2026 IHSA Track and Field Boys State: 1A Preview

100m

The 1A 100m this year is going to be a pretty tight race for top 3. Kamden Flenner of Tuscola is one of the co-favorites to win this event. Flenners ran a 10.39 way back in April and has had multiple sub 10.80 performances. Flenner did not qualify for state last year and has had a massive senior year. He will face a tough field and will have to repeat his previous performance to have a shot at winning. Brady Anderson of Morrison is the defending 1A state champion and is looking to repeat that again. Anderson ran a 10.63 twice and is the most consistent runner in this field. With all this together, Anderson has a huge chance at defending his state title. Alec Schlichting of Lena-Winslow placed 2nd last year and is your other co-favorite to win. Schlichting ran a 10.65 two weeks ago at conference and has had a solid season prior. Schlichting has been consistently improving and if he can keep that up he has a good shot at the state title. Levi Milder of Morrison got 3rd last year and had a good season having run a 10.70 at his conference meet. Milder ran an 11.14 at sectionals where it looks like he will have the same workload at state. Brayden Gibson of El-Paso is another top competitor having ran 10.66 in two consecutive meets. Gibson ran 10.66 at conference and sectionals after improving a significant amount from last year. Taven Ostrander of ROWVA Williamsfield ran a 10.66 as well early in the season but hasn’t broken 11 besides sectionals. If he wants to be a top competitor he will have to repeat what he did back in April. Reid Carlen of Toledo ran a 10.70 at his season opener way back in March, but has yet to run that time since. Carlen placed 6th at the state meet in 2024 and 11th last year. Carlen has the earliest PR in the field which makes him one of the biggest unknowns coming into this race.

200m

The 2A 200m has the same top favorites as the 100m. Brady Anderson of Morrison has the fastest PR in the field at 21.14. He placed 2nd at the state meet last year after winning the 100m. He looks to take down the defending champion and his teammate this year. Levi Milder of Morrison took the state championship last year over his teammate Anderson. He ran a 21.36 late this year as well. The duo is likely to go 1-2, racking up massive points for Morrison while also having a heated rivalry. Kamden Flenner of Tuscola is the other last co-favorite to win the event this year. Flenner placed 10th last year, just missing out on all-state honors but ran a 21.40 at his conference meet. This makes him a strong competitor to break up the Morrison duo. Taven Ostrander of ROWVA Williamsfield ran a 21.84 at his sectional meet. This proves him as a strong competitor as he has one of the most recent PR’s in this field. Alec Schlichting of Lena Winslow ran a 21.89 two weeks ago at his conference meet. Last year, he got 5th place at the state meet and has a strong chance at improving upon that place this year. Konnor Dephew of Vandalia ran a hand times 21.94 very early this season. He got 6th place at the state meet last year and will have to have a great performance to be a significant competitor in this stacked heat. Closely behind him, is Alex Roach of Litchfield who ran a 21.98 in late April. He has yet to break 22 since, but the pressure of the state meet may lead to a significant PR. Carter Stroot of Abingdon Avon got 4th place at last year's state meet. Stroot had a great indoor season but has been hurt for all of outdoors. He came back at the sectional meet and got second to Ostrander by about .5 seconds. If he retained some of his fitness, he may be able to place in the top 5 competitors. 

400m

The 400m has a BIG favorite to win this year Evan Landers Kristensen of Gibson City ran a staggering 47.57 at the 2026 Spartan Classic in early May. He got first during indoor at Illinois Top Times in a 49.47 and the massive favorite to win the state title. Evan Brown of Downs Tri Valley has had a fantastic year running a 49.35 as a FRESHMAN. Brown has a very promising career and is going to be in a thick fight for 2nd place. Jacob Barth of Auburn is very close behind him with a PR of 49.41. Barth got 5th place last year and has now improved himself to fighting for the top 3. Nick Glisson of Mason City ran a 49.55 at the Sangamo Conference Championships but has yet to break 50 since. If Glisson can get out of the blocks in good positioning, he has a huge shot at getting top 3. Bodie Marable of Pittsfield has a 51.03 SB, and 50.44 PR. These times got Marable 9th place last year, earning him all-state honors. Marable has gotten increasingly faster this season and is very close to matching and defeating his PR. Together, this is likely to be an insanely competitive field and lead to some very fast times. 

