Illinois HS Track & Field Weekend Highlights - April 13, 2025

By Michael Newman

Illinois athletes were itching for great weather this past weekend as the rankings pages filled up with some great performances from across the state. One of the bigger performances was from Isaiah Whitaker. The junior from Bloomington Central Catholic in his first outdoor meet of the season cleared a nation’s leading height of 17-10.5 to win the Pole Vault at a meet at Metamora.

There were some great performances this weekend in California at the Arcadia Invitational from some of the top runners in the state.

There were so many meets from this weekend. Here are highlights from some of the meets that took place this past weekend.

Norm Armstrong Invitational @ Belleville West – This Boys meet displayed some of the top teams this spring in the state. Edwardsville edged Kenwood 59-57 for the team title. Belleville West (53 points) and Belleville East (50 points) placed third and fourth. Cahokia scored 48 points in finishing fifth ahead of Mascoutah (44.5 points) and Collinsville (44 points).

The combination of the high qualify of all the running events were highlighted under perfect conditions in Belleville. There were two multi-event winners in this competition. Noah Feldt of Mascoutah won over a tough field in the 100 Meter Dash where six of the top ten times were run. It was close at the finish as Feldt and Zion Morrison of Homewood-Flossmoor were both timed at 10.64 with Heldt winning by one thousandth of a second. Bot are tied for second fastest time in the state. Joe Owusu of Plainfield East finished third (10.75, IL #7) followed by Max Smith of Minooka at 10.76 (IL #8), Cincere Ruffin of Edwardsville at 10.77 (IL @9), and Parrish Hartley Jr of Kenwood at 10.78 (IL #10). 17 runners ran 11 seconds or faster in that race.

Heldt came back to run the state’s fastest time of 21.50 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Morrison (21.73, IL #3), Ruffin (21.76, IL #4), Hartley Jr (21,76 (IL #4), and Owusu (21.82, IL #6) were next. Kenwood, with Hartley Jr anchoring ran a state lead 41.59 to win the 4x100 Meter Relay with Feldt and Mascoutah at 41.74 (IL #2) placing second. Belleville East at 42.08 (IL #4) placed third. Mascoutah ran the state’s fastest time (1:28.70) to win the 4x200 Meter Relay ahead of Belleville West (1:28.99) and Chatham-Glenwood (1:29.08).

Collinsville’s Devin Habermehl took home wins in both weight events. The senior threw a state leading 178-5 to win the Discus. He had a 58-9.5 best (IL #2) to win the Shot Put. Matt Pluff of Freeburg, Deyvon Hill-Lomax of Edwardsville, and McKenzie Doe III of Chatham-Glenwood all cleared 6-4.75 with Pluff winning on fewer misses. Parker Owens of Edwardsville cleared 15-3 in winning the Pole Vault. Jaydon Cook of Belleville West jumped 22-9 to win the Long Jump. Alex Austin of Normal West jumped 44-9.5 to win the Triple Jump.

The 400 Meter Dash was electrifying with the top five times in the state happening in the event. Defending 3A State Champion Troy McLean ran 48.29 on his home track to capture the win in the 400 Meter Dash with Chase Cutler of Hononegah close (48.35) placing second. Bruce Duncan III of Bolingbrook (48.82) and Deandre Brown of Springfield (48.95) finished third and fourth. Logic West of Kenwood (49.31) place fifth. Belleville West ran a state leading 3:22.33 to win the 4x400 Meter Relay finishing ahead of Cahokia (3:22.68), Springfield (3:24.72), and Kenwood (3:25.46).

The distance races on this day were good especially in the 3200 Meter Run where the top seven runners ran faster than 9:21. Plainfield North swept the top two places with Thomas Czerwinski running 9:06.49 to claim the win ahead of teammate Quinn Davis (9:08.67). Marion’s Raphael Greer (9:10.09) and Gabriel Greer (9:15.17) ran huge personal bests placing third and fourth. Brayden Kloeppel of O’Fallon (9:16.30), Patrick Clune of Naperville Central (9:16.72), and Max Weber of Bethalto Civic Memorial (9:20.78) were the next three finishers. The 1600 Meter Run was tactical with the first five runners finishing within a second of each other. Tyler DeVilder of Waterloo ran 4:25.89 for the win just ahead of Raphael Greer (4:26.01). Will Doyle of Fort Zumwalt West MO (4:26.76), Brayden Kloeppel (4:26.86), and Chase Cooley of Belleville East (4:26.93) placed in the next three spots.

