Eiker and Lincoln-Way East Girls make the 3A meet one to watch

 

By Michael Newman

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One of the reasons to be at the Shirk Center for the 3A Meet Saturday afternoon is watching Josh Eiker (Galesburg HS) in the sprints. The senior put on a show at the Champaign Charger Classic at the University of Illinois Armory and will do so on Saturday. You can say that you saw a future Olympian run in this meet. The 60 Dash should be exiting with Eiker, Cary Lockhart (Bloomington HS) and Derrius Rodgers (Lockport Township HS). Eiker in the 200? Just sit back and enjoy that moment. The 1600 Meter Run and the 800 Meter Relay will also provide some great performances.

The Girls Meet welcomes back three time defending IHSA 3A State Champion Lincoln-Way East. They will provide some fire power in the sprints especially in the 800 Meter Relay. Keep an eye on the jumps pits to see Jaimie Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) to set a meet record in the Triple Jump and a chance to win the Long Jump.

Here is a look at each of the events that will take place in the 3A meet Saturday afternoon.

 

Field Events

2:15

Girls Long Jump

3A Meet Record – 19-10 ¾ - Janille Rogers – Minooka – 2014

Outlook – Alton’s LaJarvia Brown, who has the top jump in the state this year, is not in this meet. The next 3A athletes in this event are here making this extremely competitive. Sade Akinfe (Oswego East HS) has the longest jump so far this season in this 3A meet (18-11) and will be one of the favorites. Jaimie Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) has a seasonal best of 18-9 ¼ and will also be in competition for the win. Don’t forget about Alexa Schmitt (Grayslake Central HS), Hannah Morris (Bloom Township HS, Chicago Heights), and Hannah Schilb (St. Charles North. All are within two inches of Robinson capable of popping a 19 foot plus jump.

Meliza Johnson (Joliet West HS) and Anna Laudizio (Plainfield North HS) achieved seasonal bests in their conference meet last weekend. Both are capable of being in the top five in this meet. This could be wide open up front. We could see a new leader in the indoor list for the season by the time this competition is complete.

 

Boys Long Jump

3A Meet Record – 24-4 ¼ - Reggie Torian – South Holland Thornwood – 1993

Outlook – Who will step up in this event since the top three 3A list leaders will not be competing.  Attention then will turn to JaShaun Steward (Proviso West HS, Hillside) who jumped 22-6 at the WSC-Silver Meet last Friday. It was his best jump of the season by five inches. He will need to duplicate that effort if he wants the win. Remi Simmons (Thornton HS, Harvey) might be the one to watch. He has been near the mid 22’s most of the season with a 22-5 ½ jump in flats at Homewood-Flossmoor. Simmons jumped over 23 feet last outdoor season. I would keep an eye on him.

This will be a close competition with the top five athletes all within two inches of each other. Ben Jung (Downers Grove South HS) jumped 22-5 at the beginning of the year and 22-3 last weekend at his conference meet. Michael Papper (Glenbrook North HS, Northbrook) continues to improve having jumped 22-4 ¾ at his conference meet last Friday. Sean Patel (Huntley HS) jumped 22-4 last week and could also be in front at the end. All 12 entrants are within a foot of each other. This will be fun to watch, but hard to predict who will win.

 

Girls Shot Put

3A Meet Record – 48-2 – Banki Oginni – Hoffman Estates 2014

Outlook – Courtney Morgan (Metea Valley HS, Aurora) currently has the second longest put in the state (48-4 ¼) trailing only KD Young on the seasonal list. Morgan should be the big favorite in this meet. Her seasonal best is better than five longer than her closest competition. She is improving every meet. It would not surprise me to see her go past 49 feet in this meet.

There should be great competition behind Morgan. Michaela Smith (Lake Park HS, Roselle) has the next longest mark in this meet (43-6 ¾). Ellie Weltha (Bloomington HS) and Alexandria McCoy (Auburn HS, Rockford) are only two inches behind Smith’s best. Oluwasheyi Taiwo (Thornwood HS, South Holland) is a foot behind those three and could finish second in this event.

