2014 Class 2A Boys Distance Pre-Season Preview

Distance running fans better get their 2014 school classification chart cheat sheets out.  There are going to be so many classification changes, it will be virtually impossible to track your favorite runner.  For example, 2A cross country individual state championship senior John Wold of Glenbard South will not face cross country foe Johnny Leverenz (Sr., Danville) in the state final because Leverenz’s school was bumped up to 3A.  The league will also see other big names such as junior twin brothers Jake and Luke Hoffert (Yorkville), Ryan Pitner (Sr., Crystal Lake Central), and Peter Schaible (Sr., Chicago Jones)- top ten finishers in the 2A meet moving up to 3A.  It’s really unfortunate that the fall’s premier runners will not be able to compete against the crème de la crème in late May.  But on the upside there will be some emerging athletes ready to be great athletes.  This is the kind of thing that makes high school distance running the crown jewel of the sport.

3200m-
2013 State Champion: Riley McInerney (Charleston) 9:08.44
Key returners: Simon Thorpe (Sr., Dixon), Zach Hird (Sr., Rock Island Alleman), Noah Affolder (Fr., Mascoutah), Eryk Yunk (So., Belvidere North), Nick Brey (Sr., Arlington Heights St. Viator), Nick Fiene (Jr., Lansing Illiana Christian), Kyle Whitley (Sr., Vernon Hills).
Outlook: This event is wide open for any challenger that wants it. It is unbelievable that JZ has never run a 2-mile or 3200m for an official time in high school. Let repeat this: JOHN WOLD, who is one of his era’s most talented distance runners, HAS NEVER RUN A 2-MILE OR 3200M FOR AN OFFICIAL TIME.  We think it’s time for JZ to show us that he is capable of a great effort and also that he is the classification’s top long distance track runner.  If Wold decides to forgo this event, then watch out for Simon Thorpe and Zach Hird to duel it out all the way to the state meet.

Rank Time Athlete Name Team C/O Date Meet
1. 9:28.99 Simon Thorpe Dixon High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
2. 9:29.08 Zach Hird Rock Island Alleman High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
3. 9:33.46 Nick Brey St. Viator High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
4. 9:35.09 Colin DeYoung Illiana Christian High School 2016 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
5. 9:37.13 Nick Fiene Illiana Christian High School 2015 05/10/2013 Metro Suburban Boys Conference Championship
6. 9:39.53 Chris Martin Mascoutah High School 2015 04/02/2013 CBC B/C Invitational
7. 9:39.97 Chris Kaminski Lincoln Way West High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
8. 9:42.37 Mark Stice Sycamore High School 2014 05/10/2013 Northern Illinois Big 12 Boys Conference Championship
9. 9:43.40 Forrest Smoes Mahomet-Seymour High School 2014 04/26/2013 Gene Ward Invitational
10. 9:43.88 Kyle Whitney Vernon Hills High School 2014 05/17/2013 2A Vernon Hills Sectional (Boys)
11. 9:45.17 Jorge Pichardo Harvard High School 2014 05/17/2013 2A Vernon Hills Sectional (Boys)
12. 9:46.13 David Modert Mt. Vernon High School 2014 04/20/2013 Winston Brown Invitational
13. 9:53.23 Ricky Wojcik Elmwood Park High School 2014 05/04/2013 Carlin Nalley Invitational
14. 9:53.24 Clay Musial Burlington Central High School 2015 05/17/2013 2A Sterling Sectional (Boys)
15. 9:54.67 Ryan Bower Kaneland High School 2014 05/10/2013 Northern Illinois Big 12 Boys Conference Championship
16. 9:54.92 Jimmy Burchard Lakes High School 2014 05/17/2013 2A Vernon Hills Sectional (Boys)
17. 9:55.81 Tyler Smith Vernon Hills High School 2015 05/09/2013 NSC Boys Championship
18. 9:57.07 Lance Mueller Waterloo High School 2015 05/04/2013 Collinsville Invitational
19. 9:57.20 Phillip Copeland Dunlap High School 2015 04/26/2013 Gene Ward Invitational
20. 9:58.44 Eli Hill Normal University High School 2015 04/13/2013 Capital City Classic




800m-
2013 State Champion: John Wold (Sr., Glen Ellyn South) 1:54.66R
Key returners: Wold, Nathan Kucera (Sr., Maple Park Kaneland), Zac Justus (Sr., Pontiac), Kevin Vroegh (Sr., Lansing Illiana Christian), Kyle Carter (Sr., Maple Park Kaneland),  J.D. LaFayette (Sr., Normal University), Jalon Monigan (Sr., Cahokia).
Outlook: There are number of things that need to happen if we are going to see a repeat state champion in this event.  One of those items will be consistent training and a solid injury-free report from JZ Wold.  He is one of the state’s most gifted athletes (winning his last two state title races- xc and 800) regardless of class, but he has racked enough injuries to qualify for a frequent flyer mileage program. Even if he is to be at the top of his game, there is no guaranteed of the same outcome. Nathan Kucera has supplanted himself as a prime title threat after anchoring his team to the 4x8r title and then a few weeks later running a smashing 1:51.33 to close out his track season in the Midwest Distance Festival.  His teammate Kyle Carter is also back and ran 1:54.46 last year.
 

