Two National Champions Headline 36th Annual Indoor State Championships

By Michael Newman for DyeStat

392 schools have entered for the top annual meet during the indoor season calendar in Illinois. This is the 36th edition of the Illinois Top Times Championships (formally Illinois Prep Top Times). The meet started at the University of Illinois Armory in 1988 until 2006 when the meet moved to the Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. This is the 18 year that his championship meet will be held in this venue.

This year’s meet could be the best meet since COVID shut down the meet for two years in 2020-21. This year’s meet could be even stronger than last year’s meet.

Watch the meet live on RunnerSpace+  | Live Results: 1A|2A|3A | Meet Website

The two-day, three session meet will have two national champions in their respect events. Isaiah Whitaker of Bloomington Central Catholic won the pole vault at the New Balance Nationals Indoor two weeks ago. Kaylee Meyer of Schaumburg was also at New Balance Nationals Indoor tying for the win in the girls high jump championship.

There are several storylines throughout the two days to watch for. Here are 10 that could be the most interesting.

Whitaker is ready to set one record, maybe more 

Isaiah Whitaker has been on a hot streak during the month of March. He started March inside the Shirk Center clearing 17-0.75 at the Coach Basting Invitational. The following week at the Windy City Pole Vault, the junior cleared 18-1 on his first attempt to set a new meet record as well establishing a new Illinois all-time indoor record, and second all-time for a United States High School athletes.

A week later at the New Balance Nationals Indoor, Whitaker claimed the national title and a new meet record clearing 17-10. After a week off, Whitaker will look again in setting records once again.

Whitaker in his freshman year set a meet record clearing 16-6.75. He did not compete in this meet last year. The success that he has experienced this year could bring him to new heights he has never gone over before. The meet record was set in 2018 when three-time Class 3A States champion Zach Bradford cleared 17-6.25. Bradford was the one considering that they are both from Bloomington that Whitaker has looked up to. 

Whitaker passed Bradford’s height of 18.0.5 at Windy City Pole Vault. He should shatter his own Class 1A Meet Record. It could be a height at which he may open. Setting a new meet record could put him past Bradford one more time. One thing to note in this meet in his last two meets he has taken attempts after winning at 18-4 at Windy City and 18-4.50 at nationals. Each failed attempt was better getting him closer to clearing that height. 

Whitaker is a lock to win the Class 1A Pole Vault on Friday evening. Andrew Nuyen of Rochelle is ranked #2 in Class 2A and more than a foot ahead of the rest of the field with his seasonal best 16-4.75. Nathan McLoughlin of St. Charles North is ranked fifth in the state this year and will be the favorite in the Class 3A Meet. He could be challenged by Edwardsville freshman Parker Owens who has established a personal best of 15-3 and ranked #8 in the state. 

Eva Bach of Lake Park had a no height in this meet last year. The senior has cleared over 12 feet three times including an IL #2 height of 12-8.25 and will be the athlete to watch in the Girls 3A meet. Molly Russelburg of Aurora Central Catholici as the top seed in the Class 2A competition having cleared 12-1.5. Alexis Punsalan of Somonauk has the top clearance among Class 1A vaulters (11-6) and will be the favorite on Friday evening. 

Meyer ‘s indoor success leads her to Class 3A Girls High Jump favorite 

The fortunes of Kaylee Meyer changed last summer after finishing fourth in the Class 3A State Meet in the High Jump. Meyer cleared 5-8 at the end of June in a club meet and went on to finishing fifth in the 17-18 division in the USATF Junior Olympics at the end of July. 

Meyer has been on a hot streak this indoor season clearing that 5-8 height four times this indoor season. She earned a personal best of 5-8.75 at Rockford a week before New Balance National Indoors. She was perfect with no misses through her winning height of 5-7.25 in which she tied for the national championship. 

The top two athletes in Class 3A will be in the 3A competition on Saturday afternoon will be Meyer and Samantha Yeh from Dunlap who has a best clearance of 5-6.50. 

The top five athletes in Class 3A this season are in this meet. Otis Powell of Willowbrook and Jaden-Jean Paul of Evanston Township both cleared 6-8.75 at a meet at Evanston two weeks ago and will be in the mix for the win in this meet along with Champaign Centennial’s JJ Lewandowski and Voldy Makabu who have both cleared 6-6.75. Will Nohren of Shelbyville has the best clearance in the state Clearing 6-10.25 at the Rantoul Invitational two weeks ago. He will be one of the favorites in Class 1A

Injuries Leave Door Open in Class 1A Girls Distance Events 

Two of the defending champions in last year’s Class 1A Top Times Meet will not be back to defend their titles on Friday evening. Isabella Keller of Effingham St. Anthony broke the Class 1A title in the 3200 Meter run in 2024 with a 10:19.03 time. Elana Rybak of Father McGivney was the three-time defending champion in the 1600 Meter Run. Neither will be able to run in this meet due to injuries. Their focus is now on the outdoor season and getting back to Charleston for the IHSA State Meet. 

