The IHSA boys track and field state meet is this weekend on the campus of Eastern Illinois in Charleston. Class 1A preliminaries are scheduled for Thursday, Class 2A and Class 3A prelims Friday, with the finals in all three classes set for Saturday.

Here are five storylines to watch for Suburban Life-area athletes this weekend:

Last hurrah for Downers Grove North distance standout Philip Cupial

Philip Cupial has been a huge part of Downers Grove North’s distance success in recent years.

The Virginia commit won the state cross country title last fall, and helped the Trojans win state in that sport the previous two years. On the track, Cupial won the 1,600 state title in 2024 and was on the championship 4x800 relay last year in a state record time, Downers Grove North’s second straight in that event.

Cupial has the top 1,600 time in the state this spring of 4:07.46 run at conference. Teammate Will Surratt is also a medal contender in the 1,600 and the Trojans’ 4x800 of which they run in figures to also be in the mix.

Can Kyle Quaid-Bowman go back-to-back in pole vault?

Glenbard South senior Kyle Quaid-Bowman, who won the Class 2A pole vault last year, is back in Charleston this weekend to defend his title.

It appears to be a strong pole vault field at the top.

Rochelle’s Andrew Nuyen, state runner-up last year, has gone 5.18 meters (17 feet) this month. Bloomington Central Catholic’s Isaiah Whitaker cleared the state’s top height of 5.47 meters (17-11.25) in April.

Quaid-Bowman, for his part, is undefeated this spring, his top height the 5.26 meters at the DuPage County meet May 8.

Morton’s distance crew

It’s been seven years since Morton last had a state medalist on the track – and you have to go back about 25 years since the one before that.

But the Mustangs are poised to make noise in Charleston this weekend.

Morton, based on sectional times, has contenders to win four state medals.

Junior Miguel Flores ran the third-fastest 3,200 time at sectionals, and senior Alex Rodriguez the ninth-best time. Senior Orlando Sandoval ran the fourth-best 800 and ninth-best 1,600.

Other Class 3A medal hopes

Willowbrook senior Otis “OJ” Powell will be looking to cap off a sensational high school career across multiple sports this weekend.

The all-time leading scorer in Willowbrook basketball history, Powell took fifth in the Class 3A high jump last year as a junior. He posted the third-best jump of 1.98 meters in sectionals.

While Powell is seeking to go out with a bang, Lemont junior Nathan Murray is set for a smashing state debut. Murray raced to the fastest 400 time in sectionals last week, his 47.29 seconds beating out returning state medalist Dontrell Young of Oswego at the Downers Grove North Sectional.

Other top medal hopes in Class 3A include Glenbard West junior Benjamin Schoettle, seeded fourth in the 110 hurdles based off his sectional time, and Downers Grove North senior Jake Davero, seeded fourth in the long jump based off his sectional distance.

Wheaton Academy high jumper

It’s been 25 years since Wheaton Academy last had a state champion in track and field

That could change this weekend.

Wheaton Academy junior Griffin Schlenbecker, fourth in the Class 2A high jump last year, cleared 2.02 meters at sectionals to put him as the No. 1 seed going into state. His 2.05-meter showing at the Chicagoland Christian Conference meet is tied with Troy Triad’s Mac Musgrave as the best statewide in Class 2A this spring.

Schlenbecker figures to be a busy man in Charleston this weekend. He posted the 10th-best triple jump of 10.51 meters at sectionals and also qualified for state in the long jump.