 

Girls Pole Vault

3A Meet Record – 12-8 ½ - Hannah Swift – Pekin – 2014

Outlook – This event is wide open. Katherine Schroeder (Grayslake Central HS) is the top seed in this event (12-6). She has cleared that twice this year including her conference meet. She has also been at 11-6 twice this year and no heighted at New Balance Indoors two weeks ago. If she is on especially with this field, she will be unstoppable on her way to the win. A struggling afternoon could open the door to at least five athletes with the opportunity to win.

Lila Adler (Loyola Academy, Wilmette) has cleared 11-11 ¾ and could be a chief competitor to Schroeder. Nikki Ogorek (Normal Community) and Alyssa Moreno (Lake Zurich HS) have seasonal bests that are only two inches behind Adler. They could also be in position for the win in this meet.

 

Boys High Jump

3A Meet Record – 7-0 ¼ - Major Clay – Springfield Lanphier – 2007

Outlook – The top four athletes in 3A are here for this meet. Connor Gossell (Grayslake Central HS) cleared a personal best 6-8 at the Lake Michigan Invitational. Jordan Boyd (Brother Rice HS, Chicago) cleared 6-8 at ICOPS at the end of February but only cleared 6-0 for the win at the CCL Championships last weekend. He has the potential to hit that height. Jay Hunt (Batavia HS) cleared 6-7 ½ at a home meet at the beginning of March and cleared 6-6 one other time this season. He could be one to watch. Mike Lyons (Plainfield Central HS) is one of the hot jumpers in this meet having cleared a 6-7 personal best last week at his conference meet. He could be the athlete that may come away with the win.

There is a lot of big meet inexperience in this field which means that anything could happen. Constantine Beniaris (Glenbrook North HS, Northbrook) and Sebastian Gutierrez (Belvidere North HS) have cleared 6-5 this year and could be a threat for a win. Strategy will play a big part in this competition.

 

4:15

Boys Triple Jump

3A Meet Record – 50-2 ¾ - Troy Dorris – Bolingbrook HS – 2007

Outlook – Three of the top four athletes are in this event led by JaShaun Steward (Proviso West HS, Hillside). The senior has been the most consistent of all the athletes in this event having jumped over 46 feet four times including a 47-5 at the beginning of the season. Amani Franklin (Belleville East HS) has continued to improve this season jumping his best (46-2 ½) in his last meet at Edwardsville. He could put a lot of pressure on Steward in this meet. Tony Rolfe (Glenwood HS, Chatham) could be a surprise in this event. He jumped 45-1 ½ at Jacksonville at the beginning of the month. Rolfe did jump 46-11 last outdoor season and should push for the win.

Jonathan Wilburn (Evanston Township HS) is the only other athlete above 44 feet in this completion. He did jump 44-6 at the Lake Michigan Invitational last weekend and could be a part of the top three. Shawn Davis (Hinsdale South HS, Darien) and Stephen Lasinis (Minooka HS) are some of the other athletes that have a chance to break into the top three.

 

Girls Triple Jump

3A Meet Record – 40-2 – Lyhaya Stokes – South Holland Thornwood – 1999

                                         Cierra Pulliam – Romeoville – 2015

Outlook – The overall meet record could fall in this event especially with Jaimie Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) in this competition. The junior has experienced a great indoor season including a fourth place finish two weeks ago at the New Balance Indoor Nationals as well as jumping over 40 feet three meets this season. She jumped a seasonal best of 40-3 ¼ at the SWSC Championships last Saturday. She is a big meet jumper that could eclipse LaJarvia Brown’s 40-7 ½ Illinois indoor best for the season.

Robinson could be pushed by two athletes in this event. Anna Laudizio (Plainfield North HS) achieved a two foot personal best (39-7 ½) at the Plainfield North Invitational last Saturday. Hannah Schilb (St. Charles North HS) jumped 39-0 ½ at New Balance Indoor Nationals two weeks ago, then followed that up with a 39 foot jump last week at her conference meet. Both athletes have the talent to get past 40 feet. If they do, it could put the pressure on Robinson. Also watch for Emani James (TF North HS, Calumet City) that could also get past 39 feet in this meet.

