Illinois HS Track & Field - Highlights from the Weekend - March 6, 2023

By Michael Newman

March came in like a lion for track and field teams in Illinois as the season entered the second of four months of this season. The majority of the big meets took place on college campus facilities across the state.

You can see and read about meets held at North Central College with the NCC Cardinal HS Girls Classic and York High School and the Stan Reddel Invitational.

Here are highlights of some of the meets that took place across the state over the weekend.

D117 Winter Grand Prix @Lakes Community – The Girls took center stage this weekend on the fast D117 track at Lakes. The Johnson sisters from Huntley dominated the horizontal jumps each winning one of the events. Alexandria Johnson jumped a state leading 20-0.5 to win the Long Jump. Her mark is currently ranked #6 nationally. Her sister Dominique jumped 18-6.75 (IL #4) to finish second. Ma’Kayala Winters of Rockford Auburn jumped 18-1.75 (IL #6) to finish third. Dominique Johnson followed her Long Jump performance by jumping the longest mark in the state in the Triple Jump. The sophomore jumped 40-0.25 to win the event. Her sister Alexandria jumped 37-3.75 to finish second with Winters jumping 37-0.5 to finish third.

Rylee Lydon of Prairie Ridge once again was busy in the four events that she competed in. The Texas A&M signee started her day by clearing a state leading 5-7.75 to win the High Jump. The 800 Meter Run had four runners at 2:20 or faster. St. Ignatius Prep freshman Annika Swan was in charge of the race running 2:16.73 (IL #5) for the win ahead of Alyssa Moore of McHenry (2:19.08, IL #10), Rylee Lydon in third (2:19.90), and Caroline Schoen of Homewood-Flossmoor in fourth (2:20.02). Stella Davis of Evanston Township is evolving into one of the top distance runners in the state. Davis was alone in the 1600 Meter Run with a 5:03.36 time (IL #6) to win by 17 seconds ahead of Brittney Burak of Huntley (5:20.04) and Schoen (5:22.56). Nikki Chopra of Whitney Young ran 11:00.80 to win the 3200 Meter Run with Danielle Jensen of McHenry running 11:06.50 to finish second. It was close in the 4x800m Relay as Hononegah ran 9:59.35 to win by a second ahead of St. Ignatius Prep (10:00.48).

Emmi Scales of Saint Viator and Ana-Liese Torian of Homewood-Flossmoor are two of the top hurdlers in the state and faced off in this meet. Scales ran a state leading time of 8.37 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles. Her time is currently the fifth fastest nationally. Torian ran 8.80 (IL #2) to finish second. Asia Thomas of Kenwood equaled her state best time running 7.48 to win the 60 Meter Dash. Scales ran 7.69 to finish second with Kenwood’s Kee’Lani Whitlock running 7.87 to finish third. Angela Alozie of Homewood-Flossmoor ran 25.50 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Whitlock ran 26.38 to place second. Kenwood was in control in the 4x200m Relay running 1:45.48 for the win. Evanston ran 1:49.54 to finish second. New Trier ran 4:11.73 to win the 4x400m Relay ahead of Whitney Young (4:13.40) and Evanston (4:14.15).

Illinois Meet of Champions @ Gately Park – Austin Belle of Neuqua Valley ran a state leading 21.73 to win the 200 Meter Dash ahead of teammate Tyrek Campbell (22.56, IL #10). Julian Aske of Beacon Academy ran a huge indoor personal best of 1:55.58 (IL #2) in winning the 800 Meter Run ahead of Mather’s Muhiyadin Ali (1:58.76). Grayden Rill of Fenwick ran 4:19.98 to win the 1600 Meter Run ahead of DePaul Prep’s Mac Kittrell (4:20.89, IL #2) and Charlie Richardson (4:24.93, IL #6). New Trier ran 1:31.72 (IL #2) to win the 4x200m Relay finishing ahead of DePaul Prep (1:33.84). Loyola Academy ran 3:32.39 (IL #2) to win the 4x400m Relay with DePaul Prep again finishing second with a 3:34.22 time (IL #8 Tie). Javaris Ambrose of Thornton unleashed a 60-11 personal best (IL #2) to win the Shot Put. James Ammenhauser of Neuqua Valley was a double winner in the horizontal jumps. The senior jumped 21-10.25 to win the Long Jump. He came back to jump 44-10.5 (IL #5) to win the Triple Jump. Enoch Appiah-Kubi of Loyola Academy jumped 44-7.75 (IL #6 Tie) to finish second.

Jane Lynch of Loyola Academy ran 5:04.33 (IL #9) to win the Girls 1600 Meter Run with teammate Ellie Grammas (5:16.34) and Bella Daley of Fenwick (5:20.48) finishing second and third. Alice Mihas of Latin School had a big meet with a 39-6.5 (IL #6) to win the Shot Put and a 52-8 best (US #5) to win the 20 lb. Weight Throw.  

