Illinois High School Track and Field Weekend Highlights - April 18, 2022

 

Photo: A close finish in the 4x8 was one of the highlights of Saturday’s #SmithStrong Invitational – Kevin Dorsey Photo

 

By Michael Newman [email protected]

 

Weather in April always plays a big part in track meets in Illinois. This weekend was no exception with cold temperatures and high winds. Here is a look at highlights of some of the meets that took place throughout the state.

Bruce Ritter Invitational | Minooka #SmithStrong Invitational

Results: 4/14 | 4/15 | 4/16

 

Bloomington Girls Invitational – Friday

 

This might have been one of the best meets of this holiday weekend. Allison Ince of Normal Community was part of two state leading relays as a dominating win in the 1600 Meter Run. Ince ran 4:54.77 (IL #3) to win the race by 25 seconds ahead of Normal University’s Zoe Carter (5:19.14) and Delaney Fitzgerald (5:20.05) along with Eureka’s Anna Perry (5:22.05). Fitzgerald earlier ran a personal best of 10:41.66 to win the 3200 Meter Run finishing ahead of Carter (11:10.25) and Morton’s Emma Skinner (11:13.64).

 

Ince anchored Normal’s team to a state leading 9:37.22 to win the 4x800m Relay. Ince ended the meet with an anchor leg of 54.8 to give Normal another state leading time of 3:59.74 to win the 4x400m Relay.

 

The other big performance of this meet belonged to Katelyn Lehnen of Chatham-Glenwood. The freshman won three individual events starting by running 12.09 (IL #2) to win the 100 Meter Dash. She followed that up by running 57.66 (IL #3) to win the 400 Meter Dash. Her day ended when she won the 200 Meter Dash (25.71, IL #4).

 

Kankakee ran what was a then IL #1 48.56 to win the 4x100m Relay. They would run faster the next day in their own meet. The Kays came back to run the state leading time of 1:42.60 to win the 4x200m Relay.

 

Barrington Girls Invitational – Thursday

 

Barrington edged Lake Zurich 106-94.5 for the team title. Hoffman Estates’ Ashley Oliver had a big night in adverse conditions winning three individual events. Oliver ran 12.65 to win the 100 Meter Dash. She came back to run the state’s fastest time this year (57.13) to win the 400 Meter Dash with Rylee Lydon of Prairie Ridge running 57.75 (IL #4) to finish second. Oliver finished her triple by running 26.25 to win the 200 Meter Dash by almost a second.

 

Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich ran a huge race in the 3200 Meter Run. The junior ran 10:42.42 (IL #4) for the win. Jenna Buchanan of Bartlett ran 11:16.75 to finish second. Aly Negovetich of Grant ran 2:19.12 (IL #9) to win the 800 Meter Run ahead of Scout Storms of Barrington (2:22.20). Storms turned the tables in the 1600 Meter Run as she ran 5:02.87 (IL #6) for the win ahead of Negovetich (5:04.94, IL #7), and Mia Pasha of Warren (5:07.04, IL #10). Barrington ran 9:53.18 (IL #3) in winning the 4x800m Relay.

 

Rock Island Girls ABC Invitational – Saturday

 

Homewood-Flossmoor looked good in this meet just east of the Mississippi River. Ana-Liese Torian ran the state fastest time (14.48) in winning the 100 Meter Hurdles. Torian also ran 25.49 (IL #2) to win the 200 Meter Dash. Alexandria Edison also picked up two wins in the 100 Meter Dash (12.51) and the 400 Meter Dash (59.71). Edison also jumped 17-10.5 to win the Long Jump. . Caroline Schoen ran a personal best of 10:49.74 to win the 3200 Meter Run by 90 seconds. The junior came back to run 5:07.64 to win the 1600 Meter Run ahead of Quincy’s Anna Scheuring (5:14.95). Scheuring earlier ran 2:24.32 to win the 800 Meter Run.

 

Wheaton North Blue & Gold Invitational – Thursday

 

Batavia ran 9:50.5 (IL #2) to win the 4x800m Relay ahead of Sandburg (9:57.2, IL #8) and Maine South (9:57.7, IL #9). Audra Soderlind of Oswego ran 11:10.5 to win the 3200 Meter Run. Sophia McNerney of Downers Grove South ran 5:00.0 (IL #4) to win the 1600 Meter Run with Katrina Schlenker of Batavia running 5:09.4 to finish second. The 4x200m Relay was loaded as Batavia ran 1:45.5 for the win ahead of Neuqua Valley (1:46.3), Oswego (1:47.5), and Wheaton-Warrenville South (1:49.0).

 

Minooka Girls Invitational – Thursday

 

Lincoln-Way East’s Mariam Azeez came away with two individual wins. Azeez ran 12.51 to win the 100 Meter Dash ahead of Huntley’s Alexandria Johnson (12.87). Azeez also jumped a state leading 18-10 to win the Long Jump ahead of Dominique Johnson of Huntley (18-3.75, IL #4). Alexandria Johnson competed in the Triple Jump where she went a state leading 39-4.75 to win the event.

