ILXCTF.com 2022 IHSA Boys Track & Field Previews - 1A Field Events

By Michael Newman [email protected]

The 1A Field Events have four state champions defend their state championships. Ridge Willard of Bloomington Cornerstone Christian Academy will have his eye on defending his title in the Pole Vault and perhaps clearing 16-feet this spring. Jadon Robertson of Cowden-Herrick will defend his title in what will be a loaded High Jump. Robertson also placed third in the Long Jump in 2021 and will be one of the favorites in that event.

Robertson’s teammate Daniel Lucas surprised some last June by winning the Shot Put. He did qualify in the Discus but did not place. He could be a surprise in the event but will have to get past defending state champion Garrett Taylor of Salt Fork.

Here is a look at the six field events that will take place this spring in Class 1A.

Long Jump

Notes – This event once again will be tight with five all-state athletes coming back. Kaden Feagin of Arthur-Lovington finished second last June and leads this field. Jadon Robertson of Cowden-Herrick surprised some in the state meet by finishing third. He won’t be a surprise if  he wins this season.

Luke Jelderks of Chicago Christian, Cabott Craft of St. Thomas More, and Kaiden Droste of West Central all return with all-state honors. Any of these three athletes could leave Charleston with a state championship. Craft has the top returning performance in this event (22-2.5).

There are nine athletes back that went past 21-feet last spring. That is a factor on why this event will be tough and we could see some strong performances to keep an eye on by the time we get to the state series. Alex Girardin of Liberty, Ja’Kyan Shankin of Athens, Chase Helvey of Gillespie, and Given Siegel of Seneca are some of the athletes to keep an eye on in this event.

Triple Jump

Notes – This horizontal jump event in Class 1A could have any thing happen in 2022. Three all-state athletes are back. The top five athletes returning all went past 42-feet in 2021. Ja’Kyan Shanklin of Athens finished fifth last year and leads the pack. Mason Kooi of Springfield Lutheran and Joey Iaccino of Pinckneyville finished seventh and eighth in Charleston and will be the main guys that will chase after Shanklin.

Jake Sarver of Warrensburg-Latham, Keagan Newton of Stark County, and Brian Lindsay of Athens went past 42-feet last season and will aim at the state title or at least top five finishers. Jade Schutt of Yorkville Christian, Joey Gelander of Oregon, Joe Kerner of El Paso-Gridley, and William Leighty of Riverdale are some of the athletes to also watch for.

High Jump

Notes – A loaded event where every all-state athletes from last year are back. Jadon Robertson of Cowden-Herrick came away with the state title by managing the extreme hot conditions the best. Drew Hurelbrink of Macon Meridian went undefeated last spring up to the state meet including clearing a 6-8 personal best in his sectional. He finished third in Charleston and will be aiming this May for a state championship. Karson Lewsader of Georgetown-Ridge Farm finished second at state and will be one of the many athletes that will be a factor.

Jake Sarver of Warrensburg-Latham, Cameron Crow of Litchfield, Ty Brachbill of Shelbyville, Skylar Drolema of Morrison, Trelin Smith of DuQuoin, and Sterling Stotts of Camp Point Central were all state last year and again will be in the mix for a top nine finish. Trenton Coulter of Mercer County, Trevor Heffren of Eureka, and Matthew Beltran of Forreston are some of the jumpers to watch during the season.

Pole Vault

Notes – The experience is here in this event with six all-state vaulters returning. All eyes, however, will be on Ridge Willard of Bloomington Cornerstone Academy who will look to defend his state championship. Willard cleared 15-feet twice last year. His best of 15-1 came when he claimed the state title. He had been around the 13-0 to 13-6 range the first two years of high school competition. Last year he improved by more than a foot. A 16-foot clearance may be on his horizon this 2022 season.

None of the other athletes cleared 14-feet outdoors last year. Four athletes back had clearances of 13-feet or better. Charlie Gentle of Maroa-Forsyth, Ivan Favila of Urbana University, and Jeffrey Sharp of Auburn were all-state last year and appear to be the chief challengers to Willard.

Max Beyers of Shelbyville, Gannon Stork of Flora, Charlie Terry of Rushville-Industry, Parker Holdorf of Erie-Prophetstown, and Rob Gentle of Maroa-Forsyth are part of a group that have their eyes on a state meet top nine finish.

Shot Put

Notes – There was hardly anyone that expected that Cowden-Herrick’s Daniel Lucas would win the state title in the shot except perhaps himself, his coaches, and his family. Lucas entered the ring in Charleston with the fourth best sectional performance. He responded by achieving a new personal best by more than two feet (54-11.75). He should go past 55 feet easily this season. The question is how far he will put that shot?

Four other athletes that earned all-state honors also are back. Chris Boyd of Tuscola and Jacob Rollins of Auburn are the only other athletes back went past 53-feet and will challenge Lucas for the top spot. Garrett Taylor of Salt Fork and Grant Milbrath of Pecatonica were also all-state and could challenge for top three finishes.

Blake Orwig of Stark County and Colton Robinson of Carlinville had bests over 49-feet will have their eyes on all-state finishes.

Discus

Notes – Defending state champion Garrett Taylor of Salt Fork is the top returning athlete in this event. Taylor as a sophomore last year threw 166-2 in the third round to capture the state championship. His best throw of the year was 170-11.5.

Daniel Dominguez of Oregon in seventh, and Jacob Rollins of Auburn in ninth, are the only all-state athletes back in this event for the 2022 season. Chris Boyd of Auburn finished in the top 12 at state, but also returns with the second-best distance (161-3.75).

There are nine athletes total that had bests over 140-feet that are back. Jake Anderson of Pecatonica, Brock Trimble of St. Joseph-Ogden, Taylor Smith of St. Anthony, and Blake Orwig of Stark County are athletes to watch for in the ring when we get to Charleston this May.