There are two athletes that should step to the forefront in the Class 1A distance race. Kate Foltz of Tuscola. The junior stepped to the front of the pack at last November’s IHSA State Meet when she ran the third fastest time ever at Detweiller Park (15:59.4) in winning the Class 1A Meet. Foltz has dropped her time in the 3200 Meter Run from 10:50 in January down to 10:40.73 two weeks ago. Molly Farrell of Marshall will be her main competition in this race having run 10:56.43 last weekend in Indiana. 

Keller’s teammate Aubrey Denning was all-state last spring in the 800 and 1,600 meters. The top three runners in Class 1A are in the 800 Meter Run with Denning the lead at 2:17.97 almost four seconds ahead of the field. Aly Douglas of Shelbyville and Emily Downing of Cambridge will be Denning’s chief competition in that race. 

Foltz and Denning are entered in the 1600 Meter Run. Denning will be doubling back with less than an hour of rest. Denning (5:04.25) and Foltz (5:08.51) have the top two times in this race. The field in this event is talented with six runners who have been under 5:15 this season. Downing will lead the rest of the field along Farrell, Abigail Baumann of Rockford Lutheran, and Annabelle LaFary from Delavan.

There will be a “new” face to be watched for in the three Class 1A Boys distance races. It is no surprise that Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie will be in the front after his cross-country season concluded by winning the IHSA Class 1A State title. Oberkfell and Elijah Teefey of Pleasant Plains raced two weeks ago at Illinois College with Oberfell winning by 21 hundredths of a second. Both ran 9:23 in that race and could roll a sub-9:20 time Friday night. 

Nicolai Martino of Winnebago is the top seed in both the 800 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run. Martino ran 4:18.19 at the beginning of the month and has a personal best seven seconds ahead of the field led by Oberkfell and Teefey. Mariano’s chief challenger in the 800 will come from Corie Green from Delavan who is the only runner in this race that has run under two minutes.

Who sprints to 'Fastest' runner at Illinois Top Times?

The 60-meter dash indoors is one of the spotlight races every year in this meet. The 2025 edition of the meet again should be no exception. 

Ten of the top Class 1A 11 athletes in this event are entered in the 60. Only one missing is 1A leader Zane Hoffman of Colfax Ridgeview, who scratched from the event. The top 10 seeds are separated by 12 hundredths of a second led by Reid Carlen of Toledo Cumberland and Alec Schlichting of Lena-Winslow. The best Girls sprinters will enter the blocks led by Lia Patterson of Tuscola and Jaida Reed of El Paso-Gridley. Both runners have bests of 7.89 this indoor season. Saylor Berry of Mendon Unity ran her first race of the season two weeks ago at Illinois College and clocked a 7.90 time and should be watched for in this event. Patterson is favored also in the 200 Meter Dash and the 60 Meter Hurdles. This is the first time in this meet Patterson has run the hurdles/sprint double. She finished second in both the 200 and the 60 Hurdles in this meet in 2024. 

Three of the top four Class 2A sprinters are entered in this event led by Symone Holman of Joliet Catholic and Sophia Schardan of Troy Triad are separated by a hundredth of a second with Holman at 7.64 the top time. Brooklyn Holmes of Marian Catholic has a best of 7.70 and come away with the race win. Luke Leverett of Providence Catholic will be the sprinter to watch in 2A Boys. Leverett has the fastest 2A time this year (6.84) and is rated second overall in Illinois. Jaiduan Cranford of Metamora is the only other runner under 6.9 in this event (6.89) and should be the one sprinter to challenge Leverett. Omar Mims finished second in the 3A 100 meters at last year’s state meet running for O’Fallon. Mims, now at Cahokia, is in this 60 field and could come away with the win. 

Class 3A sprints are deep with talent having 24 sprinters this winter that have run seven seconds or faster in the 60 Meter Dash. Six of those athletes are in this meet led by 3A #3 Cody Muhlbauer of Normal Community. Rayna Raglin of Alton enters the 3A Girls 60 field as the top seed having run 7.63. Nina Brown of Champaign Centennial and freshman Jamia Esther of Danville are among this field of 24 to challenge Raglin for the win. 

