Patrick Perrier (right, O'Fallon senior) is on top of Illinois distance prep mile ranks (Colin Boyle photo)
Greetings Illinois high school track and field fans,
We are now just one month away from the Nike Festival of Miles in Saint Louis. The meet is shaping up to be absolutely awesome and we’d love to see all of Illinois’ top 100 meter, 800 meter and 1600 meter runners join in on the fun. It’s a great meet to run FAST!
Below we highlight the top Illinois athletes at each of the three distances that we have at our meet. If you are interested in signing up you can check out all the entry info HERE.
Thanks so much and hope to see you on June 5!
- Meet Director, Ben Rosario
BOYS 100
Cole Henderson, SR, Pekin – Henderson was third last year at FOM and he currently sits atop the Illinois rankings with a 10.55 from April 12.
Casey Matthews, SR, Burlington Central – Matthews ran 10.58 on the same day Henderson ran 10.55 but at a different meet. We’d love to see them battle head-to-head at FOM.
Terry Magee, SR, North Lawndale Charter HS– Magee was fifth at last year’s FOM and with his 10.62 season’s best he looks like a shoe-in to make our field again in 2014.
Cary Lockhart, FR, Bloomington– Boom! Holy cow! This freshman blazed a 10.62 at a Fr/So Invite this past weekend. He had run 10.79 in the prelims as well.
Shandall Thomas, JR, Schaumburg- Just a junior, Thomas blazed a 10.69 at the Prospect Wanner Knight Invitational to put himself in a great position to make the FOM field should he enter.
Broc Smith, SR, Tuscola – Smith makes our Illinois Watch List based on the 10.73 he ran in early April.
Brian Kruzan, JR, Lewiston –We take the top 16 entered times into the meet and Kruzan’s season’s best of 10.73 should have a very good chance to make the field.
Brett Charlton, JR, Eureka- Charlton ran 10.73 and finished behind Henderson at the Metamora Co-Ed Invite in April.
Other runners to watch: Jason Pokalsey, Davion McManis, Dion Hooker, Craig James
GIRLS 100
Meghan Marias, SR, Lincoln Way East – Marias is ranked number one in Illinois and number 13 in the country courtesy of her 11.53 season’s best. Unfortunately, graduation ceremonies on June 5th are going to prevent her from making the trip to Saint Louis.
Alexis Hyshaw, SR, Lincoln Way East – At 11.69, Hyshaw has the second best time in the State. Unfortunately, graduation ceremonies on June 5th are going to prevent her from making the trip to Saint Louis.
Ebony McClendon, SR, Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep – McClendon burst onto our Watch List when she ran 11.81 at the Midwest Prep Invite.
Ryan Preacely, SR, Johnson College Prep – We’ve been keeping an eye on Preacely since her 11.85 on April 11.
Amelia Glueck, SR, Tremont – Glueck’s 11.93 just this past weekend has her firmly on our radar!
Jessica Watkins, JR, Bolingbrook – Part of a trio of ladies to break 12.0 Southwest Suburban Girls Championships this past weekend, Watkins’ 11.93 makes her a contender for an FOM finals spot should she make the trip.
Atoinette Broughton, JR, Homewood-Flossmoor – With an 11.96 from this past weekend, Broughton is Illinois’ seventh young lady under 12.0 second so far this year. That’s a lot folks!
Briyahna Desrosiers, SR, North Lawndale Charter HS – Desrosories was just behind McClendon at the Midwest Prep Invite. Her 12.03 season’s best should have a good chance to make the FOM field if she enters.
Parker English, SR, Evanston Township – An outstanding athlete at pretty much any event she enters, English has a 12.08 best so far this year at 100 meters.
Janile Rogers, SR, Minooka – Rogers posted a 12.09 on April 2 to make her a contender for the FOM field.
Other runners to watch: Simone Fears, Sierra Thompson, Monique Thompson
BOYS 800
JD Lafayette, SR, Normal University High – A 1:51.72 at his conference championship this past weekend bettered his previous 1:52 which had already been tops in Illinois.
Johnny Leverenz, SR, Danville – Leverenz was a tick back of Lafayette at the Capital City Class in 1:53.14.
Zac Justus, SR, Pontiac – Justus just popped onto our radar screen after a runner-up finish to Lafayette at the Corn Belt Conference Meet.
Matt Plowman, JR, York – Plowman joins a long line of York half mile stars who’ve gone under 1:55 when he ran 1:54.27 on May 2.
Matt Anyiwo, SR, Homewood-Flossmoor –Anyiwo has gone 1:54.63 this year, but his PR of 1:52.03 from 2013 ties him with Lafayette as the fastest Illinois athlete overall.
Carl Klamm, JR, Evantston Township – Klamm went 1:54.67 at the Capital City Classic to finish third behind Lafayette and Leverenz.
Bryce Richards, JR, Mundelein – Richards makes the list largely because of his 1:53.60 PR from last year. We are keeping an eye out to see if he gets back down there in 2014.
Other runners to watch: Wes Schoenthal, Alex Bashqawi, Ed McCarter, David Sias, Kylian Lally, Tony Zea, Kevin Vroegh
GIRLS 800
Lauren Van Vlierbergen, JR, Jacobs – Van Vlierbergen tops the list of Illinois 800 meter stars with her 2:12.02. If she comes to FOM she’ll be up against the best from the Midwest with a great shot for sub 2:10.
