Led by Aidan Wyzard, Sycamore won their first track and field team championship (Mike Baxter photo)
Charleston, IL-
The Eastern Illinois University campus was the scene of the biggest event of the high school track and field season.
Upstart and #1 Sycamore lived up to its lofty status over the past several weeks and made it happen Saturday evening, capturing its first team state title. The Spartans ripped the field and track all day long in amassing 71 points. The former defending state champions from East St. Louis finished second with a strong 62 tallies. Cahokia grabbed its first trophy in the 2020s, taking home third with 37 points.
Event by event summary-
4x800: Chicago Payton co-head coach Adam Palumbo indicated on Friday evening after the preliminary round, "We want to go under 7:40 and after the overall record [7:37.36]." Things did not look promising in that regard, with leadoff senior Vaughn Collier only managing 1:58.31. It was time for the enigmatic junior Declan Slavin to take over. Immediately, he shifted into full flight and didn't allow the pursuers to catch up with him. He burned a 1:54.54 split and a nearly five-second lead over Mahomet-Seymour.
Junior Tra'Monti Williams got the stick and put 'em more distance on the field, circling the track with whippet appeal. By the time he handed off, his split was 1:52.58. With a 100m lead on the next team, it prompted meet announcer Matt Piescinski to blurt out, "These people are on jet fuel!"
Senior Preston Ellis would not waver as he dashed around the track two times in full flight, bringing the crowd in awe with a 1:53.54 carry and a new record of 7:38.95! The time is a Chicago Public School all-time record, Class 2A record, IL#2, and the 10th fastest time in the country.
4x100: After witnessing impressive and crowd-stopping 4x8s, it was time for the first sprint-oriented track event of the day. Prelim leader East St. Louis had lane 5, the middle of the track, as they say. It was safe passes around the track for the East side, which put them behind the leader, Olney (Richland County), by the anchor leg. The Flyers' anchor, Melvin Sledge (Sr), brought his team to life with a swift carry and nipped his opponent just in the nick of time, popping off a 41.57.
3200: Simon Lane (Sr., Chicago University) has transformed himself into one of the best distance runners in Illinois during the outdoor season. He knew that section two winner Cuyler Swanson (So., Morris) won in 9:26.06. That time was beatable, but would take more than a so-so effort to topple. Gabriel McLain (Sr., Benton) and Raphael Greer (So., Marion) would provide the most significant challenges. They hit the first 1600 in 4:37, with Greer having the slight advantage. It stayed that way even on the final lap, but Simon was able to sprint away in the final 150m to win in 9:12.79. Greer took second in 9:13.23.
110HH: Defending champion Louis Yohannes (Sr., Triad) had a chip on his shoulder after his team had several mishaps in the prelims, one of which was mishandling an exchange in the 4x1 relay and not advancing. In his biggest challenge of the season, Yohannes battled with Parker Campbell (Sr., Lincoln), edging him for the win 14.11-14.18 (+0.6).
100: This class race was one of the more evenly matched, with Tyjaire Kellum (Sr., Murphysboro), Aidan Wyzard (Sr., Sycamore), and Luke Leverett (Sr., Providence Catholic). However, it was Kellum who emerged as the best in a great field, taking the win in 10.47 (+3.0). Wyzard registered 10.50 for runner-up honors.
800: After winning another title in the 800, it was time to cash in for individual honors. Tra'Monti Williams turned an average opening 200 into a 56-second high 400m on the bell. Williams bolted with 250 to go and closed things out in a season-best 1:53.77.
4x200: E. St. Louis Sr. outclassed the field, and they needed to collect 10 points badly to keep pace with Sycamore. Once again, anchor Melvin Sledge came to the rescue and provided a speedy leg to close the door in 1:27.03.
400: No Class 2A kid ran under 49 seconds during the weekend. But that's all right because Dylan Hodges (Sr., Sycamore) took the victory in 49.18 and picked up 10 valuable points for his team's trophy run.
300H: Amauree Williams (Jr., Southland College Prep) enjoyed a great weekend. He made a name for himself, storming back late over the final hurdles to win in 37.77, ahead of Adrian Mann (Sr., Harrisburg), who ran 37.97.
1600: In one of the most odd situations that you will ever see in track and field, a distance runner gets disqualified for false starting. This is what happened to top seed Simon Lane after he stepped over the starting line before the starting gun in the set position. Lane came in with the second fastest time in the state at 4:10.72. He previously won the 3200 and was looking to dominate this race. Fortunately for Vaughn Collier and others, they were able to slow the pace down for three laps, making this affair a kicker's race. Collier moved from fourth place on the bell to first with a wicked final lap in 56.35, and won in 4:22.86.
200: Aidan Wyzard gets his first individual title, running a school record in 21.36 (+1.1). Akeelan Dowell (Sr., Cahokia) placed a distant second in 21.84.
4x400: E. St. Louis Sr. closes out the meet with a dominating performance in 3:17.80. Darius Ivy (Sr) chopped down the competition in exciting fashion. This would be the 20th "showstopper" title for the Flyers, the most in IHSA history.
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Field events-
PV: Kyle Bowman (Jr., Glenbard South) pulled off the upset over the 17-foot performer Andrew Nuyen (Jr., Rochelle) 15'5" to 15'1."
HJ: Matt Pluff (Sr., Freeburg) avenges last year's disappointing performance of not making the final to a state champion (6'8.75"). The Pluff name is well known at the state meet, as his older brother, Zach Pluff, placed second in 2019.
LJ: This was the class's best-performing field event, led by Chris Nelson (Sr., Harrisburg), who leaped 24'5.50" (+0.0). He redeems several years of frustrating performances in track and field. Rex Hallam (Sr., Richland Co) got the runner-up spot, 24'3.75."
SP: Andrew Kinsman (Sr., Benton) won his second title on the first throw of the day in the prelims and later proceeded to land his best performance, a 59'5.50" toss in the fifth round.
TJ: Shamond McClain (Sr., E. St. Louis Sr) led throughout each round and produced a 46'8.25" during the final attempt.
DT: Ian Morris (Sr., Princeton) was in third place until landing 175'9" on his fifth throw.