 

Boys Pole Vault

3A Meet Record – 17-1 ¼ - Phil Hanson – Pontiac – 2006

Outlook – This will be an interesting competition with two club teammates vying for the win. In the off season, Zachery Bradford (Bloomington HS) and Ryan Ashenbremer (Normal West HS) train with each other. When the season starts, it is a friendly rivalry. Bradford, only a sophomore, has the best clearance in the state (16-0) that he achieved at his conference meet last week. Ashenbremer cleared 15-6 at the beginning of the month and will challenge Bradford for the win. The Normal West junior did clear 16-5 last indoor season. Either of these athletes could clear a big height in this meet.

Ethan Koval (Lake Park HS, Roselle) achieved a personal best clearing 15-1 at his conference meet last weekend. If Ashenbremer and Bradford falter and Koval is on top of his game, Koval could emerge the victor. There are five other athletes that have cleared 14-6 or better led by Kevin Szamlewski (McHenry HS) and Kyle Brown (Lake Park HS, Roselle). In the Pole Vault, anything can happen making this event sometimes unpredictable.

 

Boys Shot Put

3A Meet Record – 63-6 ½ - Jeremy Kline – Roselle Lake Park – 2011

Outlook – Highly competitive are the two words that would describe this event. The top five 3A athletes are here for this meet. The hottest of all of these athletes right now is Josh Black (Machesney Park Harlem HS). The senior has gone over 58 feet in his last two meets with his 58-6 ¼ effort at the NIC-10 Conference Meet tops in 3A. Lake Park has the tradition of great weight athletes.  Dylan Scheirich and Chago Basso are in the top three in 3A in this event. Both are within a quarter inch of each other. Scheirich achieved his 58-0 ½ mark in February at Proviso West. Basso set a personal best (58-0 ¼) last week at his conference meet. Any of these three athletes could win this event. I think it could take a put over 59 feet to win this event.

Tim McCloyn (Huntley HS) had a 56-2 ½ effort at his conference meet and could be a factor in this event. Also watch for Sam Weisz (Yorkville HS) who has a 56-11 best this year, Tyler Schiemann (Providence Catholic HS, New Lenox), and Austin Lynch (Lake Park HS, Roselle) who could be in the hunt for the top five.

 

Girls High Jump

3A Meet Record – 5-10 – Nora Weber – Canton – 1993

Outlook – Jes Skudlarek (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect) is the defending champion in this event and is in position to win again. She showed her fitness level after clearing 5-8 to win the MSL Indoor Invitational last Saturday. There could be a possibility that she could get the 5-10 meet record. Jelena Rowe (Bloom Township HS, Chicago Heights) will be Skudlarek’s chief competition. She cleared a state seasonal best of 5-9 at North Central College at the beginning of March. She has cleared 5-8 at three other meets this season.

Lenae Ludy (Plainfield South HS) has cleared 5-7 this season and will be a threat in this event. Ololade Ayoola (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort), Kaitlin Lee (Homewood-Flossmoor HS), Sydney Anderson (Yorkville HS), and Jaida Green (Downers Grove North HS) have all cleared 5-6 indoors this season. They all could be possibilities also to win this event.

 

Track Events

3:30

Girls 3200 Meter Run

3A Meet Record – 10:17.25 – Maria Cicero – Elmhurst York – 2001

Outlook – Disregard the fact that Lindsey Payne (Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn) is 22 seconds behind Judy Pendergast’s monster 10:11 that was run last week. She still has the third best time in the nation in this event. Payne will also be the favorite in this highly competitive event. Here 10:33.19 that she ran at Proviso West at the beginning of March is fourteen seconds ahead of the next closest runner Emily Shelton (Minooka HS). McKenzie Altmayer (Geneva HS) was two seconds behind Shelton at Batavia two weeks ago. The two could push each other to near 10:40. Ashley Tutt (Minooka HS) ran 10:56 last week at Plainfield North. I could see her running with this pack.

Katie Hohe (Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn) is having a breakout track season. The freshman ran 10:54.02 to win the WSC-Silver Meet last Friday. Do not be surprised if she is towards the front. Katie Stapleton (Downers Grove South HS) and MacKenzie Callahan (Minooka HS) could also be under 11 minutes and be in the mix of the lead pack. Payne is listed to come back an hour later in the 3200 Relay. We will see how tactical she will make this race. If she goes for time, we could see a time close to 10:20. It just might happen.

