Just one week after Columbia High School graduating senior Abby Venhaus became Monroe County’s fifth state track champion, CHS junior Ethan Hogan entered the list at No. 6.

Hogan won the 3,200 meter run Saturday with a record time of 9:02.22 in the IHSA Class 2A Boys State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University.

Last week, Venhaus became a state champ in the triple jump.

In fact, Hogan almost won two state titles Saturday. He placed second in the 1,600 meter run. 

“It’s been a goal of mine to win state ever since finishing ninth my sophomore year in track,” Hogan told the Republic-Times. “It was a long journey, but I managed to come out with the win and a new state meet record.”

Hogan won the 3,200 meter run by more than six seconds over second place finisher Dale Johnson of Sterling. He finished less than five seconds behind Benton’s Gavin Genisio in the 1,600 meter run with a time of 4:13.45. 

“I had a little bit left to give,” Hogan told Milesplit IL after his 3,200 meter race, as he had yet to run the 1,600. 

Hogan, who ran the 1,600 meter prelims on Friday before his two finals races Saturday, said it is a challenge to win both races at the state meet but one he hopes to conquer next year.

“It was very difficult from the mental standpoint knowing most of my competitors had fresh legs,” Hogan said about running the 1,600 meter final. “But I had to convince myself that I had what it takes to compete for one more race. I wasn’t able to pull off the double this year, but next year if things play out the right way I may take another shot at the double championship.”

Earlier this spring at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships held at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Hogan won the 3,200 meter run with a meet record time of 9:00 and also won the 1,600 meter run in 4:17. 

In March, Hogan ran the mile at the New Balance High School Indoor Championships in Boston, placing 11th overall against the nation’s best runners with a time of 4:09.92.

This past fall, Hogan placed sixth at the IHSA state meet for the Eagles in cross country.

Hogan said he has one more race this season before preparing for his senior cross country season.

“I’m finishing my season off at Hoka Festival of Miles this Thursday before heading into cross country training, where I’m aiming for even bigger things,” he said.

Other than Hogan and Venhaus, previous state track champions from Monroe County are Columbia’s Cindy Stechmesser (1982 Class A 200 meter hurdles), and Waterloo’s Brendan Duncan (2011 Class 2A discus champ), Justin Kretchmer (2012 Class 2A high jump champ) and Jenna Schwartz (2018 Class 2A 3,200 meter run champ).

Bolstered by Hogan’s showing, the CHS boys track team placed fifth as a team at state this year. 

Other state medalists for the Eagles on Saturday were Calvin Range (seventh in the 1,600 meter run), Christian Kronk (fifth in both the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles) and Ben Scott (seventh in the high jump).

Waterloo’s Joe Schwartz placed fifth in the 1,600 meter run at state to end his successful prep career. 

A previous state medalist in both track and cross country, Schwartz will run next season at the University of Southern Indiana.