Cabin Fever is a premier meet hosted at the Gately Center in Chicago and it features a ton of strong teams. It seems like Whitney Young and Homewood Flossmoor just can’t get enough of each other, as these 2 girls teams are going at it again. We see the last of the late bloomers finally start their season in open events as well. There is an absolutely loaded boys 400 to look forward to, there will be plenty of new IL top ten times set here. There’s lots to be excited about, let’s look at the top athletes that will compete at Cabin Fever.
Boys
1. Preston Ellis (Sr., Chicago [Payton])
Ellis is one of the most experienced middle distance runners in the state and he has been dominant throughout this season. He has ran 1:56.70 so far this season and has yet to lose an 800. His outdoor PR is from last spring when he ran a smoldering 1:54.86 to take 5th at the 2A State Meet. He has an open 400 PR of 51.63, his speed is impressive for someone who runs cross country. He is currently slated for a triple play in the 4x8, 400, and 4x4, his endurance for speed will be harshly tested here at Cabin Fever. He is arguably the fastest 800 runner in the state right now, I would expect some good racing from Ellis this Thursday.
2. Tramonti Williams (Jr., Chicago [Payton])
Williams is the second half of the dual Payton 800 runners. Him and Preston Ellis have been destroying the track together for a year now and they don’t look like they’re going to stop anytime soon. Williams has a season best in the 800 of 1:58.02 and is currently IL #3, right behind Ellis. His outdoor PR is a 1:55.54 which he used to snag the final all-state position at the 2A State Meet last season. He split a 1:53.9 in the 4x8 to help his team take down the 2A state record in that event. He is scheduled to run a triple play as well, with 4x8, 800 and 4x4. This will be Williams’ chance to beat Ellis’ time in the 800. He has been a key athlete for the Grizzlies and will look to continue his success this week.
3. Parrish Hartley (Sr., Chicago [Kenwood])
Kenwood’s elite long jumper will take the stage in multiple events this weekend looking to score some points for the Broncos. Hartley has set some huge marks in the long jump this season. He is currently IL #4 with a 23’ 0” mark in that event. He has also set some solid times in the sprints, sporting season bests of 7.05 and 22.29 in the 60 and 200 respectively. He is entered in the long jump and the 200. He won’t see much competition in the long jump outside of Whitney Young’s Maxwell Warner, the sprints are a different story. He and his teammate, Armond Boulware, will go head to head in the 200. Both sprinters are exceptional athletes, I would expect both of them to put on a show and set the track on fire.
4. Armond Boulware (Sr., Chicago [Kenwood])
Boulware is entered in the 60 and the 200 at Gately this week with hopes of winning both events. He has been a cornerstone to Kenwood’s sprinting success for quite some time now and he’s one of the most prolific 200 runners in the state. He has ran 22.11 so far this season in the 200 and is IL #2 in that event. His 60 PR comes from last season when he ran 7.06 to take second at the Chicago Public School Championships. What is the most impressive to me, however, is that Kenwood has really expanded his range during indoor. He ran a 300 in 35.74 and is IL #3 in that event, he has also split a PR in the 400 of 51.6 at the Proviso West Quad. This extra endurance can do nothing but make him more dangerous of an athlete, I would expect him to walk away with some hardware this weekend.
5. Logic West (Sr., Chicago [Kenwood])
West has been a jack of all trades for the Broncos of Kenwood, he is extremely well rounded. This season, he has ran the 60, the 200, the 400 and competed in the high jump as well. He is scheduled to run the 400 and compete in the high jump at Cabin Fever, I think he has the potential to win both. He has a 400 PR of 49.23 which he ran last year during outdoor season. His high jump PR actually comes from last indoor season where he jumped a titanic 6’ 7.5” to win the Chicago Public School Championships. He was a part of the 3rd placing 4x1 team and state champion 4x2 team that Kenwood put together last year. So far this season, he has yet to run a 400, but he split a 51.7 at the Proviso West Invite when Kenwood ran their first sub 3:30 time of the year. He did run a 300 at Misfits, and he sits at IL #2 in that event with a time of 35.66, only behind Austin Rowswell of Lincoln Way West (the current IL #1 in the 400 as well). I think that it’s not only possible that West is the second athlete under 50 seconds this season, I think it is probable. He has the best resume out of every athlete in the 400 and I think he walks away with a win.
6. Deshawn Preister (Jr., Evanston Twp.)
Preister has been lighting up the track this season and has turned into a versatile threat for the wildkits. He got started in track as a sprinter, but then discovered talent in middle distance. He has taken a huge jump this season in his 600 and especially in his 800. He is running a PR 400 right now of 50.70 which is currently IL #6. He ran a blistering 600 at the Greg Foster Invite in 1:24.04 to take first, he is currently IL #4 in that event. His 800 has seen huge improvement, he has already ran a 4 second PR this season, running 2:00.52 to take 6th at the Lakes Clash at the Coliseum Invite. That race was tactical as well, so that could maybe translate to something faster. He will have another go at the 800 here at Cabin Fever and he will be joined by the best of the best. I think he will get under 2 here and potentially even compete for the win.
