Photo: Katina Martin will look to repeat her wins in the 100 and 200 Meter Dash this spring (Laura Duffy Photo)

By Michael Newman

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The conclusion of last May’s IHSA State Meet signified the end of the “Hudson era” in 2A Sprints. In the four years that Cahokia’s Mariya Hudson ran in the state meet, she collected 11 All-State Medals in the three sprint individual events. (Hudson was all-state 15 times in her four years of state competition).

Enter the Martin sisters.

Katina and Tina Martin from Decatur Eisenhower made a statement in last year’s finals as Katina swept the state championships in the 100 and 200 Meter Dash. Tina finished second in the 400 Meter Dash just three hundredths of a second behind Hudson.

The two sisters could sweep the three individual sprints this May.

Dunlap swept all four relay races on their way to win the 2A State Team Championship last season. They could repeat that feat, but it will be a little tougher especially with East St. Louis-Senior dropped down to this classification.

Imani Carothers of Brooks College Prep is the two-time defending champion in the 100 Hurdles. Karyn Best of Wheaton Academy is set to defend her championship in the 300 Hurdles. East St. Louis-Senior’s Rokelle Stanley was unable to compete in last year’s 3A finals due to an injury. Stanley will hope that her luck is different when she gets to this year’s state finals where she could challenge both Carothers and Best for their state championships.

Here is a look at each of the sprint and hurdles events that will be contested at this year’s 2A state meet. A preview of each of the three relays are also included.

100 METER DASH

Top Returnees

Notes – This event is tough as seven of last year’s nine finalists are back. All in all, it could be Katina Martin vs. the field. Martin dominated the finals last year running a wind-aided 12.52 to win by a quarter of a second ahead of Mariya Hudson. Martin enters this year with a seasonal best that is a half a second ahead of the rest of the pack led by her sister Tina who did not compete in this event at state.

Kiari Pauli of Dunlap ran 12.07 last season and is a good bet to run under 12 seconds this season. Erin Long of Sterling and Erika Furbeck of Geneseo were both under 12.10 last year and should be close (or ahead) of Pauli.

Jada Hoffman of Marian Catholic and Farrah Phelps of Chicago King surprised some by making it to the state finals. They should prove doubters wrong again this spring. Faith Mitchell of East St. Louis-Senior, Ayanna Kelley-Wetherspoon of Urbana, and Tredaja Harris of Mt. Vernon are some of the other runners to keep an eye on.

200 METER DASH

Top Returnees

Notes – Katina Martin is the defending champion and has a good chance to make it back on the top of the podium. Her time of 24.20 is the top returning time that she shares along with her sister Tina who ran the same time. Tina did qualify for last year’s finals but did not run in it. Eisenhower may have their sites on a trophy. Both sisters running side-by-side could give their school some big points.

Four other all-state athletes are back ready to challenge the Martin sisters. Kiara Pauli did not make the finals last year, but her 24.57 personal best makes her a threat towards either of the Martins. Raven Moore of Springfield Southeast had a breakout season in 2017 earning all-state honors in both this event (third) and the 400 Meter Dash. Moore and Jyana Anderson were under 25 seconds at this distance. Both runners have the talent to be among the top three runners.

Tredaja Harris and Erika Furbeck could be ready to make the next step up towards the front. Erin Long, Jariah Turner of East St. Louis-Senior, and Olivia Strong of Morgan Park are some of the runners to also watch for.

400 METER DASH

Top Returnees

Notes – Tina Martin missed a state championship by three hundredths of a second last May. Having a state championship within your reach can drive a runner to bigger things the following year. We could see her drop her time under 54 seconds in 2018.

Five runners that earned all-state honors in 2017 are back ready to claim the top prize as their own. Raven Moore is the top returnee behind Martin as she finished fourth. Juniors Jaylah Campbell of Rich Central and Janelle Bernaridoni of LaSalle-Peru had breakout seasons in this one lap event making the 2A finals. Both should make another step up this spring.

11 athletes are back that ran under 59 seconds making this event tough. Likkaya Keyes of Rich South, Emily Silge of Mundelein Carmel, Courtney Haffren of Eureka, and Summerlyn Smith of Mattoon are some of the runners to keep an eye on challenging for the finals.