800m

The 1A boys 800 will be a great event to watch, but there is one athlete who is clearly ahead of the competition. Corriell Green of Mason City Illini Central has had an incredible outdoor season and is looking for his first state title. Green posted an incredible 1:51.81 last week at the St. Teresa Invite, which stands almost 2 seconds ahead of everyone else in the field. He has the 5th fastest 1A time in the open 400 as well, with a 49.51, which shows that his speed is what makes him so lethal. He is expected to get a huge win here, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have competition. Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie is attempting the ultimate triple of 3200, 800, and 1600, and he’s actually expected to do well in all three. Oberkfell has the second fastest 800 in 1A this year, with a shocking 1:53.73. He will be absolutely gassed by the time he gets to the open 800, but his PR still puts him in the conversation for a top 3 finish. Ty Basham of Illini Bluffs is seeded just behind Oberkfell with a 1:53.75, which is the #3 time in 1A this year. Basham has seen great improvement this season, and will be on the hunt for his first individual all-state medal. 

1600m

Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie has the fastest time in this field, with a PR of 4:14.83. He will be in a tight battle as he tries to complete his state meet triple. Oberkfell will likely be very tired after running the 3200, and 800m prior. Jonathan Iacobazzi has the opportunity to take the win after just being a second behind Oberkfell. He has a huge shot at taking the win as he will be fresh going into the 1600. Iacobazzi of Sullivan has a PR of 4:15 at Distance Night in Palatine but has run multiple 4:30s since. It will be very interesting to see how he runs after not running a 3200m prior. Joe Faris of Dwight ran a 4:18 in late April. Faris is running the 800m as well later in the day so he will be fresh coming into this. Luca Bryja of Elgin is the only other top competitor to take the 1600m state title. Bryja comes in with a PR of 4:18 at Distance Night in Palatine, and this is his only event of the day. 

3200m

The first section of the boys' 3200m run has a foregone conclusion at the front, but a fascinating battle shaping up behind it. Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie is the overwhelming favorite in this section despite being placed in the slower of the heats, and his 8:59.34 PR makes him a different breed of runner compared to everyone else on the start list. The runner-up from 2025 arrives with unfinished business and the fitness to back it up, and even with the added challenge of doubling back for the 4x800m relay, he should win this section going away. The intrigue lies entirely in who emerges from the chase pack to claim a spot on the all-state podium. Elijah Teefey of Pleasant Plains and Weston Hodel of El Paso-Gridley appear to be the two most likely candidates to fight for 2nd, with Teefey posting a 9:28.34 seasonal best and Hodel bringing a 9:32.04 PR into the race. Evan Knobloch of Stark County adds a compelling wrinkle to that battle, having gone undefeated outdoors in the event this season with a 9:32.76 PR that puts him right in the mix with Hodel. Blake McLeese of Tuscola and Trevor Crutcher of Dieterich both return with the valuable experience of state meet placements, having finished 7th and 8th respectively in 2025, and will be looking to improve on those finishes with strong performances in what shapes up as an honest, competitive race from start to finish. Oberkfell aside, there are no guarantees beyond the opening mile, and the battle for those remaining all-state spots promises to be a hard-fought grind all the way to the line.

100mH 

The 100mH is a tight race after a huge 1st place.The event favorite is Landyn Mitchell of Centralia has a PR of 14.13. Mitchell has the fastest PR in this event by .43 seconds. He has run within .10 seconds of his best multiple times. Trae Brickner of Peoria Christian is a strong 2nd place leader with a recent personal best of 14.56. Brickner has had a very consistent season and is looking to get second place in this event. Karson Zerrusen of Teutopolis is coming into this race within .01 seconds of two other competitors. He will be one of three main competitors for second place. Zerrusen has a PR of 14.71 which he ran in late April. Hunter Kaitschuck of Wilmington is just behind him with a PR of 14.72 from his sectional meet. This recent time proves him to be a strong competitor in the race for third place. Last Wednesday was Kaitschuck's first time dipping under 15 seconds but has progressed rapidly throughout his season. Zane Hoffman is the other athlete in this field going for the bronze medal. He also ran a PR of 14.72 at his sectional meet. Hoffman has had a very similar season to Katschuck in that both broke 15 at sectionals and have progressed rapidly through this season. This 100mH field is shaping up to have some major races from the back. 

