Preview: 2025 Illinois IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championships - Class 3A Teams to Watch

By Michael Newman

2024 Co-Champions Edwardsville and Oak Park-River Forest would like to win the state title outright but will be challenge for the 3A title with Homewood-Flossmoor and Kenwood most likely their top competition. Here is a look at the top teams this weekend in Class 3A.

Edwardsville

Qualifiers – 16 Total; 13 Individuals, 3 Relays

Notes – The Tigers did win at the O’Fallon Sectional. One athlete that was figured to qualify was Iose Epenesa who is the list leader in the Discus. He did not qualify fouling on all three attempts. Epenesa did win the Shot Put with his teammate Gavin Stukenberg also qualifying. It would be a big help if one of the two advance to the finals. Javion Smith qualified in the Discus and will need a personal best to make the finals. The strength for Edwardsville is that they qualified in five of the six field events. Devyon Hill-Lomax could score points in the High Jump. Parker Owens is having a good freshman season ranked #3 in 3A in the Pole Vault going over 5.00 meters for the first time (16-4.75). He could be a surprise in that event. Gino Montgomery jumped a season’s best of 45-2.5 last week in the Triple Jump in only his third meet this outdoor season. He could be a surprise in the event. Clayton Lakatos emerged as one of the favorites in the 100 Meter Dash after winning at O’Fallon. Cincere Ruffin also was one of 10 runners to qualify out of that sectional and might get in the finals. Lakatos is currently #5 in the 200 Meter Dash with Ruffin at #6. Both could give the Tigers big points at the end of this meet. Hugh Davis might be able to get his team points in the 3200 Meter Run. Edwardsville advanced three relays but missed getting into the 4x400 Meter Relay. The Tigers are #6 in the 4x1, #20 in the 4x2, and #15 in the 4x8.

Oak Park-River Forest

Qualifiers – 16 Total; 13 Individuals, 3 Relays

Notes – Ignore the fact that Oak Park was in one of the weakest sectionals in Class 3A. The name of the game in an IHSA Sectional is to get your best athletes advancing regardless of performance. The Huskies did that advancing 16 to defend their title this time outright. Caleb Schulz is the defending state champion in the 100 Meter Dash and again should be the favorite having the fastest time in the state. He will be part of their quartet in the 4x1 that is #9. Schulz also won the 200 at St. Ignatius and will challenge for a place in the finals. Kwabena Osei-Yeboah has the second-best mark in the Long Jump and will contend for the title. He moved to #3 last week jumping 47-10 and should be one of the favorites in the Triple Jump. Lukas Brauc is only one of three athletes that has gone past 17 feet in the Pole Vault this season, the only athlete in Class 3A. He is the favorite in the event hoping to get past that 17-foot height again. Malik Griffee cleared 6-8 in the High Jump at WSC-Silver and is ranked #5. He will be fighting for the state title. Jonathan Sibley-Diggs is #12 in the Shot Put and will aim for an all-state finish. Oak Park is #11 in a wide open 4x800 Meter Relay and should be a factor in the finals. Their quartet also made state in the 4x400 Meter Relay where they could surprise some in Friday’s prelims. Finn Kelly will play a part in the 4x8. He could also get points in the 800 Meter Runner. Liam O’Connor is a #9 performer this year in the 3200 Meter Run. He is among the top six runners entering that race. He will be a factor on Saturday.

