Lancers looking good so far
CHARLESTON -- Lake Park's Dan Block, the discus state record-holder and reigning champion, could finally breathe easy.
After fouling on his first two attempts, the junior slowed his tempo and threw the disc 176 feet on his third and final attempt.
"That was probably my favorite throw of the year so far," Block cracked after his preliminaries at Friday's boys state track and field meet at Eastern Illinois University, which ran more than three hours behind due to five separate thunderstorm delays.
"When it was raining I kind of got frustrated and just basically psyched myself out," said Block, who enters today's finals behind only Waubonsie Valley's Brett Einbecker, at 182 feet, 1 inch. Block enjoyed what he said was his best day in shot put, leading the field at 63-3¾.
With Block in the finals of both throwing events, Greg Haugh among 14 pole vaulters who cleared 14-3 and Greg Watson reaching the 800 finals -- along with Benet's Alex Gasick, Wheaton North's Graham Farnsworth, Waubonsie Valley's Sean Wiggan, Wheaton Warrenville South's Randall Babb and Willowbrook's Jeff Stapleton -- Lake Park could net some points.
East St. Louis advanced 11, however, high in Class AA. Two-time defending champion Cahokia and York both have seven finalists, followed by Lincoln-Way East, Springfield Lanphier and Wheaton North each with six.
"I'm shocked," Wheaton North's Ken Collier said of qualifying in the 100, where he joins York's John Fox. "I didn't think I was going to make it. And it came down to like the last 2, 3 meters. Somehow I got to the finals. So I'm shocked."
York had its 800-meter relay disqualified on a faulty exchange, but otherwise the Dukes hold promise for a fourth straight state trophy.
"We've got four out of our five sprint races qualified, so hopefully we're sitting pretty," said York's Nico Perrino, who ran on the 400 and 1,600 relays. "Hopefully, we can get it done tomorrow. Hopefully, there's no mistakes."
The bad news for Neuqua Valley, and track fans in general, is Stanford-bound senior Chris Derrick, who ran the fastest sectional times in both the 1,600 and 3,200, has been diagnosed with mononucleosis. He was scratched from Friday's 1,600 and is highly doubtful for today's 3,200, though he was on the scene at O'Brien Stadium.
"We have not scratched him from the 3,200 meter yet, but all of our advice is just to not run. We want his health to be of first importance right now," said Wildcats coach Mike Kennedy.
The Wildcats' good news was Sam Wildeman advanced in pole vault with a personal best of 14 feet, 3 inches. After struggling with lower heights, Wildeman's successful first try at 14-3 was met by loud cheers by his parents, sister and grandfather.
"It's something that I knew I could do, but I just haven't done it yet," Wildeman said of breaking the 14-foot barrier. "So today was just the day that I finally did it."
In Class A, where Carlinville and Herrin produced a respective 11 and eight finalists, neither Lisle nor Immaculate Conception's relays caught fire. Driscoll's Jeremy Wilk, however, advanced in the 800 as did teammate Pierre Washington-Steel in the 100.
After weather-related fits and spurts, Washington-Steel let fly with a time of 11.06 seconds.
"I had to warm up over and over again," he said. "Then they'd say, 'Delay, 30 minutes,' and we'd go back inside, rest for a little bit, warm up again."