Burlington Central's Ege inks NIL to Stanford

Burlington Central senior boys' track standout Lucas Ege made his bright future official Thursday.

Ege, the defending Class 2A 300 hurdles state champion, signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his career at Stanford University.

"It's something I was sure about for awhile but it's nice to get it done with and be 100 percent there," he said. "I've always been of the opinion that track would be the medium to get me to a greater academic school."

Ege said he had debated between Stanford, Harvard and Penn.

"The location there (at Stanford) is perfect," Ege said. "It's amazing. It's one of the things that attracted me the most."

But before Stanford, Ege has some more fun to partake in at the high school level.

"I'm planning on taking the 300 hurdles and seeing how far I can get," he said. "My goal, and some people have laughed when I mention it, is to get into the 35s (35 seconds) and break the overall state record and get close to the national record. My goal would be the national record. I'd like to get it but I don't know."

Ege, who also took third in the state last year in the 110 highs, went a personal record 37.3 in the 300s when he won the state title last year. "My specialty coach believes its possible. It would help if there was someone next to me running in the 36s. There's a chance."

Ege, who plans on studying computer science at Stanford, said his biggest advancement since last year has come in the preparation department.

"Since state last year I've been lifting and running regularly - doing all the stuff to prepare myself for this season," he said. "I feel a lot faster this year. Hopefully that translates back into the hurdles and I think it is. I ran 42 or 43 seconds last year in the first outdoor meet and this year I did 38."

For the rest of the Rockets, coach Mike Schmidt's group fared well at the Illinois Prep Top Times indoor meet. While no scores were kept, Schmidt said Central would have been a distant second to Cahokia. All 12 Central athletes who went to the state indoor meet medaled.

Central then won 9 of the 18 events at the Les Hodge Batavia invitational. Ege won the 110s in 14.95 and the 300s in 38.7.

Schmidt also was thrilled with the 400 relay team's first-place effort of 3:27.7 with a group that included Brad Sorensen, Kyle Neubauer, Nick Harvey and Ege.

Hampshire boys update: Injuries have not been kind to the Hampshire boys track team thus far.

The Whip-Purs have been without Jake Oury (top distance runner), Manny Hartsfield (top triple jumper), Javan Baker (top 800 runner) and Alex Solomon (hurdles, 400 and 800 relays).

Hampshire recently took second at a meet at Crystal Lake Central. Douglas Stuehler won the triple jump, Andy Pederson won the 300 hurdles and Alex Wheeler won the shot put. At a meet at Cary-Grove, Douglas Stuehler was fourth in the long jump and triple jump. This is Struehler's first year doing the triple.

Coach Joe Watzlawick has been pleased with Pederson (42.0 in the 300 hurdles) and Roberto Urizar (56.0 in the 400). Devontae Johnson and Tre Hicks have been key in relays and other events, the coach said. Elijah Stewart and William Matushek also have made strides.

Hampshire girls update: Hampshire coach Patti Nihells said her squad has been working hard at gelling the relays as well as improving in the field events.

Hampshire's 3,200 relay is down to 10:00.8. Other Whip-Pur stars so far include Morgan Richert (11:45 in 3,200), Nikki Dumoulin (33-4 triple), Rebecca Freund (9-0 pole vault), Dallas Krueger (5-2 high jump), Jackie Pytel (5-0 high jump), Elizabeth Evans (2:26 in 800) and Natalia Sztukowski (2:28 in 800). Krueger also helps Hampshire in both hurdles races.

Crystal Lake South boys update: The Gators are thriving in the throwing events. Kyle Hedge won the Prep Top Times indoor shot title at 57-10¾. He's also gone 155-8 in the discus, while Thomas Mroz has gone 49-0 in the shot and 132-6 in the disc.

Other standouts for South so far include freshman Jack Becker (9:58.5 mile in first race this season), Jon Prus (800, 1,600) and Matt McCarthy (42.99 300 hurdles and 39-10 ¼ triple jump), as well as the Gators' 3,200 relay team (8:23 opener outdoors). Coach Rich Eschmann is hoping the relay can go down to 8:14 this weekend.

