No matter how you try to slice and dice it or even manipulate it, the Illinois Top Times will be end all be all of the indoor track and field season. The best marks by the majority of the state’s top athletes will occur this weekend down in Bloomington-Normal at the Shirk Center on the beautiful campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.
Let’s take a look at what to look for this weekend:
Social interaction: tweetcast @ilptt all weekend long on twitter
Meet info here
Class 3A-
[Boys]
• Jump/thows match-ups: [long jump]- Is this kid Stacey Smith (Sr., Schaumburg) for real? Yes he jumped a tantalizing 23’4” this season but he has basically been an undercover jumper by not competing against primo competition. He will now get tested by absolute best in Marcus Jegede (Sr., Lake Park), Cole Henderson (Sr. Pekin), and Jonathan Wells (Sr., Grant). The only one missing is Bloom senior Jonah Wiley. It should be a great battle. Several years ago the outdoor state winner was a paltry 22-10. The guys here should all be above that. Throw in James Travis (Sr., Waubonsie Valley) for more depth; [triple jump]- Jegede all the way in this one for sure unless he trips up. If he does then watch Travis pounce on him; [long jump]- Mike Monroe (Sr., Providence Catholic) is good and seasoned as a veteran. He is capable of the elusive 7-foot jump but can he stop Jonathan Wells who is the nation’s top jumper at 7’2”? The unproven Erik Miller (Sr., St. Charles North) will see how good he is against the titans; [shot put]- Martinus Mitchell (Sr., Collinsville) is the only thrower over 60-foot at 60’10”. By no means is he the run-a-way favorite with Curtwan Evans (Sr., Lake Park) in the field. Watch for the giant Kyrin Tucker (Sr., Normal West) to explode at any time.
• Luke Winder: The pole vault wizard deserves his own bullet point because he is the best to ever in Illinois annals. This amazing senior from Plainfield Central has twice set the indoor all-time best and then the all-time record regardless of seasons at 17’5. Winder has three vault competitions over 17-feet so don’t be surprised if he is taking a nap until his competitors bow out of competition. The only obstacle standing in front of Winder is the national record holder Devin King of Louisiana at 17-10.25. Winder for sure is going to take a crack at King’s mark on Saturday. He will undoubtedly go face to face with King before they graduate or in the summer.
• Sprints: [60m]- The distance moves out 5m more from the 55m customary mark. The same villains will all meet up in a final that should be an absolute thriller. Antonio Shenault (Sr., Lake Park) will double back from his main event the 60H where he is the favorite. He won the 55/60H double at Proviso West Invite to make himself the hunted one. The meet record holder Cole Henderson will be in this affair as will Terry McGee (Sr., North Lawndale Prep). Henderson got his motor running last weekend with a blazing 6.39 meet record over 55m at Charleston. He will be the one to beat; [200m]- the one-lapper should be a good one although all the boss players are not in the same section. McGee is the streak buster but will Henderson beat him and company out in penultimate section two? [hurdles]- Shenault is the big favorite but don’t tell that to Ti’fonte Hunt (Sr., Thornton) who beat Shenault at the Thornwood Open last month. Also, keep your eyes out for the “Clout man” Eric Walker (Jr., St. Rita).
• Relays: [4x800]- The field is not stocked with deep teams but it should be a quality race nonetheless with Lane Tech in it. The Indians have the state’s top time at 7:54.21 and will not go into race on sleep walking status. They have learned their lessons from last May’s state prelim. Yorkville will be out to break 8:00 and challenge Lane as will Lake Park; [4x200]- This NASCAR type event is going to be exciting! There are three sections starting with section two where E. St. Louis is running. It has been a very long time since the Flyers have competed in the Top Times. They will run faster than their 1:33.73 seed time. The championship section will feature the long awaited Thornton. The Wildcats have the state’s second best mark of 1:30.88 and will flirt with the all-time record that Springfield Lanphier holds at 1:29.76; [4x400]- The Flyers will be the big favorites in the showstopper with a 3:24.74 mark.
• Distance: [3200m]- “I was hoping that either [Jesse] Reiser or [Nolan] McKenna was going to run so that I could just work on competing instead of front running, but I think I'll have some guys to keep me honest in the deuce,” said O’Fallon senior star Patrick Perrier referring to not having a few of his buddies competing. Dan Lathop (Sr., Plainfield South) will work on keeping him honest in what looks like a two-man race that could and should get both runners in the 9:10-9:15 range; [800m]- 12 guys will be battle for the half-mile crown. There is no clear cut favorite as the field is spread from 1:57.11 to 2:01.52. Evanston junior Carl Klamm could be the guy; [1600m]- Once again the field is void of any superstar but someone could surprise. The Hoffert twins Jake and Luke could be favored if they aren’t too spent from the 4x8 relay. The Jones junior duo of Kyle Maloney and Mark Protsiv are in the field.
