Area's best get big inside test
Most of the snow has just melted and many teams have not even seen their tracks since last season, which makes the thought of the state track and field meet far, far away.
But for one afternoon, a state meet-type atmosphere will be created, albeit indoors, at the 18th annual Illinois Prep Top Times Invitational.
Many of the state's best runners, jumpers, throwers and pole vaulters will descend upon the Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington for what many consider the indoor state meet.
Although many of the top runners in the state, including Neuqua Valley senior standout Chris Derrick and Stanford-bound Hersey senior Kevin Havel, won't be performing, the field is still loaded with quality competitors.
Competition starts at 10 a.m. today with the field events with the track finals starting at noon.
One of the top returning athletes in the state, defending 800-meter outdoor champion Mat Smoody of Palatine, will race as the top seed in that event. Matt Gasick of Benet and Jeff Stapleton of Willowbrook, both outdoor qualifiers a year ago, will be Smoody's best competition.
The Pirates will be well-represented. Senior Tim Williams will be one of the busiest as his schedule will feature four events. Williams will compete in the 200, the long jump, the triple jump and either the 800 or 1,600 relay.
In the jumps, Williams will see a familiar face in Rolling Meadows senior Ty Kirk. The top returning finisher in the outdoor triple jump a year ago, Kirk is the top seed and will also be in the mix in the long jump as well.
Kirk will try and duplicate the efforts of Troy Doris of Bolingbrook from a year ago when the outdoor state champion set a meet record by triple jumping more than 50 feet.
The pole vault figures to keep all eyes pointed to the ceiling of the Shirk Center with Meadows junior Mick Viken and defending outdoor champion Mitchell Erickson of Marian Catholic set to battle. Greg Haugh of Lake Park, John Wood of Fremd and Kyle Reid of Conant will be among a group of 12 trying to get over the magical 17-foot barrier.
The shot put is another event that will feature a star-studded field. Led by sensational junior and defending discus state champion Dan Block of Lake Park, as many as five of the top throwers could all reach the 60-foot plateau.
Brett Einbecker and Dwight Harris of Waubonsie Valley along with Jeff Bobek of Fremd and Eric Bergman of Elk Grove will all try and catch the top-seeded Block.
On the track, the 1,600 figures to be one of the most hotly contested races.
Even though some of the marquee names are missing, Conant's Jeff Thode and Tyler Hinkley will provide plenty of excitement. Geneva junior Andrew Nelson and Prospect's Chris Hayek should battle with the two Cougars.