300mH

This 300mH field has a serious battle for the state title up front. Trae Brickner of Peoria Christian and Zane Hoffman of Colfax are the only two athletes in this field who have broken the 40 second barrier. Brickner ran a 38.49 in early April and is going to be competing for gold. Brickner has dipped under 40 multiple times this season and ran 38.57 at sectionals. Zane Hoffman is the only other athlete who has broken 40 with a PR of 38.56. Hoffman has gone under 40 multiple times, and went 38.58 at sectionals. This puts the two leaders neck and neck as they go for the state title. Eli Hiatt of Effingham ran a 40.00 at sectionals which is the 3rd fastest time in 1A. Hiatt has run in the 40.40s or faster multiple times and will be trying to get 3rd and break 40 at state. Close behind him, is Karson Zerrusen of Teutopolis comes into this race after running a 40.06 at the Mattoon Boys Invite. Zerrusen will likely be battling for a tight 3rd place finish. Cade King is also a top competitor for the bronze medal coming in with the same PR of 40.06. THe race for the gold medal is shaping up to be a tight one between two athletes with three others battling it out on the track for 3rd. 

4x100m

The Class 1A boys' 4x100m relay is headlined by a defending champion with history in its sights. Morrison arrives as the clear favorite, bringing back Brady Anderson and Levi Milder from the relay that won it all a year ago and posting a 42.29 PR that puts them within striking distance of the Class 1A state record of 42.13 set by Herrin back in 2010. With Anderson and Milder both operating at an all-state level in the individual sprints and Josh McDearmon and Koltin Swaim completing what is a balanced and experienced lineup, Morrison has the personnel and the motivation to not just defend their title but etch their names permanently into Illinois track and field history. Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin is the most dangerous threat to that dream, having posted a 42.33 PR with a lineup of Dylan Davis, Mason Cunningham, Isaac Cahill, and Gavin High that may lack a marquee name but brings four polished and reliable legs that have been clicking all season. Sometimes the most dangerous relay is the one with no weak spots, and BHRA fits that description perfectly. Tuscola enters with a 42.69 PR and a genuine difference maker in all-state level sprinter Kamden Flenner, who alongside Bradlee Washington, Sawyer Beachy, and Calvin Cook gives them the kind of top-end speed that can close the gap on the leaders in a hurry if the exchanges are clean. Winchester rounds out the field as the 9th place finishers from 2025, with Liam Melanson, Carson Clevenger, Beau Donovan, and Blayne Sidwell looking to take a significant step forward and crack the scoring positions after last year's experience on the state stage. The record is there to be broken, the defending champions have the legs to do it, and Morrison versus BHRA shapes up as a two-team race that could come down to the final exchange.

4x200m

Morrison is back, and they are once again the team everyone else is chasing. The defending state champions not only won this event a year ago but did so in state record fashion, running a 1:26.92 that still stands as the Class 1A standard. Brady Anderson and Levi Milder return from that record-setting group, and with Koltin Swaim and Josh McDearmon completing the lineup, Morrison brings back the core of a relay that has already proven it can run faster than anyone in this field. Their 1:27.54 PR this season suggests they are not quite at last year's record pace yet, but with Anderson and Levi Milder both operating at an all-state level in the sprints and the biggest stage bringing out the best in this program, do not be surprised if they make another run at their own record when it matters most. Tuscola is the team best positioned to challenge them, having finished 2nd in 2025 and posting a 1:28.53 PR this season with Bradlee Washington, Sawyer Beachy, Calvin Cook, and all-state level sprinter Kamden Flenner leading the charge. The gap between them and Morrison is real but not insurmountable, and Tuscola has the experience of a state meet podium finish to draw on when the race gets tough. Pleasant Plains enters with genuine title aspirations of their own, pairing all-state level sprinters Kamdyn Harmony and Nathan Frey alongside Judah Estill and Braylon Heredith for a 1:29.54 PR that puts them squarely in the conversation for a top three finish. Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin brings the same no-nonsense approach that makes them dangerous in the 4x100m, with Isaac Cahill, Dylan Davis, Gavin High, and Mason Cunningham combining for a 1:29.76 PR and the kind of balanced execution that does not need a superstar to be competitive. Forreston is one of the more intriguing teams in the field, fielding an entirely junior relay of Hayden Vinnedge, Jonathan Milnes, Mercer Mumford, and Brody Schwartz that finished 5th in 2025 and arrives with a full year of additional development and a 1:29.77 PR that puts them right on the edge of the podium. The fact that all four will be back next year adds another layer of excitement to what they might accomplish this weekend. Chester rounds out the contenders with a 1:29.85 PR anchored by all-state level 400m runner Gabe Coffman alongside Donnie Sabo, TaShawn Palacio, and Danny Worley, giving them a legitimate weapon in the back half of the race that could help them climb into the medal positions if the exchanges are clean. Morrison looks like the class of the field once again, but with this much talent and this much competitive hunger behind them, nothing will come easy.