Homewood-Flossmoor

Qualifiers – 12 Total; 8 Individuals, 4 Relays

Notes – Zion Morrison will be the athlete to follow for the Vikings in this meet. The sophomore advanced in the 110 Highs, 100, and the 200 as well as playing a part in their 4x1relay. Homewood-Flossmoor tied for tenth in last year’s state meet and are hungry to go after another trophy after winning in 2023. Morrison is #3 in the 110 Meter Hurdles and has run under 14 seconds this season. The sophomore is #12 in a tight 100 Meter Dash. He will have about 15-20 minutes between both races but should challenge for the win. Morrison is #3 in the 200 Meter Dash where the top 10 runners in the event have all run under 21.5. The Vikings have tough relays and will need big points in at least three of them. Their team is #3 in the 4x1, #5 in the 4x2, and #19 in the 4x4. There are 15 teams within two seconds of each other after the top four in that relay. There will be plenty of surprises by the end of the day on Friday in that event. The Vikings #14 performance in the 4x8 came at their conference meet. They could be a dangerous team to make the finals. Nolan Lewis won the Long Jump at the Lockport Sectional and is currently #18 in Class 3A. He is improving week to week and could hit a big one in the prelims. William Bundy advanced from sectionals in the Triple Jump. Romahd Johnson has cleared 6-5 this year in the High Jump and is ranked #18. Randal McDonald is #17 in the 300 Meter Hurdles but should not be counted out in this event.

Chicago (Kenwood)

Qualifiers – 14 Total; 11 Individuals, 3 Relays

Notes – The Broncos have the numbers to get a trophy maybe a championship one. Parrish Hartley Jr. enters this meet with the top mark in the state in the Long Jump and one of the favorites. Hartley #9 in the 100 Meter Dash while Armond Boulware is #15. Both could make it to the finals. Both athletes are among the top 20 in the 200 Meter Dash and will play a role in that event also. Logic West qualified in both the 400 Meter Dash and High Jump. He could get points in either of those events. Their relay teams are good. Kenwood is #4 in the 4x1 and a tenth of a second of the fastest time in the state. They are #14 in the 4x2 and within one second of #2. The Broncos are #12 in the 4x400 Meter Relay. Jahari Horne advanced in the 110 Meter Hurdles. He could get points in the 300 Meter Hurdles.

Oswego (East)

Qualifiers – 11 Total; 7 Individuals, 4 Relays

Notes – Oswego East has been a team on the rise during the season as they have come off wins at the Southwest Prairie Conference and then last week winning the Aurora East Sectional. Nigel Grigsby has been hot lately in both sprints. He is #9 in the 200 Meter Dash and will challenge for a spot in the finals. Austin Ward qualified in the 400. He will play a bigger role in the relays especially the 4x4 and 4x8. Their team in the 4x8 is #10, their 4x4 is #8. The Wolves also qualified in the other sprint relays where they are #19 in the 4x2. The relay times are so close. Anything could happen for Oswego East. Zach Morrisroe is #3 in the Shot Put and could win in that event. Morrisroe is also #7 in the Discus where he could also pick up big points.

Naperville (Neuqua Valley)

Qualifiers – 11 Total; 8 Individuals, 3 Relays

Notes – There are several ways that the Wildcats could score points this weekend after finishing second at the Aurora East Sectional. Cooper McGinnis is #4 in the 110 Meter Hurdles and #5 in the 300 Meter Hurdles. He will play a big part in who wins both of those events. Daniel Robinson could get his team points in the 100 Meter Dash. Robinson jumped a #5 23-8 last week at Aurora East and moved into the discussion on who could win the Long Jump. David Taiwo is #9 in the Triple Jump and will look for an all-state medal. Jesse Gaudauskas lowered his personal best down another eight seconds last week at sectionals and could be a surprise in the 3200 Meter Run. The Wildcats advanced three relays to Charleston but are not ranked among the top 20 seasonally. I would not count Neuqua Valley out in any of the three. Anything can happen in a relay in Charleston.

Batavia

Qualifiers – 12 Total; 9 Individuals, 3 Relays

Notes – The Bulldogs had a convincing win last week at Lake Park and could be a surprise in challenging for a top three finish in this championship. Nathan Whitwell will play a big part in the relays. He qualified in the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash and might make the field of nine on Saturday. Thomas Woodard is #11 in the 400 Meter Dash and should score in this event. Batavia seems to always have great relays. They qualified for state in three of the four with their 4x1 at #18 and #11 in the 4x4. The relay times in those three relays. Their 4x1 is .43 behind #1 in that relay. Francisco Benelli has one of the top times in the 3200 Meter Run and could pick up big points. Edward Polaski is part of a field in the 800 Meter Run where he could finish in the top five. Gavin Pecor is #4 in the Shot Put and will contest for the win. Pecor also qualified in the Discus where he is ranked #18. Isaiah Brown is among the top 10 in the Triple Jump and could earn all-state honors on Saturday.

