What a weekend in Illinois. With amazing marks all across the track (and field), it can be easy to overlook how deep all the distance races were this week.
Here are some brief highlights from the article (I would read the whole thing though if I were you).
-8 guys under 9:30
-New IL#1,2,4 in the Girls 3200 and 2 more girls join the sub 11 club
-10 guys under the national elite standard of 2:00.20 for the first time this season.
-IL#2,3,4 and 5 in the Girls 800m
-Jamison Dale runs 4:17 with four guys running 4:20 as well
-IL#1 in Girls 1600m with a shocking time from Courtney Acerkman. Sixth best freshman time in the nation.
-New IL#1 and 2 in the Girls 4x800 –with Palatine and WWS being capable of a low 9:20 in theory
Starting with the boys 3200, Nolan McKenna gets the top time from the weekend. The junior from WWS dropped his season best and PR down by a little over half a second this weekend, winning the Dupage Valley Conference by a dominating 23 seconds. Teammtes Scott Milling and Alex Mimlitz fought hard for the York Dukes, finishing first and second raking up 18 points for the team. Their times of 9:23 and 9:26 put them at second and fifth fastest times of the weekend. A name we have to mention is Marcelo Burbano. The Lane Tech senior who is commited to Illinois State won the Gene Armer Invite in a time of 9:26.36, a PR, beating Marc Maton. Burbano was only 29th at the state cross meet and coming into the race had season bests of 4:35 and 2:00.
Boys 3200 Meter Run
1. 9:18.24, Nolan McKenna, Wheaton-Warrensville South, DVC Indoor Championships
2. 9:23.91, Scott Milling, York, WSC Boys Conference Championships
3. 9:25.36, Marcelo Burbano, Lane Tech, Gene Armer Invitational
4. 9:26.11, Billy Thomas, Hoffman Estates, MSL Indoor Invitational
5. 9:26.52, Alex Mimlitz, York, WSC Boys Conference Championships
6. 9:26.71, Zach Dale, Conant, MSL Indoor Invitational
7. 9:27.57, Benjamin Eaton, Downers Grove North, WSC Boys Conference Championships
8. 9:29.94, Billy Magnesen, Hinsdale Central, WSC Boys Conference Championships
9. 9:32.50, Jesse Reiser, McHenry, Lake Michigan Invitational
10. 9:33.07, Marc Maton, Chatam-Glenwood, Gene Armer Invitational
I just love these Fisher/Perez duals. It seems like these two took note of Skyler Bollinger’s tactics as they darted out fast using a fast pace to propel them to great times. York’s Emma Fisher went on to run a new IL#1 and the 15th fastest time in the nation (including 2 mile conversions). Madeline Perez, two seconds back, puts herself in 18th nationally. The person in between Fisher and Perez on the national leaderboard – Foot Locker Champion Anna Rohrer. Talk about being in good company! While those two performances were amazing, its only fair to mention some other girls that deserve credit. Kaylee Flanagan posted a solid 10:49 at her conference meet, winning by well over 30 seconds. Two more girls joined the sub-11 club, Emily Brelsfoard and Ellie Palacios. This moves the total up to 8 girls under 11 in the state! With only 49 girls under that barrier nationally, Illinois is truly one of the best states for that event.
Girls 3200 Meter Run
1. 10:26.06, Emma Fisher, York, WSC Girls Conference Championship
2. 10:28.18, Madeline Perez, Glenbard West, WSC Girls Conference Championship
3. 10:49.09, Kaylee Flanagan, Lake Park, Upstate 8 Indoor Championships
4. 10:53.78, Emily Brelsfoard, Normal West, Big 12 Indoor Invitational
5. 10:59.12, Ellie Palacios, Mundelin, Lake Michigan Invitational
6. 11:02.43, Lindsay Graham, Glenbard East, DVC Indoor Championships
7. 11:08.66, Elly Deturris, Naperville North, DVC Indoor Championships
8. 11:09.12, Kimber Meyer, Naperville North, DVC Indoor Championships
9. 11:13.78, Caroline Kurdej, Schaumburg, MSL Indoor Invitational
10. 11:17.21, Jessica Lincoln, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
This is the first week that we had ten guys under the national elite standard of 2:00.20. Evanston’s Carl Klamm takes the top time in the state, running 1:57.60 to win his conference meet convincingly. Alex Bashqawi also dipped under 1:58, clocking a 1:57.60 to take the victory at West Suburban Silver. These times put them third and fourth in the state as indoors winds downs.