 

Boys 3200 Meter Run

3A Meet Record – 8:59.00 – Tim Keller – West Chicago – 2000

Outlook – With top athletes like Kevin Salvano and Irwin Loud opting not run here and get ready for the outdoor campaign as well as Jack Aho (Grayslake Central) having his focus on the 3200 relay and 1600 in this meet, all eyes will be on top seed Jack Lalonde (Downers Grove South HS) in this race. The senior achieved all-state honors this past cross country season and started his track season nicely running 9:24 and 9:21 in his first two 3200 races. Lalonde could be the one that pushes the pace and could run under 9:20. Lalonde’s biggest threat should be Clayton Mendez (Whitney Young HS, Chicago). Mendez has run 9:28.58 indoors. He has great speed at the end of his races. If he can stay close to Lalonde the entire race, he could end up winning this race with his kick.

There is no real “star power” in this race, but there are some very good quality runners sprinkled in the entries. I believe it will take sub 9:20 to win and we could have six runners under 9:30 in this race. Cole Barkocy (Crystal Lake Central HS), Caleb Washington (Shepard HS, Palos Heights), Martin Barr (Niles North HS, Skokie), and Paolo Tiongson (Loyola Academy, Wilmette) are some of the runners that will be factors in this race.

 

Prelims 4:15 PM - Finals 5:35 PM

Girls 60 Meter Hurdles

3A Meet Record – 8.64 – Jayla Stewart – Homewood-Flossmoor – 2015

Outlook – Shaliyah Dixon-Tucker (Downers Grove South HS) just missed making the finals at the IHSA State Meet last year by one place in the 100 Meter Hurdles. It seems like she has remembered that heading into this season. She ran the fastest time in the state in the 55 Meter Hurdles (8.20) last Friday at her conference meet. Even though she has not run this distance over barriers this season, Dixon-Tucker could be the favorite in this event.

Kyla Jimmar (Richards HS, Oak Lawn) ran 8.96 at New Balance Indoor Nationals and has the top time at 60 Meters. Alexis Pierre-Antoine (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort) ran 9.00 in that meet and should also be challenging for the win. Maya Mason (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect) ran 8.46 for 55 Hurdles to win the MSL Indoor. She will be a factor in this race. Charlene Horton (TF North HS, Calumet City) ran 9.09 at the U of I last weekend. She could be a factor in this event. Savannah Long ran 9.12 at the beginning of the month at Huntley and followed that up with 9.00 last week at her conference race. Unfortunately, that race was hand timed due to a timing malfunction. Long does have the talent to win this race.

 

Boys 60 Meter Hurdles

3A Meet Record – 7.95 – Tifonte Hunt – Harvey Thornton – 7.95

Outlook – This is one of the events that I am looking forward to see this weekend. It is loaded with four of the top 3A athletes competing. The big mystery this indoor season has been William Session (Belleville East HS). The defending IHSA 3A State champion in the 110 Highs has been nearly absent in the Hurdle races this indoor season. He did run 7.91 at the Ted Hayden Classic in December and then 7.96 at the Big River Series Meet in January. If he is at the top of his game, Session will be tough to beat.

Timmy Brundidge (Grant HS, Fox Lake) has been one of the biggest surprises in this event this winter. He ran 8.02 at Huntley at the end of February. He also has the fastest time in the 55 Meter Hurdles (7.45) that he achieved last Saturday at the Lake Michigan Invitational. In that race, he defeated Roland Amarteifio (Evanston Township HS) by five hundredths of a second (7.45 – 7.50. The night before at the CSL-South Conference Meet, Amarteifio ran 7.45 to win his race. The Evanston senior ran 8.13 at 60 Hurdles. Tyler Kirkwood (Waubonsie Valley HS, Aurora) is also another athlete to watch in this race. On his resume, he has run 7.54 (IL #A #3) to win the DuPage Valley Conference Meet. Kirkwood also ran 8.15 for 60 Hurdles. The finish of this race should be spectacular. If everyone is on top of their game, the meet record should fall.

