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The Maroons of Belleville West is hosting one of the top invitationals of the season
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Date: Friday, April 7, 2023
Time: Field- 11a; scored events- 11:45am
How to follow: Twitter @milesplitil ----> #BWInvite23
Information: moderate temperatures in the upper 50s are expected to greet the athletes in what is expected to be the season's first boys' ardent competition at the meet also known as the Norm Armstrong Invitational.
Field-
Sochim Ozoh (Jr., Homewood-Flossmoor) will put his indoor best long jump to the test. He leaped 23-9 and is expected to challenge for the meet record of 22-6 set by Kenyon Johnson of Edwardsville set in 2019.
Chase Crawford (Sr., Cahokia) has enjoyed a wonderful indoor season in the shot put, throwing over 63 feet and winning the 2A indoor crown. Hopefully, one of the top returners of JehChys Brown (Sr., Centralia) will be up for the challenge. He was an all-state performer and nearly a 60-foot performer.
Nicholas Deloach (Sr., Cahokia) will compete in several events, most notably the long, triple, and high jumps where he could rack up 30 points.
Track-
Dylan Ybarra (Jr., O'Fallon)- the all-state cross country runner only competed in one indoor track meet and he won the 1600 in 4:25.01. He will compete in his first 3200 of the season and hopefully, the field will measure up. Joe Schwartz (Sr., Waterloo) will be up for the task as his runner up 9:24.24 at the Illinois Top Times is a formable opponent.
With the amount of talent in the 4x100 relay, the meet record of 42.63 is in big trouble! E. St. Louis Sr, Proviso West, Chicago Kenwood, Cahokia, and Alton should be under that time.
Look at his 100m field: Kenneth Buchanon (Jr) E.St. Louis 11.00); Cael Hiser (Sr., Minooka) 10.94; Daniel Pere (Jr. Metea Valley) 10.84; Tervous Graves (Jr., Proviso West) 10.80; John Gore (Sr., Homewood-Flossmoor) 10.81; Sam Elliot-Barnes (Jr., Alton) 10.85- Hopefully wind conditions will hold up and we will see how the best speedster is.
Landan Gillespie (Sr., Kenwood) will bring his 1:54 800m talents down south to face Zachary Balzer (Sr., Minooka). Both runners could dip near the meet record 1:54.97.
Sidney Morris (Sr., Kenwood) has an opportunity to assert himself in the 400 by going under 49.50 and taking the win.
The 1600 could be one of the most exciting events to watch as Foster Shelbert (Jr., Naperville Central), Balzer, Luke Noren (Sr.., Naperville Central), and Ybarra lead the charge. Oliver Burns (Sr., Plainfield North) and Schwartz add depth to the field.
For the first this season and probably the only time this year we will see all of the best 4x400 relay teams in one race or event. E. St. Louis Sr, Kenwood, Plainfield North, Cahokia, and a few more will go at a low 3:20s mark.
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