 

Huntley ran 1:46.55 (IL #6) to win the 4x200m Relay. The Red Raiders also ran 49.63 (IL #5) to win the 4x100m Relay with Lincoln-Way East finishing second (49.98). Sophia Barnard of Lincoln-Way East won both the 100 Meter Hurdles (16.06) and the 300 Meter Hurdles (48.31).

 

Hinsdale Central Red Devilette Invitational – Saturday

 

Catie McCabe Hinsdale Central won two individual events on her home track. The junior ran 2:17.28 to win the 800 Meter Run by six seconds ahead of Morgan Mackie of Loyola (2:23.61). McCabe came back to run 1:01.04 to win the 400 Meter Dash by two seconds. Paulina Lucer of Lake Park cleared 10-6 to win the Pole Vault. Samarah Souffrant of Loyola threw 130-8 to win the Discus and had a 37-11 put to win the Shot Put.

 

O’Fallon Girls Invitational – Friday

 

Peyton Schieppe had a big double win on her home track. Schieppe ran 10:46.12 to win the 3200 Meter Run by 69 seconds ahead of Belleville West’s Alyssa Elliott (11:55.33). Schieppe came back to run 5:09.38 to win the 1600 Meter Run with Edwardsville’s Emily Nuttall finishing second (5:15.82). Madyson Swope of Carbondale won both the Shot Put (37-10.75) and the Discus (121-2.75).

 

Unity Girls Invitational – Thursday

 

Alyssa Williams of Tuscola once again had another big meet. The senior ran 12.22 to win the 100 Meter Dash. She was the only athlete to run under 13 seconds in this meet. Williams jumped 16-11.5 to win the Long Jump and 25.94 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Williams was also a part of Tuscola’s quartet that ran 51.81 to win the 4x100m Relay ahead of Tolono Unity (52.43).

 

Sam Bennett Invitational @ Robinson

 

Tatum David of Richland County picked up two wins in distance events in this meet. David ran 11:04.8 to win the 3200 Meter Run by 34 seconds ahead of Brooklyn Bender of Marshall. David came right back to run 2:19.0 in winning the 800 Meter Run.

 

Kaitlyn Vahling of Teutopolis picked up wins in the 100 Meter Dash (12.5) and the 200 Meter Dash (26.0).

 

 

 

Metea Valley Boys Invitational – Saturday

 

Jalen Johnson of Metea Valley won both hurdle races in this meet. It will be his anchor leg in the 4x400m Relay that fans will remember. Johnson ran a 48.33 anchor leg to overtake Warren Township in winning the race in 3:31.96. Warren was second timed at 3:32.26). Johnson ran 14.69 to win the 110 High Hurdles as well as the 300 Intermediate Hurdles (39.85). Caleb Levy ran a personal best of 1:57.53 (IL #7) to win the 800 Meter Run. Reece Young of Wheaton-Warrenville South ran 11.07 to win the 100 Meter Dash ahead of Plainfield North’s Dylan Gramley (11.20). Young was also part of Wheaton-Warrenville South’s winning 4x100m Relay (43.46) just ahead of Plainfield North (43.58), and the 4x200m Relay in 1:31.54.

 

Bud Mohns Invitational @ Downers Grove South – Saturday

 

York edged conference rival Hinsdale Central 126-120 to win the meet team title. Andrew was close scoring 114 points to finish third. Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central stepped down a distance and came away with a win. The junior ran a state leading 48.89 to win the 400 Meter Dash by more than two seconds ahead of teammate Aden Bandukwala (51.50). Both runners came back to run a state leading 3:23.03 to win the 4x400m Relay by nine seconds ahead of York (3:32.02). Hinsdale Central’s Colby Revord ran 1:56.30 (IL #2) to win the 800 Meter Run. Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South finished second (1:57.02, IL #5). Ethan Summer of York ran 9:35.33 to win the 3200 Meter Run ahead of Morton’s Daniel Chavez (9:38.01). Hinsdale Central ran 8:11.00 (IL #5) to win the 4x800m Relay ahead of York’s 8:12.23 (IL #7).

 

Desmond Horton of Lake Park jumped 46-3 (IL #2) to win the Triple His teammate Lucah Jones threw 169-11 (IL #2) to win the Discus. Cooper Cerese of Lake Park had a 56-1 put (IL #5) to win the Shot Put.

 

Capitol City Classic @ Springfield Lanphier – Saturday

 

Mt. Zion had two double individual event winners in this meet. Christian Keyhea ran 11.00 to win the 100 Meter Dash. Keyhea came back to run 22.13 (IL #7) to win the 200 Meter Dash. Keyhea was also part of Mt. Zion’s team that ran 1:32.16 to win the 4x200m Relay ahead of Chatham-Glenwood (1:32.25)

 

Sam Atkinson had a big double in the middle distance events. The junior ran the fastest time in the state (1:56.10) to win the 800 Meter Run by more than three seconds ahead of Samson Dessalines of Chatham-Glenwood (1:59.22). Atkinson came back to run a personal best of 50.98 to win the 400 Meter Dash.

