Boys track: Scouting Fox Valley area Class 3A sectionals
Fox Valley area Class 3A boys track and field teams embark on the road to Charleston Thursday when sectional competition takes place.
The Elgin Area School District U-46 schools and Dundee-Crown head to the West Aurora sectional.
South Elgin junior Jaurice Thomas has his eye on a state berth in the 200. He's run as fast as 22.2, while returning state qualifier Shawn Griffin is looking to get back in the 100.
The Storm's 400 relay team of Griffin, Thomas, sophomore Dominique Woods and senior Marshawn Lewis also will run the 800 relay. South Elgin coach Anthony LaRue said a stacked sectional field in the 400 means the Storm 400 squad will likely have to hit the state-qualifying standard to extend their season.
Discus thrower Kenny Bradley need a 6-foot personal record to hit the state standard, while Jarin Davis along with Bradley has provided outstanding leadership, LaRue said. Larnell Brown is 4 inches off in the high jump. "We have high hopes for our guys and are preparing them well," said LaRue.
Bartlett's Bryce Petty has run as low as 21.74 in the 200. He's also part of the Hawk's 400 and 800 relay teams. The 400 also features Nolan Bernat, AJ Santori and Harris Ross, while Bernat, Santori and Justin Sowinski round out the 800. Dan Danek has hit 150-11 in the discus this spring.
Elgin coach Drew Smith has been impressed with distance runners Brandon Copeland and Logan Jostes, as well as senior Jordan Smith in both hurdles races and the long jump.
Youthful Larkin's best hopes at West Aurora, coach Nate Williams said, rest in the relays. "We will likely not load all three relays (400, 800, 1,600)," he said. "Whichever one gives us the best chance to pop a good time will be what we concentrate on."
Streamwood's Jelyn Hill set the school record in the high jump this spring at 6-6, while conference champion Brian Adkins has placed in the triple jump in every invitational the team has gone to. Adkins has lowered his 200 time to 22.64.
"In the 200 the field is stacked with state qualifiers and talent. If Brian can stay with the front-runners I believe it can carry him to a state appearance," said Streamwood coach Dylan Lau. "Jelyn has had a great season. If he continues to jump the way he has throughout the season, he should be jumping next weekend at state."
Dundee-Crown's Kiwi Seals won Fox Valley Conference titles in both the high jump (6-5) and triple jump (45-11 ½). Milik Dunner has run 10.85 in the 100 and 22.15 in the 200. Coach Mike Richardson added D-C's 800 relay team of Dunner, Austin Garand, Lavonte Jones and Austin White has gone as low as 1:31.04 and could get to the 1:29.64 state standard. "They are a very talented group, but they have not had many opportunities to run together because of injuries," he said.
Jacobs, Cary-Grove, Huntley and Crystal Lake South are off to Rockford Guilford for sectional competition.
Coach Jim Rolando's Huntley squad has a host of individuals who have already hit state standards or come close at some point this season. Rolando said throwers Isaac Jimenez (shot and disc), Tim McCloyn (discus) and Chase Burkart (shot) have the opportunity to give the Red Raiders double qualifiers in both events. Other state hopefuls include Keagan Smith in the 1,600, Seth Conroy in the 3,200, Brennan Bell in both hurdles and Connor Boos in the 100 and 200 (owns school records in those events). Rolando also is high on the Huntley 400 relay team, but said injuries have prevented him from making a decision on a final lineup. Huntley went with Donnie Young, Brendan O'Donnell, Aasem Awwad and Boos at the FVC meet and that quartet won the conference title in a meet-record 42.56.
"The sectional is loaded in all those events, but good competition can bring out some good performances," he said.
Rolando added the race for the sectional team title will be a competitive one. "I think we are in the hunt along with Jacobs, Cary-Grove and Grant," he said. "Jacobs and Cary-Grove have the top-end guys who easily could win them five to six events each. We have great depth, but it's hard to catch points on teams that can win that many events at a sectional."
Rolando said to keep an eye on the distances races at Guilford. "All of the distance races could be pretty epic," he said. "There are two of the top six 800 guys in the state, three of the top 12 1,600 guys and at least 6 guys who have run under qualifying time in the 3,200. The sprinters get most of the press, but the fun could be watching the distance guys."
Jacobs won six events at the Fox Valley Conference meet with Patrick Shannon (long jump), Josh Walker (100 and 200) and Matt Goldby (800) winning individual crowns. The Golden Eagles also won league titles in the 3,200 and 800 relays. Jacobs took second in the other two. Shannon, the 400 and 800 relay teams posted school-record efforts at the conference meet. Walker had the school's top FAT marks in both sprint races as well.
"We think we have a shot to qualify a good number of individuals and each relay also has a shot," said Jacobs coach Jason Borhart.
Cary-Grove also has high hopes on a number of fronts. Senior Ricky Hurley finished second in the state last year in the discus and has his eye on qualifying in both throws.
Senior Michael Saxon, a two-time hurdles and 1,600 relay state qualifier, recently set a new personal record of 14.57 in the 110 highs.
Junior Robbie Gleeson has run an impressive 50.21 in the 400. He'll be joined in that event by sophomore Ryan Magel. Gleeson also was part of Cary-Grove's 1,600 state relay team last year.
The other two components of that 1,600 relay are seniors Jeff Yokup and Daniel Speer. The 1,600 team has gone as low as 3:21.05 this season. Speer also was a state qualifier a year ago, while Yokup was an alternate. Last year's 1,600 team took ninth in the state, one place out of a medal. "They are on a mission this year," said Cary-Grove coach Layne Holter.
Crystal Lake South thrower Kyle Hedge is one of the best in the state in each event. He's gone past the state-qualifying mark in both events at every South meet this season and holds Gator all-time benchmarks of 59-9 1/2 (shot) and181-3 (disc).
Jon Prus is close to state time in the 800 (1:57.67 vs. 1:57.24), as is Jack Becker in the 3,200 (9:31.21 vs. 9:29.04). The South 3,200 relay team of Prus, Justin Miller, Doug Cain and Tommy Melone went 8:01.32 at the FVC meet and qualifying time is 7:58.02. Becker's 3,200 effort at conference set a new school record.