Stellar performances at UK HS Invitational lead a busy weekend for Illinois athletes

 

By Michael Newman

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With east coast states concentrating on state meets and the west coast schools migrating to the Simplot Games in Idaho, the focus meets for most of the others schools headed to the University of Kentucky Invitational on the spacious 300 Meter Tack of Nutter Field House. This was the meet of the weekend with 5 US #1’s achieved compared to the 3 #1’s achieved at Simplot. The Illinois athletes that traveled south to this meet lefy Kentucky with some goo early season performances.

 

Two time defending 3A Girls team champions Lincoln-Way East showed that they are ready to contend for their third straight state championships based on the performances from this weekend. The quartet of Ololade Ayoola, Asia Brown, Alexis Pierre-Antoine, and Kyndall Wallace all averaged between 58 and 59 seconds in finishing third in the 1600 Meter Relay. Their time of 3:56.16 (IL #1) is their fastest indoor time in the last three seasons. The performance is an omen of things to come when they get outdoors. Both Ayoola and Brown ran in the 400 Meter Dash with both achieving seasonal bests. Ayoola’s time of 58.12 is currently second fastest in Illinois in the event. Brown’s time of 58.27 is the state’s third fastest.

 

Ayoola also was busy in the High Jump. Along with teammate Julia Junkroski, both cleared 5-5 to finish 2^nd and 4^th respectively. Junkroski was also stellar in the Pole Vault. She cleared a season’s best of 12-0 to win the event.

 

Kathleen Young (Warrensburg-Latham HS) has traveled around the Midwest putting up some great performances in the Shot Put. She dominated at this meet putting up a personal best 47-9 ½ to win the Shot Put by almost five feet. At this pace, she could be chasing after Emmonie Henderson’s state record (50-9.5) in Charleston this May. Maya Neal (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville) was extremely busy at this meet competing in three events. Neal finished fourth in the Long Jump (17-7), sixth in the 60 High Hurdles (8.85), and ran 26.14 in the 200 Meter Dash. Her time in the 60 Hurdles is currently the best in Illinois.

 

Cassie Mundekis (Midwest Central HS, Manito) is setting herself up for a great senior season in the 800. Her PR outdoors was established last year (2:12.89) at the Festival of Miles. In Saturday’s race, Ersula Farrow (Oak Park MI) established a new nation’s best in winning the 800 (2:09.21). Mundekis finished third with an indoor personal best (2:13.12). That time is three seconds faster than she has ever run under roof. It will be exciting to see how fast she will go in the next couple of months.

 

The biggest surprise for an Illinois athlete goes to the race that Peyton Chapman (Bolingbrook HS) had in the 800 Meter Run. Chapman ran a personal best 1:56.94 to finish ninth. He is mainly known as a 400 Meter Run. Last year, he qualified for the state meet in the 400 Meter Dash. His best 800 was achieved his sophomore year when he ran 1:58.94 at the USATF Junior Olympics. This could be his event considering the closing leg speed that he has.

 

 

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The Troy Triad Invitational was cancelled due to the winter storm that swept through southern Illinois. There were a ton of smaller meets that produced some great performances. Here is a look at some of the meets that took place over the past weekend.

 

 

Big River HS Series Championship @ University of Missouri

 

You would think that traveling from Lexington, Kentucky to Columbia, Missouri would affect Kathleen Young (Warrensburg-Latham HS) in the Shot Put on Sunday. It was more of a preparation for the state meet in May. What a way to prepare. After setting a personal best at the UK HS Invitational on Saturday, she came to this meet to finish second behind national list leader Sophia Rivera (Brentwood HS MO). Young’s performance of 48-6 ¾ puts her #3 nationally. It also improves her personal best again close to a foot. Young also finished second in the Weight Throw also with a personal best 35-8 ¾.

 

Karissa Roman (Wethersfield HS, Annawan) won the High Jump (5-3 ¾) equaling her seasonal best. Jacob Sholl (Illini West HS, Carthage) finished third in the 200 Meter Dash (23.01) after finishing second earlier in the meet in the 400 Meter Dash (50.84, IL#4). Sholl’s teammate Blaze Murfin achieved a new indoor personal best (52-10 ¾)  as he finished second in the Shot Put behind the mammoth 67-4 US #1 performance of Willie Morrison (Leavenworth, KS).

