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Illinois High School Track & Field - Highlights from the Weekend - March 13, 2023

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ILXCTF - Mike Newman   Mar 13th 2023, 10:17pm
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Illinois High School Track & Field - Highlights from the Weekend - March 13, 2023

 

Photo – York’s 4x2 team after running a state leading time in an open meet on Saturday

 

By Michael Newman

 

The performances this weekend at the National Meets extended past the distance events. Some teams and individuals stepped up with All-American performances at the New Balance Nationals Indoors and the Nike Indoor Nationals.

 

There were also some great performances within the state this week as we are now two weeks within Illinois Top Times on March 25-26.

 

You can read about highlights from Batavia Distance Madness and the New Balance National Indoors featuring the distance events by clicking on the meet’s name.

 

Here are highlights of some of the meets that took place over the past week in Illinois as well as Boston and New York.

 

New Balance Nationals IndoorEmmi Scales of St. Viator stepped up again into the national spotlight running three great races in the 60 Meter Hurdles. She had the top qualifying time and second fastest semifinal time in the event running an 8.36 time. Scales ran the state’s best time of 8.32 (US #4) to finish third and earn All-American honors just five hundredth of a second behind the win from Aleesa Samuel.

 

Alex Sohn of Normal Community earned All-American status in the Shot Put with a 61-10.25 best (IL #2) to finish fourth overall.

 

Defending Class 2A state champion Paul Migas of Lakes Community earned indoor All-American honors for the second year in a row. The junior cleared 15-9 to finish in a tie for fourth-place in the Boys Championship Pole Vault. Libby Saloga of Rosary and Jocelyn Dieckman of DeKalb both cleared personal bests of 12-5.5 (IL #6 tie) in the Girls Championship Pole Vault. Dieckman finished 12th on misses while Saloga finished in a 13th place time. Kait McHale of Naperville central competed in the event clearing 11-11.75.

 

Katelyn Lehnen of Chatham-Glenwood had a great weekend in the sprints producing state leading times in both events. Lehnen ran a state leading time of 7.45 to finish eighth in the preliminary heat of the 60 Meter Dash. She missed qualifying for the finals in the event by one spot running 7.55 in the semis to finish ninth. She rebounded in the Rising Stars Girls 200 Meter Dash with a pair of great performances. Lehnen ran a state leading time of 24.14 to finish second overall in the preliminary heats. She came back to run 24.18 to finish second in the finals. Sage Hinton of Bullis MD ran a personal best of 24.10 to win the race. Lehnen is currently the fourth fastest sophomore athlete nationally in the 60 Meter Dash and second fastest in the 200 Meter Dash.

 

Austin Belle of Neuqua Valley improved his time for the fourth week in a row in the 200 Meter Dash. Belle’s time of 21.67 placed him 16th in the prelims. The top eight runners qualified for the finals. Belle’s time is the fastest in the state this indoor season.

 

Brooke Sawatzky of Naperville Central had almost a foot improvement on her personal best while competing in the Girls Championship Triple Jump. Her best of 38-0.75 (IL #5) gave her a 14th place finish.

 

East St. Louis-Senior did not have any athletes run in the championship races. They did make a statement for the rest of the Illinois teams that will face them in the next couple of months. They started in the 4x200m Relay on Friday running 1:31.29 (IL #3) in the Championship Boys Division. Demarlynn Taylor had a big Sunday in the Boys Rising Stars 60 Meter Hurdles. The senior ran 8.22 in the semifinals heat, then ran 8.16 (IL #4) to win the event. Taylor was part of the Flyers win in the Rising Stars 4x400m Relay. East St. Louis ran a state season leading 3:22.99 in winning their section and the overall event. They currently have the fastest time in the state by almost five seconds.

 

Nike Indoor NationalsJustin Ambrose of Thornton had a big weekend in the Big Apple earning All-American honors in the Boys Championship Shot Put. Ambrose equaled his seasonal best of 60-11 to finish second overall. The senior also had a throw of 62-5.5 to finishing tenth in the 25 Lb. Weight Throw.

 

Chelsea Wetzel of Dunlap earned All-American status in the Girls Championship Pole Vault. The junior’s clearance of a personal best 12-8.25 (IL #2 tie) gave her a fifth-place finish.

 

Huntley Girls Indoor Invitational #2 – Anna Harden of Hersey came back with a strong race after running the night before at Batavia Distance Madness. Harden ran 2:19.42 to win the 800 Meter Run with Caroline Schoen of Homewood-Flossmoor running 2:22.35 to finish second (2:22.35). Ana-Liese Torian of Homewood-Flossmoor won a tight 60 Meter Hurdles race (9.29) by just seven hundredth of a second ahead of Huntley’s Sophie Amin. Torian was part of the HF quartet that ran 1:44.24 (IL #2) for the win in the 4x200m Relay finishing ahead of Huntley’s 1:45.01 time (IL #5). Baelyn Zitzmann of Lake Zurich cleared a huge personal best of 5-7 (IL #3 tie) to win the High Jump. Anrnise Williams of Schaumburg achieved a personal best of 40-7.75 (IL #3) to win the Shot Put. It was a 1-2 finish again by Huntley’s Johnson sisters this time in the Triple Jump. Alexandria jumped 39-5.5 to win the event with her sophomore sister Dominique jumping 39-5.25 to finish second.

