Boys get their kicks in successful track and field sectional

It was an intriguing 800-meter run at the boys Class 3A Glenbrook South sectional track and field meet on May 19.

Glenbrook South's Brian Hiltebrand, fifth in the event at the 2021 state finals, took it out in the lead. Glenbrook North's John Ihrke followed him closely through the first 400 meters.

Ihrke fell back, but then Hiltebrand had to hold off New Trier's Patrick Jamieson, who challenged with about 150 meters to go.

Hiltebrand defeated Jamieson's move. Then into the picture came a boy in red.

From somewhere back in this "fast section" of these 11 runners, Deerfield's Evan Morris moved on up and crossed the line in second place behind Hiltebrand, both seniors qualifying for the 3A finals next weekend in Charleston.

For Morris, if his race plan isn't broke he's not going to fix it.

"I just needed to keep myself in it," he said.

"My last two races have been really good. At (Lake) County I came from the back and got the win, just like today, and at (the Central Suburban League North) conference last week I got the win going out in a 60 (-second first lap) and closing in a 59, just hanging on and then out kicking them," he said.

"So I just wanted to stay with it and trust my kick. I might have to get out a little harder, but it's been working."

Among a very strong group, Morris competed in a heat of seven athletes who at some point this season had run the 800 meters in under 2 minutes. Morris' time of 1 minute, 58.46 seconds ranked 11th of 20 in the Class 3A field of qualifiers, with only the St. Charles North sectional remaining to fill the entries for the May 27 preliminaries.

"I really was not great at running, but I came through this year," said Morris, part of a Deerfield cross country squad that placed second in Class 2A last fall.

"I just had a great winter. At the end of the indoor season I had a bit of a foot problem and I took 10 days off in the middle of the year, which was a risky thing to do, but it seems like it's helping me out."

Deerfield and Warriors coach Ryan Brown also saw senior sprinter Carson Amstutz qualify in the 200-meter dash.

A race that, like the 100 dash and 110-meter hurdles, was reversed on the John Davis Stadium track to avoid an 11-mph wind into runners' faces, the fastest 13 finishers in the 200 all ran season-best times.

Amstutz, finishing behind Prospect's Sean Beihoffer and Glenbrook South's Noah Shapiro, ran the distance in 22.08 seconds, a new school record.

Amstutz was among five state qualifiers in the 200 at Glenbrook South, the most of any event.

Qualifying to the state meet as a freshman or sophomore is a huge advantage for future seasons. Learning the Charleston protocol - from staying in the Eastern Illinois University dorms or a nearby hotel, getting proper nutrition, hydration and rest amid the time schedules and temptations of a "road trip" - can be a lot.

That's all before even arriving to O'Brien Stadium with hundreds of other boys for Friday's preliminary heats.

Highland Park sophomore Lukaas Nales will gain that valuable experience after qualifying in the 400 with a third-place finish at 49.85 seconds. He'd run faster than 50 seconds twice as part of the Giants' 1600-meter relay team, but Friday was the first time he'd done it in the open 400.

Like Morris, Nales almost takes his successful finishing kick for granted. In a section that offered four runners who had previously gone under 50 seconds in the event, Nales couldn't afford to lay back.

"Usually I don't get out too hard, so I made sure this race I got out hard, because I'm always able to finish strong," he said.

"The kick's always very important to me, but it comes to a point where I'll let off in my first 200 just to get a good kick. And I don't think that's a good idea."

With that St. Charles sectional remaining, Nales also was in the middle of the pack of state-bound Class 3A 400-meter runners. Competing alongside the best in the state, regardless of how well he does, the Highland Park sophomore will benefit from the experience on and off the track.

Nales was happy, and proud, of his accomplishment.

"I'm excited," he said on the infield at Glenbrook South. "It's going to be scary, but ..."