Shot putters Reynolds, Moser strongarm Top Times Indoor Classic

By Randy Sharer

For Illinoistoptimes.com

BLOOMINGTON – The term “drama queen” took on the most positive meaning imaginable on Saturday (March 29, 2025) thanks to Central Illinois shot putters in the 36th Illinois Top Times Indoor Classic at Shirk Center.

Marco Reynolds of Normal Community High School defended her Class 3A crown with a come-from-behind, final-round toss of 42 feet, 8 inches while in Class 2A No. 13-seeded Abi Moser of Clinton went from 11th to first on her final attempt which measured a career-best 37-10¾. 

Meanwhile, the top seed in the 2A shot put, Isabella Thurston of Normal University High, hung on for second with a heave of 37-3¼.

With more than 100 college coaches in attendance at this two-day, non-scored, 390-team, 1,600-athlete meet that most regard as the indoor state meet, Central Illinois stars claimed three other crowns in front of a near capacity crowd.

Those champions included U High’s Zoe Carter in the 2A 3,200-meter run, Normal Community’s Drew Patterson in the 3A 800 and Normal West’s Cody Muhlbauer in the 3A 60. 

Back in the shot put, the top-seeded Reynolds trailed Edwardsville’s Joi Story (42-0½) until unleashing her monster 42-8 in the sixth round. Reynolds’ previous season best was 41-1. 

“I hit my spot out of the back pretty well and I reached over the toe board, which is what my coach (John Boenzi) always tells me to do,” said the 6-1 Reynolds, an Eastern Illinois University recruit who won last year with a final-round 41-7¼. “It just dropped where I wanted it.

“Now that I know I can do it here, I can definitely do it at state outdoors. My only other goal is to beat the school record (of 42-11¼ set by LeAnn Powers in 1984).” 

Clinton’s Moser came in with a season best of 34-2¼ but improved by more than three feet.

“I got out of my head,” she said. “I relaxed myself. I took the pressure off, and I had fun. I’m hoping to carry it into the outdoor season and see what I can do.

“I was a surprise attacker (today). Nobody saw me coming, I guess.”  

Thurston, just a sophomore, showed her status as a star of the future has been expedited. She came in seeded first at 37-7¼. As a freshman, she topped out at 36-5¾.  

“I’ve gone against (Moser) almost every other meet and she’s a good friend,” Thurston said. “I congratulate her on getting first. That was a great throw.”

In the girls 2A 3,200, U High’s Carter defended her title in 10:47.56 while holding off Mundelein Carmel’s Izzy Bing in second (10:47.99).

“I would have liked a faster time, but I didn’t want to lead the entire race,” said the Yale-bound Carter, who also placed fourth in the 1,600 in 5:09.68. “I felt good with 300 to go so I took it.

“There is definitely more in the tank. I’d like to have someone dragging me along the first mile.”

Normal Community’s Patterson, top seed in the 3A 800 at 1:57.27, lowered his career best to 1:56.74. The senior had to go fast just to stay ahead of teammate A.J. Ince, who ran a personal best of 1:56.87 in second. 

“This indoor season has been great,” Patterson said. “I did a lot of training over the winter. I didn’t really know how good I would be this year, but coming out of here with a PR (personal record) is huge. 

“Last year, I was here in the four-by-800. I was the lead runner and dropped the baton. To come back here and actually prove myself is really big for me.”

Patterson never led until the final lap.

“He had enough left to pass most of the field,” said Ince. “I’m super happy for both of us. I think we’re going to build on that.”

Patterson and Ince joined forces to help their 1,600 relay place fifth (3:30.77).

Muhlbauer, a Normal West sophomore who rushed for 1,019 yards last football season, motored 6.88 to win the 60, just missing his previous best of 6.87 set while winning this year’s Big 12 Conference indoor crown. The runner-up was Chatham Glenwood’s Colton Ladage (6.92).

“I could tell I got the lead from the start,” Muhlbauer said. “I always work on my blocks. That’s kind of my strong suit in the sport. I have big expectations for myself.”

Muhlbauer ended his freshman season with a 100 best of 11.24.

“He’s got a great attitude,” said Normal West coach Chad Aubin. “He’s a positive guy. He’s a monster competitor when it’s time to compete. He’s a good leader for our sprints crew.”

Among four Central Illinois runners-up were U High sophomore Hannah Safranek in the 2A 60 hurdles and 800 relay, Lincoln senior Parker Campbell in the 2A 60 high hurdles and Eureka senior Lance Wiegand in the 2A high jump.

