IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championships - Class 1A Preliminary Session Highlights

Photo: Jadon Robertson could be on his way to multiple state titles leading 3 events after prelims.

By Michael Newman [email protected]

Charleston, Ill – Cowden-Herrick put themselves in position to win the school’s first state track championship Thursday afternoon at O’Brien Field. Jadon Robertson qualified in all four events that he won at his sectional meet. Daniel Lucas is the leading qualifier in the Shot Put and also qualified in the Discus.

Three schools put themselves in position for a run at Cowden-Herrick. Salt Fork and Newton both advanced seven while Pleasant Plains qualified six including three individuals and three relays.

The meet was delayed for close to two hours due to thunderstorms that hit the Charleston area. Runners were lined up for the second heat of the 1600 Meter Run when they were pulled off the track.

Robertson could win four events on Saturday especially the way he looked during this prelim session. He was one of 14 athletes to qualify in the High Jump all clearing 6-2. Robertson leads after the Long Jump after his jump of 22-4.5 in the second round.

The hurdle events that Robertson was in was just as impressive. He led all qualifiers in the 100 High Hurdles winning the final heat in 14.53. Jackson Kern of Auburn (14.86) and Daryl Okele of Judah Christian (14.90) were the only in the heats to run under 15-seconds.

Winds played a part in the 300 Meter Hurdles as storms started to approach the area. Robertson still ran the only time under 40-seconds as he ran 38.90 to win his final heat. Gage Smith of Shelbyville (40.03) and Kern (40.19) will be his closest competition winning their heats.

“We knew today would be a tough day. We just had to come in focused,” Robertson said after his day was complete. “I came around the last corner and that wind stood me up.”

Daniel Lucas did his part for Cowden-Herrick leading all qualifiers in the Shot Put. He took the lead at the end of the first round with his 59-10.50 put. Chris Boyd of Tuscola is the closest to Lucas with a third round put of 57-2.25. The next closest is Garrett Taylor of Salt Fork who has a 52-7.50 best. Lucas currently stands in ninth after the prelims of the Discus with his best of 147-7. Grant Milbrath of Pecatonica is the prelims leader with a 164-3 throw. Jacob Rollins of Auburn is a close second (163-0).

Tony Philips of Bishop McNamara also did what he needed to do to defend his state titles in both the 100 Meter Dash and the 200 Meter Dash. Phillips did not have his best start in Heat 3. The sophomore did catch the field at 40-meters and pulled away to run the day’s fastest time of 10.72 to win his heat. Tyreke Fortney of Peru St. Bede came close to Phillips running 10.80 to win Heat 5 setting up a great final on Saturday.

It should be Philips and Fortney facing off again in the 200 Meter Dash. Phillips won his heat (22.17) with the fastest prelim time. Fortney won the second heat with a 22.21 time.

The 800 Meter Run prelims produced two heat winning times under 1:56. Beau Edwards of Arcola took the pace out in Heat 1 in 61.1 for the first lap. The pace picked up dramatically on the second lap as he closed in under 56 seconds in winning with a 1:56.97 time. Ryan Hendrickson of St. Thomas More (1:57.11) and Daniel Winkelman of Harvest Christian Academy finished second and third both qualifying for the Saturday finals. Hendrickson’s finish was amazing considering this was his second time ever running this race. His first race was a week ago where he qualified for state finishing second running 2:01.65. This race was a four second personal best.

“I usually play the outfield for my school in baseball,” Hendrickson said. “I have been to state to my sisters run when I was younger. It kind of rubbed off on me.” Now his sisters Marguerite and Lexy can watch their little brother run on Saturday.

Eli Mojonnier of Bismarck-Henning is defending his state title in this event and will do on Saturday as the top seed. Mojonnier controlled the second heat pace throughout running a personal best of 1:55.84 to win the race. Tyler Bickerman of Rushville-Industry (1:57.20) and Seth Hamerski of Bluford Weber (1:58.33) also qualified.