 

 

Greg Foster Invitational @ Proviso West Field House

 

The sprint and hurdle events dominated this invitational. The 55 Meter High Hurdles was supposed to be an eafly season match-up between defending 3A state champion in the 110 Hurdles Antonio Shenault (Lake Park HS, Roselle) and Elijah Douglas (Crete-Monee HS). Shenault hurt his ankle in a pick-up basketball game. He was in a boot on his foot. His return is uncertain. That opened the door for Douglas. With Olympian Greg Foster in attendance, Douglas easily won the race (7.64, IL#1) by three tenths of a second ahead of Gamar Hayles (Rich Central HS, Olympia Fields). Douglas also produced the second best performance in the state in the Long Jump. The all-state athlete in this event won the Long Jump (22-8) by more than a foot ahead of De’Juan Ali (Central HS, Grayslake).

 

Franklin Hunt (Rich Central HS, Olympia Fields) barely won the 55 Meter Dash (6.54, IL#1) three hundredths of a second ahead of Johnathan Stokes (North Lawndale Prep, Chicago). Jack Curtis (Glenbard South HS, Glen Ellyn) was the meet’s other double winner. Curtis won the High Jump with a 6-4 clearance. He came back later in the meet to win the 200 Meter Dash (23.67). He also finished third in the 55 Meter Dash.

 

WWS Girls Invitational #2

 

Distances were the name of the game as DuPage Valley Conference rivals Naperville North and host Wheaton-Warrenville South faced off. Judy Pendergast (North HS, Naperville) dominated the 800 Meter Run winning by four seconds ahead of teammate Elly DeTurris. Her 2:20.27 time (IL #3) established a new school indoor record. Wheaton-Warrenville South teammates Sara Atkins and Emma Schroer broke away from Naperville North’s Jenny Gibson in the final 200 meters to capture the first two places in the 1600 Meter Run. Atkins ran 5:21.10 (IL #13) to finish just ahead of Schroer (5:21.95).

 

Neuqua Valley had a pair of double winners in this meet. Kenna Lonergan equaled her season best in the High Jump winning with a 5-6 clearance. She also won the 55 Meter Hurdles (9.40). Sami Miller was also a double winner running 62.76 in the 400 and 26.89 in the 200 on the tight turns of this 178 meter track.

 

Plainfield South Boys Invitational #1

 

Adam Coulon (Tri-Valley HS, Downs) continued his comeback after a year away from track clearing 15-3 to win the Pole Vault (IL #3). Up and coming sophomore Ryan Ashenbremer (Normal West HS) achieved a new personal best in the event clearing 14-9. Joseph Suarez (East HS, Plainfield) as another athlete making a comeback after missing most of last fall’s cross country season. He looked strong in winning the 3200 Meter Run (9:34.0, IL #3) by ten seconds ahead of Jon Klaiber (North HS, Naperville). Suarez came back to finish fourth in the 1600 (4:32.0). Kerry Gschwendtner (North HS, Naperville) held off John Partee (South HS, Plainfield) to win the 1600 Meter Run (4:25.2, IL#2). Plainfield South was dominant on their home track winning the 1600 Meter Relay (3:33.8, IL #5).

 

Proviso West Boys Meet #3

 

This series of Friday night meets at Proviso West was only supposed to have four teams. Seven schools were in attendance in a meet that had some good performances. The best belonged to Zach Dale (Conant HS, Hoffman Estates) when he made his season debut on the track in the 3200 Meter Run. Blake Evertsen (Central HS, Hinsdale) and Dale went through the first 1600 in 4:37. Dale broke away from the all-state sophomore opening up a five second lead. Dale cruised to a fifteen second win running a current state best 9:14.7. Evertsen recorded a personal best in finishing second (9:29.6, IL#2).

 

Pavlo Hutsalyuk (Lane Tech HS, Chicago) showed off some of his leg speed winning the 400 Meter Dash (52.9h). All-state sprinter Shandall Thomas (Schaumburg HS) was victorious in two events winning the 55 Meter Dash (6.3h) and the 200 Meter Dash (22.7h). Dan Lillard (Central HS, Hinsdale) stepped into the spotlight with a surprise win in the 600 Meter Dash (1:26.7) ahead of Ryan Clevenger (North HS, Downers Grove).

