West Chicago duo headed to state

West Chicago’s Jeff Foreman is returning to the boys state track and field meet in the high jump.

But Foreman said he “had the time of my life” in the 300-meter intermediate hurdle race in Friday night’s Class 3A Bartlett sectional at Streamwood’s Millennium Field.

Literally, as Foreman ran a personal-best 39.54 seconds to finish fifth in a race where the top six runners advanced to next weekend’s state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

“I’m just speechless,” said Foreman, whose previous best in the 300 hurdles was 41.32. “I never expected to go at least for two.”

West Chicago has two competitors going to state as Gunnar Sterne qualified by taking second in the 800 in 1:55.72.

Foreman took eighth in state last year in the high jump and cleared 6-5 on Friday to finish second to Conant’s Ben Bowers. He cleared 6-8 at the DuPage Valley Conference indoor meet and went 6-7 to take third at the state indoor meet but had struggled during the outdoor season.

“I felt good all day coming up to it,” Foreman said. “The past week I felt good about how I jumped and felt better about the hurdles.”

Rob Mohr of team champion Batavia won the 300 hurdles in 37.58. Foreman edged Bowers, who finished seventh in the state in the event last year.

“That pumped me up,” Foreman said of the high jump. “I had never beaten Bowers before, and I know he’s a great hurdler.”

Sterne took a brief lead in the stretch of the 800 before finishing just behind Jake Mazanke of St. Charles East. Sterne’s previous best was a 1:56.

“My strategy was to stay second for most of the race and try to outkick him, but he’s a good runner, too,” Sterne said. “I’ve been trying to go (to state) the last three years. Last year I was close and this year I really trained hard.”

Sterne just missed qualifying in the 1,600 as he took third in 4:25.61.