state leading 39-10.25 to win the event.

The track produced a fast time and close race in the 60 Meter Dash. Jasmine Wright of Evanston ran 7.72 (IL #2 tie) to win the event edging Rachel Robinson of Whitney Young (7.75, IL #5). Jocelyn Crum of Lakes won the 60 Meter Hurdles on her home track timed at 9.57.

The 1600 Meter Run was the top distance race in this meet. Isabella Marsico of Lake Forest ran 5:07.46 (IL #9) for the win just a second ahead of Homewood-Flossmoor’s Caroline Schoen (5:08.68). Maeve Kelly of New Trier had a huge personal best of 40-11.75 (IL #2) to win the Shot Put.

York Girls Invitational #2 (3/5)

Host York ran 9:56.87 (IL #5) to win the 4x800m Relay by almost 30 seconds. Katelyn Winton, who ran on the relay, came back to run 5:11.87 to win by almost eight seconds ahead of Hersey’s Anna Harden (5:19.56). Prospect’s Lily Ginsberg ran a strong 2:19.85 (IL #11) to win the 800 Meter Run ahead of teammate Hailey Erickson (2:24.26). Audrey Ginsberg of Prospect ran 1:00.53 to win the 400 Meter Dash.

Prospect’s Daria Tersina was a triple winner starting with her 16-8.75 mark to win the Long Jump. Tersina ran a personal best of 7.46 to win the 55 Meter Dash. She came back to run 26.38 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Becca Caliendo of Hersey achieved a personal best of 39-11.5 (IL #4) to win the Shot Put.

Morris 6-Team Meet @ Lewis University (3/4)

This meet in some ways for some teams was a replacement for the meet that was not held at the University of Illinois on this weekend. In the Boys portion of the meet, Sam Mika of Waubonsie Valley improved on his personal best in the Shot Put. The senior had a 55-3.5 put to win the event. Dylan Gramley of Plainfield North ran a personal best 6.60 (IL #5) to win the event ahead of teammate Nik Clark (6.69).

Harriet Ghapson of Plainfield North had an indoor personal best of 18-3.75 (IL #6) to win the Girls Long Jump. Anna Bruno of Seneca jumped 17-11.75 (IL #8) to finish second.

Coach Heimsath Invitational at Batavia (3/5)

Katrina Schlenker of Batavia was by herself on her home track in winning the 800 Meter Run. The senior ran 2:17.57 (IL #3) by eight seconds. Jessica Newburn of Batavia was a double winner in the sprints running 7.38 (IL #9) to win the 55 Meter Dash ahead of Glenbard East’s Keeli Dunaway (7.50). Newburn came back to run 26.54 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Annastasia Murphy of Metea Valley cleared a personal best of 5-6 (IL #5) to win the High Jump.

Illinois Meet of Champions (3/5)

This meet had some good performances especially in the distance events. The 800 Meter Run Girls race in the Club race was perhaps the best that featured athletes from Ann Arbor Pioneer that run in the winter for the Purple Club. Rachel Forsyth ran 2:06.30 (US#3) with teammates Sarah Forsyth (2:12.39) and Cookie Baugh (2:13.36) behind. This team has the best times in the nation in the Distance Medley Relay and the 4x800m Relay. They should do some big things this coming weekend in New York.

Three of the top times in the state came in the Boys 800 Meter Run. Spencer Werner of Loyola Academy ran the state’s fastest time of 1:55.44 to win the race with Patrick Jamieson of New Trier running 1:57.04 (IL #2) and Charlie Richardson of DePaul College Prep with a 1:57.58 time (IL #4). Nick Falk of New Trier pulled away from the field in the Boys 1600 Meter Run with a win and a state leading time of 4:17.20. Ryan Hardiman of Latin School was his closest competition running 4:20.98 (IL #3) to finish second. George Cahill of New Trier made it two wins for his school as he ran 9:20.52 (IL #8) to win the 3200 Meter Run placing ahead of St. Viator’s Michael Schumacher (9:22.48).

We knew that Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich had a fast 800-meter race in herself especially running 2:22 last week on a 150-meter a lap track. Johnston ran 2:17.70 (IL #4) to win the Girls 80 Meter Run with Elia Ton-That of Northside Prep running 2:19.36 to finish second.

One of the big surprises of this mid-level meet was the performance turned in by Emmi Scales of St. Viator. Scales was all-state last year in the 2A 200 Meter Dash. She showed more in this meet. Scales, running as an unattached athlete in this meet, ran a state leading 8.72 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles. Scales came back to run 7.73 (IL #4) to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of Jazmin West of Normal Community (7.96).

Katie Burns of Lane Tech ran 59.57 (IL #7) to win the 400 Meter Dash just ahead of Jordynn Griffin of Normal Community (IL #8 59.62). Austin Cabanban of Loyola Academy ran 50.71 (IL #7) to win the Boys 400 Meter Dash ahead of the 51.21 time (IL #10) Ronan O’Neill of New Trier.

Western Big Six Indoor Invitational (3/5)

The Moline PE Center is a draw to bring some good competition to western Illinois. This Co-Ed meet had Jettason Rose of Quincy ran 7.09 to win the 60 Meter Dash. Logan Veloz of East Moline ran 2:00.31 to win the 800 Meter Run by six seconds.

Kaylee Allen of Galesburg was a double winner in the Girls meet running 8.06 to win the 60 Meter Dash and 27.04 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Allen was part of Galesburg’s team that ran 1:50.90 to win the 4x200m Relay. Quincy’s Anna Schuering was a double winner running 2:27.53 to win the 800 Meter Dash and 5:35.32 to win the 1600 Meter Run.

Other Meet Highlights

We will be talking more about Chatham-Glenwood’s Katelyn Lehnen after she jumps into high school racing after a successful middle school career. The freshman ran 7.78 (IL #9) to win the 60 Meter Dash in a meet last Wednesday at Mt. Zion. She also came back to run 26.14 (IL #11) to win the 200 Meter Dash.

Audrey Allman of Glenbard West came back after running 4:55 on Thursday to run 2:9.37 (IL #8) to win the 800 Meter Run to win by 15 seconds Saturday at Proviso West. The sprint races at this meet were great. Jaylah Shepherd of Kenwood ran a state leading 7.12 to win the 55 Meter Dash ahead of Simeon’s Lindsey Miller (7.17, IL #2) and Jakiya Baker (7.36, IL #6). Naomi Bey-Osborne of Kankakee ran 26.11 (IL #9) to win the 200 Meter Dash by nine hundredths of a second ahead of Miller (26.20). Bey-Osborne was part of Kankakee’s team that ran 1:47.17 to win the 4x200m Relay.

Becca Heitzig of Lincoln ran 2:18.66 (IL #7) to win the 800 Meter Run at the Cogdal Invitational at Illinois State on Friday. Bella Domier of Grayslake Central ran 2:19.70 to win the 800 Meter Run at Rockford Auburn on Saturday.

EJ Nwagwu of St. Rita ran 22.88 (IL #8) in the 200 Meter Dash on Friday at a quad meet at Proviso West. Elijah Reed of Downers Grove South finished second (22.89, IL #8). Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South in the same meet ran 1:25.29 (IL #2) to win the 600 Meter Run ahead of his teammate Joseph Puccillo (1:25.37, IL #3).