Coach DiDomenico Invitational @ Batavia – This Boys Meet on Friday was a tune-up for Monday night’s DGS Mustang Relays. Weston White of Batavia ran 6.53 (IL #4) to win the 55 Meter Dash by just one hundredth of a second ahead of Cael Hiser of Minooka who ran 6.54 (IL #5). White came back to run 22.59 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Hiser came back to run 52.68 in winning the 400 Meter Dash. White was part of Batavia’s quartet that ran 1:32.21 (IL #4) to win the 4x200m Relay. Quintin Lowe of Batavia ran a strong double in this meet. The senior ran 1:56.81 (IL #8) to win the 800 Meter Run by almost five seconds. Zachary Balzer of Minooka ran 4:25.58 (IL #9) to win the 1600 Meter Run as Lowe ran 4:31.99 to finish second. Tyler Michelini of Lake Park followed up his 59-9.25 mark last week at Proviso West with a 58-1.5 put in winning the Shot Put.

SIU High School Invitational @ SIU-Carbondale – Girls – This two day meet typically produces some great performances. This year’s meet was no exception. Defending 1A state champion Ahry Comer of Pope County was a double winner in the distance events. Comer started by running 2:20.24 to win the 800 Meter Run by seven seconds ahead of O’Fallon’s Ellie Bush (2:27.55) and Ellary Blakey of Herrin (2:27.75). Four runners were under 5:20 in the 1600 Meter Run. Comer ran 5:12.44 to win over a field that included Mabry Bruhn of Monticello (5:16.56), Brodie Denny of Anna-Jonesboro (5:17.58), and Emily Nuttall of Edwardsville (5:19.23). Nuttall was also a part of her team’s winning team in the 4x800m Relay with a 9:51.04 (IL #8). Molly Grohmann of Waterloo cleared a season’s best of 5-5 to win the High Jump. Karli Mann of Herrin jumped a season’s best of 35-10 in winning the Triple Jump. Janiyah Brown of East St. Louis-Senior jumped 35-7.25 to finish second. Brown also had a 16-10.75 effort to win the Long Jump.

Boys – Gavin Genisio of Benton got ready for Boston and the New Balance Indoor Nationals this week by running 1:58.25 to win the 800 Meter Run by more than three seconds ahead of Justice Eldridge of Civic Memorial. Jackson Collman of Civic Memorial came from behind in the final lap to run 9:24.34 (IL #8) to win the 3200 Meter Run. Joe Schwartz of Waterloo ran 9:24.64 (IL #9) to finish second. Isaac Teel of Pinckneyville ran 4:24.85 (IL #5) in winning the 1600 Meter Run with Sean Hudspeth of Marion (4:33.10) his closest competition in second. East St. Louis-Senior swept the three relays running 1:35.65 to win the 4x200m Relay, 3:30.46 to win the 4x400m Relay, and 8:41.87 to win the 4x800m Relay.

Cogdal HS Invitational @ Illinois State – Girls – Allison Ince of Normal Community tuned up for the New Balance Indoor Nationals with a strong performance in this meet Friday night. Ince, who will be running the 800 and 1600 in Boston, stepped down a distance to the 400 Meter Dash. Her time of 57.13 (IL #3) won the race by almost four seconds ahead of teammate Lily Cavanaugh (1:01.35). Ince and Kavanaugh were part of the quartet that ran 4:06.91 (IL #5) to win the 4x400m Relay by almost 20 seconds. Ruth Oliveros-Gallardo of Normal Community had a 39-0.5 mark (IL #8) to win the Shot Put. Nora Brady of Bloomington Central Catholic ran 5:19.72 to win the 1600 Meter Run finishing ahead of Taygen Beyer of Morton (5:24.51).

Boys – Bjorn Carlson of Rockford Christian had a good meet inside ISU’s Horton Fieldhouse achieving two new indoor personal bests. Carlson ran 50.64 (IL #5) to win the 400 Meter Dash. Billy Bailey Jr. of Joliet West finished second with a 51.08 time (IL #9). Carlson came back to run 22.87 in winning the 200 Meter Dash ahead of Javaris Pittmon of Thornwood (23.35) and Aneefy Ford of Streator (23.59). Ford earlier in the meet ran 7.00 to win the 60 Meter Dash. Three runners went under two-minutes in the 800 Meter Run. All-state runner Patrick Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic ran 1:57.08 (IL #10) to win the race ahead of Jude Toft of Lincoln (1:59.80) and Kody Danko of Streator (1:59.91). Miles Granjean of Evanston ran 8.14 (IL #2) to easily win the 60 Meter Hurdles. Granjean was also a part of the Evanston quartet that ran 1:34.98 to win the 4x200m Relay winning by more than two seconds. He also anchored his team to a win in the 4x400m Relay. Belleville West ran 3:37.81 to finish second.