Top Athletes in Illinois face off in the Shot Put 

If you are a fan of the Shot Put, get to the Shirk Center early and head to the east side of the track complex and reserve and area around the Shot Put ring. You will see some of the top athletes in the state competing in this discipline. 

Kathleen Whightsil of Warrensburg-Lathan comes into this meet as the favorite in Class 1A Girls following the tradition that Kathleen Young established setting the meet record a decade ago. Whightsil leads Class 1A with a 41-3 put this season. The top 10 Class 1A athletes in this discipline are entered with Zion Young of Maroa-Forsyth the closest with a 40-5.5 best at Nike Indoor Nationals two weeks ago. 

Graham Meister of Dwight is the defending IHSA Class 1A State champion and is now rated #3 in the state regardless of classification. The sophomore has improved by five feet over the last year and leads this field with a 60-5.25 put. The defending champion in this meet again will be the favorite having a six-foot advantage ahead of the rest of the field. 

When it comes down to the Class 2A Boys Competition, all eyes will be on Andrew Kinsman of Benton. Kinsman finished second in the 2024 competition inside the Shirk Center. He went on to win the IHSA 2A State title last May. Kinsman has only competed in two meets in state indoors both having distances over 59-feet. His best of 59-11 is currently rated fifth in Illinois. His advantage over the rest of the field is over seven feet. 

Isabella Thurston of Normal University and Sadie Sallee headline the field in Class 2A Girls. Thurston is currently rated #2 in Class 2A with a 37-7.25 best. Sallee is just a freshman and has proved her mettle already in High School with a best of 37-1.75 and rated in Class 2A at #4. 

The 3A Boys field is loaded with four of the top five athletes in this class in this field. Michael Kpomassy of East Moline United is 3A #2 with a 60-7.75 best and will look to improve on his third-place finish from last yea in this meet. Joe Atkins from Washington is undefeated in the three March meets he has competed in with a best of 60-3 (3A #3). Logan Ferrell of Hersey has only competed twice indoors with his best of 58-7 (3A #4) coming last week at the Nagel-Saylor Invitational. Gavin Pecor of Barrington is having a strong junior season after achieving a personal best of 58-1 (3A #5) last week at the DuKane Conference Meet. 

Marco Reynolds of Normal Community achieved a best of 41-1 (IL #3) last week at Illinois State and will be the favorite on her home ring. Courtney Clabough of Yorkville is less than two feet behind Reynolds. She has experience in this meet having won the title as a freshman in 2022 and finishing sixth in last year’s meet. Tosin Oshin of St. Charles North achieved a personal best of 40-3.25 in February and has improved by almost eight feet since her freshman season. 

Goranson has the experience in the 2A distances despite being a freshman 

Even though Klarke Goranson of Manteno is only a freshman, she has that big meet experience than some of the runners in the 2A Girls Distance events which will take place on Saturday morning. Goranson had a great middle school career winning the IESA tiles in the 800 and the 1600 in both seventh and eighth grades. 

The transfer to the high school level has been accepted nicely by this freshman. She had a great experience last November at Detweiller Park finishing sixth in the Class 2A State Meet. She has improved even more now on the track. Goranson will race in the 800 Meter Run and come back less than an hour later in the 1600 Meter Run. Goranson has run 2:14.19 indoors and is rated #6 in the state. She has the third fastest time in the field by five seconds ahead of Cecilia Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic. 

The top seven runners in the 1600 Meter Run all have times under 5:10 making this competitive field. Goranson’s eye opening time of 4:50.29 is more than 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Most of the runners entered will be doubling back from earlier distance races like Goranson. Zoe Carter of Normal University, Reese Kohnle of Rockford Boylan, and Brooke Zeibert of Rochester are some of the runners that you should see in the front. 

Five of the top six runners in the Class 2A 3200 Meter Run are in this field led by Izzy Bing of Carmel Catholic who has a best this season of 11:05.43. Sydney Gersten of Montini Catholic ran 11:07.58 last week at the GCAC Meet and will play a factor in this meet. Zoe Carter is the defending champion in this event having run 10:37.14 last year. This will be Carter’s second 3200 of the year. It will not be a surprise if the winning time in this race again is under 10:50. 

Lane is ready to step into Top Times spotlight in 2A Boys Distance

Simon Lane of Chicago University qualified for Illinois Top Times last year and ran 10:26.92 to finish 14 in the Class 2A 3,200 meters.

Look what a year’s experience has done for this senior. He finished ninth in the state in the 3200 Meter Run earning all-state honors. Lane followed that up in November finishing 11th in the Class 2A State Meet again all-state.

