Track and Field notes: Montini’s Jayden Leise makes record-setting return from injury

Montini senior Jayden Leise (left) and Sydney Gertsen have set school records this spring in the triple jump and 3,200-meter run, respectively.

Montini senior Jayden Leise was making a respectable high school track and field debut in 2022 at the indoor Chicago Catholic League Meet. In triple jump, Leise ended up sixth but his last attempt became his final one for the entire season.

Leise fractured his left hip.

“I landed weird [in the pit]. It popped out of place,” Leise said. “It was bad but I’m better now and hopefully it doesn’t happen again. It gets tight so I have to do stretches to work it out, but I’m basically back to normal now.”

Leise not only has returned but is among the state’s best and has two school records to show for it.

His latest personal best April 8 was his first outdoor triple jump attempt of the season, a school-record 45 feet, 4 inches/13.81 meters that won the Latin Hope Invitational. As of April 19, the jump was the fifth-best outdoors among all Illinois athletes and second-best in Class 2A.

Leise also set Montini’s indoor school record Feb. 26 with a 43-9 1/2 – an impressive improvement from 38-11 as a junior.

“It was one of my big goals to get my name on the [outdoor record] board. I knew I was close,” Leise said. “But I also wanted the indoor record. That was one of my goals. My last goal is just making it down to state.”

The Broncos’ other indoor school records this season included Sydney Gertsen (3,200-meter run), Sofia Fisher (200) and the 4x200 relay (Keisha Berry, Camryn Amouzou, Ava Kehoskie, Fisher) for the girls and Luke Hemmersmeier (long jump) and Hugh Flaherty (3,200) for the boys.

Freshman Gertsen’s record was a second-place 11:32.92 at the indoor Girls Catholic Athletic Conference meet March 17. Gertsen already has an all-state medal for cross country after taking 21st at the Class 1A state meet Nov. 5.

“[My time] was a shock. I was not expecting that. Now I just want to improve off that,” Gertsen said. “I’m very motivated. I want to go to state for track. I hope to get [top nine, all-state]. It’s a big goal but I want to do it.”

Leise broke records set by 2002 graduate Kurt Laurinaitis, the Broncos’ only all-state triple and long jumper who was second in the Class A triple in 2002 (44-10 1/2).

“Whatever happens, happens,” Leise said. “Of course [earning all-state] is a goal of mine, but I’m not going to be mad if I don’t.”

Montini jumps coach Gail Casey laughed when Leise reminded her recently of seeing him as an “enthusiastic” youth track competitor. Leise took Casey’s suggestion to join the DuPage Track Club for offseason training. Now he’s weighing his growing college track options.

“He’s going to do great things,” Casey said. “He’s really laid back but a very focused kid, easygoing combined with his athletic ability.”

Gertsen’s record came after only a couple of weeks of training after basketball season.

“I like to just do a variety of sports. It kind of gives me time off,” Gertsen said. “I’m really motivated now to just keep improving on my own personal records.”

Sommerfeld named Academic All-Stater

Lyons Township senior Catherine Sommerfeld was among this year’s 26 student-athletes on the annual IHSA All-State Academic Team, which was honored April 10 in Bloomington. The all-state track and cross country distance standout will compete for Vanderbilt. She’s leaning toward majoring in environmental engineering.

“I’ve done a lot athletically but also I work hard in school and it’s cool to see that recognized, too,” Sommerfeld said.

At the 2022 Class 3A state meet, Sommerfeld was an all-state seventh in the 3,200 (school record 10:35.21) and reached the 1,600 final (12th, 5:11.58). This past indoor season, she set indoor school records for the 1,600 (4:57.90 March 10) and 3,200 (10:45.58 March 17, which won the indoor West Suburban Conference Silver meet).

Lemont’s record victory

The Lemont boys won their annual co-ed invitational April 13 by 16 points with 155 points. Individual champions setting school records were juniors Quinton Peterson in the 110 high hurdles (14.91, No. 8 in Illinois/No. 3 in 3A) and 300 intermediate hurdles (39.14) and Division I football prospect Jacob Katauskas in shot put (51-5 3/4/15.69 meters).