[Girls]
• Emma Spagnola vs. Maya Neal: It will be the neighboring town girls West Aurora vs. Naperville Neuqua Valley. The veteran senior vs. the up and coming junior. Both girls are multi-talented in their own right. Spagnola can compete in just about any event on the track with her specialties being the 60m hurdles and the long jump where she is ranked #1 in the state. Don’t be surprised if she moves to the heptathlon at the University of Minnesota. Neal on the other hand is just as talented with a soccer background to spring off of. She is by athletic birthright an heptathlete who recently earned All-American honors at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. Spagnola will try to better her 19-2.5 best against the field that includes Neal and Janile Rogers (Sr., Minooka)... Spagnola and Neal should have no trouble reaching the 60H final along with Jayla Stewart (Jr., Homewood-Flossmoor).
• Distance: [3200m]- From the mouth of the iron-willed Glenbard West senior Maddie Perez a few days ago regarding her absence for this weekend’s ITT: “after completing my double at Proviso West several weeks ago, my leg didn’t feel right. My doctor recommended I not run for a little bit. [It’s] starting to feel better.” Well, don’t expect too much of a drop off as her teammate sophomore Lindsay Graham comes in with a 10:45 mark. If she falters (highly doubtful) another Hilltoppers beast in junior Lisa Luczak to pick her up. Luczak is the defending champion and more than capable of winning it again; [800m]- Lauren VanVlierbergen (Jr., Jacobs) is the favorite her but might it should be a tight battle with the newly crowned Milesplit Illinois athlete of the week Christina Santiago (Sr., Prospect) in attendance. VanVlierbergen ran a sizzling 2:14 on a 160m no spikes track at Wheeling back in February. Santiago has a 2:16 best on her resume; [1600m]- This is a solid field led by VanVlierbergen who should win as her 4:55 season leading time suggests. Meagan Biddle (So., Hoffman Estates) is going to command some respect as will MSL comrade Vanessa Sanchez (Sr., Rolling Meadows). If this race isn’t too tactical we could near a scare at the all-time meet record of 4:51.06 by Woodstock’s Kayla Beattie in 2011.
• Briyahna Desrosiers (Sr., Chicago N. Lawndale) may have gotten some of her swagger back after beating a good 200m field at Gene Armer last weekend. She also helped her teammates on Sunday at the CPS indoor championship meet by 55.3 on the anchor leg of the 4x4. The pre-season athlete of the year will use this meet to get back on track and show everyone that she is not a one-hit wonder.
• Westinghouse girls: The emerging newcomers will get their first taste of big time track this weekend. Crystal Riley is the coach and she was a former state champion at Morgan Park. Coach Riley appears to be a no-nonsense coach just like her hall of fame mentor Derrick Calhoun is. Westinghouse, which is now a college preparatory school on the west side of Chicago, has for many years been known as a basketball school. However, the times may be changing for the young Warriors. This group is good and it will be interesting to see how things play out for them.
• St. Charles East girls: The Saints will be down one twin in Elizabeth Chmelik (Jr.) who injured her leg in a meet at Hononegah back in early March. They have some depth but right now the jury is out on how good this team really is. I want to see St. Charles East break 4:00 in the 4x4. Actually I want them to go well under it. This will be very pleasing to the palate. Watch out for Allison Chmelik (Jr.) to do some damage on her own in the triple jump as she is the state’s top frog leaper at 37’6.25”. She will face Cheyenne White (Jr., Waukegan) and Hannah Schilb (Fr., St. Charles North) who are tough opponents with very respectable personal bests of 37’2” and 36’11”.
• Miscellaneous: Oginni Banke (Sr., Hoffman Estates) leads the SP field with 47-9.50. She has a wonderful opportunity to do something special this weekend; Can the girls 4x200, 4x400, and 4x800 relays do something special now that so many teams have bagged it for the undercover season? We at Milesplit Illinois say yes.; Brooke Catherine (Jr., Normal Community) is ranked #1 in the pole vault with two other girls from two different classifications. Catherine's mark is 12-6.
Class 2A-
• Jumps: Super sophomore Ja’Mari Ward of Cahokia is entered in the triple and long jump. But that doesn’t mean he will compete according to Coach Leroy Millsap. Millsap said that Ward is still reeling from the New Balance meet and not 100% and hasn't been cleared to compete as of Friday morning; Lindsey Murray (Sr., Harrisburg) is the overall state leader in the pole vault at 12’6. She attempted 12’ last weekend at Gene Armer. Will she go for 13’0” this weekend? Alex King (Sr., Massac County) cleared 7-0 last year in the high jump. Can he do it again?