Lane is the top seed Saturday in the Class 2A 3200 Meter Run Saturday morning having run 9:18.35 in February at Lakes. He will be chased by Raphael and Gabriel Greer of Marion. Raphael ran 9:21.53 last week at the Gene Armer Invitational. Richland County’s Quaid Berger and Liam Bettis of Taylorville both have run under 9:40 and could also be difference makers in this race.

The 1,600 meters event was one of the showcase races in last year’s meet. The same should hold true in 2025. Gabriel McLain of Benton leads the field having run 4:16.86 in the mile at New Balance Nationals Indoor two weeks ago. McLain ran 4:15.83 in last year’s meet finishing fourth. Lane has 4:17.91 and will be doubling back from the 3200 Meter Run. Christian Harris of Morton ran 4:19.07 at Batavia Distance Madness and will also factor in this race.

It is a tight field in the 2A Boys 800 Meter Run with the top six runners are all under 2:01. Zachary Duffie of Freeburg leads the field having run 1:58.48 this winter. Aiden Duhs of Illinois Valley Central is the only other runner that has run under two minutes with a 1:59.39 best.

New faces ready to step out in Class 3A distance events

The distance events in Class 3A usually don’t get the notice heading into this meet. The distance powers in the Chicago suburbs use this week before Illinois Top Times and get ready for the outdoor season. Top times give the opportunity for some of the 3A distance runners who will benefit from racing in a championship setting. We see this every year in May at the state meet.

One of the exceptions is in the Girls 800 Meter Run. Emma Berres of Naperville North finished second in this race last year which followed u by finishing fourth in Charleston last May. Berres enters this second fastest time in this field having run 2:15.37 a week ago. Keira Jenke of Benet Academy ran 2:13.88 last Saturday at her conference meet and will challenge Berres for the win. Keep an eye on McKenzie Gilbert of Glenbard West has run 2:17.43 but ran her season’s best after running the 4x800 Meter Relay. Gilbert has a 2:14.79 life-time best and could be the surprise in this race.

The 1600 Meter Run Girls field is led by Ali Londrigan of Chatham-Glenwood. The sophomore did not have the cross-country season she wanted but has run 5:01.28. Maya Ledesma of Minooka might be in the 4x800 Meter Relay for her team but has run 5:04.28 and will be a factor in this race. Alexa Novak of Glenbard West could be the surprise in winning this meet along with Jenke who will be doubling back from the 800 Meter Run.

The 3200 Meter Run has a sneaky good field. Madeline Bialko of Hersey ran 10:46.63 last week running away from the field in winning with a 10:46.63. Delilah Helenhouse of Benet Academy ran 10:55.34 by herself at the beginning of the season and is primed for a fast race. Elizabeth Hall of Neuqua Valley, Amelie Ojeda of Willowbrook, and Riana Tandon of Naperville North are all-state runners and could be under 11 minutes in this race.

Evan Nosek of Kaneland has established himself as one of the top runners in the state earning 2A All-State in cross-country all four years of high school and last spring when he finished ninth in the 3200 Meter Run in Charleston. Nosek can run under 9:20 in this race. Evan Parker of Niles North rises in big races which we should see again Saturday afternoon. Bryant Lester of Vernon Hills and Santiago Chavez of Reavis are two sophomores that should be in the mix racing to the front of the pack. Gavin Rodgers of Edwardsville has run 9:31.51 and should not be counted out.

Normal Community will be focusing outdoors on the 4x800 Meter Relay where they will be one of the relay favorites. The Ironmen will have their quartet in this event led by Drew Patterson of Normal Community who leads the field with a 1:57.27 time. Bo Breed of Oswego and Caden Wolfe of Andrew are some of the runners to watch in this event.

Jesse Kramer continues the strong distance tradition at Belvidere North as the top seed in the 1600 Meter Run the only runner in this field that has run under 4:20 this season. Landon Harris of Granite City is ready to run under 4:20 in this race along with Braden Hoff of Lincoln-Way Central and Caleb Mathias of Champaign Central.

It's Relay Time

Eighteen relay events in this meet mean thrills and hopefully no spills over the two days in this meet. Here is a look at each of the relays in this meet.

Class 1A 4x800

Pleasant Plains and Shelbyville are the class of the field in the Girls race with both schools under 10 minutes this year. Traditional power Winnebago may have a say in this race. Six teams in the Boys race are within 10 seconds of each other led by Pleasant Plains and Elmwood. Rockford Christian is always in the hunt for a relay title in this meet and will be in the hunt. 1A State XC Champion Northridge Prep along with Winnebago, and Bloomington Central Catholic could all come away with the win.