Boys 800 Meter Run
1. 1:57.60, Carl Klamm, Evanston, CSL South Indoor Invitational
2. 1:57.94, Alex Bashqawi, York, WSC Boys Conference Championships
3. 1:58.08, David Cerney, Barrington, MSL Indoor Invitational
4. 1:58.32, Nick Vucovich, Fremd, MSL Indoor Invitational
5. 1:58.82, Pavlo Hutsalyuk, Lane Tech, Gene Armer Invitational
6. 1:59.55, Ed McCarter, Lyons Township, WSC Boys Conference Championships
7. 1:59.56, Brandon McKay, West Aurora, DVC Indoor Championships
8. 1:59.79, Jack Peters, Glenbard East, DVC Indoor Championships
9. 2:00.01, Alan Martinez, West Aurora, DVC Indoor Championships
10. 2:00.18, Kyle Hatton, Grant, Lake Michigan Invitational
Another great event this weekend – the girls 800m produced IL#2,3,4, and 5 this weekend. The top time went to Glenbard West’s Emma Reifel who dropped her season best down to 2:15.73. The future badger also clocked in at 42.73 in the 300m. I am a huge fan of what they are doing at Wheaton-Warrensville South. It seems like every week their girls are chipping away at their times contuining to get better. McKeena Kiple started at 2:20 on 2/16, followed it up with a 2:17 last weekend, and 2:16.37 this weekend. Jessica Ackerman ran a 2:17 to easily win her conference meet.
Girls 800 Meter Run
1. 2:15.73, Emma Reifel, Glenbard West, WSC Girls Conference Championship
2. 2:16.37, McKenna Kiple, Wheaton-Warrensville South, DVC Indoor Championships
3. 2:17.00*, Jessica Ackerman, New, Trier, CSL South Indoor Championships
4. 2:19.27, Cassidy McPherson, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
5. 2:19.91, Courtney Clayton, NIC10 Conference Championships
6. 2:20.49, Allison Farnsworth, Wheaton North, DVC Indoor Championships
7. 2:20.66, Maddison Zimmer, Delavan, Lady Wildcat Indoor Invitational
8. 2:21.34, Ali Gutt, Schaumburg, MSL Indoor Invitational
9. 2:22.13, Shianne Baggett, Whitney Young, Lake Michigan Invitational
10. 2:22.23, Molly Krawczykowski, Willowbrook, WSC Gold Indoor Championship
Jamison Dale ran 4:47 last week…and dropped thirty seconds this week. The Jones boys went north to Wisconsin where they had a great race. Jamison won the mile while his teammate Luke O’Connor was five seconds back, running 4:22.76. Caleb Beck had a great race at Gene Armer, just missing going under the 4:20 barrier. Another close time to sub 4:20 was Riley McInerney who was just .13 seconds back at EIU. While he didn’t make the list, I have to mention Connor Horn. The freshman from Neuqua Valley took the 1600m at the Upstate 8 Conference in 4:31.47. The kid has a bright future.
Boys 1600 Meter Run
1. 4:17.98, Jamison Dale, Jones, Nelson-Daniels Classic (WI)
2. 4:20.02, Caleb Beck, Oswego, Gene Armer Invitational
3. 4:20.13, Riley McInerney, Charleston, Charleston Boys Invitational
4. 4:20.20, Grant Nykaza, Beecher, Charleston Boys Invitational
5. 4:20.90, Joe Sulentic, Conant, MSL Indoor Invitational
6. 4:21.41, Evan Prizy, Schaumburg, MSL Indoor Invitational
7. 4:22.62, Christian Zambrano, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
8. 4:22.76, Luke O’Connor, Jones, Nelson-Daniels Classic (WI)
9. 4:23.24, Ethan Brodeur, Naperville Central, DVC Indoor Championships
10. 4:24.19, Jonny Leverenz, Danville, Gene Armer Invitational
By now most of you know that Courtney Ackerman is the new state leader in the 1600m, clocking in at 4:56.70. Here are a couple reasons that this is even more astonishing. She has run barely any miles due to a stress fracture, she ran in flats, she was running virtually by herself, and this is her first race back. None of these seemed to matter for Courtney though, as she opened her season with a bang. Tess Wasowicz and Kaylee Flanagan move into third and fourth into the state as they both ran 5:03’s. Emma Fisher, after running the best time in the state for 3200m, doubled back with an incredible 5:06 to beat Jill Hardies in a very close race. Another freshman worth mentioning is Kaitlyn Ko who ran a 5:09.74, a new top time for freshman in the state and sixth best in the nation for freshman! Like stated above, WWS just likes to drop time. Hope Schmelzle has gone from 5:11 to 5:08 to 5:06 in the past three meets!
