Two-time Invite 3200m winner Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West was en route to a big win in 2019
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This weekend marks the wholesale return of the biggest, brightest, full, and most talented high school track & field invitational in the United States. Its signature line reads 'home of national records' and that is not boastful when you consider that over two dozen of them have been achieved in five decades. This year's edition could see several more. Let's take a quick look at the Illinois contingent that is heading out to sunny California on April 8-9.
*Friday** (times listed in Central Time Zone)
7:07p - Boys 4x800m Invite
7:27 - Boys 4x200m Seeded
Lane Tech
8:32 - Girls 3200m Open
Evelyn Hett (Jr., Chicago Jones)
Tatum David (Jr., Richland County)
9:00p - Boys 3200m Open
Akili Parekh (Jr., Chicago Latin)
Michael Schumacher (Sr., Arlington Heights St. Viator)
-The opening day is expected to provide some major fireworks on "Burnin' Batons Session" on what is expected to be on a day in which the temperatures are expected to reach almost 100 degrees. Lane Tech will roll out their "A" 4x800 relay for the first time since the DGS Relays on March 7. Stay tuned for a more thorough analysis of personnel.
The girls 3200m race will be deep of course and if this "B" section is anything to come, stay tuned. Hett and David both will be out to prove themselves. Why? They have battled some injuries that have kept them out of the spotlight. More on this soon!
Look for Parekh and Schumacher to drop big personal bests despite very hot climes from earlier in the day.
**Saturday**
12:47 - Boys Mile Open
Hunter Whitney (Jr., Chicago Lane Tech)
Will Kozlowski (So., Chicago Lane Tech) [Rising Stars race]
Ryan Hardiman (Sr., Chicago Latin)
George Cahill (Sr., New Trier)
Michael Schumacher
2:19 - Girls Mile Open
Audrey Allman (Sr., Glenbard West)
5:51 - Boys 4x400m Open
Lane Tech
7:36 - Girls Mile Seeded
Audrey Allman
7:50 - Boys Mile Rising Stars
Nicholas Strayer (So., Lyons Township)
8:40 - Girls 800m Invite
Ali Ince
9:56 - Boys 3200m Seeded
Micah Wilson (Sr., St. Charles East)
Luke Wiley (Sr., Warren)
10:23p - Girls Mile Invite
Allison Ince (So., Normal Community)
Mary Grace Hegberg (Sr., Arlington Heights St. Viator)
10:31p - Boys Mile Invite
Spencer Werner (Sr., Loyola Academy)
10:37p - Girls 3200m Invite
Ava Parekh (Sr., Chicago Latin)
10:50p - Boys 3200m Invite
Nick Falk (Sr., New Trier)
11:00p - Boys DMR Invite
Lane Tech
5:00 - Boys TJ Invite
Abraham Ailemen (Sr., Chicago Lane Tech)
7:20 - Girls SP Invite
Alice Mihas (Jr., Chicago Latin)
-An action packed Saturday will be interesting. Again, the temperatures are going to dictate quite a bit for the Midwesterners. It will be in the 90s for much of the competition and that will impact some of the open session kids. Look for Ali Ince and Mary Grace Hegberg to duel on foreign soil in the 1600. Ava Parekh has opted to compete in the 3200 in her outdoor season debut.
Micah Wilson, Luke Werner, and Nick Falk will battle in various sections of the 3200. Let's hope for several sub 9:00s.