Class 2A 4x800

Rockford Boylan has the top seed by 20 seconds ahead of the field in the Girls race. This race will be much closer than seed times with Rochester, Anna-Jonesboro, Eureka, and Effingham some of the teams that could win this race. Aurora Central Catholic is the defending champion in the Boys race and could repeat in this race especially after running 8:07.34 last week in the Chicago Catholic League Championships. Marmion Academy was eight seconds behind ACC last week. Mascoutah and Sycamore might also have a say in this event.

Class 3A 4x800

Do we see times near 9:20 in the Girls race? It is a good possibility with both Minooka and St. Charles North get near the meet record of 9:18.77 set by Glenbard West 13 years ago in 2012. Minooka has the top seed of 9:26.43 just ahead of the North Stars (9:27.55). Lincoln-Way Central ran 8:00.36 last week in their conference meet. This will be a close race with Chatham-Glenwood, Normal Community, and Edwardsville the main teams that can challenge the Knights for the win.

Class 1A 4x200

El Paso-Gridley has the top Girls seed having run 1:48.79 this season. The Titans are almost two seconds ahead of four teams that have run under 1:51 including Monmouth United, Pleasant Plains, Bloomington Central Catholic, and Newton. Morrison is the defending champion in this relay and again will be the favorite. Maroa-Forsyth and Mercer County are within a second of Morrison.

Class 2A 4x200

Marian Catholic and Troy Triad are the only teams in the Girls field in this relay with Marian the top seed at 1:44.67. Normal University and Sacred Heart-Griffin are teams that could also come away with the win. St. Louis area rivals Mascoutah and Cahokia lead the Boys field with times under 1:32. Bartonville Limestone had a good squad during the 2024 season, but injuries slowed down their quartet. Keep an eye on them in this final section race.

Class 3A 4x200

Champaign Centennial is the class of the Girls event having run under 1:45 this season. Danville and Edwardsville are the second and third seeded teams in this field. Edwardsville has the tradition in the Boys relay teams to turn in some fast times. The Tigers have the top seed having run 1:30.86. Glenbrook North finished second at the Mustang Relays having run 1:31.25 and are the chief challenger to Edwardsville in this race. Chatham-Glenwood, Normal West, and Willowbrook all will challenge for a finish in the top three.

Class 1A 4x400

Pleasant Plains could be the overwhelming favorite in the Girls relay having run 4:08.36. The Redbirds are eight seconds ahead of the field led by Monmouth United, Lena-Winslow, and Marshall. Colfax-Ridgeview enters the Boys event having run 3:30.59 two seconds ahead of Rockford Christian and another second ahead of Auburn.

Class 2A 4x400

The Girls event should be tight with Galesburg at 3:57.23 the top team. Tolono Unity is also under 4:10 and will push the Silver Streaks along with Eureka and Sacred Heart-Griffin. Cahokia after running 3:27.00 last week at Principia and could go lower this weekend. Morton and Freeburg have times under 3:32 and are within three seconds of the Comanche. Never count out Mascoutah in a championship like this one as well as Richmond-Burton.

Class 3A 4x400

Batavia ran 4:01.34 three weeks ago at the Mustang Relays and has the third fastest time in the state. Lockport leads the rest of the field three seconds behind Batavia with Minooka and Neuqua Valley able to challenge for a top three finish. The 3A Boys race should be a great way to end this meet. Three teams enter this race under 3:30 led by Normal West at 3:28.21 and Chatham-Glenwood at 3:28.90. Bolingbrook along with Belleville East and Springfield will all be in the mix for final win of the meet.

One more thing…

It perhaps should be two laps of fun around the Shirk Center oval. Henry-Senachwine’s Daniella Bumber best event could be the 400 Meter Dash. We should see why in the 1A Girls race where she will be the favorite. Brian E. Smith II of North Shore Country Day will step up in 1A Boys after running 49.77 last weekend at the adidas Indoor Nationals. Smith II is almost two seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Jaylen Pennington of Cahokia and Dylan Hodges of Sycamore both have 51.94 and will challenge for the Boys 2A 400 title. Madelyn Marx of Mahomet-Seymour is the defending champion in the IHSA 2A State Meet in the 400 and has run the fastest time of 56.98 almost three seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Bruce Thomas II of Bolingbrook has come on strong in 2025 having run 49.83 and the 3A Boys 400 a second ahead of Deshawn Priester of Evanston Township. Four runners under 60 seconds are in the field led by Elizabeth Wende of Batavia who has a season’s best of 58.39.