Boys track: Area athletes carry top seeds in sectionals in four events

The area Class 1A boys track & field teams have been sent to two sights - El Paso-Gridley and Rockridge - while Princeton has been sent to Geneseo in Class 2A. Here is a rundown of how the area athletes stack up:

At El Paso (1A)

When: Wednesday - field events start at 3:30 p.m., running events at 5:30 p.m.

Local teams: Hall, Putnam County, St. Bede. Other teams: Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Delavan, El Paso-Gridley, Eureka, Fieldcrest, Flanagan-Cornell, Havana, Illini Bluffs, Illini Central, Lewistown, Lowpoint-Washburn, Midwest Central, Peoria Christian, Peoria Heights, Peoria Quest, Tremont

Worthy of note: St. Bede sophomore Greyson Marincic comes off a Three Rivers championship in the 300 hurdles with the No. 1 seed (43.08). St. Bede senior Tom Makransky is the BCR Honor Roll leader in the pole vault, good for the No. 3 seed (11-0).

At Rockridge (1A)

When: Friday - field events start at 3 p.m., running events at 4 p.m.

Local teams: Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio, Bureau Valley. Other teams: Alleman, Erie-Prophetstown, Fulton, Milledgeville, Morrison, Orion, Pearl City, Riverdale, Rockridge, Sherrard, Sterling Newman, Stockton, West Carroll.

Worthy of note: BV coach Dan DeVenney said an already tough sectional became tougher with the addition of new teams this year. BV senior Elijah House comes off a double with Three Rivers championships, earning a No. 1 seed in the 400 and a No. 3 seed in the 800. DeVenney says Ben Roth (800), Drake Michlig (discus) and Justin Moon (TJ, HJ) are in the hunt to qualify along with the 4x400 and 4x800 relays. “Our 4x1 and 4x2 are coming along nicely and dropping time at the perfect time of year. They’ve only run together a few times. Hopefully the chemistry for our handoffs is built and they can run for qualifying time. We’ve got to put it all together and hit some qualifying marks on Friday,” DeVenney said.

At Geneseo (2A)

When: Wednesday - field events start at 3:30 p.m., running events at 5:30 p.m.

Local teams: Kewanee, LaSalle-Peru, Mendota, Princeton. Other teams: Dixon, Galesburg, Geneseo, Monmouth-Roseville, Morris, Ottawa, Plano. Rock Falls, Sandwich, Sterling, Streator

Worthy of note: The Tigers are looking strong in the weights with juniors Bennett Williams (discus/166-8) and Payne Miller (shot/57-10 1/2) carrying the top seeds. They have also met qualifying standards along with sophomore Ian Morris in the discus (155-5). Sophomore Cade Odell will step in for Williams in the shot. “I like how the team has progressed throughout the season and we will just have to see how they perform on Wednesday,” PHS coach Dan Foes said. “Hopefully they keep improving at the rate they have been and maybe they will either get second or hit the qualifying marks.”

State qualifying standards and those local girls who have met them:

Long jump - 16-5, 16-11 (none)

High jump - 6-1, 6-1 (none)

Triple jump - 41-2, 42-6 (none)

Pole vault - 12-2, 13-0 (none)

Shot put - 47-11, 48-7 (Payne Miller, P/Jr., 57-10 1/2, Bennett Williams, P/Jr. 51-10 1/2)

Discus - 141-3, 144-2 (Bennett Williams, P/Jr., 166-8, Ian Morris, P/So., 155-5)

100 - 11.35, 11.13 (none)

200 - 23.08, 22.59 (none)

400 - 51.32, 51.13 (Elijah House, BV/Sr., 51.32)

800 - 2:02.82, 2:01.83 (Elijah House, BV/Sr., 1:57.0)

1,600 - 4:39.8, 4:35.35 (none)

3,200 - 10:12.64, 10:01.23 (none)

100HH - 16.26, 16:54 (none)

300IH - 42.37, 41.22 (none)

4x100 - 44.63, 43.66 (none)

4x200 - 1:33.99, 1:31.98 (none)

4x400 - 3:35.17, 3:31.31 (none)

4x800 - 8:33.28, 8:20. 63 (none)