Lockport’s Nolan Lamoureux, with blazing kick, races to IHSA Class 3A 800 title

CHARLESTON – Nolan Lamoureux not only needed to run the best race of his life Saturday, he also needed to run the fastest 800 meters in Illinois all season.

Done and done.

The Lockport senior used a ferocious kick to become the Class 3A champ in the metric half-mile with a personal-best time of 1 minute, 51.92 seconds. He edged runner-up Owen Horeni of Yorkville by three-tenths of a second at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field.

His mindset in the closing stretch?

“I was thinking, ‘That’s what I do, I’m gonna catch him,’” Lamoureux said. “The race doesn’t start till the last 200 meters. That’s what I really focus on, the amazing kick with the 400 speed.”

Winning state has been a goal from the get-go.

“Me and my coach, we worked on the plan and everything,” Lamoureux said. “The plan was to run the 800 in the outdoor season – so it really worked out – because the 400 field was stacked this year. So 800 is where it’s at.”

Remarkably, he had run less than a handful of competitive 800s before this outdoor season.

“The training in the summer really helps,” said Lamoureux, who also anchored Lockport to second in the 4x400 relay at 3:18.01. “I used to be a cross country guy. In sixth grade, I got 16th at state, so I kind of have the endurance for it, too.”

The area’s other champ was Dwight sophomore Graham Meister, who won his second consecutive 1A shot put title with a 17.81-meter toss. He also was sixth in the discus at 50.06.

“I just expected a lot more this year, to be honest,” Meister said. “Last year I was really surprised (to win) because no one’s been a four-time state champion (in the shot put). That’s my goal obviously.”

Plainfield East junior Joe Owusu had a successful day, taking fifth in the 3A 100 (10.62) and anchoring a pair of relay teams to the award stand. The Bengals were fourth in the 4x100 (41.89) and seventh in the 4x200 (1:29.20).

“It took a lot of rest and recovery for my body to perform at this high level,” Owusu said.

He sees more success in the future.

“Some of our younger athletes are starting to step up,” Owusu said. “... Next year, we could be top three.”

Two Lincoln-Way West seniors finished second in 3A: Iowa recruit Austin Rowswell in the 400 (48.18) and Ryan Stiglic in the pole vault (4.90).

Rowswell is looking forward to his next chapter in Iowa City.

“Their 400 program, their academics, their coaches — everything there (made it) my dream school,” he said.

Stiglic was glad to end his high school career on a nice day.

“The weather was fantastic,” Stiglic said. “And there was a nice, little tailwind, so you got a little boost, too, from it.”

An attitude adjustment also helped.

“Last year at state, I no-heighted. So (I was) just kind of going back in and not being so serious ... just trust the hard work.”

Bolingbrook junior long jumper Jordan Lampkins (7.05) also was a runner-up.

“I knew I had some other tough competitors,” Lampkins said. “I just wanted to become all-state. I wanted to get my picture up on the wall at school. ... The weather was definitely nice. It definitely helps when it’s not raining and cold.”

Lincoln-Way Central was in the middle of a record-setting 4x800 relay in 3A. Downers Grove North set the all-class state-meet record of 7:36.40. The Knights’ Bryce Counihan, Jack Galminas, Kyle Friedl and Braden Hoff were second with a season-best 7:40.18.

“We’re very happy,” Hoff said. “We were just hoping to beat our time from last year and everybody got a PR.”

Plainfield North senior Quinn Davis was ninth in the 3A 1,600 (4:21.70) and anchored the Tigers to fourth in the 4x800 with a season-best 7:46.57.

Senior Bruce Duncan III was fourth in the 3A 400 (48.90) and anchored the Raiders’ 4x400 to sixth in 3:19.72.

Providence senior Luke Leverett was third in the 2A 100 (10.61) and ninth in the 200 (22.19).

Other local placers were Minooka’s Cooper Bowman in the 3A pole vault (fifth, 4.60), Romeoville’s Marc Thomas in the 3A discus (52.79), Lincoln-Way West’s Brendan Vlasak in the 3A 110 hurdles (sixth, 14:32), Lockport’s Jacob Soderstrom in the 3A pole vault (eighth, 4.30), Lincoln-Way East’s Nathan Botanga in the 3A high jump (eighth, 1.96), Morris’ Cuyler Swanson in the 2A 3,200 (fourth, 4:26.06), Coal City’s Julian Micetich in the 2A 110 hurdles (seventh, 14.91), Dwight’s Joe Faris in the 1A 800 (third, 1:56.60) and Seneca’s Matt Stach in the 1A long jump (fourth, 6.51).