4x400m

The Class 1A boys' 4x400m relay is set up as one of the premier team battles of the entire state meet, with four squads carrying legitimate title aspirations and enough returning talent to make every leg of every race meaningful. Auburn arrives as the defending state champions and the clear favorite, bringing back Hunter Piper, James Baisden, and Jacob Barth from last year's title-winning relay and adding Sam Talavera to complete a lineup where virtually every member is talented enough to be an all-state performer in an individual event. Their 3:22.41 PR is the fastest in the field by a significant margin, and with that kind of depth and experience running together, they have the look of a program that is not finished collecting hardware just yet. Pleasant Plains is the most complete challenger, assembling a relay that is genuinely dangerous from any leg, pairing all-state level sprinters Nathan Frey and Kamdyn Harmony, both returning from last year's 4th place relay, with all-state level distance runner Elijah Teefey and Braylon Heredith to post a 3:24.25 PR. The blend of sprinting speed and distance endurance on this relay gives Pleasant Plains a tactical flexibility that most teams in this field simply cannot match, and they arrive with the hunger of a program that knows a podium finish is well within their grasp. Forreston continues to build on what has been a breakout state meet program, returning Brody Schwartz, Hayden Vinnedge, and Eli Ferris from last year's 8th place relay and adding Mercer Mumford to a group that has improved its PR to 3:24.81 and looks ready to make a serious jump up the leaderboard. Schwartz operates at an all-state level in the sprints and gives Forreston a genuine weapon, and with three returners who know exactly what it takes to compete on this stage, a top three finish is a realistic and well-earned goal. Rockford Christian brings perhaps the most fascinating pedigree of any relay in the field, as three quarters of this lineup, Noah Myers, Joel White, Blake Lindberg, and Evan White, with Joel and Evan White returning from last year's 7th place 4x400m squad, also formed the core of the 4x800m relay that won a state title in 2025. The question surrounding Rockford Christian is whether that middle distance excellence translates into the kind of pure speed needed to compete with Auburn and Pleasant Plains over four laps, but a program that knows how to win on this stage should never be underestimated. From the opening staggers to the final straightaway, this relay is going to be a battle of wills, and Auburn will need every bit of their championship pedigree to hold off a field that is coming for them.

4x800m

The Class 1A boys' 4x800m relay has a defending champion chasing immortality, and the case for Rockford Christian making a run at the record books is as compelling as any storyline at this year's state meet. The Lions return three quarters of last year's state championship relay in Joel White, Blake Lindberg, and Evan White, adding Julian Honeyville to complete a lineup that has already proven it can win on this stage and now arrives with a 7:54.06 PR that sits just 37 hundredths of a second shy of the Class 1A state record of 7:53.69 set by Monticello back in 2006. That gap is razor thin for a relay this experienced and this motivated, and if Rockford Christian gets the right day with the right conditions and runs with the kind of urgency that a record attempt demands, that 19-year-old mark could finally fall. The rest of the field faces the daunting task of closing what is a significant gap on the defending champions. Father McGivney is the most improved team in the conversation, jumping from 9th in 2025 to a 8:08.18 PR this season with Connor Schmidt, Eric Rybak, Gus Range, and Will Rakers, a group that has clearly made enormous strides and arrives with the confidence of a relay that knows it belongs. Winnebago returns after a 5th place finish in 2025 with Aiden Vazquez, Blake Linder, Joe Erb Jr., and Daniel Hodgdon posting a 8:10.55 PR that puts them in the mix for a podium finish if they can find another gear on race day. Somonauk brings a 8:11.42 PR and the experience of an 8th place finish from last year, with Landin Stillwell, Jackson Brockway, Caden Hamer, and Gunnar Swenson looking to take a meaningful step forward and crack the top five. Auburn rounds out the field with a fascinating subplot of their own, as Jacob Barth, Wyatt Thurman, Hunter Piper, and James Baisden bring a 8:13.98 PR and the raw individual talent of a relay that is also defending the 4x400m title, giving them more than enough competitive fire to improve on their 6th place showing from 2025. Rockford Christian is in a class of their own in this event, but the pursuit of a state record means every second counts, and the pack behind them will be pushing hard to make this race as honest and as fast as possible.

Shot Put

The heavy favorite in this event is Graham Meister of Dwight. The defending 1A State Champion has a massive PR throw of 19.95m (65' 5.5"), this puts nearly ten feet ahead of the rest of the field! Meister has been ranked 1st in Illinois 1A all season and will be very difficult to beat if he throws his standard distances. The race for second should be much tighter. Sam Blumhorst of Nashville comes into this meet with a 16.91m (55' 5.75") PR after missing finals last year, but has improved significantly this season. Carson Murrahn of Johnston City is right behind him with a 16.83m (55' 2.5") PR after placing 8th at State last season. Conner Powell of Bismarck also looks like a strong contender for a spot on the podium with a 16.69m (54' 9.25") PR after failing to make finals a year ago. Another name to look out for is Gannon Dunker of Lena Winslow, who placed 5th at State last year as a sophomore and has a 16.62m (54' 6.5") PR.