Safranek ran a season best of 9.26 in both the prelims and the final while Campbell, who posted the top preliminary time of 8.18 to dip under his previous best of 8.24, sped 8.07 in the final. Safranek finished behind Mascoutah’s Jamison Love (9.11) while Campbell trailed Centralia’s Arion Hill (7.99).

The 6-foot-4 Campbell said his start was above average.

“That’s what I’ve been working on,” he said. “The 60 hurdles aren’t my specialty. I’m more of a 110 guy, but I’m happy with my performance and I’m super excited.”

Safranek hoped to run faster.

“My first hurdle I went really high over, which slowed me down, but then right at the end I caught them,” she said. “I’m much better in the 100-meter hurdles because I’m much faster after the fifth or sixth hurdle.”

A 15.49 performer in the 100 hurdles as a freshman, her old best in the 60 hurdles was 9.27.

Safranek’s 25.4 anchor leg keyed the Pioneers’ second-place 800 relay (1:45.38), which included the McIntyre sisters, Harper and Lydia, and Addie Cortese. Only Troy Triad was better at 1:45.31. Safranek also ran fifth in the 200 (25.98).

Lydia McIntyre helped her third-place 1,600 relay (4:10.49), splitting 64.19. Joining her were Reagan Bull (62.53), Cecilia Wille (62.36) and Caty Minton (61.39). Earlier, Minton took sixth in the 400 (1:00.42).

Eureka’s Wiegand, who stands 6-2, earned his silver medal with an indoor school high jump record of 6-6. Olney Richland’s Gavyn Cothern won (6-8).

“I came into it like ‘I’m just going to have fun. Just do my best and what happens, happens,’” Wiegand said. “I felt like there was no one stopping me. No one could get in my head.”

Normal Community senior Joey Yaros, the No. 6 seed in the 3A 1,600 at 4:27.38, sped 4:23.43 for third.

“I’m in shock right now,” he said. “This gives me a lot of confidence to know I can compete at this level. I’ve never really had that before.”

NCHS also saw Michael Mavic place third in the 60 high hurdles (8.28). In the prelims, his 8.31 ranked fifth.

“I know my potential,” said Mavic. “Last night, I visualized my race. This is exactly how I wanted it to play out. I’m super excited right now.”

Bloomington junior Claudia Ifft tied for fourth in the 3A pole vault, clearing 11-3¾. Ifft and her three siblings – Lillianna, Chandlar and Kassadee – have combined to win 11 state pole vault medals. That haul includes state titles by Kassadee in 2015 and Chandlar in 2019.

In the 3A horizontal jumps, Normal Community senior A.J. Austin took fourth in the long jump (21-10¾) and sixth in the triple jump (45-5). His season bests are 22-6¼ and 45-7.

U High’s Martin Donahue took fourth in the 2A shot put (52-3¼). 

The Eureka girls placed fifth in the 3,200 relay (9:51.11) and sixth in the 1,600 relay (4:12.14). 

Bloomington sophomore Kylie Huffaker ran fifth in the 3A 60 hurdles (9.29). In the prelims, her personal best of 9.21 ranked third. Her previous best was 9.34.

Other top area placers were Normal West freshman Ryan Temples in the girls 3A long jump (fifth, 17-11), Pontiac’s Maria Long in the girls 2A long jump (fifth, 17-7½), Eureka’s Gaba Musselman in the girls 2A shot put (fifth, 35-11½), Eureka’s Josie Wiegand in the girls 2A high jump (tie sixth, 4-11¾), Pontiac’s Jeremy Melton in the 2A high jump (tie sixth, 6-3½), Normal Community freshman Taylor Washington in the girls 3A 200 (26.07) and Normal West sophomore Abigail Jackson in the 3A 400 (sixth, 1:00.55) and 1,600 relay (sixth, 4:11.24). 

New Lenox Lincoln-Way Central accounted for the day’s lone Class 3A meet record, clocking 7:54.34 in the 3,200 relay. The old record was 7:56.16 set by Schaumburg in 1990. In Class 2A, Metamora’s Jaiduan Cranford clocked a record 6.73 in the 60 to break the 2013 mark of 6.79 set by Decatur MacArthur’s Jonathan Boey.

60 METERS— Jaiduan Cranford, Metamora, 2025, 6.73.