By Michael Newman, [email protected]

The action picked up across the state last weekend. The achievements from the athletes that competed at the University of Kentucky are on top of the list led by the fantastic double win by Katelynne Hart in the Girls 1 Mile and 2 Mile Run. You can read more about that meet here.

This coming weekend is the first big meet weekend of the year spotlighted by the Lockport Boys Open at Olivet Nazarene University on Saturday, the Proviso West Boys Invitational on Saturday, the ICOPS Invitational at Lewis University on Sunday, and then at North Central College with the Downers Grove South Mustang Relays next Monday and the next day the NCC Cardinal Classic HS Girls Invitational. 

Here are some highlights from the last weekend of meets involving Illinois schools.

Huey Johnson Memorial Invitational @ Bloom Township

Defending national champion Jelena Rowe started off her senior season the same way she ended her junior campaign: with a huge performance. Rowe cleared 5-10 which is the nation’s best performance in the High Jump indoors so far in 2017.

Hannah Morris started off her season on her home runway with great success. The All-American last year a=in the Long Jump and the defending 3A champion in the event soared to a 19-2 mark in the event. Her performance puts her second in the state only three quarters of an inch behind Homewood-Flossmoor’s Jaimie Robinson. Morris was also successful on the track winning the 55 Meter Dash in 7.36 (IL #1).

Triad Boys Invitational @ Principia College

2016 IHSA team champions East St. Louis-Senior and Cahokia faced off for the first of many times his 2017 season. The two squads were the class of the other teams in this meet especially in the sprint relays. The Flyers captured the 800 Meter Relay with the state’s fastest time in the event (1:32.63) just fourteen hundredths of a second ahead of Cahokia. The Comanches came back to run the state’s fastest time in winning the 1600 Meter Relay (3:29.68). East St. Louis-Senior was disqualified in the race.

Sam Sikon (Carbondale, senior) came within ¾ of an inch of his season’s best with a 61-11 mark to win the Shot Put. Tyler Higgins (Highland, senior) won the 60 Meter Dash (7.01, IL #2) and then finished second in the 200 Meter Dash behind the 22.45 (IL #3) winning time by Trevore Sanders (Collinsville, senior).

Will O’Keefe (Granite City, senior) dipped under two minutes in winning the 800 Meter Run with the third fastest time in the state (1:59.52). The 1600 Meter Run had the first three finishers within three seconds of each other. Ben Flowers (Jersey, senior) used a strong final 200 for the win (4:26.20) two seconds ahead of Andrew O’Keefe (Granite City, sophomore) and Tyler Pasley (Shelbyville, senior).

Wheaton-Warrenville South Girls Invitational #2

Courtney Morgan (Metea Valley, senior) was consistent in her three fair marks in the Shot Put on Saturday morning. Her first-round mark of 44-0 (IL #2) was the best of the day easily winning the event by six feet ahead of Mercedes Whitaker (Wheaton-Warrenville South, senior) who achieved a season’s best of 38-3 ½. Morgan also had marks of 43-6 ¼ in the second round and 43-8 in the third round. She fouled on her final three attempts. Morgan said afterwards she was releasing a little early on those three final attempts.

Sarah Schmitt (Naperville North, junior) showed a consistent pace on her way to the state’s fastest time in the 3200 Meter Run. He junior by herself from 1200 meters on in the race going through the first 1600 in 5:26. She finished with an indoor personal best 10:55.49. Teammate Alex Morris finished second (11:04.60) improving on her personal bests by 40 seconds.

Claire Hamilton went through the first 800 in 2:33 on her way to the win in the 1600 Meter Run with the state’s fastest time in the event (5:08.29)

Proviso West Boys Meet #3

Alec Danner (Downers Grove North, senior) had the best performance in this five-team meet running a state’s best 4:23.9 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Sean O’Connell (Hinsdale Central, junior) was less than five seconds behind in second. Downers Grove North took the top two spots in the 600 Meter Run led by Brendan Lockerby (1:24.7) and Robert Falconer (1:24.9). Those performances are an early indication that the Trojans could have a strong 3200 Relay this season.

Big River Series Championship @ University of Missouri

Kathleen Young (Warrensburg-Latham, senior) finished her weekend with two more wins Sunday afternoon. Young achieved a personal best on her final attempt with a 56-11 ¼ throw (US #7). She came back to win the Shot Put (48-6 ¾) winning by more than eight feet.

Connor Artman (Illini West, senior) improved on his seasonal best in the Long Jump with a 21-9 ½ to place him third overall. He also ran 7.20 to qualify for the finals of the 60 Meter Dash. He ran 7.25 to finish fifth in the finals. His teammate Jace Norman won the High Jump with the state’s best clearance (6-4 ¾) for the event.

Greg Foster Invitational @ Proviso West HS

Crete-Monee showed their sprint strength in this meet. Aaron Westmoreland won the 55 Meter Dash (6.50, IL #1) just three hundredths of a second ahead of Tyler Elmore (Bolingbrook, senior). Westmoreland also won the 200 Meter Dash (22.66) and helped his team win the 800 Meter Relay (1:32.78, IL #3).