Girls 1600 Meter Run
1. 4:56.70*, Courtney Ackerman, New Trier, CSL South Indoor Championships
2. 5:03.72, Tess Wasowicz, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
3. 5:03.75, Kaylee Flanagan, Lake Park, Upstate 8 Indoor Championships
4. 5:06.17, Emma Fisher, York, WSC Girls Conference Championship
5. 5:06.35, Jill Hardies, Hinsdale Central, WSC Girls Conference Championship
6. 5:05.61, Hope Schmelzle, Wheaton-Warrensville South, DVC Indoor Championships
7. 5:06.64, Madeline Perez, Glenbard West, WSC Girls Conference Championship
8. 5:07.66, Liz Cox, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
9. 5:09.74, Kaitlyn Ko, Buffalo Grove, MSL Indoor Invitational
10. 5:10.10, Mimi Smith, New Trier, CSL South Indoor Championships
Boy oh boy, there will be an incredible 4x800m this weekend at ITT. Crystal Lake South ran 8:03 in Michigan, becoming the fourth team to go under 8:04. There are now 13 teams within 8:02 and 8:08.5. Cahokia ran another great time, 8:05.59, at EIU. This team is just consistently good.
Boys 4x800 Meter Relay
1. 8:03.97, Crystal Lake South, Lake Michigan Invitational
2. 8:05.59, Cahokia, Charleston Boys Invitational
3. 8:06.67, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
4. 8:07.91, Lyons Township, WSC Boys Conference Championships
5. 8:08.41, Downers Grove North, WSC Boys Conference Championships
6. 8:09.85, Hinsdale Central, WSC Boys Conference Championships
7. 8:10.53, Plainfield South, Charleston Boys Invitational
8. 8:10.92, Hersey, MSL Indoor Invitational
9. 8:12.12, Springfield, Charleston Boys Invitational
10. 8:12.54, Belleville West, Charleston Boys Invitational
We have another new state leader in this event. Palatine dropped their time down to 9:28.83, among the top 40 best in the nation. Want to know something scary? 2:19.37 girl, Cassidy McPherson wasn’t on the squad. Coach Parks elected to run her fresh in the 800m where she clocked in at 2:19.37. Even without her, they still assembled one heck of a time. Liz Coz opened it up for the team splitting 2:20.30 followed by Kara Burton who ran 2:22.30. Taylor Tenca ran 2:27.90 before handing it off to their anchor, Tess Wasowicz. Tess split 2:17.10 to bring it home for Palatine. In theory, this team could run around 9:20 – in mid March! Wow! Also worth mentioning, Wheaton-Warrensville South ran 9:30.29 which doesn’t surprise me at all as they have one of, if not the best 1-2 punches in the state with McKenna Kipple and Hope Schmelzle. Due to Hope’s incredible split, McKenna was able to shut it down early, running around 2:30. So in theory, this team would also be at or under 9:20 as well!
Girls 4x800 Meter Relay
1. 9:28.83, Palatine, MSL Indoor Invitational
2. 9:30.29, Wheaton-Warrensville South, DVC Indoor Championships
3. 9:38.71, Schaumburg, MSL Indoor Invitational
4. 9:41.71, St. Charles East, Upstate 8 Indoor Championships
5. 9:42.15, Downers Grove North, WSC Girls Conference Championship
6. 9:43.42, Naperville North, DVC Indoor Championships
7. 9:47.17, Hoffman Estates, MSL Indoor Invitational
8. 9:49.48, Minooka, Plainfield North Girls Invitational
9. 9:56.68, Oswego, Plainfield North Girls Invitational
10. 9:56.69, Naperville Central, DVC Indoor Championships