Belleville (East)

Qualifiers – 11 Total; 9 Individuals, 2 Relays

Notes – The Lancers should finish among the top five maybe higher if they can escape errors in the prelims on Friday. Daylin Donaldson has run 13.84 in the 110 Meter Hurdles (IL #2) and will challenge for the win. Jadon Wright also qualified in that event at #7 and could also earn a state medal. Donaldson also is #3 in the 300 Hurdles where he is among the favorites. Jaylen DeWalt and Montriez Fuller qualified in the 100 Meter Dash with one of those athletes making the finals. Kymari Willingham and Silas Mitchell made it to state in the 200 Meter Dash and will challenge for the finals’ spot. It hurt that Belleville East just missed qualifying in the 4x1. They are ranked #18 in the 4x2. They are among the teams in a wild 4x4 where up to 22 schools could make it to the finals.

Winnetka New Trier)

Qualifiers – 12 Total; 10 Individuals, 2 Relays

Notes – The Trevians will rely on two athletes that could supply the bulk of their points. 3A State Cross Country champion Ben Crane has the top time in the state in the 3200 Meter Run and is favored in that event. Crane is #7 this year in the 1600 Meter Run where he should score. William Landwehr is #5 this season in the 100 Meter Dash where he will be one of the favorites. Landwehr is also #2 in the 200 Meter Dash and will play a role on who wins. Their team is ranked #12 in the 4x1. Their quartet in the 4x800 Meter Relay is not among the top 20 but close enough to make it to the finals. Oliver Neuenschwander is among the top 20 athletes in the Pole Vault. Dylan Benjamin won both the Long Jump and the Triple Jump at the Deerfield Sectional. He could be all-state in the Triple Jump.

Elmhurst (York)

Qualifiers – 10 Total; 6 Individuals, 4 Relays

Notes – The strength of the Dukes has been their success in all four relays this season. They could be among the top five teams if that success continues this weekend. Their team has the top time in the state in the 4x100 Meter Relay after running 41.50 in the WSC-Silver Meet two weeks ago. Their team in the 4x2 is #11 improving at last week’s sectional. York continues to improve as they won at Lake Park and is #12 heading into this weekend. Their team is among the top 25 that have run within two seconds of each other and might make the finals. Luke De Simone is #9 in the 110 Meter Hurdles and #7 in the 300 Meter Hurdles where he could score in both events. Patrick Hill is having a fantastic freshman season and has run 4:18.17 to qualify last week at Lake Park. He could surprise people in this event. Patrick McGrail also qualified in the 3200 Meter Run and Danny Karnatz qualified in the 200 Meter Dash winning at sectionals. Milo Oyasu is one of nine sectional state qualifiers in the Pole Vault.

New Lenox (Lincoln-Way West)

Qualifiers – 10 Total; 8 Individuals, 2 Relays

Notes – The Warriors still could finish in the top teams after finishing second at the rainy Lockport Sectional. Austin Rowswell is one of the athletes to watch on this team. He has the fastest time in the 400 Meter Dash and could challenge himself for the meet record. Rowswell is #12 in the 200 Meter Dash and should score points there. Brendan Vlasak is #11 in the 110 Meter Hurdles and could be all-state in the event. What might hurt for Lincoln-Way West is that he missed qualifying in the 300 Meter Hurdles where he has the second fastest time in the state. The Warriors also qualified in the 4x1 and the 4x2. Logan Heiner could get points in the Discus. Ryan Stiglic is among the top five in the Pole Vault and will score big points on Saturday.