By Michael Newman

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If the first full weekend of outdoor track meets in Illinois is any indication of what this 2015 season has in store for us, we are in for a great couple of months. So many Illinois athletes elevated themselves to the top of national lists this past weekend.

 

Here is a look at some of the top meets that took place in and out of Illinois that had our home state athletes involved in. The recap of the Belleville West Boys Invitational can be found here.

 

 

Arcadia (CA) Invitational

 

Illinois distance athletes stepped up in a big way in this meet including the spotlight race of the meet the Boys Invitational 3200 Meter Run. There was not a dramatic negative split action as in past 3200’s at this meet. Robert Brandt (Loyola CA) decided to push the pace early in the race trying to break away from the talented pack opening up a four second lead after the first three laps. Jesse Reiser (McHenry HS) and Zach Dale (Conant HS, Hoffman Estates) bided their time towards the front of the pack waiting for someone to step up the pace.

 

No runner stepped up as the pack went through the 1600 in 4:28 two seconds behind Brandt. That gap stayed that way as the pace slowed down to 68 second laps. The pack swallowed up the lead of Brandt with 600 meters to go. Still, it was hard to see who would take the lead and the win. Reiser positioned himself at the front of the pack putting himself in great shape. Dale was close on his shoulder. As they spun out of the final turn, Reiser took command. Caleb Webb (Big Bear CA), Elijah Armstrong (Pocatello ID) and Dale pushed in symmetry down the final straight away. It was Reiser’s final surge in the last 20 meters that made the difference. Reiser won the race in a new personal best and national lead in the event (8:52.00). Dale, who was boxed coming out of that final turn placed fourth also with a personal best (8:52.66). Reiser and Dale’s last 800 was covered in 2:07. The last 400 was just under 60 seconds.

 

Kevin Salvano (Buffalo Grove HS) ran evenly going past the 1600 in 4:32. He lowered his PR down six seconds to 9:04.79 to finish 20^th in the race. Ryan Clevenger (North HS, Downers Grove) ran a seasonal best 9:19.86 in the same race.

 

There were plenty of other performances by Illinois Boys runners in the 3200 at this meet. On Saturday evening, Graham Brown (Palatine HS) lowered his PR down to 9:11.66 in the 3200. Blake Evertsen (Hinsdale Central HS) led a pack of great performances Friday night running 9:14.39. Just behind him were Connor Horn (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville) in 9:16.79 and Sammy Oh (Stevenson HS, Lincolnshire) in 9:18.75. Both Horn and Evertsen came back Saturday morning in the 1 Mile Run. Horn finished fourth in his race running an IL #1 and personal best 4:18.83. Evertsen finished fourth in the Emerging Elites 1 Mile Run with a 4:23.30 time.

 

Neuqua Valley sent a contingent of five Boys athletes to Southern California with some high expectations. They left turning in some great performances. It started on Friday evening in the 3200 Meter Relay. The Wildcats were in eighth place when they handed the baton to Ty Moss for the anchor leg. Moss ran a 1:51.00 anchor leg to move his team up to fourth place and the state’s fastest time (7:52.74). Moss came back Saturday to run in the Invitational 800 Meter Run. The pace was tactical as Moss was with the leaders in a slow 58 second first 400. The pace picked up with the Neuqua senior running a 54 second final lap finishing third with a state and seasonal best (1:52.30). Zac Espinosa was also entered in an individual race finishing third in the seeded 400 Meter Dash (48.54. IL #2). The two were part of their team’s 1600 Meter Relay at the end of the night. Neuqua Valley finished fourth in the race with Moss running a 48+ anchor split (3:18.21, IL #1)

 

Yorkville brought four runners out to California and competed in two relays. The Lady Foxes ran the state’s best time (9:22.59) to place ninth in the Invitational 3200 Meter Relay. Two hours later, the same quartet (Alexis Grandys, Summer Pierson, Julia Schultz, and Skyler Bollinger) ran another state best 21:11.07 to finish tenth in the 6400 Meter Relay. Bollinger was back on the track in the 1 Mile Run Saturday Morning. She ran 5:27.61 to finish 12^th in her race.

 

Abby Kargol (Downers Grove South HS) was towards the back in the blazing fast 3200 Meter Run Invitational race. She still left for Illinois with a personal best (10:45.53) and the second fastest time in the state for the event. Her teammate Michaela Hackbarth finished sixth in her 800 Meter Race, but also ran 2:14.01 for the state’s best time so far outdoors.

