Local tracksters make state
Above left is Waterloo sprinter Chris Pete, who qualified for state in the 100 meter dash. Above right is Waterloo’s state qualifying 4×400 relay team of Dylan Brewer, Mitch Baldwin, Austin Corey and Tyler Theobald. Below left is Gibault state qualifier Ryan Biffar. At right are Columbia state qualifiers Ethan Hogan, Christian Kronk, Carson Mueth and Jase Nelson.
All five local high schools will be represented at the IHSA Boys State Track Meet taking place May 23-25 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Several locals qualified for the state meet by virtue of strong performances at sectionals held last Wednesday.
At the Class 2A Mascoutah Sectional, Waterloo and Columbia athletes represented this area well in multiple events.
For Waterloo, Kyle Kern placed second with a time of 9:38.88 and Tyler DeVilder placed fourth at 9:51.36, both advancing to state.
Chris Pete ran the first 100 meter dash in under 11 seconds in school history, placing fifth at 10.93 seconds to qualify for state.
Austin Corey will compete in two events at state after placing third in the 800 meter run at 1:57.88 and being a member of Waterloo’s 4×400 relay along with Dylan Brewer, Mitch Baldwin and Tyler Theobald that placed fifth at the sectional with a time of 3:30.47.
For Columbia, Christian Kronk qualified in both the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles, placing second in the 110 at 14.57 seconds (a new school record) and fifth in the 300 at 40.99 seconds.
Ethan Hogan will make yet another trip to state after placing second in the 1,600 meter run with a time of 4:12.50 (breaking his own school record).
Carson Mueth qualified for state in the 400 meter run with a fifth place finish of 50.94 seconds, which also set a new school record.
Chase Hendrickson placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 144 feet, 9.75 inches to make state.
Jase Nelson qualified for state in the triple jump with a sectional showing of 42 feet, 3.75 inches.
At the Class 1A Chester Sectional, Gibault, Valmeyer and Dupo athletes qualified for state.
Gibault’s Ryan Biffar placed second in the 400 meter run with a time of 52.11 seconds.
Valmeyer’s Landon Roy advanced to state in the 100 meter dash with a second place time of 11.25 seconds.
Dupo’s Keith West qualified for state in three events. He won the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 16.72 seconds. He placed second in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 44.17 seconds. West also won the triple jump at Wednesday’s sectional with a distance of 40 feet, 11 inches.
Also qualifying for state from Dupo was Deegan Prater in the triple jump. He placed second to West with a distance of 40 feet, .25 inches.