100 METER HURDLES

Top Returnees

Notes – Imani Carothers ran 13.72 to win this event last year for the third year in a row. She is a good bet to capture her third state championship in this discipline this May. Carothers won this event in the Emerging Elites Division at the New Balance Nationals in June. She could be one of the top runners in this event nationally this year.

Carothers is close to a lock to win her fourth. However, six athletes who ran in last year’s finals are returning ready to challenge her. Her biggest challenger did not run in 2A last spring. Rokelle Stanley was considered one of the top runners in 3A during the season and was one of the favorites at state. An injury during warmups for the finals prevented her in running both hurdle races. She did run 14.47 during the season. LaQwasia Stepney of Cahokia ran 14.21 during the season. The junior did not have her best race in the finals finishing fifth. Watch for her to bounce back this season.

Like we said, this event is loaded with athletes like Vicky Igancik of Ridgewood, Jayla Crosby of Cahokia, Paige Christopher of Galena, Karyn Best of Wheaton Academy, and Samantha Hibbard of Sterling. All these runners were under 15-seconds last year and should drop those times even lower.

300 METER HURDLES

Top Returnees

Notes – Karyn Best ran this event for the first-time last year and the result that she received was a state championship. She’s back to defend her title but should have Rokelle Stanley to challenge her. Stanley ran 43.82 during the season with her time just behind Best’s season’s time of 43.49. We could see bother runners dip into the 42’s by the time we get to May.

LaQwasia Stepney is the only other returning athlete to run under 45 seconds last season. She could push for one of the top two spots. Emelia Ness of Monticello had a great freshman season as she finished fifth at state in this event. I would also keep an eye on her. Her teammate Aliyah Welter along with Vicky Ignacik both earned all-state honors with hopes of repeating that in 2018. Payden New of Tinley Park and Maggie Connelly of Sterling are some of the runners that should be watched this spring.

4x100 METER RELAY

Top 2017 Times

Notes – Dunlap won the state title in this relay by more than half a second. The Eagles could repeat this year with three runners back from that state team. There are some quality teams that could challenge for the title led by Aanise Sajna and Kiara Pauli.

It could be East. St. Louis-Senior that challenges Dunlap. The Flyertettes ran 48.00 last season in 3A, but did not qualify for the state meet. The core of their team returns making them a team to keep an eye on. Springfield Southeast has the tradition of always having good sprint relays. This year is no exception as they have a young squad led by three from last year’s team led by Serena Bolden and Raven Moore. Another traditional power, Morgan Park, returns three of their four along with Rich South.

Cahokia ran 47.99 last season but that was with Mariya Hudson part of their quartet. Three are back from last year’s team that finished seventh in the 2A finals. Springfield Lanphier returns their entire quartet that finished sixth in the state final. Keep an eye on them in 2018.

Watch for Decatur Eisenhower with Katina and Tina Martin. This quartet did not make the state finals but returns their entire foursome that ran 48.33 during the season. Sterling and Urbana return their entire teams from last year and once again should challenge for a fast time and maybe a shot in the finals.

4x200 METER RELAY

Top 2017 Times

Notes – Dunlap has the same group back that ran in the 400 Meter Relay as well as this event that they won by more than a second. East St. Louis-Senior ran 1:41.64 to finish fourth in the 3A State Finals. Three runners are back from that team that should push Dunlap for the title.

Urbana and Brooks College Prep both return all their runners that finished second and third. Morgan Park, Lindblom, and Rich South also have that state finals experience that will help them when they get to Charleston this May.

Teams to also watch for include Springfield Lanphier, Carbondale, and Mattoon.

4x400 METER RELAY

Top 2017 Times

Notes – It could be tough for Dunlap to defend their state title in this event. They do have all four runners from last year that ran 3:55.99 for the win. The Eagles will have company with them. East St. Louis-Senior did not have Rokelle Stanley in their lineup last May, but still ran 3:55.62 to finish third in the 3A race. Three runners are back from that squad along with Stanley.

Rochelle returns their entire quartet that ran 3:58.92 to finish third in the finals. Their time should drop this season. LaSalle-Peru, who finished sixth last year, returns all their runners with the hop of finishing in the top three. Springfield Lanphier was disqualified in last year’s final, but did run 4:03 during the season and should be a team to monitor this spring.

Monticello and Rich South made last years finals and could repeat that. Eureka and Cahokia are some of the other teams to watch for.