Glen Ellyn Qualifiers Look Ahead to State Meet

Glenbard South literally ran away from its nearest competition, Marmion Academy, at its own sectional last week, winning by a whopping 134-point margin.

The Raiders will have qualifiers in 16 of 18 events at this weekend’s Class 2A state meet, including defending state 400-meter champion Garret Payne. But veteran coach Andy Preuss knows his team will have its hands full come Friday when preliminaries get under way.

Preuss believes Glenbard South should be able to tally the most team points by a boys track squad at state in school history this time around (the Raiders’ best showing is 20 points). Whether the Raiders will emerge as one of the top three Class 2A teams at the end of the day on Saturday remains to be seen.

“For us to get a (state) trophy we’ll have to have a perfect meet,” he said. “We’ve got some top-end guys that are going to score points. They know they’ve got a lot of work to do. They know what’s there, but they’ve always risen to the challenge.”

Payne, who hasn’t lost a 400 race since his sophomore year, is heavily favored to repeat as champion. The University of Wisconsin recruit owns the best clocking in this event going into the meet. He’s also qualified in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and will be part of the Raiders’ 4x100 relay team along with senior Lamar Johnson, junior Wesley Sanders and freshman Tim Magitt.

The 4x100 relay team owns one of the top five times in the state.

“He’s one of the fiercest competitors we’ve ever had,” Preuss said of Payne. “Certain guys are just a cut above when they step on the track. No matter what he does, he doesn’t like to lose. He’s a workman; if he’s not (running) in four events, he asks why. He’s going to have a busy weekend and he’ll be a tired guy Saturday night.”

Sanders, a sprinting specialist, joins Payne in the 100 and 200 at state, and also teams up with Johnson, senior Tyler Benware and sophomore Jarius Shannon in the 4x200 relay.

In addition to Payne and Sanders, the Raiders have a number of multiple qualifiers in individual events. Three-time state qualifier Joe Boesso, a senior, is just two inches shy of state high jump leader Joseph Torres of Rochelle, who’s jumped 6 feet, 7 inches. Boesso also will compete in the triple jump.

Joe’s younger brother, junior Nick Boesso, has the state’s fifth-best qualifying distance in the shot put (53-5) and will take part in the discus, as well.

Preuss thinks Joe is capable of jumping 6-7 or 6-8, and that Nick—who set a new school record in the shot this season (54-3 ½)—can reach the 55-foot range.

Senior Affan Khan and junior Elven Walker are going downstate in both the 100 high and 300 intermediate hurdles, while freshman John Wold has qualified in the 800 and 1,600 runs. Preuss, however, said Wold will run just one of these races this weekend because the events are scheduled too close to each other.

Khan and Walker also are running with seniors John Hentges and Grant Gibson in the 4x400 relay.

Other state qualifiers for Glenbard South include Benware and senior Robert Cary in the long jump, along with Collin White (senior) and Joe Singleton (freshman) in the 3,200.

“They’re pretty positive and cautiously optimistic,” Preuss said. “They’ve had a pretty good year, but obviously it gets more difficult.”

Glenbard West

Coach Kurt Frazier’s Hilltoppers participated in the rugged York sectional last Friday. Team-wise, they placed fifth, but the Hilltoppers will be well-represented in the 3A state meet.

Glenbard West’s only multi-event qualifier, junior Mike Lederhouse, took second and third, respectively, in 1,600 and 3,200 at York.

Lederhouse (4:19.52) was only .42 seconds behind York’s Jack Driggs in the 1,600 sectional race. Driggs, a North Carolina recruit, is one of the top prep milers in the country. A returning state qualifier, Lederhouse placed in the top 20 at last spring’s state meet in the 3,200.

Josh Nibble, a senior, qualified in the 100 by taking second at sectionals in 11.10 seconds. Mike Fahey won the sectional title in the 800 (1:56.13), and returning state qualifier CJ Watson punched his ticket to state by finishing fourth in the long jump. Watson’s distance of 22-8 ½ was above the state qualifying distance of 22-3. His jump is the seventh-best among 3A state qualifiers.

The Hilltoppers also qualified three relay teams: the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400. Nibble, junior Justice Odom and seniors Mark Hiben and Nick Burrello make up Glenbard West’s 4x100 and 4x200 teams, while Nibble, Hiben and Odom team up with senior Derek Minkus in the 4x400.