Marmion Academy picked up five points in the 4x800 relay with a 7:55.48 clocking
2A-
-Only one of the final power rankings proved true in the end for the trophy winners. To be fair, though, several of the top teams derailed themselves in the preliminary section. Top-ranked Rich Central finished 4th and did not have a 4x1 relay. They were the top seed by nearly a half-second, but unfortunately, a dropped baton doomed the Olympians.
Seth Groom gets it started-
Marmion Academy senior Seth Groom was a person of interest in the jumps coming into this season. Last year Groom took second place in the triple jump which was an instant signal of his desire to move up one spot. The corresponding undefeated indoor season later led to a date with junior Andra Ward of Cahokia. Jumps is an event that Cahokia has done well in if not dominated over the past decade or so. Groom took only one jump and it landed 48-1.25. Some thought this was a mistake in the prelims. But Ward was not connecting well in his attempts and that's all the Groom camp needed. Groom had to contend with the high jump in which he placed second to Austin Rauch (Sr., Clinton) who with a 6-10 clearance. Groom jumped 6-9. Back in the pit, Groom put the finishing touches on the triple with a 48-3.5 (-1.7)- the best in the state of Illinois. Meanwhile, Ward could only muster 46-11 which allowed him to hold on to second... the long jump win seemed like a minor letdown from the naked eye because Groom was the only class winner not to break 24-feet. Plus, he won by nearly a foot.
Timing was everything for Mahomet-Seymour senior pole vaulter Callan Whitehouse who equaled his indoor personal best 16-0. It was no contest as the favorite Jack Pompe of Dunlap had to settle for 2nd with a vault of 15-3.
Sophomore Hunter Hendershot of Mahomet-Seymour excelled on finals day in the shot put with a six-foot increase to stun the favorite Austin Klokkenga of Dunlap with a personal best 60-3.25. Look for Hendershot to emerge as the next great shot putter in the state.
On to the track for action-
Normal University split up its distance crew to achieve maximum team effort. The Pioneers 4x800 gambled by not running its top two runners Matt Zacharias and Jared Schuckman. Coach Lester Hampton inserted anchor senior Harris Porter to get the job done. He got the stuck about dead even with several teams. He opened up the gap quickly and rolled home with a 1:56.6 split. As for Schuckman, he swept the 800 (1:53.87) and 1600 (4:19.97).
Defending 400m champion senior VanHarvey Vance of Rich Central placed 2nd in 48.80 and later came back to win the 200 in 21.98.
Senior Solomon Wilson-Smith of Tinley Park knew that a state title was the only way to prove that his efforts over the past several years were for real. It was easy work for the SIU bound Wilson-Smith who smashed the field in a wind-legal 13.98.