 

Fox Valley Girls Conference – The meet last Tuesday kicked off the indoor conference season in the state. Huntley scored 108 points to win the team title ahead of Prairie Ridge (87 points) and Burlington Central (76 points). Rachel Soukup tuned up for her race at Batavia Distance Madness running 5:02.11 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Soukup also anchored Prairie Ridge to the win in the 4x800m Relay. The Wolves ran 10:06.72 for the win ahead of Huntley (10:30.52). Alexandria Johnson of Huntley was a double winner jumping a seasonal and state leading best of 40-2.25 to win the Triple Jump. Johnson came back to run 7.81 to win the 60 Meter Dash. Rylee Lydon of Prairie Ridge was a triple individual event winner. Lydon ran a personal best of 9.34 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles by just one hundredth of a second ahead of Sophie Amin of Huntley. Lydon also jumped 19-0.75 to win the Long Jump and ran 25.72 in winning the 200 Meter Dash.

 

Bob Nihells Indoor Classic – One of the big performances in this meet at North Central College’s Res/Rec Center came in the 800 Meter Run. All-state runner Caleb Levy of Warren ran 1:55.25 (IL #3) to win the race ahead of DeKalb’s Jacob Barraza (1:58.99). Danny Eloe of Naperville North was a double winner in the sprints. Eloe ran 6.51 to win the 55 Meter Dash ahead of Talen Tate of DeKalb (6.63) and Da’Nari Bowden of Homewood-Flossmoor (6.64). Eloe ran 23.08 to edge Will Guertin of Downers Grove North (23.16) for the win in the 200 Meter Dash. Homewood-Flossmoor cranked it up by running a 3:31.29 time (IL #8) to win the 4x400m Relay.

 

Hononegah Boys Indoor ClassicBrody Squires of Waubonsie Valley hit a big jump to win the Long Jump in this meet. His mark of 22-10.5 is a state leading performance in the event. Will Gelon of Prairie Ridge ran two good races producing in two wins. Gelon ran 1:59.62 to win the 800 Meter Run with Caden Emmert of Sycamore finishing second (2:00.60). Gelon came back to run 1:26.61 to win the 600 Meter Run. Gavin Ebenezer of Waubonsie Valley ran 1:27.24 to place second. Ebenezer was part of Waubonsie Valley’s quartet that ran 8:16.99 to win the 4x800m Relay. Evan Horgan of Belvidere North ran 9:33.08 to win the 3200 Meter Run by almost 20 seconds ahead of teammate Orlando Hernandez (9:54.64).

 

York Boys Open – This small Saturday meet produced some fast times in the relays both by the host school. The York quartet of Payton Noble, Joey Valeski, Luke Mailander, and Cash Langley combined for the state’s fastest time of 1:30.40 to win the 4x200m Relay. Noble and Valeski were joined by Aidan Hill and Danny Karnatz to run 2:28.18 (IL #3) to win the 4x400m Relay.

 

Mt. Zion / Apollo InvitationalBecca Heitzig a week ago was on the basketball court helping her Lincoln Basketball team to make the IHSA 3A Girls State finals. One week later, she laced up her spikes was on the track. The 2A defending state champion won two events in her first race of the season. Heitzig opened with a 2:15.44 (IL #5) to win the 800 Meter Run by 11 seconds. Heitzig came back to run 5:17.90 in winning the 1600 Meter Run with Ava Boyd of Mahomet-Seymour running 5:24.10 to finish second. Julian Baker of Mt. Zion accomplished the same double win in the Boys section of the meet. Baker ran 2:01.26 to win the 800 Meter Run as Clayton Bell of Limestone was second (2:02.00). It was close also in the 1600 Meter Dash as Baker ran 4:27.76 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Owen Morgan of Taylorville ran 4:28.20 to finish second.

 

Jersey Indoor Winter Thaw @ Principia College – This Saturday Co-Ed meet produced some fast times especially in the Girls 800 Meter Run. Elena Rybak of Father McGivney ran 2:15.34 (IL #4) to win the event by nine seconds ahead of Rachael Behrens of Chatham-Glenwood (2:24.32). Behrens was part of the Titans’ quartet in the 4x800m Relay that ran 9:58.22 to finish second behind race winner Rochester (9:55.50). Coleen Zeibert, who was part of that Rochester quartet, ran 58.92 (IL #7) to win the 400 Meter Dash. It was a close finish in the 1600 Meter Run as Waterloo’s Angelynn Kanyuck of Waterloo running the 5:21.04 to edge Hannah Meiser of Civic Memorial by one hundredth of a second (5:21.05). Molly Grohmann of Waterloo cleared a state leading 5-8 to win the High Jump. Alaina Lester of Althoff Catholic was a double winner in the sprints. The junior ran 7.98 to win the 60 Meter Dash and 26.35 in the 200 Meter Dash. Nathan Hippard of Mascoutah accomplished the same double in the Boys meet. Hippard ran 6.93 (IL #5) to win the 60 Meter Dash. He came back to run 22.87 to win the 200 Meter Dash with a winning margin of almost a second. Matt Pluff of Freeburg cleared a personal best of 6-7 (IL #3) to win the High Jump.