 

Prelims 4:35 PM - Finals 5:50 PM

Girls 60 Meter Dash

3A Meet Record – 7.61 – Brittny Ellis – Gurnee Warren Township – 2015

Outlook – Kayla Hylton (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort) missed all of her junior year after transferring from Lincoln-Way North. Now a senior, she is taking advantage of her final year. She has the state fastest time run at Arkansas in January (7.65). She ran 7.70 to win her conference meet last Saturday. She is close enough to go after the record set by Brittny Ellis last year.  The one athlete that could challenge Hylton is Shaliyah Dixon-Tucker (Downers Grove South HS). After running a state best in the 55 Hurdles last week, Dixon-Tucker came back to run the fastest time in the 55 Meter Dash (7.04). Dixon-Tucker is used to this double. It could be possible that she wins both events.

Ozzy Erewele (Springfield HS) is a tenth of a second behind Hylton but could be a surprise in this event. Also watch for Melzina Johnson (Joliet West HS), Lyn’Nikka Vance (Crete-Monee HS), and Morgan Harris (Oswego East HS) to be possible surprises in the top three.

 

Boys 60 Meter Dash

3A Meet Record – 6.84 - Kahmari Montgomery – Plainfield Central – 2015 

Outlook – If only dreams would come true with Josh Eiker (Galesburg HS) and Ja’Mari Ward (Cahokia HS) racing against each other at this meet? It is only a dream. Eiker is running in the 3A meet with Ward running earlier. The Galesburg senior has the fastest 3A time in this event (6.88). His start has improved over the last year making him tough to beat. Cary Lockhart (Bloomington HS) will be one to watch in this race. He does have a PR of 6.92 at the Normal West Invitational. Eiker and Lockhart raced at Champaign on March 5 with Eiker edging Lockhart by five hundredths of a second (6.90-6.95). Derrius Rodgers (Lockport Township HS) is the only other runner under 7 seconds in this field. He ran a solo 6.94 at the Lockport Open at the end of February. He backed that up last Friday at the SWSC Conference Meet when he ran 6.95 to tie for the win. With these three athletes pushing each other, it would not surprise me to see Kahmari Montgomery’s 3A record eclipsed Saturday afternoon.

This is a deep field with six athletes within two hundredths of a second of each other. Tony Rolfe (Glenwood HS, Chatham), Lenell Navarre (Marist HS, Chicago), Deshon Buchanan (Belleville West HS), and Alonzo Taylor-Jones (Metea Valley HS, Aurora) are some of the other runners that I would keep an eye on in this event.

 

4:55 PM

Girls 3200 Meter Relay

3A Meet Record – 9:18.77 – Glen Ellyn Glenbard West – 2012

Outlook – Yorkville could be the team to beat. The quartet led by Alexis Grandys defeated some of the top teams in the state at the DGS Mustang Relays on March 7 running 9:23.60. Glenbard West ran 9:26.25 at the Cardinal Classic on March 3 with Lindsey Payne as the anchor. She is scheduled to anchor again Saturday after running the 3200 Meter Run. It will be interesting to see if Glenbard West can defeat Yorkville again as they did in that Cardinal Classic race. Downers Grove North has a great anchor with Emma Moravec. So does Downers Grove South with defending 3A state champion Michaela Hackbarth. Either of these two Downers Grove schools could take home the top prize in this race.

Oswego has the talent to find their way into the top three led by Kayla Wooten and Maddy Kammerer. Schaumburg and St. Charles East have the talent also to run under 9:30. The meet record of 9:18.77 would fall in this race.

 

Boys 3200 Meter Relay

3A Meet Record – 7:56.20 – Schaumburg – 1990

Outlook – Just like the 3200 Meter Run, some of the top teams are not in this meet readying themselves for outdoors. The favorite role goes to Plainfield South mainly because of John Partee. The senior has run 1:56.66 this season giving the Cougars the advantage on the final 800 if it is close. Normal West has run 8:07.51 and could be a threat in this event. Whitney Young has run only 8:11.19 this year but could be a surprise in this race. Also watch for Grayslake Central who has run 8:14.43 indoors. They will load up their relay with Jack & Matt Aho and could take the win in this race. Metea Valley, Waubonsie Valley, and Minooka are teams that I would also keep an eye on. We could see a sub 8 winning time in this race.