Crystal Lake South girls update: Kianna Clark set the school record in the shot put at the recent Huntley invitational with a 38-7 effort, while Natalie Boorom won the 300 hurdles in 46.7. The South 800 relay team won at Huntley in 1:49.

Coach Matt Dunker also has been impressed with distance runner Kiley Britten (Seton Hall signee) and Cecilia John, who the coach said has taken her work ethic to the next level this spring. She's working the long jump for the first time this season.

Elgin girls update: Elgin recently took second in a quad that also included Larkin and Bartlett. Abby Pierre-Louis won the 200 (28.1) and 100 (13.1). Freshman Alanah Dawson is long-jumping more than 14-5, while Nikki Zimmer has been a workhorse and has gone 53.0 in the 300 hurdles and 1:05 in the 400. Captain and team leader Megan Alexander has run 65 seconds in the 400. "This team is a group of really nice girls and good students who want to get better. It's all I can ask for," Elgin coach Dave Borg said.

Harvest Christian update: On the boys' side, senior Jake Adams (6th in the 3,200) and sophomore Michael Sisko (10th in the 3,200) are both coming off strong indoor state meet performances. Brett Cramer high-jumped well indoors.

On the girls' side, Valerie Richter (5th in 800), Kylee Knox (60 hurdles), Rachel Higbee (11th in 3,200) and Nygia Pollard (13th in 3,200) all competed in the indoor state meet and comprised the 1,600 relay team that took 12th.

Freshmen Andrew Dobrescu and Connor Seals have been improving in distance events for the boys' team, while freshman Rayna Steiner and sophomore Amy Wikrent are two underclass athletes showing promise on the girls' side.

Dundee-Crown boys update: Coach Mike Richardson noted Austin Garand (110 hurdles) and Kiwi Seals (triple jump) have been making progress with Garand setting a new personal best in his event (16.1). Freshman Lavonte Jones has helped D-C in the 200 where he ran a 23.40 recently at the varsity level. "Everyone on the team works hard from the No. 1 guy to the No. 75 guy on the team," Richardson said. "They all strive to be better, support each other and don't set limits for themselves."

Huntley boys update: Isaac Jimenez and Chase Burkart in the throws and Connor Boos in the sprints have been big bright spots for the Red Raiders thus far.

Coach Jim Rolando also called out the performance of junior Trevor Dell'Aquila in the 400.

"Trevor is awesome to have on the team because he is so versatile in what we can put him in," Rolando said. "He understands his various roles on the team. That's the perfect kind of track athlete and team member."

Streamwood boys update: Junior Jelyn Hill broke the school record in the high jump with a leap of 6-6. Brian Adkins (triple jump), Robert Douglas (PR 4:45 in mile), Jarod Adaya (3 straight PRs in 800) and Dylan Munoz (mile) also have excelled. Munoz is the cousin of girls' running standout Gabby Juarez.

Jacobs girls update: Caleigh Walsh has already improved her personal record in the long jump by 8 inches, while Samantha Savage beat her 200 PR by 2 seconds. Rachel Holstein is consistently high jumping 5-0 and 5-1 and recently learned the triple jump. Ally Orth, a sophomore, has opened eyes in the sprints.

South Elgin girls update: Standouts thus far for the Storm have been Bridgette Williams (shot, 1,600 relay, Emalee Smith (long and triple jumps), Ann Mikulecky (pole vault), Lisa Derowski (1,600 relay, 800), Kennedy Wells (1,600, 200) and Caroline Muller (high jump). Emily Berry, Lindsay Alvarado and Sydney Lusco also are on the upswing for coach Jorie Bartholomew's squad.

South Elgin boys update: Jaurice Thomas recently won the 100 title at the Schaumburg invitational, while Larnell Brown took home the triple jump crown. Thomas is in his first year on the team and already clocked an 11.2 in the 100. Brown is a transfer from Streamwood who previously was doing hurdles. Junior Isaiah Carpenter has clocked 53.0 in the 400 and figures to be a consistent scorer for the Storm. Sophomore Dominique Woods also has impressed coach Anthony LaRue.