Julian Aske of Beacon Academy hung off the pace in Heat 3 letting Reece Butcher of New Berlin lead the way. Aske took the lead with 200-meters left in the race, then held off Thomas Harmon of Elmwood to win with a two second personal best of 1:55.99. Harmon finished second (1:56.25) as six runners qualified for the finals from that heat. Harmon had a great prelim helping his team qualify in the 4x8 and also making the final field in the 1600 Meter Run.

The rain delay may have helped the second heat of the 1600 Meter Run. Miles Sheppard of Hamilton-West Hancock set the standard in the first heat taking the lead from the start, running a 62 second opening lap, and easily won his race with a 4:25.49 time. Bryson Grant of Iroquois West finished second (4:28.69).

Ryan Hardiman and Akili Parekh of Latin School along with Tommy Murray of Riverdale pushed the pace out hard in second heat taking advantage of the near perfect conditions after the storm. Hardiman pushed the pace throughout never giving up the lead. He closed the race with a final 61 second 400 to run a personal best and hold off a charging Murray in the process. Hardiman ran a personal best of 4:18.96 while Murray was also under 4:20 with also a personal best of 4:19.79. Parekh ran 4:22.16 to finish third. Issac Teel of Pinckneyville ran 4:23.95 to hold off Kieran Subra of Lycee Francais de Chicago (4:24.90) to win the third and final heat in this event.

Harvest Christian Academy won their heat and had the fastest time to qualify to the finals in the 4x800m Relay. Daniel Winkelman ran a 1:57.25 anchor leg to give his team the win with an 8:13.71 time. Elmwood ran 8:15.46 to finish second in that heat with the third fastest time overall. Rockford Christian will challenge these two teams in the final. The Royal Lions pulled away from the pack in the third heat to run a seasonal best of 8:13.97. Newton ran 8:19.97 to win the opening heat. It should be a close final on Saturday with the top eight teams within six seconds of each other.

The 4x100m Relay produced some fast times with the nine qualifiers all within eight tenths of a second of each other. Salt Fork displayed some good workmanship in their handoffs winning the opening heat with an overall fastest time of 43:08. Winnebago ran 43.22 to edge Lena-Winslow (43.44) to win the second heat. Both teams advanced to the finals. Decatur St. Teresa won the third section (43.42) edging DuQuoin (43.68) and North Mac (43.88). All three teams are finals qualifiers. Pleasant Plains won the final section (43.46) ahead of Chicago Christian (43.88).

Winnebago ran the fastest 1A time this year of 1:28.26 in the final heat to lead all qualifying teams in the 4x200m Relay. Pleasant Plains finished second in that race (1:30.25) and is the closest team to Winnebago. Lena-Winslow is third as they ran 1:30.30 to win their heat. Salt Fork (1:30.53) and North Mac (1:31.12) were the other heat qualifiers automatically qualifying for the finals.

Winnebago followed up their 4x2 top time with another top time with this one on the 4x400m Relay. Bago won the final race of the prelim session with a 3:25.47 time holding off Eureka (3:28.61) and Byron (3:29.07). Newton (3:26.49), Pleasant Plains (3:27.25), and Decatur St. Teresa (3:27.93) were the other heat winners.

Three runners went under 50-seconds in the 400 Meter Dash prelims. Zach Powell of Pleasant Plains, who had the fastest sectional time entering the Thursday prelim, ran a 1A leading 49.50 to win the final section. Max Allen of Arthur-Lovington had the second fastest time in the event running 49.83 to win the first section. Cannon Lambert of Harvest Christian Academy (49.92) and Bjorn Carlson of Rockford Christian (50.59) were the other heat winners.

Defending 1A champion Ridge Willard of Bloomington Cornerstone Academy led 14 other athletes in qualifying for the Pole Vault in qualifying on Thursday. 13 of the 14 qualifiers cleared 13-9.

Brian Lindsey of Athens leads after the first three rounds of the Triple Jump. His third round jump of 43-1.75 extended his lead ahead of Adam Santana of Rockford Christian (42-6.25) and Harrison Guo of Maroa- Forsyth (42-3.5).