Lockport, all three Lincoln-Ways advance multiple athletes to boys state track meet

LOCKPORT -With on and off rain throughout the day and temperatures in the 50s, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see the Class 3A Lockport Boys Track and Field Sectional postponed to another day.

Rain and cold couldn’t stop the best from around the area shining through.

The sectional got off and finished without a hitch as Homewood-Flossmoor took first place as a team with 138.83 points. Lincoln-Way West was second with 106, Lincoln-Way East was just behind that with 101.33, Lincoln-Way Central was fourth with 58, and Lockport was fifth at 101.33.

The Warriors will have 10 entrants, including athletes competing in multiple events and relay teams. It was an effort coach Joe Strain took pride in.

“I’m just beyond proud of these kids,” he said. “They’ve battled through crazy adversity these past couple weeks. There’s been ups and downs and ups and downs and they just keep showing up.

“What I’m most proud of is that we’re being represented in so many different events and disciplines. We’ve come such a long way as a program the past few years.”

The host team will have four entrants, led by Nolan Lamoureux, who dominated the 800 meters and closed out the last leg of the 4x400. Coach Tom Razo felt even more athletes from the sectional could’ve qualified had the conditions been a bit better.

“The weather probably played a factor in how many kids qualified out of this sectional,” he said. “The quality is here, even if the quantity may not reflect it.”

Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way Central will also have four entrants.

Lincoln-Way Central advanced in the 4x800 after winning with a time of 7:51.15.

Lincoln-Way West finished second in the 4x100 in 42.58 seconds, just behind Homewood-Flossmoor. Lincoln-Way East missed out on advancing to state by a mere 0.22 seconds.

The Warriors weren’t done. They will have a discus thrower competing in Logan Heinen, who posted a distance of 47.55 to place second.

Lincoln-Way East got its first qualifier in when Sean Hanrahan won the 3,200 with a time of 9:27.26. Lincoln-Way West’s Nicholas Dul also advanced after coming in second place.

“It’s great to make it for the second year in a row,” Hanrahan said. “The goal is just to get down to state, get a good time and that’s what we did despite the conditions. I was definitely happy with the result.”

Brendan Vlasak punched his ticket to state after finishing second in the 110 hurdles at 14.51 seconds. It was heartbreak for Lincoln-Way East senior Ethan Eichie as he ran a time of 15.31 seconds. The qualifying time for state was 15.26 seconds.

The host Porters sent a runner after Xavier Adeniyi finished second in the 100 in 10.94 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of third place.

Three locals advanced in the 800. Lockport’s Nolan Lamoureux dominated the race with a time of 1:52.45. Kyle Friedl of Lincoln-Way Central took third, but qualified for state with a time of 1:57.19. Lincoln-Way West’s Hunter Spree rounded it out with a time of 1:57.29.

“It’s always a great feeling (to make state),” Friedl said. “It was a really tough day for sectionals with the weather. ... My mindset is all about the team. We just want to make this program proud.”

In the triple jump, five competitors advanced to state with one from the area. Lincoln-Way East’s Tebit Okwen took fifth place, qualifying with a distance of 13.52 meters.

The area firmly controlled the pole vault. Ryan Stiglic, of Lincoln-Way West (4.63m, first place), Lockport’s Jacob Soderstrom (4.31m, second place) and Stiglic’s teammate, Anthony Rokas (4.16m, third place) are all heading to Eastern Illinois.

Lincoln-Way West had another qualifier with the 4x200. The Warriors’ group finished second with a time of 1:29.21. Lincoln-Way West’s Austin Rowswell posted the top time in the 400 at 49.55 to make it through to Charleston.

Eichie made it in the 300 hurdles, finishing in second place with a time of 39.86. In a shocking upset, Vlasak missed qualifying after falling during the competition. Even after falling, he still finished third and only missed qualifying by 0.4 seconds.

The 1600 was a photo finish between a pair of Lincoln-Way Central teammates. Braden Hoff just edged out Jack Galminas, running a 4:22.38 to Galminas’ 4:22.44. Both will head to state where the race will continue.

Rowswell will be heading to state in the 200 as well after finishing second with a time of 21.91 seconds, only 0.27 behind first. Jimeto Okafor from Lincoln-Way East earned his trip to state by finishing second in the shot put with a distance of 15.6m.

Finally, the 4x400m relay was won by Lockport with a time of 3:21.41, sending that group to Charleston as well. No one from the area advanced in long jump or high jump.

The state meet will run Thursday, May 29 through Saturday, May 31.