Rank Time Athlete Name Team C/O Date Meet
1. 1:51.33 Nathaniel Kucera Kaneland High School 2014 06/08/2013 Midwest Distance Festival
2. 1:53.49 Zac Justus Pontiac High School 2014 06/08/2013 Midwest Distance Festival
3. 1:54.01 Kevin Vroegh Illiana Christian High School 2014 06/08/2013 Midwest Distance Festival
4. 1:54.46 Kyle Carter Kaneland High School 2014 05/10/2013 Northern Illinois Big 12 Boys Conference Championship
5. 1:54.66 John Wold Glenbard South High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
6. 1:57.11 Jd Lafayette Normal University High School 2014 05/06/2013 Corn Belt Conference Championship
7. 1:58.42 Murphy Affolder Mascoutah High School 2014 05/08/2013 Mississippi Valley Boys Conference Championship
8. 1:58.56 Phillip Parisi Benet Academy 2015 05/04/2013 Carlin Nalley Invitational
9. 1:58.78p Jalon Monigan Cahokia High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
10. 1:59.34 Connor Stine Stanford Olympia High School 2015 05/11/2013 Mahomet-Seymour Boys Invitational
11. 1:59.67 Curtis Reed Mt. Zion High School 2015 04/26/2013 Spartan Classic
12. 1:59.86 Alex Handel Sycamore High School 2014 04/26/2013 Gib Seegers Invitational
13. 2:00.14 Taylor Garrett Charleston High School 2014 04/05/2013 Olney Invitational
14. 2:00.62 Noah Van Dyke Wheaton Academy 2015 04/20/2013 Kaneland Peterson Prep
15. 2:01.35 Matt Nordyke Riverton High School 2014 05/17/2013 2A Springfield Lanphier Sectional (Boys)
16. 2:01.72 Keith Lee Urbana High School 2015 05/09/2013 Big 12 Conference Championship
17. 2:01.75 Tyler Lafferty East Alton-Wood River High School 2014 05/17/2013 2A Springfield Lanphier Sectional (Boys)
18. 2:01.84 Sean Mccarty Columbia High School 2014 04/24/2013 Monroe/ Randolph Bi- County Meet
19. 2:01.85 Zach Sanders Charleston High School 2014 04/13/2013 Capital City Classic
20. 2:01.90 Noah Van Dyke Wheaton Academy 2015 04/26/2013 Chicago Christian Invitational


1600m-
2013 State Champion: Chris Martin (Mascoutah) 4:18.62
Key returners: James Kaht (Sr., Richmond-Burton), John Wold (Sr., Glen Ellyn Glenbard South), Tony Wondaal (Sr., Lansing Illiana Christian), J.D. Lafayette (Sr., Normal University), Simon Thorpe (Sr., Dixon), Zac Justus (Sr., Pontiac).
Outlook: There will be a new champion here because Chris Martin has taken his talents to North Burlington High School in New Jersey. Look for John Wold to assert himself if he is healthy and show that he can run fast times on a consistent basis. James Kaht busted on the scene out of nowhere last spring and surprised the field with a second place finish. He could possibly drop a few more seconds here and get down in the 4:15-16 range.  J.D. Lafayette blazed the fourth fastest time in ’13 but opted for the 4x8r and 800m in the post-season.
 

Rank Time Athlete Name Team C/O Date Meet
1. 4:18.62 Chris Martin Mascoutah High School 2015 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
2. 4:18.70 Jd Lafayette Normal University High School 2014 04/26/2013 Gene Ward Invitational
3. 4:20.42c Simon Thorpe Dixon High School 2014 06/08/2013 Midwest Distance Festival
4. 4:21.35 James Kaht Richmond-Burton High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
5. 4:22.12 Zac Justus Pontiac High School 2014 05/06/2013 Corn Belt Conference Championship
6. 4:23.95 Ben Mohrdieck Vernon Hills High School 2014 05/17/2013 2A Vernon Hills Sectional (Boys)
7. 4:24.12p John Wold Glenbard South High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
8. 4:24.92p Tony Wondall Illiana Christian High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
9. 4:25.07p Murphy Affolder Mascoutah High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
10. 4:28.18 Ryan Van Dyke Stanford Olympia High School 2014 05/06/2013 Corn Belt Conference Championship
11. 4:30.91c Nick Wondaal Illiana Christian High School 2016 06/08/2013 Midwest Distance Festival
12. 4:31.08p Curtis Reed Mt. Zion High School 2015 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
13. 4:32.10p David Modert Mt. Vernon High School 2014 05/25/2013 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
14. 4:32.43c Colin DeYoung Illiana Christian High School 2016 06/08/2013 Midwest Distance Festival
15. 4:33.53 Alex Keeble Mahomet-Seymour High School 2016 05/06/2013 Corn Belt Conference Championship
16. 4:34.45 Ethan Bluhm Sacred Heart-Griffin High School 2015 04/30/2013 Springfield Boys City Meet
17. 4:34.80 Eli Hill Normal University High School 2015 04/26/2013 Gene Ward Invitational
18. 4:34.80p Matt Church East Peoria High School 2015 05/03/2013 Morton Relays
19. 4:34.87 Brady Mclaughlin Benet Academy 2015 05/09/2013 ESCC Championship
20. 4:35.13 Cole Rodenberg Waterloo High School 2015 04/12/2013 Granite City Invitational