2019 Boys State Championship Final
800m-
2019 State Champion: Boston Stewart (Decatur [St. Teresa]) 1:54.93
Key Athletes: Hunter Newman (So., Morrison), Negus Bogard (Sr., Robinson), Koby Brackemeyer (Sr., Morrison), Charles Clary (Sr., Evanston [Beacon Academy]), Asa Smith (So., El Paso-Gridley), Cayden Shelton (Jr., Forreston), Noah McIntyre (Sr., Athens), Alex Dolcos (Jr., Urbana [University]), Gabe Martinez (Sr., Bismark-Henning), Adam Bohm (Jr., Havana), Ryan Humphrey (Sr., Chicago [Francis Parker]), Blake Rosenbohm (Jr., Elmwood), Matty Tang (Sr., Urbana [University]), Nick Sunley (Sr., Pleasant Plains), Erik Richter (Sr., Elgin [Harvest Christian]), Matthew Olech (Jr., Elgin [Harvest Christian])
Outlook: This will be the bread and butter event for the Mustangs of Morrison. They have the top two returners in terms of finishing place at state last season. Hunter Newman is a new kid on the block that bolstered a very deep 800m team. He may very well be the reincarnation of Riley Wells (Rockford Christian) who dominated the 1A 800m field for two years before moving up to 2A for his senior year. Newman ran 1:55.25 last season, is there potential that he drops down to 1:52.84 at the state meet and matches Riley Wells' championship-winning time? Hold on though, as Newman's seasoned teammate Koby Brackemeyer returns for one last hurrah. Brackemeyer has been the star of the Mustangs team for the past three seasons and although they have taken home two team state titles on the 4x800m, he has never won individual gold.
The 800 at the 1A level was a little slow getting off the ground during indoors, although Harvest Christian Academy established their presence with the top two times in the state, a 1-2 finish at the Auburn Boys' Invite for Erik Richter and Matthew Olech. These were the only two times under 2:03 during indoors.
Watch out as well for Charles Clary as he can be a major underdog this year. Clary just ran his first season of cross-country since his freshman year going 15:39 for 3-miles this season. Will his newfound endurance be enough for last year's 6th place state finisher to break up the Mustang's dynamic duo?
Asa Smith, brother of former standout Noah Smith who took 9th in Charleston last May, is also worth keeping an eye on during his sophomore year.
