It was a very field that encompassed last spring's final
800m-
2018 State Champion: Joshua English (Blue Island [Eisenhower]) 1:51.94
Key Athletes: Thomas Shilgalis (Sr., Naperville Central), Grant Jensen (Sr., Crystal Lake [Prairie Ridge]), Adam Swanson (Sr., Carpentersville [Dundee-Crown]), Jason Hoffman (Jr., Minooka), Cassius Havis (Jr., Alton), Adam Kennedy (Jr., Batavia), Quemarii Williams (Sr., Danville), Samuel Rivera (Sr., Chicago [Whitney Young]), Andrew O'Keefe (Sr., Granite City), Rory Cavan (Sr., Glen Ellyn [Glenbard West])
Breakdown: Joshua English came out of nowhere late last season and stole the show by winning the state title. Now that English and seven other all-staters have graduated, it leaves opportunities for new runners to shine in the spotlight.
Thomas Shilgalis is the state's top returner at 1:51.81 which he can use for leverage if he chooses to not concentrate on the mile or 4x800 relay.
Grant Jensen will be a headliner along with Shilgalis- returning with the second fastest time in the state. Jensen is a half-mile specialist who will probably run a few other events to improve overall speed and strength. The only question is can he win the big one when the time comes.
Adam Swanson starred on the 4x800 relay last year with teammates. He will see major action as an individual this spring. A big test along the way is having the opportunity to chase down his conference rival Grant Jensen.
Jason Hoffman is a name that many may not know as he is not a household name. He had the performance of his life with a huge win at the Southwest Prairie Conference meet and the following week just missed qualifying for state by a little over a second. He is the anchor that helped lead Minooka to its 7th place finish in the 4x800m last year.
Quemarii Williams will represent central Illinois in the event this year. Don't be surprised if he drops something like a 1:51-52 effort.