 

Maya Neal (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville) had the lead after six events of the two day Heptathlon Thursday and Friday. She ran 2:29.80 in the final event, the 800 Meter Run, to finish third overall. Neal had a great two day competition starting with an IL #2 14.58 in the 100 Hurdles. After a 4-11 ¾ clearance in the High Jump, she finished third overall in the Shot Put (35-10 ¾) before finishing her first day finishing third overall in the 200 Meter Dash (25.34) with the state’s fourth best time so far this year. She started Friday with a 17-10 ¾ fourth place finish in the Long. Jump. She took the lead after she threw 116-9 to finish fourth in the Javelin.

 

 

Springfield Southeast Spartan Invitational

 

East St. Louis-Senior won the team championship scoring 77 points in this 20 team field. Area rivals Springfield Southeast (60 points) and Springfield (58 ½ points) finished second and third. Jamari Drake (Southeast HS, Springfield) had a big day winning the High Jump clearing 5-8 ½ (IL #1, US #13). Teammate Lunden Henry cleared 5-4 to finish second. Aailah Herron (East St. Louis-Senior HS) dominated both weight events winning the Shot Put (41-0) and the Discus (132-7, IL #5). Remy Amarteifo (Evanston Township HS) won the 100 Meter Hurdles (14.87) with teammate Alexia Harvey finishing a close second (15.05). Host Springfield Southeast captured two of the four contested relays. The Spartans won the 800 Meter Relay (1:43.98, IL #2) just ahead of Bloomington (1:44.23, IL #3). They captured the final event of the day, the 1600 Meter Relay, running 4:00.67 (IL #2) finishing almost three seconds ahead of East St. Louis-Senior. Bloomington won the 400 Meter Relay with the state’s 2^nd best outdoor time (48.76).

 

 

Homewood-Flossmoor Girls Invitational

 

Barrington stole the show in the other big Girls invitational of the weekend in the state running away with the two level meet scoring 218 points. Rock Island was a distant second place with 117 points. The Fillies showed that they could contend for a trophy at Charleston in May with strong performances in this meet. They won a power packed 800 Meter Relay (1:43.05, IL #1) finishing ahead of relay powers Rock Island, Kankakee, and Homewood-Flossmoor. They also won the 1600 Meter Relay (3:55.11, IL #1) more than five seconds ahead of indoor list leader Lincoln-Way East. Addison Coy played a big part of that relay as well as winning the 400 Meter Dash (58.39, IL #5) ahead of Imani Davis (Lane Tech HS, Chicago) and Asia Brown (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort). Barrington received two more wins by Jada Jones in the Long Jump (17-8 ½) and Jocelyn Long in the 1600 Meter Run (5:14.01, IL #13).

 

The sprints were powerful in this meet. Host Homewood-Flossmoor ran the state’s fastest time (48.22) in winning the 400 Meter Relay ahead of rival Lincoln-Way East (48.78, IL #3). Asia Brown established herself as one of the early season favorites winning the 100 Meter Dash (12.35, IL #7) ahead of Antoinette Broughton (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) and Tyjuana Eason (Kankakee HS). Eason came back to win the 200 Meter Dash (25.38) eleven hundredths of a second ahead of Nina Hodges (Barrington HS). Jayla Stewart ran an IL #1 14.40 to win the 100 Hurdles ahead of Tineja Foy (Crete-Monee HS).

 

 

Metamora Co-Ed Invitational

 

While Andre McGill was having a standout day in Belleville, Brett Charlton (Eureka HS) started off his outdoor season with strong performances in the sprints. He won the 100 Meter Dash (10.94) twelve hundredths ahead of Will Moore (Metamora HS). The two faced off again in the 200 Meter Dash with Charlton coming out again on top (22.18 – 22.73). Moore did win the 400 Meter Dash (50.20, IL #13). John Mangold and Jake Gillum gave Metamora a 1-2 finish in the 800 Meter Run with Mangold winning (1:58.50) by two tenths of a second. Gillum came back to win the 1600 Meter Run (4:30.10, IL #19) by more than two seconds ahead of Eli Hill (University HS, Normal). In the Girls side of the meet, Sharon Mainor (Central HS, Champaign) was a double winner in the 100 Meter Dash (12.64) and 200 Meter Dash (26.10). Chante Stonewall (University HS, Normal) had a great double win capturing the 100 Hurdles (15.38) and the 400 Meter Dash (58.50, IL #6). Courtney Manning (Normal Community HS) was also a double winner taking the 300 Hurdles (46.80, IL #9) and the Triple Jump (35-4). Teammate Brooke Catherine started off her outdoor season winning the Pole Vault (12-0, IL #1). Normal Community also had a double winner in the distances with Danielle Beckstead winning the 800 Meter Run (2:26.0) and the 1600 Meter Run (5:25.6).