Discus

The battle for the State title in discus will likely be one of the most competitive in the 1A field events. Maddax Stine of Catlin enters this meet with his best throw at 53.42m (175' 3") and returns after finishing 2nd at State last season. Right behind him is Graham Meister of Dwight, the defending Shot Put State Champion, Meister has a 53.23m (174' 7") PR and placed 6th at State a year ago. These two will be in a battle throughout the competition for the top spot.

Brock Clott of Kankakee is another serious contender after throwing 53.05m (174' 0") this season. Clott qualified for State as a freshman last year but narrowly missed the finals, and he looks to be one of the top spots on the podium Alex Rodriguez of Granville returns after placing 7th at State last season and enters with a strong PR at 49.87m (163' 7"). Another athlete to watch is the Amboy freshman Ian Hassler who has already thrown 48.93m (160' 6") in his first high school season and could make a serious push for top 5.

High Jump 

The High Jump competition could come down to the wire between several top contenders. Myles Smith of Winnebago enters with the top jump in the field at 2.04m (6' 8.25"), Smith did not qualify for finals at State last season but has improved tremendously this season. Right behind him is Kehlin Crawford of Flora, who has cleared 2.03m (6' 8") in his very first year of track. Crawford is also competing in the 200m, 4x100, and 4x200, so fatigue will be a big factor in determining what place he gets. Defending State Champion Will Nohren of Shelbyville returns with a 2.00m (6' 6.75") PR and championship experience.Nohren will likely have to PR if he wants a shot at winning again. Another major contender is Parker Murry of Shabbona, who has a 2.01m (6' 7") PR after placing 4th at State last year and is coming off his best jump of the season at sectionals. This field is so stacked that last year's winning mark may not even be enough for top 5 this year.

Pole Vault

Riley Hogan of Champaign enters as the clear favorite after having a huge season. Hogan has a PR at 4.73m (15' 6.25") after vaulting over half a foot greater than he ever had at sectionals. He won at the Illinois Top Times indoor meet and is returning after placing 2nd at State last year, making him one of the top returning medalists in the field. The battle for the remaining podium spots should be extremely competitive. Riley Foglesong of Astoria comes into this meet with a 4.42m (14' 6") PR after clearing a personal best at sectionals and finishing 6th at State last season. Brody Brush of Rushville is close behind with a 4.37m (14' 4") PR after placing 5th at State a year ago. Another strong podium contender is Gradyn Hartlaub of Riverton, who finished 4th at State last season and enters with a 4.34m (14' 3") PR.

Long Jump

The Long Jump field is stacked with talent and will be one of the more highly competitive events of the meet. Landyn Mitchell of Centralia enters with the top mark in the field at 7.14m (23' 5.25"); he hit this mark way back on March 31. Although he did not qualify for State last season, Mitchell has consistently been near that mark throughout the year and will be a top contender for a State title. Close behind is Matt Stach of Seneca, who jumped a 7.10m (23' 3.5") PR at sectionals after placing 4th at State last year. Malachi Lee of Kankakee is another major contender with a 7.08m (23' 2.75") PR after placing 5th in the 3A State Meet last season before moving into the 1A field this year. The Defending State Champion Will Nohren of Shelbyville also is returning after winning the state title last year and has a strong 6.93m (22' 9") PR, giving him a shot at another podium finish.

Triple Jump

The Triple Jump field has multiple all state returners and should have a tight battle for the top spots. Dawveed Holland of Crete enters with the top mark in the field at 14.59m (47' 10.25") after placing 5th at State last season. and will be one of the favorites for the State title as he has the farthest PR in the field. Ian Escapa of Rushville has been one of the most consistent jumpers in the State this season, he has a 14.38m (47' 2.25") PR coming into the meet. He did not qualify for finals last year, but his consistency makes him a strong podium contender. Karson Bruns of Shelbyville returns after placing 4th at State last season and has a 14.16m (46' 5.5") PR. Bruns has stayed within two feet of his best mark throughout the season, showing major consistency. Right behind him is Isaac Rennecker of Petersburg, who placed 3rd at State last year and enters with a 14.11m (46' 3.5") PR. Another athlete to watch is Cooper Desseyn of Port Byron, who finished 7th at State last year and owns a 14.03m (46' 0.5") PR.