Above: Rockford Christian broke a school record (7:59.96) to lead all qualifiers in the 3200 Meter Relay (Mike Newman Photo)

By Michael Newman

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Charleston, Ill --- New Berlin needed to have a perfect day in the 1A Boys Prelims at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium Thursday. After a 45 minute weather delay, the Pretzels did that to put themselves in good position to win the 1A State Championship on Saturday. They had only advanced five to the state prelims. All five advanced to Saturday’s finals led by junior standout sprinter Kahlil Wassel. St. Joseph-Ogden, Shelbyville, and Warrensburg Latham HS are the teams that could also challenge for the state title.

Wassel started off the day anchoring New Berlin to the win in their heat of the 400 Meter Relay (43.10). They had the fastest prelim time just four hundredths of a second ahead of Fulton (43.13).

New Berlin and Fulton faced off in the final heat of the 800 Meter Relay. A strong anchor leg by Kyle Sandhaas gave New Berlin the win (1:29.93) just holding off Fulton’s Trey Simmons by three hundredths of a second (1:29.96). Their times are almost one full second ahead of the rest of the pack led by Rushville-Industry who won Heat #2 (1:30.92).

Wassel shined in the individual sprints on this prelim Thursday. For some reason, the 100 and the 110 Highs were run into a wind. In most cases at this meet, they will switch directions to have the benefit of the wind. Wassel won Heat #4 of the 100 (11.13) just twelve hundredths of a second ahead of McNamara’s Aziz Andrew (11.25) who also qualified. Connor Icenogle (Williamsville HS) had the fastest prelim time as he won Heat #3 (10.94) ahead of Bismarck Henning’s Blake Reifsteck (11.11).

Eight of the nine runners who advanced to the finals of the 400 Meter Dash were under 50 seconds. Wassel led the way running a season’s best 49.40 to win Heat #2. Jordan Rowell (IC Catholic Prep, Elmhurst) started off the action in the 400 prelims by winning Heat #1 (49.51) just ahead of Chicago Christian’s Ben Friesen (49.72). Jeremiah Davis (Collins Academy, Chicago) came from behind in the final 100 to win Heat #3 (49.57) ahead of Diondre Lewis (Warrensburg-Latham HS) who ran a qualifying 49.82. Josh Gordon (Mooseheart HS) won Heat #4 (49.52) to qualify for Saturday’s finals.

The top three runners advancing in the 200 Meter Dash all are within fourteen hundredths of a second of each other. Jeremiah Davis had the top prelim time as he won Heat #4 (22.23). Khalil Wassel won Heat #2 (22.29) while Connor Icenogle won Heat #1 (22.37) ahead of Blake Reifsteck (22.68). Jordan Rowell was the other heat winner as he ran 22.58 to win Heat #3.

Bret Danis (St. Bede HS, Peru) was the star of the hurdles as he dominated both event prelims. He was the only athlete to go under 15 seconds as he ran 14.91 to lead all qualifiers in winning Heat #4. Trey Miller (Lewistown HS) ran 15.10 to win Heat #2. Curtis Gordon (Vandalia HS) ran 15.15 to win Heat #3. Gordon and Miller should be the top athletes to challenge Danis in the finals.  The St. Bede sophomore was even more dominating in the 300 Hurdles. He was the only athlete under 40 seconds as he ran 39.38 to win Heat #3. Dyllan Bonk (Camp Point Central HS) won Heat #1 (40.01) just two hundredths of a second ahead of Arcola’s Clayton Strader (40.03). Sectional leader Judd Anderson (Farmington HS) won Heat #4 (40.10) while freshman Mason Barr (Lexington HS) made the finals by winning Heat #2.