 

6:00 PM

Girls 800 Meter Run

3A Meet Record – 2:11.80 – Lauren VanVlierbergen – Algonquin Jacobs – 2014

Outlook – Michaela Hackbarth (Downers Grove South HS) should be the runner to beat in this race. She has the fastest seed time by three seconds. She will be coming back from the 3200 Meter Relay as well her closest competition Jenna Diers (Lincoln-Way Central HS, New Lenox) and Kayla Wooten (Oswego HS). Nora Finegan (Fremd HS, Palatine) ran 2:18.88 to win the MSL Indoor Meet last Saturday. She could be a surprise in this race.

Emma Milburn (Lake Forest HS) and Avryl Johnson (Libertyville HS) have run right at 2:20 this season. With both athletes running this as their first event, they could also challenge for the front. Emily Noone (Glenbrook South HS, Glenview) could also be a surprise up front.

 

Boys 800 Meter Run

3A Meet Record – 1:53.40 – Jason Van Swol – New Lenox Lincoln-Way – 1998

Outlook – Robert Kuhlman (Lakes Community HS, Lake Villa) dropped his personal best two seconds at Kentucky when he ran 1:56.23. He has the top seed and one of the runners to watch in this race. John Partee (Plainfield South HS) has run 1:56.66 but will be coming back from the 3200 Relay an hour before. I would not count Partee out even off of a double.

There is a three second drop off before the next group of runners in this event. Evan Radomski (Whitney Young HS, Chicago) will be coming back from the 3200 relay but will be a factor in this race. Matt Szelazek (Leyden HS, Northlake) and Dylan Ponomar (Grayslake North HS) will be fresh and could be surprises in this race. Even though Wes York (Waubonsie Valley HS, Aurora) will be coming back from the 3200 Relay, this sophomore could be a surprise in this race.

 

6:15 PM

Girls 800 Meter Relay

3A Meet Record – 1:40.83 – Evanston Township – 2006

Outlook – The meet record is breakable especially with Lincoln-Way East leading this field. The Griffins just missed the national finals two weeks ago, but ran a state best of 1:39.92. They are the BIG favorite in this race. The closest teams are seven seconds behind.

Bolingbrook, West Aurora, and Homewood-Flossmoor all have run under 1:47 and will be fighting for the second spot. Granite City is extremely young but could be a surprise as one of the top three teams. Waubonsie Valley and Springfield could be among the teams fighting for one of those top three spots as well.

 

Boys 800 Meter Relay

3A Meet Record – 1:29.76 – Springfield Lanphier – 2008

Outlook – I do think we see a sub 1:30 in this race. Holy Smokes…this field is stacked! When you have six teams within four tenths of a second of each other, this is one event you watch each section extremely close. Huntley has the best time heading into this meet (1:31.41) and will be shooting for the win. Thornton and Plainfield North have that relay experience that will pay dividends in this event. Crete-Monee ran 1:31.54 at the beginning of March at Homewood-Flossmoor in flats. It will be interesting to see how fast they run in this race.

Section 3 is loaded led by SPC rivals Plainfield East and Minooka going head to head. Section 2 is a rematch of the Champaign Charger Classic between Galesburg (Josh Eiker) and Bloomington (Cary Lockhart) as anchors. Eiker ran a 20.8 split but could not catch Lockhart’s 21.2 split. Nevertheless, excitement in all four sections to say the least. The key of the indoor relay is getting the lead especially in this meet when you can cut in immediately after the first exchange.  Watch the exchanges in this race. Speed and precision are the keys of winning this race.

 

6:40 PM

Girls 400 Meter Dash

3A Meet Record – 55.09 – Adia McKinnon – Homewood-Flossmoor – 2000

Outlook – Samara Miller and Tashee Hargrave (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville) have been pushing each other in races most of the season. That fact should hold true in the final section of this event. Miller has a seasonal best of 56.04 that she ran on the 300 meter track at the University of Kentucky. She did run 57.04 at the DVC Championships just ahead of Hargrave’s 57.58. The one runner that could break up this1-2 Neuqua finish is Kierra Griggs (Bloom Township HS, Chicago Heights). Griggs is coming on strong at the end of the indoor season having run 57.38 at the U of I last weekend. She will be a threat to win this race.

