100m Dash
2019 State Champion: Finnigan Schirmer (Sr., Marengo), 10.62 [+1.1]
Key Athletes: Schirmer, Kaleb Brown (So., Chicago [St. Rita]), Jailon Welch (Sr., LaGrange [Nazareth Academy]), Keegan Cullison (Sr., Plano), Devin Willis (Sr., Mascoutah), Johnny Polumbo (Sr., Lombard [Montini Catholic]), DonTay Thompson (Jr., Freeport), Jamon Williams (Sr., Country Club Hills [Hillcrest]), Nathaniel Robinson (Sr., East St. Louis Sr), Kyle Burgoni (Tolono [Unity])
Breakdown: Who can catch Finnigan Schirmer? The second leg on his quest for a potential four gold day won't be easy for the defending champion. The 100m final would be his sixth race in twenty-four hours and around twenty minutes removed from a possible slugfest in the 110HH final. It didn't seem to bother him last season as he set a personal best on his way to gold.
Four returners are back to attempt a dethroning of the champion led by the state's top returning underclassman in this event Kaleb Brown (10.84; +1.1). The track rookie from a year who ran wild during an All-State football campaign hopes his gridiron success translates into track gold.
Jailon Welch, another gridiron speedster, is also relatively new to the sprint game--keep an eye on these unknown quantities. Welch was only able to compete in outdoor in 2019, so the natural speedster hopes his fortunes will change this time around.
Quality remains in this field as Keegan Cullison and the ultra-quick Devin Willis hope their development will cause them to sprint toward the top.