Coal City, Princeton, Morris, Streator among top 10 at 2A Pontiac Sectional

PONTIAC – As a sophomore in last year’s Class 2A Pontiac Sectional, Coal City hurdler Julian Micetich surprised himself by racing to a third-place finish in a state qualifying – and personal record – time in the 110-meter hurdles.

As a junior in Wednesday night’s Class 2A Pontiac Sectional, Micetich set another PR, this time claiming the sectional championship and another trip down to Charleston for the IHSA State Finals.

“I feel like I’m standing a lot taller now this year,” said Micetich, who later Wednesday followed up his 14.77-second run in the 110 hurdles with a third-place 41.52 in the 300 hurdles, qualifying for state in a second event. “Last year here against great competition, I finished third behind two seniors with a state [qualifying] time, which I hadn’t even gotten close to previously. But it seems this track, whenever I come down here, I run a great PR.

“I came in here running a 15.28 as my PR, and I finished with a 14.77. But really, I’m just happy to be here. Every experience I get on the track is better than the last. I’m happy, I’m proud of myself, and I’m proud of everyone behind me.”

Despite the unseasonably chilly temperatures, there were a lot of good times and even moreso good distances put in at Pontiac’s Williamson Field, and a lot of state qualifiers as a result.

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Runners compete in the 3200 meter run during the Class 2A Sectional meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at Pontiac High School. (Scott Anderson)

In addition to Micetich’s two events, Coal City saw Parker Jacovec (2nd, 6.35 meters in the long jump) advance.

Fellow Illinois Central Eight Conference schools Manteno, Herscher and Streator also will be sending qualifiers down to Charleston – Manteno sending sectional champion Briggs Cann (1st, 50.30 in the 400); Herscher sending Brayden Shepard (2nd, 4:32.37 in the 1,600); and Streator sending six athletes in five events.

Isaiah Brown will be competing in four of those events for the Bulldogs at state. The senior speedster won Wednesday’s 100 in 11.08, 0.02 seconds ahead of Monmouth-Roseville’s Maddox Clark, was runner-up in the 200 by 0.05 seconds with a 22.33 and was part of Streator’s second-place 4x200 relay along with Garritt Benstine, Andrew Warwick and Riley Stevens after those same four finished second in the meet-opening 4x100 despite a botched handoff overcome by Brown’s speed in the anchor spot.

“I felt like it was a good takeoff,” Brown said of the 4x100, “but [we didn’t exchange] the stick very well. So I had to slow down, grab the stick, and then it took everything in me to catch back up.

“But it felt really good that I could help get my team to state.”

Warwick (T-4th, 3.88 meters in the pole vault) also qualified.

It was no surprise that Morris distance ace Cuyler Swanson won both the 3,200 (in 9:41.22) and the 1,600 (in 4:32.28), though the closeness of the 1,600 with Swanson neck-and-neck with Herscher’s Shepard through the finish line was a bit of a surprise.

“A little closer than I was expecting,” the Morris sophomore said, “but I did the 4x8[00] and the two-mile before this, so, yeah, I’m a little bit tired. But I got it. That’s all I wanted, so I’m happy.

“It’s good I was able to find something else left in me and push with 200 to go. I felt good in the end.”

Also heading to state for Morris are Everett Swanson (2nd, 9:49.15 in the 3,200), Kohen Gross (7th, 44.48 in the discus) and the 4x800 relay team (2nd, 8:25.60) of the Swanson, Nikita Hovious and Brodie Peterson.

Both Princeton and La Salle-Peru are also sending multiple entrants to Charleston, Princeton‘s contingent including Casey Etheridge (2nd, 40.85 in the 300 hurdles) but highlighted by the throwers. Freshman Landen Hoffman (1st, 49.26) and senior Ian Morris (2nd, 48.82) finished one-two in the discus, while Cade Odell (3rd, 15.51) qualified in the shot put.

“Our school has a really good weights program,” Princeton throws coach Curtis Odell said, “and these kids have worked really hard. They’ve invested in the program as to what we do as a track team, and really, it’s paid off.”

For L-P, both Richie Santiago (6th, 45.34 in the discus) and Griffin Hammers (2nd, 2:00.63 in a photo finish 800) qualified for state.

“I was hoping to go under 2 [minutes],” a spent Hammers said as he recovered from the 800’s wild finish, the Cavaliers junior finishing 0.60 seconds behind winner Aiden Duhs of IVC, “but I’m not worried about the time. ...

“I hope I can make the finals, but my whole goal at state is just to get in a good spot and then just go with 300 left.”

The final team standings saw the host Indians (106 team points) edge runner-up Geneseo (105) by a single point, with Galesburg (81) third, Morris (59) fourth and Streator (52) rounding out the top five of the 16-team field. Princeton (41) placed ninth, Coal City (30) 10th, Manteno (19) 12th, L-P (18) and Herscher (18) tied for 13th, Peotone (5) 15th and Reed-Custer (3) last.