 

Proviso East Lady Pirate Invitational – It was a tight 1-2 finish in the 55 Meter Dash between Kenwood’s Asia Thomas and Jaliyah Shepard producing the top two times in the state. Thomas ran a personal best of 7.04 for the win with Shepherd running 7.16 to finish second. Bolingbrook after winning last Monday at the DGS Mustang Relays came back to run 1:48.53 to win the 4x200m Relay with Kenwood running 1:48.92 to finish second.

 

Rantoul Invitational @ U of I Armory – The Boys section of the meet featured a double win from Jayon Morrow of Kankakee. Morrow ran a personal best of 6.97 (IL #6 tie) to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of teammate Tyrice Bender Jr. (7.09). Morrow came back to run 22.49 to win the 200 Meter Dash with Nathan Kirby of Salt Fork running 22.87 to place second. Kirby earlier in the meet ran 8.10 (IL #2) to win the 60 Meter Hurdles with Matthew Thomas of Danville finishing second with a 8.40 time (IL #9 tie). Cabott Craft of St. Thomas More jumped a state season leading mark of 46-3 to win the Triple Jump. Ryan Hendrickson of St. Thomas More ran his first ever 800 indoors. The all-state runner responded by running 2:01.72 to win the race by almost five seconds. Naomi Bey-Osborne of Kankakee had a big day in the Girls meet winning three individual events. It was close in the 60 Meter Dash as Bey-Osborne won the race just ahead of West Chicago’s Kali Waller. Both athletes were timed at 7.81 seconds. Reese Mitchell of Normal University ran 7.86 to finish third. Bey-Osborne’s second win came when she ran 58.42 (IL #5) in the 400 Meter Dash. Rose Talbert of Monticello ran 1:01.81 to finish second. The sophomore’s third win came when she ran 25.10 (IL #3) to win the 200 Meter Dash. Brianna Dixon of Rantoul cleared 5-5.75 (IL #7) to win the High Jump. Dixon had a close race in the 60 Meter Hurdles running 8.79 (IL #2) to win with Anna Barr of Normal University running 8.81 (IL #4) to finish second. 1A State XC Champion Mabry Bruhn of Monticello was a double winner in this meet first running 2:25.34 to win the 800 Meter Run finishing ahead of Trixie Johnson of Paxton-Buckley-Loda (2:27.85). Bruhn’s second win came in the 1600 Meter Run with a 5:16.10 indoor best. Normal University freshman Natalie Bierbaum ran 5:21.20 to finish second.

 

Edwardsville Tiger Invitational @ Principia CollegeRamontay Abram of Belleville West was dominant in the 400 Meter Dash running 50.28 (IL #3) to win the race by more than three seconds. Host Edwardsville ran 1:31.24 (IL #2) to win the 4x200m Relay with Bloomington running 1:33.90 to finish second. Cahokia looked strong in the 4x400m Relay running 3:30.25 (IL #5) for the win. Edwardsville ran 3:31.78 to finish second. Jacob Morrison of Mt. Vernon jumped 21-9.75 to win the Long Jump. Sophomore Darren Wilson of Edwardsville ran 7.03 to win the 60 Meter Dash.

 

NLCC Indoor Conference Meet – Grayslake Central and Lakes Community were the Boys and Girls team winners in this meet. Zach Weitgenant of Grayslake North was a triple event winner in the Boys Meet. The senior started by running 7.12 to win by one hundredth of a second ahead of Jacob Wurster of Wauconda (7.13). Weitgenant came back to run 51.44 to win the 400 Meter Dash and 23.31 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Trey Sato was a double winner demolishing the field in the 800 Meter Run running 1:56.57 (IL #9) to win the event by almost nine seconds. Sato then ran 4:38.90 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Sato was also a part of Central’s winning team in the 4x400m Relay (3:37.14). Kaiden Miller of Grayslake Central was a double winner jumping 22-4.5 (IL #7) to win the Long Jump and then jumping 45-5.75 (IL #4) to win the Triple Jump. Grayslake Central’s Catherine Guckenberger won three events in the Girls Meet running a personal best of 7.88 to win the 60 Meter Dash, 1:01.32 to win the 400 Meter Dash, and 26.97 in winning the 200 Meter Dash. Bella Domier also won multiple events for the Rams running 2:26.14 to win the 800 Meter Run and 5:30.99 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Teammate Sara Armstrong finished second in both races.

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