ILXCTF.com 2022 IHSA Boys Track & Field Previews - 3A Distances

By Michael Newman [email protected]

There is a time for championships. There is a time for running fast. Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central experienced both of these during his sophomore season. The championships finished in two races in the 3A State Finals. Watcke hung in the pack for the first lap passing that point in 59.8. He took the lead in the final 200-meters running 54.5 for the final 400 in running 1:54.24 to claim the state title. Watcke came back at the end of the meet running 48.33 to help Hinsdale Central win the state title in the 4x400m Relay.

His fast running came in two meets. Watcke ran a personal best of 1:52.72 to win at Distance Night in Palatine. He finished his season by running the fastest time for an Illinois High School sophomore runner winning the 800 at Hope Academy at the end of June in 1:50.34. Sean Torpy ran 1:47.95 to set the Illinois all-time best in 2016. We could see Watcke get close or go past that time in the next two years.

Micah Wilson of St. Charles East is the defending champion in the 3200 Meter Run and could look to try the double in that race and the 1600 Meter Run. The talent is so deep as it usually is in Class 3A. We should see times faster than what we saw in 2021.

Here is a look at the three individual distance events that will take place in Class 3A this season.

3200 Meter Run

Notes – The top three finishers in last year’s state finals are back led by state champion Micah Wilson of St. Charles East. Wilson took the lead with two laps to go in the state finals to run 9:11.71 for the win three seconds ahead of Luke Wiley of Warren Township and another two seconds of Spencer Werner of Loyola Academy. Wilson closed in 2:06 for the final 800 of that race. The St. Charles East senior returns with the second fastest state time (9:09.14). Nick Falk of New Trier did not have his best race in Charleston last June finishing eighth. Falk does start the season with the fastest returning time (9:03.28) performed at Distance Night in Palatine last May.

Werner could be a runner to keep an eye on this spring. He came on strong at the end of last year earning all-state honors in both the 3200 Meter Run and the 1600 Meter Run. He suffered a stress fracture that prevented him running in last November’s 3A State Meet. If he gets back healthy this spring, he should be a factor in both events.

Declan Tunney of Sandburg will be a threat in this event running 9:19.75 during last year and finishing sixth in the state race. The senior finished fifth last November leading his team to a state championship. He could do some big things again in this track season.

One runner to keep an eye on this spring is Ryan Watts of Edwardsville. The senior ran 9:10.79 at an indoor meet last March at Gately Park showing that he was ready to go for the outdoor season. An injury forced him from racing last spring. Watts finished eighth last fall in Peoria. He should be pushing for some fast times this 2022 season.

Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South is a runner that I would keep an eye on this spring. Neumann was ready to go for last year’s outdoor season running 9:15.94 at an indoor meet towards the end of March. He suffered a leg injury that forced him to miss most of the outdoor season. On little training, he came back to qualify for state just missing all-state by finishing tenth which if you think about it is pretty amazing. Neumann did not have the race he wanted in November placing 32nd at Detweiller Park. He should be driven to do some big things this track season.

There are a number of athletes that could stake their claim at an all-state finish this May. Roy Lewellyn of Downers Grove North built off a successful track season with a better fall cross-country season. He did not run this event at state last year. He could be a factor in the event if he chooses to run it. Ethan Forsell of Oswego, Joey Furlong of Barrington, and Michael Atkins of Wheaton-Warrenville South all ran times under 9:30 last season and could be running under 9:20 by the time we get to the state series. Runners to also keep an eye this season include Gabe Ryan of Naperville North, Caden Simone of Lincoln-Way Central, York’s Jeff Luka and Ethan Summer, Sandburg’s Trent Anderson and Brock Rice, and George Cahill of New Trier.

800 Meter Run

Notes – There should be no such thing as a lock when you write a preview. Injuries can happen. Health issues may occur. Anything can happen during a season. When watching Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central run this event last year, you can see why this junior is the closest thing to a lock that you could see.

Watcke was undefeated last year which included running the fastest time ever for an Illinois high school sophomore (1:50.55). He enters the season with the fastest returning time by more than five seconds.

Two other runners are back that earned all-state honors in this event in 2021. Ryan Schreiner of Wheaton North did not make the fastest final section at state. He still ran 1:55.73 to win his section and finish fourth overall. His time will drop this year. How much faster he gets will be interesting to see. Brian Hiltebrand of Glenbrook South finished fifth last year and could be a surprise in this event. He missed most of last fall’s cross-country season suffering from iron deficiencies. He appears to be 100% healthy to enter this year. Let’s see how fast he runs.

Byron Jones of Belleville East did make it to state last year but finished 18th in the state finals. He rebounded in a summer meet in July running a personal best of 1:55.89. Jones is someone I would keep an eye on this season.

There is plenty of depth in this event. There is room for new faces to jump into the spotlight. The fact of running prelims again at the state meet might change the ideas of doubles from this event and the 4x8. Some of the runners that I would keep an eye on include Logan Veloz of East Moline, Brett Wasick of Bolingbrook, Michael Polizzi of Taft, Emerson Fayman of Minooka, Nick Rohlwing of Neuqua Valley, and Garrett Schwan of York.

1600 Meter Run

Notes – This is a mystery event as it was a year ago. There was no clear favorite heading into the Saturday finals. It was Jacob Myers who dropped a 58.2 final 400 slipping around Luke Schildmeyer and Nicolas Dovalovsky in the final 100-meters to capture the state crown.

Three all-state runners are back. Luke Wiley of Warren Township doubled back from the 3200 Meter Run to finish sixth overall. He came back the following week to run 4:10.95 on his way to finishing second at Magis Miles with a 4:12.32 time. Wiley’s season has already started. He has run 4:18.11 to win at a meet at Gately Park in January.

Injuries during the fall could motivate three athletes in this event. Spencer Werner of Loyola Academy did not run at Detweiller Park due to a stress fracture. He did finish last spring in style finishing fourth at state after placing third in the 3200 Meter Run. He followed that up the next week by diving at the line to win Magis Miles by four hundredths of a second ahead of Wiley.

Marcellus Mines of Joliet West suffered an injury in last year’s sectional race. The following week at Detweiller Park tried to push through the injury but had to drop out just after the mile. Mines finished sixth last spring at state as a freshman with a 4:16.92 best. It will be exciting to see what he runs this spring. He showed great improvement last fall before his injury. The same holds true for Ethan Summer of York who suffered an injury during last fall’s state series and tried to give it a go for his team. He collapsed at the finish line in pain. He did not run this event last year at state. He did run 4:18.59 for 1600-meters at Magis Miles the following week. He is a runner that I would keep  an eye on.

There is quite a selection of great runners that are back that ran sub 4:20 in 2021. Micah Wilson of St.. Charles East, Nick Falk of New Trier, Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central, and Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South could all be factors at this distance if they choose to race at state in this event.

Some of a big group of runners I would keep an eye on this spring includes Brock Rice of Sandburg, Riley Newport of DeKalb, Zachary Balzer of Minooka, Roy Llewellyn of Downers Grove North, and Paul Proteau of Riverside-Brookfield.