EIU HS Invitational – Girls – This Friday meet was a tune up for Tatum David of Richland County as she prepares for a return to Boston for this week’s New Balance Indoor Nationals. She seems ready for nationals with an impressive run in the 800 Meter Run. David was challenged in this race by all-state runner Colleen Zeibert. The four-time state champion prevailed running a personal best time of 2:11.07 (IL #2) to win the race. Zeibert ran 2:17.37 (IL #6) to finish second. David’s time is currently ranked #7 indoors in the United States. The other two distance races in Friday’s meet were great. Defending 1A state champion Elena Rybak of Father McGivney had a performance that shined in the 1600 Meter Run with a 5:12.59 time to win the 1600 Meter Run. Marshall freshman Molly Farrell ran 5:17.95 to finish second with Sofia Munoz of Mt. Zion running 5:22.15 to finish third. Rybak anchored her team to a win in the 4x800m Relay (10:01.61) finishing ahead of Mt. Zion (10:07.23) and Tolono Unity (10:13.64). Erica Woodard of Tolono Unity was dominant in the 3200 Meter Run with a 11:06.62 time to win the race. Tuscola freshman Kate Foltz ran 11:26.21 to finish second. Later in the meet, Foltz ran a second personal best of 5:23.50 to finish fourth.

Boys – There were a number of double winners in Saturday’s portion of this meet. Nathan Kirby of Salt Fork ran 8.31 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles. Kirby came back to run 22.77 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Michael Hackman of Bismarck-Henning ran 22.83 to finish second. Sam Atkinson of Mt. Zion ran 1:59.39 to win the 800 Meter Run. Austin Wesley of Robinson ran 2:02.05 to finish second. Atkinson came right back to run 51.40 to win the 400 Meter Dash by almost two seconds ahead of Bryson Thomas of Springfield (53.37). Logan Beckmier of Arthur-Lovingston ran 9:49.52 to win the 3200 Meter Run by a margin of close to 20 seconds. Julian Baker of Mt. Zion ran 4:26.43 to win the 1600 Meter Run ahead of Cale Smith of Decatur Eisenhower (4:27.40) and Beckmier (4:32.46).

First to the Finish Charger Invitational @ University of Illinois – Nicholas DeLoach of Cahokia had another great meet winning two individual events in the Boys portion of the meet. DeLoach jumped 21-5.75 to win the Long Jump just ahead of Brody Squires of Waubonsie Valley (21-3.5). The senior came back to clear 6-4 in winning the High Jump. Lorenzo Johnson-Cutler of Cahokia produced the state’s longest performance this indoor season in the Triple Jump (45-10.5). The event produced the top three jumps in the state with DeLoach jumping 45-7.25 to finish second with Malik Allen of Edwardsville finishing third (45-3.75). Johnson-Cutler was part of the Cahokia quartet that ran 1:34.65 to win the 4x200m Relay just ahead of Edwardsville (1:34.84). It was a great showdown in the sprints with Daniel Lacy of Champaign Centennial having the edge on Urbana’s Jackson Gilbert in the two races that the two competed in. Lacy ran a personal best of 6.91 (IL #3 tie) to win the 60 Meter Dash with Gilbert running 7.05 to finish second. Lacy came back to run 21.88 in winning the 200 Meter Dash as Gilbert ran 22.05 (IL #4) to again place second. Jayon Morrow of Kankakee ran 50.46 to win the 400 Meter Dash by almost a second ahead of Reece Dusek of Dunlap (51.41).

Kankakee sophomore Naomi Bey-Osborne had the top performances of the Girls meet winning two individual events and part of a relay win by the Kays. Bey-Osborne ran 7.79 (IL #10) to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of Thornton’s Tanyjah James (8.04) and Paris Harris (8.07). Bey-Osborne then ran 25.14 (IL #2) to win the 200 Meter Dash with over a one second margin ahead of Isabella Roundtree of Champaign Central (26.26). She was also a part of the Kankakee quartet that included Trinity Noble, Aniya Lewis, and Neveah Lowe that ran 1:44.72 (IL #2) to win the 4x200 Meter Relay ahead of the 1:47.45 (IL #9) run by Champaign Central. Lewis also cleared 5-5 (IL #4 tie) to win the High Jump. Noelle Hunt of Champaign Centennial jumped 18-0.5 (IL #8) to win the Long Jump.

