The record setting Lena Giger will be the featured athlete for the Gene Armer Invitational
The regular weekend finale for track and field is upon us and it should be a good one- especially the 38th Annual Gene Armer Invitational. The one event take all invitational will take place Saturday morning to afternoon inside the University of Illinois Armory in Champaign.
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Girls-
The girls portion of the meet arguably will be more entertaining than the boys. The action will be hot and it will start in the field events first.
Lena Giger (Sr., Highland) is must-see television if there ever was one to view her. Giger is fresh off of a record breaking shot put performance of 50’0” set at last weekend’s New Balance Indoor National Championship held in the New York City Armory. In that affair Giger placed fourth in a field of world beaters. If you think she will have a letdown against so-called lesser competition or slip up in the meet environment, you better think again. According to Lena’s father David Giger, “Gene Armer is Lena's last indoor before ITT. It's also where Emmonnie [Henderson of Edwardsville] threw her 49'1" last year. It's a really nice ring.” Coach Giger made it known that his pupil is going after the meet record on the eve of the Illinois Top Times. Henderson’s protégé senior Aaliyah Covington is on the move after dropping a 44-4.25 effort in her season debut last weekend at Charleston.
There is a log jam in the pole vault with co-state leaders Lindsay Murray (Sr., Harrisburg) and Brooke Catherine (Jr., Normal Community) who both sit at 12’6. Julia Junkroski (Jr., Frankfort Lincoln-Way East) is also on the move with her 12’0 mark and in position to do some real damage if the titans slip up.
Kelsey Shannon (Sr., Belleville West) performed the state’s second best jump last year at 5’8. She appears to be ready to challenge the state best 5’8.75”.
Desrosiers and Lincoln-Way East to lead in the speed –
Let’s just call the New York experience a draw for Chicago North Lawndale senior Briyahna Desrosiers and the camp from Frankfort. Desrosiers is entered in the 200m, 4x200m relay, and 4x400m relay. The Phoenix will look to go fast with the speedy Briyahna on anchor.
Lincoln-Way East will be diversifying their talent in an attempt to win the team competition. Seniors Meghan Marias, Alexis Hyshaw, and Dana O’Grady will hold down the 60m, 200m, and 400m dashes. Marias will be the leader of the pack among the ‘hunted.’ The hunters are Brittany Thomas (Sr., Chicago Heights Bloom), Dominique Lewis (Jr., Champaign Centennial), Kayla Hylton (So., Frankfort Lincoln-Way North), and Tyjuana Eason (Jr., Kankakee). The one-lap dash moves back into a section only final without any prelims. It will be interesting to see someone such as Zaneta White (Jr., Springfield Southeast) compete in championship section 7 “Lion’s den” that features such names as Desrosiers, Hyshaw, Eason, and Tyson… the 400m is enticing with Jasmine Berry (Sr., Belleville West), Imani Davis (So., Lane Tech), and the aforementioned O’Grady. It will take sub 58 seconds to win it.
The distance arena should be interesting-
Alex Martel (Sr., Chicago Lane Tech) is surging strong in the 800m after posting 2:21.92 at Hononegah Invite during the first weekend of March followed by a sweet 2:19.8 lead off 4x8r at the Mustang Relays. She will go toe to toe with Allie Sprague (Sr., Marengo) who is just getting her track season started. Sprague ran 2:14 last year in the 2A state finals.
The 1600m should have some pretty good depth with Allison Zobrist (So., Highland), Maria Brauer (So., Petersburg-Porta), and Sydney Billingsley (Normal University) entered. Zobrist is coming off of a fine cross country season that is yielding good returns on the track. She has run 5:12.91 so far. Not too far behind is Brauer who opened at Charleston last weekend in 5:14. 24. Billingsley has clocked 5:15.34. Sprague is entered as well and could challenge the leaders if she isn’t too worn out from the 800m.
Boys-
Johnny Leverenz is back in the house-
Johnny Leverenz (Sr., Danville) will make his second return to the Armory this weekend. Two weekends ago he wowed the crowd with his state leading 1600m masterpiece in 4:16.57. Before he tackles the “mile” he will attempt the 3200m for the first time this season. The meet record is 9:25.35 set last year by former Lane Tech runner Marcelo Burbano. Leverenz has a personal best of 9:25.07 that he ran in Indiana last indoor season. He will be shooting for that bullseye.
In looking at the 1600m, Leverenz has to be considered the race favorite until proven otherwise. Nick Hess (Sr., Champaign St. Thomas More) is the local favorite who could easily be the winner if Leverenz isn’t ready. Watch out for Brady Bobbitt (Jr., Aurora Marmion Academy). He has run 4:30 this season. David Schmieg (Sr., Lane Tech) will make his season debut in this event. Don’t be fooled by his seed mark of 4:28; Schmieg has run 1:57/1:55.2 in the 800/4x8r category. He also has an unofficial personal best of 4:26 on the track. Now, it’s time for him to get official on Saturday.
Leverenz is not running his specialty the 800m but it still be an exciting event to watch. It won't be because of some ghost runner named Zack Bieber from Kankakee (not to be confused with Justin Bieber) is entered with a ridiculous seed time of 1:54.36. Let's give shine to Kevin Grahovec (Sr., Marmion Academy) who is a legitimate runner capable of 1:54 by the end of the season. He will be the one athlete to watch in this event.
The sprints will be friendly to the paying public-
Sprints will always be the key ingredient for the sport and this meet is no exception. Julian Hylton (Sr., Frankfort Lincoln-Way North) will make his season kick off in front of his future home as one of the favorites in the 60m. Hylton actually will be playing football for the Illini this fall, and possibly running track the following spring. In the meantime, he will attempt to slay foes Terry McGee (Sr., Chicago North Lawndale Prep), and Trent Sherfield (Sr., Danville). The final should be fast!
Sherfield is on fire after winning his last three major invitationals in the 200m. His streak will be on the line late Saturday afternoon with the state leading McGee entered. Also in the field is Hylton. All five competitors are listed under 23.0.
The 60H will be interesting to observe with Imani Payton (Sr., North Lawndale Prep) and Nikita Smith (Sr., TF North). Payton is more of a long hurdler but he is strong.
It is a strong bet that you will not be able to stay in your seat for the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Bloom has to be the favorite after they were witnessed dropping the baton at the Mustang Relays. In that race they were ahead of the field with their top sprinter and well within range of running the state's best time. North Lawndale is among the state's top quartet when Payton and McGee are on it. Bloom is the favorite in the 4x400 as well.
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Myles Barbee (Sr., TF North) and Devante Clark (Sr, Jacksonville) will battle for the right to be called champions in the high jump. Both young men have jumped 6-6 and 6-8 respectively this season.
Bloom Twp. senior Jonah Wiley sits in the #3 position in the long jump with a booming season best of 23-0. He could better that mark on U of I's good runways.
Watch for the emerging Sherfield in the triple jump.