The top 11 runners in the 800 Meter Run ran under two minutes. Caden Wolfe of Andrew ran 1:56.67 to come away with the win with Aiden Swanlund of Normal West running 1:57.39 to finish second. Kenwood ran 8:07.37 to win the 4x800 Meter Relay ahead of Belleville West (8:08.62) and Minooka (8:10.32). Jaylen Cole of Belleville West ran the state’s fastest time (14.33) to win the 110 Meter Hurdles ahead of Daylon Donaldson of Belleville East (14.51). Donaldson came back to run 38.90 to win the 300 Meter Hurdles with Haydan Little of Marion running 39.15 to place second.

Chuck Danner Co-Ed Invitational @ Metamora – It was no surprise that Isaiah Whitaker of Bloomington Central Catholic won the Pole Vault in this meet. It bis the way that he is doing it now where he has found his groove, his comfort zone. Whitaker again waited until the rest of the competition had exhausted their attempts before the junior stepped onto the runway. He only took six attempts on this day clearing a state and nation’s best of 17-10.50 to win the event. He cleared 16-2 on his first attempt, then went to his winning height clearing that on his second attempt. Whitaker took three attempts at 18-2.75 that he did not clear. This was his first outdoor meet of the season.

Cole Rinkenberger of Metamora was a double winner in the Boys side of the meet. Rinkenberger ran 10.71 to win the 100 Meter Dash. He came back to run 21.61 to win by almost one second. AJ Ince of Normal Community ran 4:23.36 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Michael Maver of Normal Community won two races running 14.95 to win the 110 Meter Hurdles and 40.67 to win the 300 Meter Hurdles.

Freshman Taylor Washington of Normal Community claimed two sprint wins. Washington ran 12.53 to win the 100 Meyer Dash and then came back to run 26.08 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Normal’s Marco Reynolds was a double winner in the weight events. Reynolds had a state leading 41-10.5 put to win the Shot Put. Reynolds came back to throw 121-4.25 in winning the Discus.

Lincoln-Way Central Girls Invitational – One of the better meets of the weekend with some great performances. Angelena Bullocks of Whitney Young led the way with two state leading performances in the sprints. Bullocks ran 11.38 to win the 100 Meter Dash as Kee’Lani Whitlock of Kenwood ran 11.99 to finish second. The two took the same places in the 200 Meter Dash. Bullocks ran 23.65 to win with Whitlock (24.92) and Neveah Brown of Bradley-Bourbonnais placing third (25.00). Homestead WI hammered home a 9:21.20 to win the 4x800 Meter Relay with Barrington running 9:36.19 to finish second. Mia Sirois, who ran on Barrington’s 4x8 quartet, ran 4:56.12 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Elise Czarniewski of Plainfield North (5:02.42) and Macy Ermitage of Downers Grove North (5:06.39) finished second and third.

Five runners were under 2:20 in the 800 Meter Run. Lindsey Wenz of Plainfield North ran 2:14.04 for the win just ahead of Mia Forystek of Lincoln-Way Central (2:14.57). Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North (2:17.97) finished third. Plainfield North ran the fastest time in the state in the 4x400 Meter Relay doing it by themselves. Lauren Dellangelo, Tessa Russo, Aniya Poindexter, and Lindsey Wenz ran 3:51.85 to win the race by 17 seconds. Layla Bonilla of Whitney Youn won three field events jumping 18-3 to win the Long Jump, 38-5 to win the Triple Jump, and cleared 5-1.75 to win the High Jump.

McCormick Invitational @ St. Charles East – Some fast times in the Boys 800 Meter Run at this meet. Phillip Cupial of Downers Grove North ran a state leading 1:52.97 to win the race ahead of Samuel Wollak of St. Charles East (1:53.64). Michael Wilson on his home track ran 1:55.69 to finish third ahead of Grant Schroder of Downers Grove North (1:56.07). Caleb Mathias of Champaign Central ran 9:27.99 to win the 3200 Meter Run.