York Girls Invitational #2 – Bria Bennis of York pulled away early to run 10:41.46 (IL #2) to win the 3200 Meter Run ahead of teammate Katherine Klimek (11:09.46). Hailey Ericson of Prospect ran 5:04.51 (IL #10) to win the 1600 Meter Run. Brooke Berger of York (5:08.16) finished second. Lily Ginsberg of Prospect ran the state’s fastest time in the 600 Meter Run (1:37.41) winning by three seconds ahead of Ava Gilley of Downers Grove North (1:40.47). Dakota Washington of Downers Grove North was a double winner in the sprints. The junior ran 7.58 to win the 55 Meter Dash with Katelynn Pratt of York finishing second (7.61). Washington then ran 26.79 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Two freshmen led the way in the 400 Meter Dash. Morgan Navarre of York ran 59.24 (IL #7) to finish ahead of the 59.70 (IL #9) time run by Meg Peterson of Prospect. Downers Grove North ran 9:46.23 (IL #6) to win the 4x800m Relay. Prospect ran 9:48.40 (IL #7) to finish second. Neither team, who will run Monday night at the Mustang Relays, loaded their quartets. Hersey ran 9:51.87 (IL #10) finished third.

Normal U-High Girls Invitational @ IWU Shirk Center – Plainfield North had a big day in the relays tuning up for Monday’s Mustang Relays. The Tigers ran 1:47.69 (IL #8) to win the 4x200m Relay. Plainfield North came back to run 4:06.37 (IL #3) to win the 4x400m Relay. Normal University freshman Natalie Bierbaum lapped the field running 11:11.61 to win the 3200 Meter Run winning by a margin of over a minute. Another freshman, Sophia Ramirez of Washington, ran 2:23.72 to win the 800 Meter Run with the Aurora Central Catholic duo of Isabella Orozco (2:24.02) and Cecilia Hilby (2:27.17) to finish second and third. Orozco came back to run 1:00.15 to win the 400 Meter Dash.

Glenbard North Panther Boys Invitational – The small 160-meter track at Glenbard North did not produce some fast times in the oval races. The short sprints however did. Jermaine Hampton of Mt. Carmel in Chicago ran 6.57 (IL #6) to win the 55 Meter Dash. Talen Tate of DeKalb ran 6.60 (IL #9) to finish second. Mt. Carmel’s Jaden Bossie was a double winner in this meet. The senior ran 7.62 to win the 55 Meter Hurdles by more than a second. He also cleared 5-10.75 to win the High Jump.

Jacksonville Indoor Invitational @ Illinois College – A timing malfunction in this Friday evening meet forced the meet organizers to hand time the track races. Sophomore Katelyn Lehnen of Chatham-Glenwood ran some great times winning the two short sprint races. Too bad that they were not FAT timed. Lehnen ran 6.9 to win the 55 Meter Dash with Alaina Lester of Althoff Catholic running 7.3 to finish second. Lehnen ran 24.9 in winning the 200 Meter Dash with Lester again finishing second (26.4). In the Boys meet, Jayden Jones of Macomb had one of the top performances clearing 6-6.75 (IL #3 Tie) to win the High Jump. Nathan Hippard of Mascoutah was a double winner in the sprints running 6.2 to win the 55 Meter Dash and 23.2 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Charlie Bardwell of Eureka ran a strong race in the 800 Meter Run with a 1:59.7 time for the win with Chatham-Glenwood freshman Jan Schneider placing second (2:00.7). Mascoutah’s Allen Middleton was a double winner in the horizontal jumps. The senior jumped 21-4.25 to win the Long Jump. He came back to jump 43-6.5 in winning the Triple Jump.

Coach Heimsath Invitational @ Batavia – This Saturday meet produced one of the top sprint times in the state. Serena Vulaono of Lake Park clocked a 7.30 time (IL #2) to win the 55 Meter Dash ahead of Kyla Harris of Metea Valley (7.41). Batavia got ready for Monday evening’s Mustang Relays by running 1:44.89 (IL #3) to win the 4x200m Relay.

Rockford Auburn Girls Showcase – Sofia Arcuri of Maine South ran 5:14.10 to edge Abigail Jordan of Palatine (5:14.87) to win the 1600 Meter Run. Arcuri’s teammate Olivia DeLuca ran 5:16.91 to finish second. Maine South earlier in the meet ran 9:43.80 (IL #3) to win the 4x800m Relay. Palatine ran 9:45.59 (IL #5) to finish second with Winnebago running 10:05.52 to finish third. Daisha Brunson of Conant was a double winner in this meet. The freshman ran 9.41 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles just ahead of Thornwood’s Mauricia Harris (9.62). Brunson came back to run 25.59 (IL #6) to win the 200 Meter Dash.