Other athletes that I would keep an eye on in this event include Asia Brown (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort), Tamia Rayford (West Aurora HS), Morgan Harris (Oswego East HS), and Savannah Long (DeKalb HS).

 

Boys 400 Meter Dash

3A Meet Record – 48.24 – Juan Coleman – Hillside Proviso West – 2000

Outlook – This is another can’t miss event that we could see one or maybe two runners under 49 seconds in this race. Chris Thompson (Lemont HS) ran 49.52 on the banked track at the University of Arkansas in January. His solo 49.80 that he ran last weekend at the Lemont Invitational shows that he is ready to go under 50 seconds. Deshon Buchanan (Belleville West HS) ran 49.56 to win at Edwardsville on March 11 and was his only 400 of the indoor season. He is the surprise factor in this race. Octavian Wells (Grant HS, Fox Lake) ran 49.57 last week to win at the Lake Michigan Invitational. With all three runners having run seasonal bests within five hundredths of each other, we could see these three athletes push each other under 49 seconds.

Jordan Cagigal (Metea Valley HS, Aurora) dropped his personal best two seconds when he ran 49.77 to finish second at the DVC Championships last Saturday. Keep an eye on him in this race. Brandon Adams (Minooka HS), Steve Strange (Oswego HS), and Brandon Thiel (Lakes Community HS, Lake Villa) would be other runners that I would also keep an eye on in this event.

 

7:05 PM

Girls 1600 Meter Run

3A Meet Record – 4:53.60 – Madeline Perez – Glen Ellyn Glenbard West -2013

Outlook – This good field could produce a winning time under 5 minutes in this race. McKenzie Altmayer (Geneva HS) has the fastest seed time (5:01.49) and also the third fastest 3A time. Altmayer accomplished that last week at the UEC Championships on a double coming back from a 10:51 3200. Even if she is running the 3200 here, she will be a factor in this race. Anne Zaher (Hinsdale Central HS) has been the most consistent of everyone in this field running under 5:05 three times. It would not surprise me if she is under 5 in this race. Brooke Wilson (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect) is another candidate to watch for the win. Her 5:04.53 that she ran to win the MSL Indoor Meet last Saturday required Wilson to kick at the end. A tactical race could favor the Prospect junior.

Kortney Schardt (Lakes Community, Lake Villa) and Isabelle Sparrero (Stevenson HS, Lincolnshire) went 1-2 at the Lake Michigan Invitational last Friday with Schardt running 5:08.21 for a full mile and a tight win. Expect both athletes to be up front in this race. Audrey Ernst (St. Charles North HS) will be coming back in this race after running the 800. She might be the one pushing the pace early. If that happens, we could see a sub-5 winning time. Keep an eye on Ernst in this race. Also watch for Reilly Revord (Hinsdale Central HS) and Maddy Kammerer (Oswego HS). I would not discount either of these runners in this race.

 

Boys 1600 Meter Run

3A Meet Record – 4:09.94 – Jeff Thode – Hoffman Estates Conant – 2009

Outlook – This is a sneaky good field. I honestly think we could see a winning time under 4:16 in this race. Jack Aho (Grayslake Central HS) has the top seed in this race (4:18.11) that he ran at the Batavia Distance Madness Meet two weeks ago. At the Antioch Invitational at the end of February, Eryk Yunk (Belvidere North HS) bested Aho winning the race at 4:19.64.  Yunk ran 1:57.55 in the 800 at his conference meet last week. He will be a factor in this race.

Another factor in this race will be Connor McCue (West Aurora HS). The senior broke his foot in his cross country regional last October. He has come back nicely indoors. His most impressive meet was the week after his DQ at Proviso West when he ran 1:55 in the 800 and came back and ran 4:24 40 minutes later. His DQ time was 4:20 at Proviso West. I think he is capable of running much faster in this race. Watch for him to push it from the gun.

