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DS IL 2015 Track and Field Season Previews – 3A Boys Field EventsPublished by
New faces in 3A make the road to Charleston interesting
By Michael Newman
The one question that is common between all of the six 3A field events in 2015 is who will step to the top of the podium? In previews like this, there is always one athlete that you can pinpoint as a favorite in an event. Ja’Mari Ward is the poster boy for the 2A field events this same. The same can be said about Jon Davis in the 1A Boys distances. That is not the case in any of the 3A field events this season. All the 2014 champions have graduated and moved on. It’s time for some new faces to step up and write legacies of their own in 2015.
That is what will make the field events in 3A interesting this season. It is the improbability of who will be on top of the leaderboards in each event this season. One week, Rickey Hurley (Cary-Grove HS) could be on top of the leaderboard in the Shot Put. The following week it could be Kyle Hedge (South HS, Crystal Lake) that takes the top spot.
Here is a look at each of the six events that will be contested this season in the IHSA schedule.
Long Jump
2014 Top State Returnee – Elijah Douglas – SR – Crete-Monee HS – 3rd 3A
Preview – It was a classic finish when Jonathan Wells jumped 23- ¾ on his final jump to tie defending state champion Cole Henderson who had the same best distance. Wells won the state championship by having a better second jump. In the background, Elijah Douglas was having the best meet of his life jumping 23- ¼ to finish third. Douglas had improved at the right time last year improving more than a foot in the last month of the season. Douglas will be one of the athletes to watch in this event.
There are four athletes that finished in the top nine that are back. Mathew Fleming (Simeon HS, Chicago) was one of those surprise athletes last year. He caught the attention of the state when he won the Chicago Public League Championships with a 23-4 ¾ jump. He finished fifth at the state finals. Fontez Davis (Edwardsville HS) and Cameron Ruiz (Lakes HS, Lake Villa) finished 7-8 at last year’s state meet. Keep an eye on these two athletes this season.
Chico Jackson (North HS, Wheaton) jumped 23-5 ¼ has the best returning jump. He did that the beginning of April at the Wheaton North Best Four Invitational. He was not able to get over 22 feet the rest of the year failing to qualify for the state meet. Former Wheaton North state champion Zach Gordon also failed to make it to state jumping a PR 22-6 his sophomore year. Jackson is ahead of Gordon’s growth curve. We could see some great things from him this season.
Some other athletes to watch in this event over the course of the season include Antoine Davis (West HS, Belleville), Damare Portis (Bolingbrook HS), and Dylan Boye SR (Hinsdale South HS, Darien).
Triple Jump
2014 Top State Returnee – Chris Walker – JR – West Aurora HS – 2nd 3A
Preview – It only took one jump for Marcus Jegede to win the state championship last season due to an injury. Jegede did have to sweat it out on Saturday as Chris Walker moved from fifth in the prelims improving almost two feet in the finals jumping 46-11 ½ to place second. Walker had a great sophomore season. He was not on anyone’s radar at the beginning of last year. This year, he will be the athlete to beat in this event.
This event is wide open. Walker’s teammate Davion Cross, who finished eleventh last year, is the only finalist back in the event. It is also a young event. The top five returnees by performance all are underclassmen. Devontre Tincher (Edwardsville HS), Darshon McCullough (Marist HS, Chicago), and Zach Hogan (North HS, Downers Grove) will guarantee that this event will be interesting this year as well as 2016.
Some other athletes to keep an eye on in this event include Jimmy Jones (Palatine HS), Corree Harrell (Bloomington HS), and Keith Wilson (Libertyville HS).
High Jump
2014 Top State Returnee – Jamante Steward – SR – Hillside Proviso West HS – 4th 3A
Preview – This event is wide open. Only Jamante Steward is the only all-state athlete returning. Steward was consistently clearing 6-4 most of the season. It was at his sectional meet when he jumped 6-6. The following week at the state finals, he PR’d clearing 6-8 to finish fourth. That experience should give him the confidence to go higher in 2015.
