Friday -
Central Suburban League
SOUTH -
Miles Granjean has been showing out in both the hurdles and the sprints this year. Granjean's 13.99 wind-legal 110h performance from Smith Strong is one of the elite marks in the whole state this year. Evanston will need his best form as they take on Glenbrook South, Glenbrook North, and New Trier for the conference title. Glenbrook South's Ryan Schaefer (Sr.) will be in multiple jumps and hurdles races, and face off with Granjean in the 300 hurdles. Most of the distance race wins will go to either New Trier runners (Ben Crane (Jr.), Oscar Dueno-Alda (Sr.), or Maine South runners (Luke Pravacek (Sr.), Luca Arcuri (Sr.)). There is also a compelling potential 800 matchups involving John Ihrke (Jr., Glenbrook North) and James Hiltebrand (Sr., Glenbrook South).
NORTH - Highland Park has really come along as a team to watch on the track. A big part of the Giant's improvement has been Doug Anderson (Jr.) and his performances in the 200 and 400. Another has been breakout sophomore Brian Hatoum in the distances. Add these two to Barak Goldstein (Jr.), Lukaas Nales (Jr.), and Nate Wehner (Jr.), they will be track favorites in many races. However, they will have to overcome a Vernon Hills squad that improved to 3:24 in the 4x400 last weekend at Lake County. An interesting race to end the meet awaits. Jake Slavish (Sr., Vernon Hills) has broken 40 in the 300 hurdles. A good Niles North sprint crew will hope to close in on 43 seconds and 1:30 for each of the two sprint relays.
Chicago Catholic League
Loyola is the favorite in this meet with St. Laurence, DePaul, and Saint Ignatius as major players too. For St. Laurence, a young sprint crew is the key, with Harley Rizzs (So.), Quinton Williams (Jr.), and Monroe Thompson Jr (So.) all factors. Loyola's James Lombardo (Sr.) is having a strong season in the distance events but will have his hands full with Grayden Rill (Sr., Fenwick) in the 1600 and Mac Kittrell (Sr., DePaul) in the 3200. Marcus Kennedy (Sr., Brother Rice) has emerged to a well-rounded field events star, especially in the high jump where he cleared 6-7.25 in early April. The triple jump will be exciting, and the best mark so far this year has come from Jayden Leise (Sr., Montini) with a 45-4 jump. Finally, watch to see what Jaden Bossie (Sr., Mt. Carmel) produces in the hurdles.
DuKane
Defending champ Batavia will try to take the conference crown at Geneva. Lake Park will challenge them in the field, but the Bulldogs may gap the competition in this one. Batavia has Weston White (Sr.) and Nathan Whitwell (So.) powering the sprints, and Josh Evans (Sr., St. Charles East) will hope to slow them down. Quintin Lowe (Sr., Batavia) will be the favorite in any of the distance races he elects, with Mitch Garcia (Sr., St Charles East), Jedidiah Wilson (Sr., St Charles East), and Nathan Virginelli (Sr., Wheaton South) behind. Tyler Michelini (Sr., Lake Park) is the current state leader in the shot put, and 6th in the disc, so he should do impressive things to score 20 points for Lake Park at DuKane. Batavia counters with Alec Crum (Sr.), who is the conference leader in HJ (6-6), TJ (45-5), and LJ (22-6).
Fox Valley
Four athletes to watch: Jonathan Tegel (Sr., Crystal Lake Central) as a dominant hurdler, Henry Kennedy (Sr., Dundee-Crown) one of the breakout sprinters who has been a little quiet since the indoor season but can bust out some big marks, Zachary Galvicius (Jr., McHenry) adds to the long list of 15' vaulters, and McHale Hood (Sr., Huntley) is a 6-8 high jumper and is also in the mi to win the long jump. Jacobs and Hampshire will throw their hats into the relay ring with Dundee-Crown and Huntley.
Metro Suburban
Aurora Central Catholic is in the driver's seat of the conference, especially deploying Patrick Hilby (Jr.) in whatever track event he is needed. ACC has the best vaulter in the conference, Daniel Eberle, a recent member of the 15' club. Riverside-Brookfield adds distance depth in the form of Jack O'Brien (Jr.) and Brady Norman (So.). Matthew Gay (Sr., Aurora Central Catholic), Evan Smith (So., IC Catholic), and Ryan Heard (Jr., Chicago Christian) headline the sprints.
South Seven
How strong will Cahokia look as they begin a quest for another trophy? Their points will be scored heavily in the field, especially by Nicholas Deloach (Sr.), Jo'viano Howard (Jr.), and Chase Crawford (Sr.). Crawford is one half of an excellent throws match-up with JehChys Brown (Sr., Centralia). Brown is the favorite in the disc and Crawford in the shot, but either throw could go either way. Keshawn Lyons (Sr., Cahokia) is their hurdler and could score 20 points there. Mt. Vernon has some of the best sprinters in Judd Hicks (Sr.), Anthony Lash (Sr.), and Jacob Morrison (Sr.). Marion's distance team produced an early state 4x800 lead with an 8:03 showing at Belleville West. Sean Hudspath (Sr.), Benja Stone (Sr.), and Mekye Lomax (Jr.) are some of the main players. But will we see Dylon Nalley (Jr., Marion) in this meet?
Three Rivers Athletic
Peyton Locke (Sr., Rockridge) is a breakout athlete in the splints, and his April 8th marks from Davenport, IA remain near the top of the leaderboards. Tommy Murray (Sr., Riverdale) leads a Ram distance attack that will sweep points in the 800 and higher. A good match awaits in the discus between Alex Zarlatanes (Jr., Rockridge) and Bennet Williams (Jr., Princeton), where 170' may be needed to win.
Western Big 6
Chicago-area fans probably aren't aware of this quad-cities-based conference, but the meet held at Augustana College will be a great meet. Sterling and Galesburg have the best talent in the meet but Alleman, Rock Island, and Geneseo make this a very competitive meet. Start with Dale Johnson (Jr., Sterling) who has found another level in the distances this spring. Noah Britton (Jr., Alleman) is close to Johnson's time in the 800, but that's the best competition Johnson has in the conference. The sprints are more compelling, with Galesburg's Amarie Richardson (Jr.) and Bryson Thomas (Sr.) leading the way against Boen Brockmiller (Sr., Quincy). Alassane Ba (Sr., East Moline United) is a sub-50 400 runner with all-state aspirations in 3A. Ba anchored United to a 3:26 4x400 win in an exciting race at Sterling on April 28 to defeat Galesburg and Sterling. Geneseo's field power will narrow the gap in the team race. Cooper Schaad (Jr., Geneseo) is one of the fantastic young vaulters in the state and recently cleared 16-1. Kaden Salisbury (Jr.) is the favorite in both throws.