Heath Warren (Springfield HS) has a 4:25 seasonal best but has not been in races where there was someone there to push him. This race will provide him that. Remember, he ran 4:09 and 1:52 last spring. I know we will see him up front. The Huntley duo of Seth Conroy and Keegan Smith are two other runners to watch. Smith has experienced ankle problems and fighting off the flu the last couple of weeks. Through all of this, Smith still ran 4:24.34 at the Batavia Distance Madness. He does have a 4:10 from last year on his resume. If he is healthy, I would keep an eye on him. Conroy could be the surprise in this race. He has been running strong this indoor season. He ran a 1:56 leg on his team’s 3200 Relay at his conference Meet. He then came back in the 1600 leading Jack Aho until the final 50 meters before finishing second. He also finished second behind Aho at the Batavia Distance Madness Meet running 4:20.53.

I am hoping that this is not a tactical cluster. With the talent in this race, I think the winning time will be fast, fast, fast.

 

7:25 PM

Girls 200 Meter Dash

3A Meet Record – 23.91 – Morolake Akinosun – Aurora Waubonsie Valley – 2012

Outlook – Could we see a Lincoln-Way East sweep in this final individual event of this meet? It is possible especially that Kayla Hylton, Asia Brown, and Jasmine Howell are the top three seeds in this race. They will be joined by Kyla Jimmar (Richards HS, Oak Lawn) in the final section. Hylton is the only athlete that has run under 25 seconds this season in this meet (24.89) and should be the favorite.

Shaliyah Dixon-Tucker (Downers Grove South HS) is running in the section before the Lincoln-Way East trio. She has run 25.66 this winter and could run faster in this meet. Jaimie Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS), Kierra Griggs (Bloom Township HS, Chicago Heights) and Samara Miller (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville) are other runners to watch that could threaten to get into the top three.

 

Boys 200 Meter Dash

3A Meet Record – 21.72 – Anthony Moorman – Roselle Lake Park – 1996

Outlook – The only competition for Josh Eiker (Galesburg HS) in this race is the clock. The senior ran a spectacular 21.57 to win at the U of I Armory at the beginning of March running the third fastest time ever in that facility. Last week at the Galesburg Last Chance Meet, he ran a solo 21.62 in which he won the race by almost two seconds. I think the meet record falls in this race. How much lower can Eiker take it?

Antonio Tate (DeKalb HS) has been a surprise this indoor season especially after he ran 22.12 at his conference meet last weekend. Deshon Buchanan (Belleville West HS) and Derrius Rodgers (Lockport Township HS) have run under 22.4 and could push for a time near 22.1 in this race.

 

7:50 PM

Girls 1600 Meter Relay

3A Meet Record – 3:53.70 – Chicago Morgan Park – 1996

Outlook – Without state list leader Lincoln-Way East not in this field, all of the attention falls on Neuqua Valley in this race. The key to their success and the 3:56.02 that they ran behind Lincoln-Way East at the DGS Mustang Relays at the beginning of the month is getting the lead early and then holding on. Tashee Hargrave is Neuqua’s normal leadoff runner that has split at 56 seconds during the season. Expect the same in this meet.

Neuqua Valley is the big favorite. Their seed time is nine seconds faster than the rest of the field. Fremd, Downers Grove South, and West Aurora would be teams that I would keep an eye on that could go under 4 minutes as well as Neuqua Valley in this race.

 

Boys 1600 Meter Relay

3A Meet Record – 3:21.90 – Hillside Proviso West – 2000

 

Outlook – The final event of this meet has the prospects of it going close to the 16 year old record set by Proviso West. Minooka has the fastest seed time (3:25.45). They look to load it up with Justin Wolz, Brandon Adams, and Matt Dlugopolski being a part of it and possibly getting close to 3:22. Grant will be a factor in this race especially with Octavian Wells anchoring. Evanston Township always has the strong relay tradition. The Wildkits should be towards the front led by Brad Garron and Roland Amarteifio a part of it. Plainfield North and Crete-Monee have run 3:29 and will be a factor in this race. Could it be the fastest collective 1600 Meter Relay ever run in this meet? We will find out when the meet closes Saturday night.