Karina Liz, SO, Aurora Central – Only a sophomore, Liz ran 2:13.77 at the Matt Wulf Invitational on April 17 to earn her spot on this list.
Morgan Schulz, JR, Cary-Grove – Only a sophomore, Liz ran 2:13.77 at the Matt Wulf Invitational on April 17. She has already signed up for FOM and she’s got a great shot to make our field of 8.
Christina Santiago, SR, Prospect – Santiago is the fourth Illinois athlete under 2:15 so far this year. She ran 2:14.48 at the Champaign Central Girls Invite
Other runners to watch: Alex Martel, Toree Scull, Cassidy McPherson, Anna Sophia Keller
BOYS MILE
Patrick Perrier, SR, O’Fallon – Perrier, who’ll be making his third straight appearance at FOM, just made himself the favorite with his 4:07.51 at Conference this weekend.
Johnny Leverenz, SR, Danville – Leverenz put a big one together at the Eastern Relays where he ran 4:12.48 for a full mile. Then he backed it up with a 4:10 1600 at Conference to finish second to Perrier. We’d love to see a rematch at FOM!
Zach Dale, JR, Conant – The fast times are becoming contagious in Illinois. Dale ran 4:12.09 on April 2. We’d love to see how these sub 4:13 guys stack up against the three in Missouri!
Nolan McKenna, SR, Wheaton Warrenville South – McKenna busted onto our watch list after his 4:13.15 this weekend at the DuPage County Meet.
Alex Bashqawi, SR, York – Bashqawi has already chopped ten seconds off his PR so far this season. His 4:13.61 at his home Invite makes him one of our most coveted prospects for the 2014 FOM.
Chris Korabik, SR, St. Ignatius – Korabik ran 4:14.24 at the Prospect Wanner Meet, good for third behind Dale and Bashqawi.
Jesse Reiser, JR, McHenry High School – Reiser makes three Illinois athletes who’ve gone under 4:15 for 1600 so far this year. He ran 4:14.92 at the McHenry County Meet.
Luke Schroer, JR, Wheaton Warrenville South – Schroer ran second to McKenna at the DuPage County Meet in 4:15.14.
Tony Zea, SR, Downers Grove North - Zea’s 4:16 full mile from the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in California keeps him in the running for a spot in the FOM field if he enters.
Ryan Clevenger, JR, Downers Grove North – Clevenger joins teammate Zea on this list as a duo that could do some serious damage at FOM.
Jake Hoffert, JR, Yorkville – Hoffert’s best in 2013 was 4:28. His best so far this season is 4:16.12. Nice improvement!
David Schmieg, SR, Lane Tech – Schmieg makes this list courtesy of his 4:16.24 from the Prospect Wanner Knight Invitational.
Other runners to watch: Matt Pereira, Pavlo Hutsalyuk
GIRLS MILE
Anna Sophia Keller, FR, St. Anthony - The State cross country champ, Keller is a complete stud. Her 4:52.68 at the Cumberland Invite makes her a contender for the FOM win should she make the trip to St. Louis.
Lauren Van Vilerbergen, JR, Jacobs – Also on our 800 list, Van Vilerbergen has a 4:56.94 to her name for 1600 meters this year.
Kelly O’Brien, SO, St. Palatine – O’Brien went sub 5 at Conference over the weekend with her 4:57.79. A sub 5 will almost assuredly make the FOM cut should she enter the meet.
Christina Santiago, SR, Prospect – Santiago was runner-up to O’Brien at Conference, dipping under the 5:00 barrier herself at 4:58.21.
Sydney Billingsley, SR, Normal University High – The fifth Illinois member of the sub 5 club so far this year, Billingsley went 4:59 at the Corn Belt Conference Meet.
Mimi Smith, JR, New Trier – Smith was her Conference’s champ, running a 5:00.01. If she doesn’t go sub 5 the rest of the way she can surely do it at FOM where fifth place was 4:54 last year!
Shelby Sitman, FR, Stanford Olympia– Sitman was second to Billingsley at the Corn Belt Meet with a 5:01.11…and she’s just a freshman.
Mary Blankemeier, FR, Oak Park-River Forest – The freshman Blankemeier busted out a 5:02.15 at the Hinsdale Central Invite to finish right behind fellow frosh Leonard and then ran 5:01.59 her Conference Meet.
Maryclare Leonard, FR, Marist- Yes, you’re reading this right. Another freshman! Leonard has been dropping tons of time off of her 1600 this season and now owns a 5:01.87 PR.
Anne Zaher, SO, Hinsdale Central – Yet another fast youngster from Illinois. Zaher’s 5:02 best is really, really good and should make the FOM field if she enters.
Other runners to watch: Lindsay Graham, Ayako Higuchi, Madeline Perez, Lauren Opatrny, Toree Scull, Vanessa Sanchez, Allie Wilson, Amanda Thate, Maria McDaniel
* Did we miss someone? Let us know by emailing meet director Ben Rosario at ben@nazelite.com.
** Remember- You can’t race if you don’t enter! ENTER HERE