Cary-Grove’s Logan Abrams gives it his best shot, wins two titles at Huntley Sectional

HUNTLEY – A foot foul wiped out Logan Abrams’ jaw-dropping throw of 19.29 meters in the shot put.

The bigger takeaway for Cary-Grove‘s massive junior?

His surgically repaired foot held up just fine – and has all spring.

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Cary-Grove’s Logan Abrams throws the shot putt during the Huntley IHSA Class 3A Boys Sectional Track and Field Meet on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Huntley High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver Shaw Media )

“It stinks that I couldn’t save that one,” Abrams said of his 19-plus-footer, his last throw Thursday in the Class 3A Huntley Boys Track and Field Sectional. “But it’s there.”

Hence, Abrams’ wide grin.

He won the shot put with a personal-best 18.42 meters and captured the discus with a launch of 51 meters, qualifying for next week’s state meet in downstate Charleston in both events for the second year in a row.

Kaneland had much to celebrate as well. The Knights won the sectional with 120 points, comfortably ahead of runner-up Hononegah (78) and third-place Huntley (75.5), while DeKalb (67) edged Jacobs (66) for fourth place. Kaneland wrapped up the meet with Tyler Rebacz anchoring the winning 4x400 relay in a season-best 3:23.32. Gavin Smith, Brady Brown and Alex Moos also contributed.

“It was great,” Rebacz said. “It’s a little cold out, but we pushed through. We just kicked it and got into gear. One person did something great, and we just flew.”

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Abrams suffered a Lisfranc injury last fall during the football season, tearing four ligaments in his foot. He underwent surgery Nov. 1 and was idle about two months. The down time also included another surgery to remove hardware from his foot.

Abrams threw personal bests with his first two throws in the shot put finals, before fouling on his final throw.

“We’re almost there [strength-wise],” Abrams said. “It’s still lacking, but thankfully I have a great coach. That’s why we did some cool stuff today.”

Abrams’ throws coach is Josh Freeman, who holds the C-G record in the shot put.

“I’m chasing Josh’s record,” Abrams said. “I’m getting close. My goal this year was to PR, because of the [foot] injury. But we did that, and then 60 [feet, 18.288 meters], I threw that, so I was very happy. ... All the hard work coming together at the right time.”

DeKalb senior Adam Allen and junior teammate Ricai Nellums went 1-2 in the triple jump, hitting 13.84 and 13.75 meters, respectively.

Which should give Nellums’ grandmother, “Grandma Penny,” the right to say, “I told ya so.”

Nellums is competing in track and field for the first time, as he chose to focus on improving as a football player the past two springs. He also has run on relays this season.

“My grandma was always like, ‘You got long legs. You should do track,’ ” Nellums said. “I was like, ‘Eh, I don’t know.’ I didn’t like what they wore. For my grandma, I gave it a try.”

Nellums is thrilled to be going to state with his fellow triple jump teammate Allen, who broke the school record Thursday. Nellums’ distance on his runner-up triple jump is the second best in DeKalb history.

“We definitely help and push each other,” Nellums said. “Before we went through this, I told him, ‘Clear the mind.’ We did our warmups together, we got up steps in together. We do everything together. We pray together. Everything.”

Crystal Lake Central opened the running events by winning the 4x800 relay (8:10.57) with Amana Amale, Reed Mihelich, Oliver Lavaty and anchor Jackson Hopkins. Jacobs (18:16.60, second place) advanced with Jacob Kania, Austin Stevenson, Max Sudrzynski and Isaac Pepin.

A week after breaking Jacobs‘ record in the high jump, senior Khristos Oludimu did even better, clearing a winning 2.03 meters. Kaneland‘s Fredrick Hassan (1.93 second) advanced to state as well. Oludimu also ran on a leg on the Golden Eagles’ winning 4x100 relay (42.15) with Kieran Nally, Matt Scardina and Jackson Cook. Jacobs’ PJ Barnes (49.54 meters) and Cary-Grove’s Jake Cody (48.70) joined Abrams in advancing to state in the discus, finishing second and third, respectively.

Huntley’s Zach Rysavy earned individual state berths in the triple jump (13.61 meters), finishing behind DeKalb’s Allen-Nellums duo, and the long jump (personal-best 6.66 meters). He was second in the latter to Kaneland’s Dylan Sanagustin (6.72). Rysavy also was a member of the Red Raiders’ winning 4x200 relay (1:27.99) with Vinny Costa, Dominic Giuseffi and Jordan Oruche.

Kaneland’s Kyle Rogers (4.31 meters) and DeKalb’s Jackson Pfaff (4.16 meters) finished 1-2 in the pole vault, and Rogers’ teammate Ryan Moreno (4.16 meters) also advanced.

Kaneland’s Evan Nosek and Carson Kaiser ran state-qualifying times of 9:22.05 and 9:24.56, respectively, in the 3,200, with the senior Nosek being nipped by winner Landon Samuelson (9:22.02) of Rockton Hononegah.

Kaneland’s Luke Gadomski (15.16, fourth) was one of the four qualifiers in the 110 hurdles, and the junior also made state in the 300 hurdles (40.37, third). A tight finish in the 100 also featured four state qualifiers, including DeKalb’s Braylen Anderson (10.86, second) and Huntley’s Costa (10.91, third). Belvidere North’s Ben Bucher ran a winning 10.85 seconds.

Belvidere’s Caden Bould (winning 1:56.82) and Kaneland sophomore Smith (1:57.38) were the only state qualifiers in the 800 run.

Kaneland (1:28.62, second) and Jacobs (1:29.48, third) also advanced in the 4x200 relay. Four qualifiers in the 400 included DeKalb’s Anderson (48.77, second) and Kaneland’s Rebacz (personal-best 49.99, fourth).

“I smashed my goals,” Rebacz said.

After the a 30-minute delay due to an injury, the 1,600 run featured seven qualifiers. Coastal Carolina-bound Tommy Nitz of Huntley won in 4:10.12. The other qualifiers included DeKalb’s Jacob Barraza (4:12.75), Jacobs’ Sudrzyndski (4:12.83), Cary-Grove’s Jameson Tenopir (4:13.90) and Huntley’s Andrew Raistrick (4:19.16).

“We probably had the best mile field in the state,” Sudrzynski, who will run for Washington University in St. Louis, said after finishing third, just behind Barraza. “That was a state preview, to be honest. It was awesome.”