 

 

Downers Grove South Girls Invitational

 

Lindsay Graham (Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn) and Alexa Haff (Hinsdale Central HS) did not compete in individual events but the distance events still were good in this early season Girls Meet. McKenzie Altmayer (Geneva HS) won the 3200 Meter Run (11:10.02, IL #7) ahead of Grace Rogers (Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn). Freshman Grace McCabe (Hinsdale Central HS) won the 800 Meter Run (2:19.49, IL #7) less than a second ahead of Kathryn House (Loyola Academy HS, Wilmette). House’s teammate Caroline Zaworski ran a personal best 5:07.96 to win the 1600 Meter Run. Reilly Revord (Hinsdale Central HS) was almost three seconds back in second place. Emma Haugen (Lyons Township HS, LaGrange) started off her outdoor season winning the High Jump (5-6, IL #3) and the Triple Jump (38- ¾).

 

 

Gans-Zeedyk Invitational @ Niles West

 

Jake Hoffert (Yorkville HS) and his brother Luke pushed each other to a 1-2 finish in the 3200 Meter Run with Jake ahead of his brother by five seconds (9:19.92, IL #9 – 9:24.97, IL #10). Connor Boos (Huntley HS) controlled the sprints winning the 100 Meter Dash (11.02) and the 200 Meter Dash (22.13). Huntley’s 3200 Meter Relay, anchored by Keagan Smith, won the 3200 Meter Relay (8:09.39, IL #7). Plainfield East captured both the 400 Meter Relay (43.01, IL #6) and the 1600 Meter Relay (3:26.00, IL #8).

 

 

Hinsdale Relays

 

Oak Park-River Forest looked strong coming off of their WSC-Silver Indoor Championship winning this meet (157 points) ahead of conference rival Lyons Township. The Huskies captured all four state contested relays. They won the 400 Relay (43.0) ahead of Lane Tech. They came back to win the 800 Relay with the state’s best time (1:29.16) so far this season. OPRF won the 3200 relay (8:04.8) more than five seconds ahead of JS Morton Township. In the last event of the night, the two teams faced off again with Oak Park finishing two seconds ahead (3:25.07 – 3:27.23). Plainfield Central, with Kahmari Montgomery a part of the quartet, won the 1600 Sprint Medley (3:37.1, IL #1). The closest relay of the day was Lyons Township winning the Distance Medley by a second ahead of Lane Tech. The Lions also won the 6400 Meter Relay (18:06.70, IL #1).

 

 

Lincoln-Way Central Lady Knights Invitational

 

This non-team scored meet produced some good performances. Judy Pendergast (North HS, Naperville) won the 800 Meter Run (2:18.30) two seconds ahead of teammate Jenny Gibson. Claire Hamilton won the 1600 Meter Run (5:10.46, IL #5). Naperville North’s 3200 Relay ran the state’s second fastest time in winning the 3200 Meter Relay (9:39.56). Christina MacNab (Providence Catholic HS, New Lenox) started her outdoor season on a good note winning the High Jump (5-5, IL #4).

 

 

Metea Valley Girls Invitational

 

Holly Julifs (Metea Valley HS, Aurora) had a low keyed indoor season but came out strongly in the Discus. She won the Discus (152-0, US#7, IL #1). She finished second in the Shot Put behind teammate Courtney Morgan’s winning 40-1 (IL #8) put. Meagan Biddle (Hoffman Estates HS) completed a strong distance double winning the 3200 Meter Run (10:58.81, IL #3) winning by 10 seconds ahead of Dakota Roman (Batavia HS). She came back to win the 1600 Meter Run (5:13.57, IL #9) by five seconds ahead of Emma Stephens (Batavia HS). Oswego had a pair of double winners. Natajah Simmons won both the 100 Meter Dash (12.75) and the 200 Meter Dash (25.99). Princess Shodipo won both the 100 Hurdles (15.98) and the 300 Meter Hurdles (48.67). Nicki Cast (Metea Valley HS, Aurora HS) ran a seasonal best 2:17.99 (IL #3) to out distance Alondra Aguirre (Hoffman Estates HS) by less than two seconds.