• Ebony McClendon (Sr., Chicago Brooks)- the state leader in the 55m at 6.98 is white hot quick. She may be in line to uphold the CPS tradition of very fast and dominating sprints- an emerging speedster on the verge of being the next speed queen in Illinois.
• Lena Giger deserves her own category. The shot put fans cannot wait to see her go for the Top Times record and clear 50-feet on Illinois soil. The Highland senior is in a class of her own who will for sure put on a show with shadow throwing and throwing critiquing from her father David Giger. It is worth the price of admission alone.
• Miscellaneous part 1: Jaimie Robinson (Sr., De La Salle)- The masses have slept on her for sure including yours truly. That won’t be the case this weekend. All triple jump fans will be interested to see if she can duplicate the 37-8.75 feat performed at her GCAC meet last weekend. Robinson is in line to be one of the state’s most improved athletes at the end of the season; Maura Beattie (Sr., Woodstock) has raced lightly this undercover season. Can she produce some magic like her big sister Kayla did three years in that epic 1600/3200 double? Springfield and defending state champion Kaneland boys should be in a good battle for this weekend’s 4x8 relay crown. Kaneland has ¾ of their 7:50 team back including senior ace Nathaniel Kocera; Simon Thorpe (Sr., Dixon) is someone to watch in the 1600m with his 4:25 season best; Liz Carina (Sr., Aurora Central Catholic) has the classification’s fastest time in 2;17.53.
• Miscellaneous part 2: Josh Eiker (So., Galesburg)- Perhaps there is a newcomer speed demon that is lurking among us from the Peoria area. Eiker is a football player by nature but he has quietly burned a few track surfaces this undercover season. He ran 6.96/22.48 on a less than favorable Illinois State University track back earlier in the month. He will get his first taste of big time track this weekend. The pundits cannot wait.
• Illiana Christian swan song: Illiana Christian will be planning their exit from the state of Illinois over the next 18 months as they move completely across the border to Indiana. Illiana Christian is a private school located in Lansing which is located on the Hoosier border. The Vikings have an excellent tradition in athletics that draw students up to 30 miles from their border into Indiana. By late 2015 they will completely self annex themselves from Illinois. In the meantime, they will continue to produce quality distance talent. Kevin Vroegh (Sr.) is ranked #1 in the 800 and the team is among the favorites in the 4x8.
Class 1A-
Jack Denby (Sr., Carlinville)- The traveling man is ready to complete his indoor season where he began it- in Normal where he practices with the Flying Dragons. Denby placed second in the New Balance meet with a personal best 16-6. Denby is the ranked #9 in the country and one of the fan favorites in all of the classification.
• Cassie Mundekis (Jr., Midwest Central) is one of the premier 800m runners in the state with her 2:16. She is entered as the top seed in the 1600m at 5:09.14.
• Nick Hess (Sr., St. Thomas More)- he is heating up as the indoor season is coming to an end. He clocked a healthy 4:24.43 last week at the Gene Armer. He will be opposed by a few good competitors led by Conor Ehnle (Sr., Tremont). Cross country champion Jon Davis (So., Oakwood) is also entered.
• Miranda Marry (Sr., Fisher)- the Track My Speed Track Club product is someone you should watch in the 200 and 400 meters. Marry has become a very good flat runner and holds the classification’s top mark in both distances. Marry will return to the 300H outside as a state championship favorite.
• Amelia Glueck/Payton Wade saga: Two of the best sprinters/field event specialists in the classifications will go head to head as well and cover up to eight events amongst themselves. Glueck, a senior at Tremont, will get things rolling in the long jump where she is the favorite. Glueck is also entered in the 60m and 200m. Payton on the other hand is a multi-event specialist from Aurora Christian who is the top seed in the high jump at 5-8.75. Payton is also very strong in the hurdles too. She will try and stop sophomore Jenny Kimbro of Jamaica in that event.
• The little engine that could run: Tiny Madison High School has been making noise for some time now. Here is their opportunity be heard and seen on the state’s biggest indoor scene. The Trojans are sprint heavy and will ride on the back of speedster junior Andre McGill.
- Junior Morgan Zacharias of Reed-Custer is IL#1 and undefeated on Prairie state soil at 12-6. She will compete as a virtual competitor against Lindsey Murray and Brooke Catherine. No not really but it sounded nice.
-Good luck to all of the competitors this weekend!
No matter how you try to slice and dice it or even manipulate it, the Illinois Top Times will be end all be all of the indoor track and field season. The best marks by the majority of the state’s top athletes will occur this weekend down in Bloomington-Normal at the Shirk Center on the beautiful campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.
Let’s take a look at what to look for this weekend:
Social interaction: tweetcast @ilptt all weekend long on twitter
Meet info here