Several area athletes have designs on bringing back state medals from this weekend’s boys track and field meets at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium.

CLASS 3A

Lincoln-Way West has entries in 12 of the 18 events and is hoping to bring home a team trophy as well.

“We are very excited heading into the state meet,” West coach Joe Strain said. “As a team, we qualified in 12 out of 18 possible events. We love that we are a well-rounded team that will be represented in sprints, hurdles, distance, throwing, relay, and jumping events.

“Our team also goes into the start meet as the No. 1 seed in the 4x400-meter relay based on our time from sectionals.”

Qualifiers

Bolingbrook: Edmond Ankomah - 400-meter dash; Mason Williams - long jump; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay.

Joliet Central: Nathaniel Gabriel - 800-meter run.

Joliet West: Payton Hudson - 800-meter run; 4x200 relay; 4x400 relay.

Lemont: Nathan Murray - 200-meter dash, 400 dash; Daniel Jaquez - high jump.

Lincoln-Way Central: Ryan Zartler.- 3200-meter run; Bryce Counihan - 1600; 4x800 relay.

Lincoln-Way East: Brandan Hanrahan - 3200-meter run; Kayden Smith - 400 dash; Charlie Palmer - 300 hurdles; Conner Coleman - 300 hurdles; Nathan Botanga - high jump; Tebit Okwen - triple jump; Jimeto Okafor - shot put.

Lincoln-Way West: Braydon McNulty - 110 hurdles, 100-meter dash, 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay; Anthony Lusciatti - 300 hurdles, 4x200, 4x400; Hunter Spee - 800-meter run, 4x400 relay; Caleb Terdic - 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay, 4x400 relay; Zaven Johnson 4x100 relay, 400 dash, 4x400 relay; Nick Dul 3200; Ben DeMaertelaere - discus; Jack Drozdek - pole vault; Michael Kennedy - 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay; Brandon Wolf 4x400 relay.

Lockport: Cade Huesing - pole vault; Hamdi Ayyash - discus; 4x100-meter relay; 4x200 relay; 4x400 relay.

Minooka: Cooper Bowman - pole vault; Jaxson Waddell, pole vault; 4x100-meter relay; 4x200 relay; 4x400 relay; 4x800 relay.

Plainfield Central: Jakub Banka.- triple jump.

Plainfield East: Joe Owuso - 100-meter dash; Nasir Robinson - 200 dash, 400 dash; David. Croom, long jump; 4x100 relay; 4x200 relay.

Plainfield North: Aidan Connors, 1600-meter run, 3200 run; Thomas Czerwinski - 1600 run; Cameron Ring - pole vault; 4x100 relay; 4x800 relay.

Plainfield South: Alex Batsala, 3200-meter run; Austin Cory - 3200 run; Kilan Callahan - 400 dash; Dylan Buturusis - 1600 run; Kellen Hernandez - 1600 run; Tramaine Jarret-Turner - discus.

Romeoville: Shaun Alexander - long jump, triple jump; Alex Adebayo - triple jump.

Class 2A

Morris’ distance-running brothers Cuyler and Everett Swanson - both juniors - return to state after finishing 1-2 in the sectional in the 1600 and 3200. The surprise was that Everett Swanson was the winner in the 3200. Cuyler Swanson took fourth in the state last season, which is where he is seeded this year, one spot behind his brother.

“Three out of the five we are taking down are are returning state qualifiers,” Morris coach Ryan Battersby said. “Cuyler Swanson has medaled in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. He is looking to improve upon his fourth place finish in the 3200 last season. He will come in ranked fourth again in a group of very closely ranked competitors. Everett Swanson is ranked just ahead of his brother at third. They are both running in the 1600 meter run also and will have very good chances to make the finals. Cuyler and Everett have been pushing each other all year long. Until this year, Cuyler had been having all the victories. This year, Everett has changed the game by getting some of the victories. The competition among the brothers has made each one of them better and it’s been fun to watch.

“Colin Zierman will be coming in ranked sixth in the 300 hurdles and ninth in the 110 hurdles. Colin was in the state finals his sophomore season in the 300 meter hurdles, so it was great to see him get back there this year after having an injury plagued season his junior year.”

Qualifiers

Coal City: Johan Micetich - 300-meter hurdles; Emmett Eason, shot put; Keaton Berta, shot put.

Joliet Catholic: Craig Peacock - 100-meter dash; Phil Larson - pole vault; Dylan Travis - triple jump.

Morris: Cuyler Swanson, 1600-meter run, 3200 run; Everett Swanson- 1600 run, 3200 run; Colin Zierman, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Owen Noon - high jump; Martin Lauterbach, pole vault.

Providence: Christopher Mack - 400-meter dash; Jack Tiernan - pole vault; Bryce Vlasak - triple jump.

Class 1A

Dwight might not have the most entries in terms of quantity,; but the Trojans look to come home with some quality finishes as junior Graham Miester has the top seed in both the shot put and discus following the sectionals, while teammate Joe Faris has the top qualifying time in the 800-meter run. Meister is the defending shot put champion and took fourth in the discus last season. Seneca’s Matt Stach is also the top seed in the long jump, while teammate Noah Odum is the top seed in both the wheelchair shot put and wheelchair discus.

Qualifiers

Dwight: Joe Faris - 800-meter run, 1600 run; Tysen Walker, 400 dash; Graham Meister - shot put, discus; Colin Bachand - triple jump;

Peotone: Adam Murray - high jump.

Seneca: Matt Stach.- long jump; Brayden Simek, high jump; Jesus Govea - shot put, discus; Zebediah Maxwell - shot put; Trenton Powell, pole vault; Kaden Meents - pole vault; Ethan Hasselbring - tripoe jump; Liam Baima - 1600-meter run.

Wilmington: Billy Moore - 100-meter dash, 200 dash; Hunter Kaitschuck.- 110 hurdles.