 

 

Wheaton North Best Four Invitational

 

In the distance tough WSC-Silver conference, Glenbard West sometimes is left in the shadows. They came on strong last fall finishing fifth in the 3A state cross country meet. Their distance crew looked strong in their first outdoor meet. Ben Hecht won the 800 Meter Run (1:56.01, IL #3) two seconds ahead of John Partee (Plainfield South HS). Jake Jaskowiak won the B section of the event (1:58.62). Chris Buechner won the B section of the 1600 Meter Run (4:28.68). It was the fastest time of the meet. Paul Christian won the 3200 Meter Run (9:51.10) two seconds ahead of Josh Toby (Naperville Central HS).

 

Lake Park dominated the weight events. Mike Prestgiacoma won the Discus (179-8, IL #2) while teammate Chago Basso won the B section of the event (167-8, IL #5). In the Shot Put, Dylan Schierich won the A section of the event (56-5, IL #5). Ben Moore (Wheaton North HS) swept the sprints winning the 100 Meter Dash (11.00) and the 200 Meter Dash (22.51). Plainfield South ended the meet winning the 1600 Meter Relay (3:23.86, IL #4) winning by more than three seconds ahead of host Wheaton North.

 

 

Centralia Annies Invitational

 

Dominique Lewis (Centennial HS, Champaign) started off strongly in her final outdoor season with some defining performances. She won the 100 Meter Dash (11.68, IL #1) ahead of Mariya Hudson (Cahokia HS) who also ran under 12 seconds in the race (11.95). Lewis came back to win the 200 Meter Dash (24.57, IL #1) once again of Hudson (24.66, IL #2). Hudson did come back to win the 400 Meter Dash (57.37) three seconds ahead of Charde Golliday (Mt. Vernon HS). Hudson also competed in the Long Jump winning that event (17-2 ½). Belleville East swept the relays winning all four events.

 

 

Shelbyville Girls Open

 

Amanda McClain (Sullivan HS), Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony HS, Effingham), and KD Young (Warrensburg-Lathan HS) were in the spotlight in this Friday night meet. McClain won three events capturing the Long Jump (17-6), the 400 Meter Dash (58.17, IL #3), and the 200 Meter Dash (26.43). KD Young continued her winning ways in the weight events. She won the Shot Put (46-1, IL #1 - US #10) ahead of Cassidy Osborne-Butler (Mt. Zion HS) who had a season best (42-7, IL #3). Young came back to win the Discus (137-11, IL #2). Anna Sophia Keller looked strong winning the 800 Meter Run (2:19.96, IL #10) and the 1600 Meter Run (5:06.29, IL #2).

 

 

Deerfield Invitational

 

Great performances were all over the place in this small meet. Kyle Hedge (Crystal Lake South HS) swept the weight events winning the Shot Put (57-3, IL #3) and the Discus (155-8, IL #11). Chris Douglas (Deerfield HS) swept the hurdles winning the 110 (14.60) and the 300 Hurdles (39.36, IL #4). Douglas’ win in the 110 Highs was only nine hundredths of a second ahead of Timmy Brundidge (Grant HS, Fox Lake). John Roberts (Zion-Benton HS) won both the 100 (11.22) and 200 Meter Dash (22.50). Sophomore Thomas Mosley (Zion-Benton HS) won the 800 Meter Run (1:58.17, IL #7) just ahead of Charles Nash (Deerfield HS). Nash did win on his home track winning the 1600 Meter Run (4:33.96).

 

 

Gary Johnson Bulldog Relays

 

Lauren Van Vlierbergen (Jacobs HS, Algonquin) ran the state’s fastest time in the 1600 Meter Run (5:05.02) winning the race by close to 20 seconds. Van Vlierbergen also was a part of her team’s winning 3200 Meter Relay (9:43.30, IL #4).

 

 

East Moline Kiwanis Invitational

 

Josh Eiker (Galesburg HS) once again amazed the crowd in the Quad Cities showing his sprinting range this time in the 400 Meter Dash. He dominated an event that he was competing in for the first time running a state best (48.39) and winning by more than four seconds.

 

 

York Boys Triangular

 

A small triangular usually does not bring a ton of attention. When a state’s best performance along with top 20 national mark happen, then we need to stop and listen. The Palatine school record in the Pole Vault at the beginning of the year was 14-9. That was already broken by Jake Larocca when he cleared 15-3. He improved his personal best and school record in a big way when he cleared 16-6 (IL #1, US#11). He makes the event just a little more interesting now as we head towards the state meet. Charlie Kern (York HS, Elmhurst) won the 1600 Meter Run (4:22.9, IL #4) just ahead of sophomore Brian Leonard (Palatine HS) who ran 4:24.1 (IL #5). Kern’s 1600 time is the second fastest freshman time nationally.