2016 Class 2A Boys Pre-Season Distance Preview

Ashton Hyatt (#1594) battling the eventual 1600m champion Alex Bruno in the prelims last season (Colin Boyle image)

1600m

2015 State Champion: Alex Bruno (Normal University) 4:14.51

Outlook: In 2015, we were treated to a fantastic showdown between Alexander Bruno and Salvatore Flight for the 1600 state championship. It took a 4:19 to finish in the top 6, and some of the mid-distance speed in this state suggests that we will have similar standards for all-state (~4:22) this year as well. Although we do not have a returning champ in this event like in the 3200, we have plenty of returning experience.

Ashton Hyatt is the fastest returner from this particular race. His 4:18.95 was good enough for 4^th place and he sports a 1:58.11 800 best as well. Hyatt will have to overcome missing his entire senior year cross country season due to sickness and rebound for a better finish that the track state meet but his pure speed gives him a strong advantage for this event. Next we look to Austin Kintz, who slashed more than three seconds off his best 1600 to finish 5th in 4:19.21. Kintz is also riding the momentum of a strong cross country season, finding massive improvement from his previous season and finishing 63^rd at the state meet.

Absent from last year's final was Ben Flowers. Flowers happened upon a massive 4:21.75 PR at the Collinsville Invitational, qualified for the state meet in Charleston but failed to qualify for the final. Flowers ran like he was on a mission all through cross country, winning every meet he ran except the First to the Finish invitational and the State Championship (where he finished all-state, 13^th in 14:57). Flowers now displays much more experience and maturity than his sophomore self and should not be allowing the same mistakes from last year to haunt him this coming year.

A name you will see often in these 2A distance previews is Jake Gillum. Gillum has fantastic range, including 52.3 400 and 1:57.9 800 speed, as well as 14:50 three mile endurance. Gillum finished 8^th in the 1600 with a 4:22.7 last spring and consistently delivered sub-4:30 performances, effectively putting himself on the map as a talented contender. Gillum has options for event focus this spring but it seems likely he will, at the very least, play his hand in the event he has the most success in over the last year: the 1600.

After these names comes a logjam of legitimate title possibilities. Matt Carr and Landon Skelly are the other returners from the 1600 final last year, and have both run 4:23.2 or faster. Andrew Warnes moves to 2A this year, and certainly has the ability to run a strong 3200 but has had the most success in the 1600 (4:22) and the 800 (1:56.1).

Although some strong talent in 2A is lost to 3A during the XC to track season transition, some strong talent replaces it moving in from 1A. In particular, watch out for Warnes and his Tolono teammates to make a mark on this event. This may be the most talented field in the distance events for 2A so do not be surprised to see a time like 4:13 or faster winning the state race.

Top returners in 2016-