Just about any track and field coach will tell you that their No. 1 objective at the sectional is to advance as many events downstate as possible.

For Dixon’s Ryan Deets, there was also an intense yearning to accomplish something that hadn’t been done since 2002, and that was to be crowned team champion.

After Averick Wiseman and Alonzo Bautista finished first and third in the 1,600-meter run and only two events remained, Deets knew second-place Kaneland could not mathematically catch the Dukes in the final standings.

“It was a good feeling to know we had it wrapped up,” Deets said. “At meets like this, very seldom do things go as they should. We came as close to a perfect meet as we could.”

In what Deets termed a “celebration of busting our butt for the last five months”, it was Dixon with 146.5 points to 130 to long-time power Kaneland, who has hovered between 2A and 3A and done well in both. Last year, Dixon finished second to eventual state champ Sycamore in what is considered one of the most competitive 2A sectionals in the state.

There was not one person that stood out for Dixon, but rather a collection of individuals in the jumps, vault, throws, sprints, distances and relays. At the IHSA state meet next week, the Dukes will be sending all four relays and 15 individual qualifiers. Kaneland had four relays and 12 individuals qualify.

On the track, it was Keegan Shirley, Abe Garcia, Daniel Ramirez and Bautista getting the victory parade started for Dixon with an 8:03 win in the 4x800 relay. Next up were sprinters Owen Belzer, Quintynn Sarver, Adam Staples and Xavion Jones with a state qualifying time of 43.17 in a fourth-place 4x100 relay finish.

After Ethan Carter (9:38) and Westin Conatser (9:48) went 1-3 in the 3,200 run, Kaneland had to realize this was no ordinary Duke squad they were contending with.

“Dixon has a fantastic program,” Kaneland coach Andy Drendel said. “They have good coaches that care. You can tell that in how their kids conduct themselves.”

Jayden Toms then tacked on a win in the 110 hurdles with a 15.37 clocking to repeat as sectional champ. He would later go on to take second in the 300 hurdles.

Teammate Owen Belzer made it five straight qualifications on the track with a narrow 11.13-11.15 win in the 100 meters over Jackson Boryc of Kaneland.

“It wasn’t my best race, but all races are different depending on circumstances and conditions,” Belzer said. “A race like this is more about placement and getting to state. And, beating Kaneland. We wanted that sectional title.”

In a business-like 800 meters, it was Dean Geiger running away from the field for a 1:56.25 win, with Shirley coming in with a SQ 1:59.18. It was back to sprinters again with Staples, Toms, Belzer and Noah Flynn taking fourth in the 4x200 relay with a qualifying time of 1:31.68.

Dixon added on one more track state qualification with Andrew Osborn, Logan Grett, Wiseman and Geiger hitting the 3:30 mark in the 4x400 relay, good for fourth. With the sun setting on the Doug Creason Athletic Complex, the official celebration as sectional team champs could begin.

As he’s done all year, it was Owen LeSage setting the stage for Dixon in the field events. His 53-foot, 5-inch shot put was good for second to the 59-5 by Will Rosenow of Sycamore. Max Kitzman also was one of seven shot put qualifiers with a 49-2 efforts.

There were nine discus qualifiers, including fourth-place LeSage with a personal best of 154-5. Belzer and Jones finished third and fourth in the long jump, bettering the qualifying mark of 21-5, with Rochelle’s nationally-ranked pole vaulter Andrew Nuyen winning it at a school record of 22-4.

Nuyen won his specialty, the vault with a 16-9 clearance. With coach Steve Sulfridge taking over the Dixon vault program, the Dukes had their first state qualifier in a few years with Tukker Tarner making 12-9.

The highlight for Sterling was a win in the 4x400 relay. Maurice Delacruz, Quincy Maas, Aiden Lacy and anchor Derek Prieto clocked a 3:23.44.

“We were going for the school record (3:21),” Prieto said. “Hopefully, we can get it downstate and run under 3:20.”

For lead-off Delacruz, it was his first 400 of the year. He also joined Prieto, Ryan Gebhardt and Brady Hartz in qualifying in the 4x100 relay with a time of 42.98 and third place. Sterling appeared to have an 4x200 relay qualification locked up, but was disqualified from a second place finish for Lacy throwing the baton on the track after the race.

“It was not just after the race, but well after it – about 30 meters,” said Sterling coach Kel Bond, who disagreed with the call. “He spiked himself and was in pain. The official didn’t even go over and confer with him about it. And, it didn’t impact the race.”

Gavino Munoz Ripley took sixth in the shot put (49-4) and will be headed to state for Sterling. In the discus, Sterling’s Carter Frieberg (151-8) and Luke Jackson (146-8) joined the large group hitting state qualifying in the favorable throwing conditions.

“It was great to see our throwers do what they did,” Bond said.

Kameron Gibson was a part of the 4x200 relay that was DQ’d, but will still be competing downstate, as he was one of eight high jumpers meeting the SQ height of 6-2.

Rock Falls lost star sprinter Adan Oquendo last week to injury, but managed to send its 4x200 relay downstate. With Carson Devers filling in for Oquendo and Alexavier Oquendo, Logan Thome and Cole Heald rounding out the team, it was a third-place time of 1:31.44.

“Anytime you have your stud go down and hit state qualifying times two weeks in row, that’s a great thing,” RF coach Eric Bontz said. “Overall, the competition here is outstanding and gives us a look at what we’ll be seeing downstate.”

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Kaneland’s Benjamin Karl celebrates his heat win in the 200 dash Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Rochelle Class 2A boys track sectionals. (Alex T. Paschal)