Some of Steward’s competition will come within the West Suburban Silver Conference. Chris Wright-Madison (Oak Park-River Forest HS) also cleared 6-8 last year and could be one of Steward’s biggest competition. Teammate Kenny Brown could also challenge Steward. Quintein Jackson (Granite City HS), Alex Daubon (Homewood-Flossmoor HS), and Anthony Colangelo (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort) all cleared 6-7 last year and will be threats for the state championship. Charles Hudson (Lakes HS, Lake Villa), Peter Andreano (Minooka HS), Tyler Kirkwood (Waubonsie Valley HS, Aurora), and Devante Pearson (North HS, Wheaton) all cleared 6-5 in 2014. They are also capable of winning this event as well.
Pole Vault
2014 Top State Returnee – Andy Jatis – SR – New Lenox Providence HS – 3rd 3A
Previews – So who will take over the crown of the best athlete in the 2015 season now that two time state champion Luke Winder has graduated? Winder controlled this event the last two season especially last year when he broke the IHSA State Meet record of 17-3 as well as finishing second at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the middle of June.
The one athlete to keep a close eye on is Andy Jatis. Providence Catholic has a great vault program as evidenced by the all state performances by Chad Weaver in 2012 and 2013. Jatis finished third at state. He does have the best returning clearance (15-1).
Edward Smoliak (Highland Park HS) and Matt Contreras (North HS, Wheaton) are the only other all-state athletes back from last season. They could push Jatis higher. Ryan Pullara (Minooka HS), Ryan Ashenbremer (Normal West HS), Cooper Jazo (Lakes HS, Lake Villa), Jake Larocca (Palatine HS), and James Kubik (West Chicago HS) are some of the other athletes that I would watch during this season.
Shot Put
2014 Top State Returnee – Kyle Hedge – SR – Crystal Lake South HS – 3rd 3A
Preview – This is projected to be one of the best 3A field events this season even though Kyle Hedge is the only all-state athlete returning. Hedge was at his best last year at the state meet. He improved his outdoor performance over two feet at Charleston finishing third with a 58-5 ¼ put. Hedge has the best returning performance.
Rickey Hurley (Cary-Grove HS) did not qualify for the state meet. He finished fifth at the Huntley Sectional. He could be Hedge’s chief competition. He defeated Hedge twice during the regular season at the McHenry County Championships and the Fox Valley Conference Meet. Hurley’s best put last year (56-11 ¾) is the second best returning performance behind that of Hedge.
There were five athletes that are back that had performances of 55 feet or better last year. Ricky Nelson (West HS, Belleville), Isaac Jimenez (Huntley HS), and Dennis Gargovic (Niles West HS, Skokie) could go 58 feet or better this year. Lake Park has a tradition of great weight athletes. This year will be no exception. Mike Prestigiacoma, Chago Basso, and Dylan Schierich all were over 53 feet last year. It would not surprise me that Lake Park will have double all-state athletes in this event with possibly all three over 56 feet.
Adam Schaulfelberger (Lyons Township HS, LaGrange), and Ryan Mullen (Lakes HS, Lake Villa) are other athletes to keep an eye on this season. This event is wide open. Look for surprises this season in this ring.
Discus
2014 Top State Returnee – Ricky Hurley – SR – Cary-Grove HS – 2nd 3A
Preview – The Discus could be the better of the two weight events for Ricky Hurley. He was focused on it last year as he did not make it to state in the Shot Put. That might have been for the best as Hurley finished second in the state meet with a 176-7 throw. Outside of state champion Stephen Hubona, Hurley was probably the most consistent of all the athletes in this event. He was over 160 feet six times last season. His best throw was the week before state at the Huntley Sectional as he won with a 180-4 throw.
Mike Prestigiacoma will be Hurley’s chief competition. The Lake Park senior had a breakout season improving 21 feet from his previous best. He was over 160 feet seven times during the state season and ten overall. I t would not surprise me if he flirts at the 200 feet mark. He was fifth at last year’s state meet.
Hurley and Prestigiacoma were the only underclassmen that made last year’s final. The door of opportunity is wide open in this event for many athletes. Kyle Hedge threw 175-5 and is the only other athlete returning that was above 170 feet last year. He could be a threat for the state title. I would also watch for Ricky Nelson, Chago Basso, Kelvin Jones (Romeoville HS), Tyler Schiemann (Providence Catholic HS, New Lenox), and Brendan McKinnley are some of the other athletes that are returning. There is talent this year in this event. There are 13 athletes returning that threw 160 feet or better in 2014. More news |
