Local high school boys track athletes competed in sectionals last week, with several qualifying for state.

At the Class 2A Mascoutah Sectional last Wednesday, Waterloo’s Chris Pete was the sectional champion in the 200 meter run with a time of 22.09 seconds. He also placed third at 100 meters with a school record time of 10.86 seconds to qualify in that event.

Waterloo’s Luke Smith won the 800 meter run with a sectional time of 1:57.14 to make state. 

Pete, who ran at state last year, and Smith will be joined at state this weekend by teammates Landon Wilson (triple jump) and Tyler DeVilder (3,200 meter run), who qualified in their respective events. 

Columbia’s Chase Hendrickson qualified for a return trip to the state meet by virtue of a second place throw in the discus last Wednesday in Mascoutah. He competed at state in this event last year.

At the Class 1A Chester Sectional on Thursday, there were a couple more local track champions.

Dupo’s Braxton Barnett, a junior high state champion last year in the discus, placed first in the event with a throw of 47.45 meters at the sectional. He also placed third in the shot put. 

Dupo’s Keith West will make a return trip to state after winning the triple jump at sectional with a distance of 12.36 meters Thursday. He also placed second in the 110 meter hurdles. 

Other local Class 1A state qualifiers are Valmeyer’s Landon Roy (200 meter run) and Gibault’s Ryan Biffar (400 meter run). Both ran at state last year as well.

Roy placed second at the sectional in the 200 with a personal best time of 22.50 seconds. He also place fourth in the sectional in the 100 meter run. 

Biffar placed second in the 400 at the sectional with a time of 53.09 seconds.