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There was some expectations in the 1600 Meter Run when Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian) stepped to the track for his preliminary heat. Little did anyone know that Davis had come down with the stomach flu late Tuesday. The chances to go after the 1A record would have to wait for Saturday finals. Davis ran a conservative race but controlled it from the front. He kept it slow going through the first 400 67.6 followed by a 2:18.9 at 800 meters. Davis picked up the pace a little more going through the 1200 in 3:24.0. He traveled the final 400 meters in 58.4 to cross the line in 4:22.43 to have the fastest preliminary time and leading six other runners to the finals. A final 63.3 400 in Heat #1 gave Hunter Cobbley (El-Paso-Gridley HS) the win (4:25.64) just ahead of Nick Porter (Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS) and Riley Wells (Rockford Christian HS).

Cory Landon (Carlinville HS) did what he had to in qualifying for both the 800 and 1600 despite the fact that he came down with the stomach flu also Tuesday. Landon finished second behind Davis in the 1600 (4:26.51). Landon stayed back in the second heat of the 800 for the first lap taking the lead just after the 400 as the pack passed through in 59.4. Landon kept the lead in the final stretch just winning his heat (1:59.40) just one hundredth of a second ahead of John Pickard (Minonk Fieldcrest HS). Gabe Lyons (St. Joseph-Ogden HS) had the fastest prelim time (1:57.55) as he came from behind to catch David Plunkett (Pleasant Plains HS) in the final stretch to win by three hundredths of a second.

The one distance runner that had a great day was Michael Bennett (Dwight HS). In his second race of the day, Bennett came from behind in the final 200 meters to pass Drake Baker (Meridian HS, Macon) to win the heat (1:58.23) with Baker second (1:58.39). It was his anchor leg in the 3200 Relay for Dwight an hour before that had people talking. He was way back on the final 400 of the first heat with Shelbyville with a good advantage. Bennett made up the ground on the final lap to catch Shelbyville’s Preston Henze and to give Dwight the win (8:11.52) for the win ahead of Shelbyville (8:12.26). Bennett’s anchor split was 1:53.6.

Robinson pulled away from the pack to win Heat #2 (8:06.38). Rockford Christian, who had the top 1A sectional time, won Heat #3 (7:59.96) setting a new school record. They made a statement in that race and could go after Monticello’s ten year old record on Saturday.

Bennett ended the prelim day in the final heat of the 1600 Meter Relay. He brought Dwight from behind once again to win their heat (3:28.86) by more than a second ahead of Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Dwight has the third fastest time heading to Saturday’s finals. Rockridge ran 3:27.77 to win Heat #3 by more than four seconds. Oregon won Heat #1 (3:28.40) just ahead of qualifiers St. Joseph-Ogden (3:28.73) and Shelbyville (3:29.54). Macon Meridian won Heat #2 (3:29.88) to advance just ahead of Rockford Christian (3:30.47) who also advanced to the finals.

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Because of the stormy weather before the start of the meet, the jumps were moved indoors.

Jake Heitter (Byron HS) leads all qualifiers in the Long Jump. His mark of 21-11 ¼ was just an inch ahead of Kankakee McNamara’s Kevin King (21-10). Nick Schultz (Gibson City – Melvin – Sibley) leads after the prelims in the Triple Jump by two inches ahead of Dazhee Horton (Momence HS). Schultz’s leading jump was 44-10 ¼. Schultz led ten other qualifiers in the high jump all clearing 6-3. Pre-meet favorites Tyler Owen (Georgetown-Ridge Farm HS) and Noah Adams (Macon Meridian HS) advanced to the finals on Saturday.

Curtis Gordon led 11 qualifiers to the finals in the Pole Vault. Gordon cleared 13-6 along with seven other athletes. Three athletes also advanced by clearing 13-3.

Kyler Yodts (Alleman HS, Rock Island) is in charge in the Shot Put as he has close to a six foot lead ahead of Colton Yeakley (Arthur-Lovington HS). Yodts leading put was 60-1 ½. Devin Jones (DuQuoin HS) was a surprise leader in the Discus after the preliminary rounds. Jones’ throw of 172-11 is five feet ahead of second place John Barnes (Peru-St. Bede HS).