ROCHESTER – East St. Louis was the premier team at the IHSA Class 2A boys track sectional meet held Friday at Rochester High, winning going away, while Triad was a very strong second place.
The Flyers won with a score of 151 points, while the Knights came in second at 116 points. Cahokia was third at 56 points, Williamsville came in fourth with 46.5 points, just edging out fifth place Civic Memorial, who had 46 points Roxana finished ninth with 31 points, Jersey was 12th at 29 points, Highland was 13th, scoring 17 points, and East Alton-Wood River placed 17th, with three points.
In all events, the top two finishers, along with those who broke or met the IHSA qualifying standard, advanced to next week’s state meet.
In the 100 meters, Tashon Crockarell of Triad won with a time of 10.92 seconds, while Roxana’s Andrew Ellis was second, qualifying for state at 11.16 seconds. The Flyers qualified their two runners in the 200 meters, with Jayden McCallum winning at 22.38 seconds, with Kenneth Buchanon coming in second at 22.79 seconds. Five runners went through in the 400 meters, with Jaylen Pennington of Cahokia winning at 49.45 seconds, with Darius Ivy of the Flyers second at 49.83 seconds. Three other runners met the qualifying standard, led by Mason Shubert of Breese Central, at 49.95 seconds, with Casey Borokowski of Jersey in at 50.04 seconds, and Corrion Raiford of Cahokia also qualifying at 50.06 seconds.
Seven runners qualified in the 800 meters, with the winner being Ivy, at 1:55.64, and second place going to Owen Morgan of Taylorville at 1:56.96. Meeting the qualifying standard were D.J. Dutton of the Eagles at 1:57.32, Drew Twyman of the Knights at 1:57.75, Jack Arends of Rochester, who was in at 1:58.64, Connor Boersdorfer of Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin Catholic at 2:00.61, and Drew Mirable of Williamsville at 2:01.23,
A total of five runners qualified for the 1,600 meters, led by Morgan at 4:22.66, while Justice Eldridge of CM was second at 4:24.55. Three runners made the qualifying standard, with Twyman leading the way at 4:27.33, Christian Knobeloch of Highland qualified at 4:33,53, and Liam Bettis of Taylorville also qualified at 4:33,77. Three runners qualified in the 3,200 meters, with Andrew Pace of the Knights winning at 9:50.13, and Max Weber of CM coming in second at 9::56.73. Meeting the qualifying standard was Lucas Hollinshead of Williamsville, who was in at 10:00.04.
In the hurdles races, Louis Yohannes of Triad won the 110 meters, qualifying with a time of 14.79 seconds, with Jaevon Solomon of Springfield Southeast second at 15.74 seconds. In the 300 meters, Reginald Griffin of Cahokia won at 42.38 seconds, while Solomon came in second, coming in at 42.43 seconds.
In the relay races, five teams made it through to state, with Triad winning at 42.36 seconds, and East Side second at 42.97 seconds. Meeting the qualifying standard were Rochester, at 43.34 seconds, Springfield Southeast at 43.49 seconds, and Roxana at 43.52 seconds. The Knights and Flyers went one-two again in the 4×200 meters, the Knights winning at 1:30.03, and the Flyers second at 1:30.28. Five teams went through in the 4×400 meters, with East Side winning at 3:23.67, and Cahokia second at 3:23,95, The qualifying standard was met by CM at 3:28.66, Triad at 3:28.66, and Breese Central at 3:28.79. Six teams made it through to state in the 4×800 meters, with Taylorville winning at 7:57.95, and Highland second at 8:03.44. Four teams met the qualifying standard, with CM leading the way at 8:05.99, Triad was fourth at 8:14.74, Roxana came in fifth at 8:17.27, and East St. Louis was sixth, going through at 8:19.12.
In the field events, six athletes qualified in the shot put, with the winner being Zach Van Tieghem of Triad, who had a throw of 16.94 meters, while Elmo Gillian of East Side second at 15.52 seconds. Meeting the qualifying standard were the Flyers’ Andrew Bownes, who had a toss of 15.45 meters, Gabe Smith of the Shells at 15.14 meters, Jacksonville’s Ryan Macombs at 15.11 meters, and Anthony Beckman of Williamsville at 14.86 meters. Only two made it through in the discus throw, with Bownes winning with a throw of 49.42 meters, and Griffin Martin of Jacksonville second at 47.83 meters.
Only two athletes also made it through in the high jump, with East Side’s Curtis Bownes winning at 1.90 meters, and Jo’viano Howard of Cahokia second, clearing 1.85 meters. Three qualified for state in the pole vault, with Taylorville’s Drake Howard winning, going over at 4.35 meters, while Triad’s Zane Meier coming in second, going over at 4.19 meters. and teammate Parker Friederich meeting the qualifying standard, clearing 4.04 meters to advance to state.
Three jumpers are heading to state in the long jump, with Buchanon winning the event, going 6.58 meters, and Jacob Kollman of Jacksonville second at 6.50 meters. Rochester’s Tristan Stanton hit the qualifying standard exactly at 6.47 meters to advance to state. Seven athletes qualified for the triple jump, with the winner being Jamarion Bardwell of Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin Catholic, who went 13.93 meters, while Tyreke Baker of the Flyers was second at 13.77 meters. Meeting the qualifying standard and advancing were Victrenze Thomas of Cahokia at 13.70 meters, Shamond McClain of East Side at 13.25 meters, Williamsville’s Earl Clark at 13.21 meters, Jasiah Brown of EAWR at 13.07 meters, and Kollman at 13.02 meters.
All of the qualifiers will compete in the state meet next weekend, May 23-25, at O’Brien Stadium at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