 

Jamarion Suggs of Springfield Lanphier was huge in the High Jump. The senior only cleared 5-9 indoors. His best coming into this meet was 6-2. He did better than that on Saturday when he cleared 6-6 (IL #3) to win the event. Kyle Hensley of Mt. Zion won the Pole Vault clearing 14-6.

 

John Bell Invitational @ West Aurora – Saturday

 

Micah Wilson of St. Charles East stepped down in distance running 2:01.6 to win the 800 Meter Run by more than four seconds. The big performance of the meet came when Roy Llewellyn of Downers Grove North ran 4:20.17 (IL #3) to win the 1600 Meter Run by 14 seconds ahead of teammate Kyle McNally (4:34.36)

 

Galesburg Streak ABC Invitational – Friday

 

Wilson Georges of Limestone was at it again Friday at Galesburg with another fast distance race. Georges was by himself as he ran a state leading 4:11.79 to win the 1600 Meter Run by 30 seconds. Jettason Rose of Quincy ran 11.02 to win the 100 Meter Dash. He came back to run 22.45 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Logan Velez of East Moline ran a personal best of 50.35 to win the 400 Meter Dash.

 

Lane Tech Pizza Battle – Thursday

 

Plainfield North swept the first four places in the 1600 Meter Run as Oliver Burns ran 4:30.69 to win ahead of teammate Cooper Shelton (4:31.53). Kieran Subra of Lycee Francis de Chicago ran a personal best 9:45.42 to win the 1600 Meter Run.

 

Monticello Boys Invitational – Thursday

 

Nathan Kirby of Salt Fork destroyed the field in the 110 High Hurdles. Kirby’s winning time of 15.21 to win the event by more than three seconds. It was the same in the 1600 Meter Run as Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley Loda ran a solo 4:19.77 to win by 17 seconds. Chris Boyd of Tuscola had a 55-5.25 best to win the Shot Put ahead of Garrett Taylor of Salt Fork (53-3.75). Taylor came back to throw 149-10 to win the Discus.

 

 

 

Kankakee Kays Coed Invitational – Saturday

 

This was a high level sprint meet in Kankakee. Jayon Morrow of Kankakee was a double winner. Morrow ran 10.96 to win the Boys 100 Meter Dash ahead of teammate Jyaire Hill (11.01). Morrow came back to run 50.65 to win the 400 Meter Dash by more than a second. The sophomore anchored Kankakee’s team that ran 42.73 to win the 4x100m Relay and anchored the winning team in the 4x400m Relay (3:32.93).

 

EJ Nwagwu of St. Rita ran 22.33 to win the 200 Meter Dash ahead of Edward Clark of Crete-Monee. Clark was part of the Crete-Monee team that ran 1:31.37 to edge St. Laurence (1:31.90) to win the 4x200m Relay.

 

Lindsey Miller of Simeon led a fast field in the Girls 100 Meter Dash. Miller ran 12.36 to win with Jaliyah Shepherd of Kenwood, and Kankakee’s Nevaeh Lowe and Naomi Bey-Osborne all running 12.66 finishing second through fourth. Madison Hardamon of Evanston won the 200 Meter Dash (26.54) ahead of Lowe (26.65). Asia Thomas of Kenwood ran 58.31 to win the 400 Meter Dash with Bey-Osborne the only other runner under 60 seconds finishing second (59.49). Kankakee ran the state’s fastest time (48.47) in winning the 4x100m Relay ahead of Evanston (49.44). Kenwood ran 1:43.77 (IL #2) to win the 4x200m Relay with Evanston also under 1:45 (1:44.25, IL #3) to finish second. Brianna Dixon of Rantoul won the 100 Meter Hurdles in 14.60 (IL #3) with Abrielle Artley of Evanston running 15.12 (IL #6) to finish second. Desire Poole of East St. Louis-Senior ruled the weight events winning the Shot Put (40-11.75, IL #4) and the Discus (108-11).

 

Al Janulis Relays @ Vernon Hills – Saturday

 

Emmi Scales of St. Viator picked up where she left off in the indoor season. Scales ran 14.84 to win the 100 Meter Hurdles. She ran 45.40 (IL #6) to win the 300 Meter Hurdles by more than 10 seconds. Her teammate Mary Beth Hegberg won the 800 Meter Run with a 2:21.66 time.

 

St. Viator’s Lucas Doland ran 1:58.66 (IL #10) to win the Boys 800 Meter Run.

 

Seneca Irish Invitational – Friday

 

Pontiac’s DeWayne Johnson picked up three wins in this meet. Johnson ran 15.3 to win the 110 High Hurdles, 42.91 to win the 300 Intermediate Hurdles with Christian Micetich  of Coal City (43.09) finishing second, and then ran 22.79 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Tony Phillips of McNamara ran 11.22 to win the 100 Meter Dash.

 

Lemont Invitational – Thursday

 

Drew Rogers of Herscher showed his fitness level last week at Rantoul running 9:18.12 to finish second in the 3200 Meter Run behind Limestone’s Wilson Georges (9:11.24). In less than optimal conditions in this meet, Rogers went out on his own to run 4:20.34 to win the 1600 Meter Run by an incredible 38 seconds.