RESULTS I VIDEOS I PHOTOS
Day two at O'Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University, started off well as the athletes participated in the prelims for the first time since 2019. Right away it was Chicago Payton who set the tone in the 4x800 relay and established the fastest time of the day in 8:05.07.
One of the team's trophy favorites #1 Kankakee took the track for the first time in the 4x100. The Kays roared to lead all qualifiers in 42.26. Emerging superstar sophomore Jayon Morrow was on the pivotal second leg. Morrow, who is on a quest for an individual triple crown, would return a short later in the 100 (10.89), 200 (21.85), and 400 (48.58). The Kay's also advanced in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Jalen Townsend has the sixth-best 300H time (40.60).
The 1600m should be a very hot event on Saturday with the likes of distance standouts Wilson Georges (Sr., Limestone), Gavin Genisio (So., Benton), and Drew Rogers (Sr., Herscher). Georges and Rogers followed Genisio's heat one victory (4:21.65) with their own postering- Georges strolls home ahead 4:20.24-4:20.69. Georges ran a leg on the 4x400 relay that qualified for the final.
DeWayne Johnson (Sr., Pontiac) did not waste any time is establishing himself as the short hurdler to beat out of heat two with a time of 14.60 (+0.5).
Garrett Slack (Sr., Lincoln) led his team to the finals in the 4x800 with the second-fastest qualifying mark of 8:07.44 . Slack closed in 1:55.69. In less than 90 minutes, he completed the task of running the 800 in 1:54.82- the fastest time of the day. Lincoln could be in line for two titles on Saturday.
David Russell (Jr., IVC) had a career day in the discus throw with a toss of 166'3" and now leads the 12 finalists to Saturday.
Sectional long jump leader Jacob Morrison (Jr., Mt. Vernon) is ahead of the field as expected. He surpassed 22'8" on this third attempt.