May 04, 2025
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Area boys compete at Herscher Invite as end of season draws near

Five events were won by local athletes in the meet

By Adam Tumino
Bishop McNamara's Dashaun Whiters, left, and Momence's Marchello Draine race in the 100 m dash at the Herscher Invite Friday, May 2, 2025.

Bishop McNamara's Dashaun Whiters, left, and Momence's Marchello Draine race in the 100 m dash at the Herscher Invite Friday, May 2, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

HERSCHER − The 2025 outdoor track and field season is entering the home stretch, and with conference meets starting next week, 13 area schools competed at the Herscher Invite on Friday to try and keep some forward momentum.

On the boys side, Coal City was the highest-placing local team in fifth place (52) while Prairie Central took first (82). Parker Jacovec gave the Coalers a first-place finish in the long jump (5.92 m).

Herscher placed sixth (39), with the distance duo of Jackson Kruse (10:09.38) and Brayden Shepard (10:29.28) taking first and second place respectively in the 3,200 meters.

Kruse said it is nice having a teammate in the same event as him so the two can challenge each other.

“Our team chemistry is great, ”Kruse said.“ We feed off each other a lot in workouts and in racing, and it’s just really fun to run with each other.”

Herscher head coach Tim McElroy said it has been great as a coach to have the pair frequently take the top two spots in the 3,200 throughout the season.

“Jackson and Brayden Shepard have been a really strong one-two punch,” he said. “Any meet we go to, there’s a good chance they go one and two in any event, so that’s pretty exciting as a coach to see that every night.”

Herscher's Brayden Shepard, left and Jackson Kruse lead the pack during the 3,200 m run at the Herscher Invite Friday, May 2, 2025.

Herscher's Brayden Shepard, left and Jackson Kruse lead the pack during the 3,200 m run at the Herscher Invite Friday, May 2, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

Kankakee tied for eighth as a team (27) and got two first-place finishes, including a dominant one out of the 4x200 relay team of Zyair Turner, Clifton Martin, Phillip Turner and Zyon Turner (1:30.79). Martin said that this combination has been building up their relationship, which has helped them drop time throughout the season.

“The team chemistry is good,” he said. “It doesn’t just start on the track, it’s more outside the track. I feel like we’ve got a good bond and that’s why we’ve just been progressing the way we’ve been progressing.”

With head coach Marques Lowe joining the bulk of the girls team at the Urbana Invite, throws coach Frank Ward was in Herscher with the boys squad. He said the hard work this relay group has put in has allowed them to drop time throughout the season, and post their second-fastest time on Friday.

“These guys work really hard, and we’ve got a really good coaching staff that puts them through a really good training circuit every week,” he said. “They listen, they come to practice every day and they just reap the rewards when we’re out here.”

The Kays’ second win came from Dominic White in the high jump (1.82 m). Bishop McNamara placed seventh (34.5) and Keegan Cooper picked up a win in the discus (44.26 m).

Elsewhere on the boys side, Wilmington tied for eighth (27), Manteno was 11th (15), Watseka was 12th (14), Central and Momence tied for 13th (11) while Reed-Custer and Peotone tied for 14th (6).