Lady Knight Invitational @ Troy Triad (4/11) – Ali Londrigan of Chatham-Glenwood had a good week of racing. She ran 4:55.49 on Tuesday to win the 1600 Meter Run at the Capitol City F/S Invitational. The sophomore kept it going on Friday in the 3200 Meter Run. In her first high school 3200 ever, Londrigan responded to running 10:47.79 to win with Cameron Crump of Waterloo running 10:55.20 to finish second. Emma Skeate of Marion had a 37-3.75 best to win the Shot Put winning by over an inch ahead of Isabella Thurston from Normal University (37-2.5). Thurston came back to throw 133-0 in winning the Discus. Sophia Schardan of Triad again had a good day sweeping the sprints. The junior ran 11.97 to win the 100 Meter Dash with Justice Haynes of Alton running 12.38 to place second. Schardan went under 25 seconds running 24.99 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Haynes ran 25.64 to place second.

Lady Maroon Invitational @ Belleville West (4/9) – This was the first meet for Elena Rybak of Father McGivney since she was at Detweiller Park last November. She responded nicely running 2:16.23 to win the 800 Meter Run. Rybak raced Saturday at the All-Catholic School Invitational in St. Louis. Elyse Wilmes of Father Tolton ran 4:53.53 to win the 1600 in that meet. Rybak ran 5:02.60 to finish second. Rayna Raglin of Alton ran a strong double in the sprints running 11.76 to win the 100 Meter Dash ahead of Cassidy Willis of Belleville East (12.04). Raglin also won the 200 Meter Dash (24.82) with Willis finishing second (25.26). Sophia Shapiro of Edwardsville ran 14.61 to win the 100 Meter Hurdles ahead of Jamison Love of Mascoutah (14.89). Shapiro also won the 300 Meter Hurdles with a 45.25 time.

Arthur-Lovington Invitational – Lia Patterson of Tuscola was in a zone on Saturday winning four induvial events in this meet. Patterson started her day running 15.08 to win the 100 Meter Hurdles by almost three seconds. Patterson came back to win the 100 Meter Dash timed at 12.67. Patterson’s third win came when she ran 44.94 in winning the 300 Meter Hurdles by a margin of close to eight seconds. She completed her day by running 26.14 in winning the 200 Meter Dash.

Kate Foltz of Tuscola ran strong in both distance races in this meet winning both the 3200 and 1600. Foltz ran a personal best of 10:34.46 to win the 3200 with Molly Farrell of Marshall running 10:47.91 to finish second. Foltz came back to run 5:09.27 to win the 1600 Meter Run with Farrell at 5:14.08 in second and Marshall’s Madeline Fox running 5:28.08 to finish third. Fox earlier ran 2:20.27 to win the 800 Meter Run.

Evan Cook of St. Teresa in the Boys meet ran 9:56.88 to win the 3200 Meter Run ahead of Tuscola’s Blake McLeese (10:02.51) and Xander Neamtu (10:14.71). Will Fusion of Cerro-Gordo ran 2:00.33 to win the 800 Meter Run. Jonathan Iacobazzi of Sullivan ran 4:32.30 to win the 1600 Meter Run with Fusion running 4:36.04 to finish second.

Mikias Tibebu Invitational @ Schaumburg HS – William Landwer of New Trier had a big afternoon in his first meet of his senior season winning two events as well as being on a winning relay. Landwer ran the fastest time of the state (10.60) to win the 100 Meter Dash ahead of Sean Schermerhorn of Maine South (10.88) and New Trier’s Dylan Nemerovski (10.89). Landwer also won the 200 Meter Dash (21.84) ahead of Eduardo Gonzalez of Glenbard North (22.33). Landwehr also wart of New Trier’s quartet that ran 42.08 to win the 4x100 Meter Relay.

Prospect Girls Relays (4/11) – Defendong Class 3A champions Prospect easily won their own relay meet scoring 179 points finishing ahead of Naperville Central (127 points) and Minooka (117 points). Amina Hadziahmetovic of Prospect ran 16.07 to win the 100 Meter Hurdles. She came back to run 46.75 to win the 300 Meter Hurdles. Jane Lynch of Loyola Academy made her move in the final 200-meters to run 5:03.44 to win the 1600 Meter Run finishing ahead of Maya Ledesma of Minooka (5:05.39) and Lola Satre-Morales of Naperville Central (5:06.61).

Mike Stokes Prospect Relays – Logan Farrell of Hersey had a 56-8 mark to win the Shot Put. Farrell won his second event of the meet throwing 172-10 to win the Discus. Three runners were under 4:20 in the 1600 Meter Run. Tommy Nitz of Huntley ran 4:16.02 to win the 1600 Meter Run finishing ahead of Joe Bregenzer of Barrington (4:19.45) and Jordan Kreiner of New Trier (4:19.94).