St. Joseph-Ogden Secures 10 State Meet Berths at Rantoul Class 2A Sectional
By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph-Ogden captured 10 IHSA state-meet berths on Wednesday (May 15) in the 17-school Rantoul Class 2A Sectional.
The Spartans had two qualifiers in the 1,600 meters, two in the discus and two in the pole vault.
Distance runners Carson Maroon (second in 4:31.41) and Lance Retz (sixth in a personal-best 4:33.60) were state-qualifiers in the 1,600 meters.
Also continuing their seasons were pole vaulters Charlie Schmitz and Jack Wear, both of whom tied for second place at Rantoul.
They each cleared 13 feet, 2 inches, which for Wear was a personal-best.
In the discus, Brock Trimble was third (156 feet, 2 inches) and Jackson Ennis was fourth (145 feet, 10 inches).
All four SJ-O relays moved on to state.
The 400-meter grouping of Grant Smith, Colin Wayland, Logan Smith and Tim Blackburn-Kelly were clocked in 43.82 seconds. They placed seventh.
In the 800-meter relay, Blackburn-Kelly, Wayland, Logan Smith and Spencer Wilson teamed up for a final time of 1:31.18 and placed fifth.
The 1,600-meter foursome featured the same four athletes as in the 800. They ended in third place with a combined time of 3:28.78.
Sharing the baton on the 3,200-meter relay were Retz, Aden Armstrong, Wilson and Maroon. Their time of 8:11.00 positioned them in fourth.
Five SJ-O runners, who were among the top-10 in their events, recorded personal-best times, including two 300-meter hurdlers: Kyler Swanson (third in 42.96 seconds) and Colton Overstreet (ninth in 45.24 seconds).
Also establishing new top times were Joe Griebat (eighth in the 800 meters in 2:03.39), Nate Farney (seventh in the 3,200 meters in 10:41.02) and Overstreet (fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles in 17.03).
Other Spartans who garnered finishes among the top 10 included three field event performers.
In the shot put, Ennis was sixth (44 feet, 5 inches) and Cam Wagner was eighth (43 feet, 2 inches). High jumper Tanner Siems cleared 5 feet, 7 inches and tied for ninth.
The team’s other leading runners were Swanson (seventh in the 110 high hurdles in 17.12 seconds) and Waylon Jones (eighth in the 400-meter dash in 54.88 seconds.
The SJ-O state qualifiers will return to action on Thursday (May 23) at Charleston in the Class 1A semifinals. Those who advance to the state finals will return to Eastern Illinois University on Saturday (May 25).