 

Downers North Girls Quad

 

This meet traditionally brings out some great distance performances especially when you bring distance powers Palatine, Glenbard West, and Downers Grove North together. Even though this meet is held on a 160 Meter Track, there were some great efforts. Palatine ran an IL #1 9:56.7 to win the 3200 Meter Relay thanks to a strong anchor by Kelly O’Brien. The Lady Pirates won by more than six seconds ahead of Glenbard West. O’Brien came back to win a great 1600 Meter Run in where three runners ran 5:12 or faster. O’Brien’s time of 5:07.3 (IL#3) was two seconds ahead of Lindsey Payne (Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn). Emma Moravec (Downers Grove North HS) ran a personal best (5:12.1) to finish third.

 

Cicero Invitational at York HS

 

Annie Zaher (Central HS, Hinsdale) ran the fastest time in the state in the 3200 Meter Run (11:08.80) to win by 32 seconds ahead of Naperville Central’s Ellie Marcet and Alana Austin. Zaher’s freshman teammate Grace McCabe was victorious in the 1600 Meter Run. Her time of 5:16.90 was six seconds faster than second place Elizabeth Hagstrom (York HS, Elmhurst).

 

DeLaSalle Invitational #2

 

Two state leading performances happened in this low-keyed meet Saturday. Anna Sloan (Trinity HS, River Forest) ran a state best 7.20 to win the 55 Meter Dash. Sloan doubled back to win the 200 Meter Dash (26.03). Jaimie Robinson (De La Salle Institute, Chicago) jumped 37-8 ¾ (IL #1) to win the Triple Jump. Last year’s 2A state champion in the short sprints Demoria Harris (Dunbar Academy) was a double winner in this meet winning the 55 Meter Dash (6.80) and the 200 Meter Dash (23.48).

 

Homewood-Flossmoor Boys Quad #2

 

This new facility continues to produce some great performances. Minooka last week ran 1:33.85 to win the 800 Relay last week at Proviso West. They were stronger at this meet running a state best 1:33.10 in winning the relay. Chris Hopkins (Minooka HS) ruled the sprints winning the 55 Meter Dash (7.21) and 200 Meter Dash (23.36). Close finishes ruled the day in two of the distance events. Justin Wolz (Minooka HS) nipped Matt Simpson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) by one hundredth of a second to win the 600 Meter Run (1:26.55 IL#2 – 1:26.56 IL#3). Tommy Kolacki (Lincoln-Way Central HS, New Lenox) ran 4:33.37 to win the 1600 Meter Run fourteen hundredths of a second ahead of Soren Knudsen (Minooka HS). Peter Andreano (Minooka HS) had a pair of top five performances in winning two field events. He won the High Jump (6-6, IL #3) and then the Long Jump (22- ¼, IL #4).

 

Glenbrook South Boys Meet #2

 

Bryce Richards (Mundelein HS) set a new David Pasquini Field House record Friday night. He ran 4:25.8 to win the 1600 Meter Run on a 160 Meter Track that does not allow spikes. Richards, who finished 2^nd in the 3A 800 at state in 2013, appears to be on track to do some great things in his senior campaign.

 

OPRF Boys Triangular

 

Kenny Brown (Oak Park-River Forest HS) was a triple winner in the Long Jump (21-6), Triple Jump (40-7 ½), and the High Jump (6-4). St. Ignatius teammates Daniel Santino and Kallin Khan produced top ten state performances in placing 1-2 in the 1600 Meter Run. Santino ran 4:29.0 (IL #6) to finish almost two seconds ahead of Khan (4:30.8, IL#8).

 

Lyons Township Boys Triangular

 

The weekend started on Thursday in this small meet in Western Springs with a state best performance. Adam Schaufelberger (Lyons Township HS, LaGrange) improved his PR two feet with a 55-6 performance in the Shot Put. He has come on strong in the last 12 months. His best indoors last year was only 46-7.

 

Homewood-Flossmoor Girls Quad #2

 

On Wednesday, 100 Hurdle state favorite Jayla Stewart (Homewood-Flossmoor HS) started her season over hurdles winning the 60 Hurdles (8.94) for currently the second best time in the state for the event.