7. Nicolai Martino (Sr., Winnebago)
Martino rarely gets competition from his neck of the woods, so Winnebago decided to make the trip to Chicago and test him out against some big guns. He will race the 1600 at Cabin Fever and will be challenged by some good competition. He has a 1600 PR of 4:18.13 which got him a second place finish at the 1A state meet last year. He was second this year in cross country, finishing his career with a 14:33 3 mile PR. He has a season best in the full mile of 4:22.4 and he is IL #8 in that event. All of that being said, he is not alone. He will be joined by Evan Parker from Niles North and Jesse Kramer of Belvidere North, both will provide Martino someone to race against. I think Martino walks away with the win here, but I could also see Parker or Kramer swiping it from his grasp. The 1600 will be a very competitive event at Gately, it should be a lot of fun for these guys.
8. Dallas Amos (Sr., Evanston)
Amos has really grown into his speed this year with some outstanding performances in the 400. He is currently IL #10 in the 400 with a season best of 51.03. He has competed very well this season, his only loss so far was on a leanout by Troy Mclean of Belleville West. His previous indoor record stood at a 54.21, so it is good to see him be so far ahead of where he was last year. He is a state qualifier, he went down for the 400 last year after running 50.24 at sectionals. This 50.24 was a big jump for him, he was averaging 51s with striking consistency. He will be an excellent pusher for Logic West of Kenwood and could maybe even sneak away with the 400 title. The fact that he is currently averaging 51 on flat track 400s shows that he is ready to race at a higher level. I think the banked track at Gately will take his speed to the next level and I’m excited to see what he can do.
9. Chicago Payton 4x800m
One of the craziest statlines I have seen in a long time came from Chicago Payton last year at the state meet. They ran 7:42.6 in the 4x8 last year to set the fastest time in 2A history, and they shattered the previous record by nearly 4 seconds. They return every single member of that squad, which makes them arguably the best 4x8 in the state, regardless of class. However, Payton is not slated to run their best squad at Cabin Fever. Currently, they have Preston Ellis, Tramonti Williams, Obree Fischer, and Steven Jiang entered as their 4 runners, with reserves of Ryan Murray, Declan Slavin, Vaughn Collier and John Falciglia. Obviously, as we’ve already talked about them, Ellis and Williams are very capable of taking this team under 8. Steven Jiang had an incredible cross country season, he got very close to the 15 minute barrier and he’s only a sophomore. Obree Fischer is also a sophomore, he has ran a 4:43 so far this season, but that is all the current data we have on him. He joined cross country for the first time this season and finished the season with a 16:50. These times aren’t slow for a sophomore, but I’m a little worried as to how he will fit with the rest of his team. If they decide to sub him out for Vaughn Collier or Declan Slavin, this squad definitely has the potential to get under the 8 minute barrier. If not, they should still be able to snag the win.
10. Enijel Shelton (Sr., Evanston Twp.)
Shelton has exploded onto the shot putting scene this season, and he is ready for another win. Last year, Shelton made huge improvements and was able to secure a trip to the state meet last year with a respectable toss of 52’ 2” at the sectional meet. This year, he demolished that PR in his very first meet with an eye-watering 55’ 5.5” mark. He has been consistently over 50 feet and he has only lost once, and it was at the Grayslake Central throwcase where he took 4th behind some of the best throwers in the midwest. Shelton will use Cabin Fever as another opportunity to prove that he is a dog in the shot put, I would be excited for his throw.
Girls
1. Mariyah Robinson (Jr., Homewood Flossmoor)
Robinson had an awesome meet at the ABC Invite and cemented herself as one of the fastest sprinters in Illinois history. She ran a heartstopping 24.32 in the 200 for IL #1 and she is the second fastest woman on a flat track in state history. She ran a 7.45 to take IL #3 in the 60 and she helped HF run a 4x2 in a ridiculous 1:41.89. Her outdoor PRs are incredible, she has a 11.70, 23.70 and 55.23 in the 100, 200, and 400 respectively. A very well rounded sprinter, she is slated to run the 400 at Cabin Fever and she will have excellent competition. I don’t even know what to expect as far as time, I just know that it’s going to be something fast. Be ready for Mariyah Robinson
2. Angelena Bullocks (Sr., Chicago [Whitney Young])
Bullocks has been on an absolute tear this indoor season. She has not lost a race in 200 meters or under and she will look to continue that streak this Thursday. She is currently IL #1 in the 60 when she ran 7.41 during early indoor to take the win at the Misfits Invite. She has since ran under 7.50 two other times. Her 200 is similarly dominant, she won the Select Challenger meet with an IL #2 24.55. There will not be a 60 for her this week, she is signed up for the 200 and the 4x2. Whitney Young will go for a personal best in the relay and they will need her at full strength. Bullocks is going to have strong competition in the 200, but I believe she will take home the win, especially given her record of success so far. There is not much more to be said about her, she is great and will continue to be great.
3. Jaloni Wiley (Jr., Homewood Flossmoor)
Wiley is truly in a class of her own. Only one other girl in the state of Illinois has recorded a throw of over 40 feet so far this season. Wiley has thrown further than that girl’s PR 4 separate times. Needless to say, she is undefeated in the shot so far, capping out at a monstrous 42’ 8.75” for IL #1. She will get the win easily here, the only other competition is her teammate, Micah Jackson. She might be the most dominant athlete in the state right now, I don’t see a world where she takes second.
4. Naomi Bey-Osborne (Sr., Kankakee)
After many months, Bey-Osborne finally is ready to run an open 400 and show everybody just how fast she is. She won this meet last year with a time of 57.99, which is her current indoor PR. Last year, during outdoor, she was 55.12 but, unfortunately, did not run at the state meet. So far this season, she has only ran relays. She was a part of Kankakee’s IL #2 4x2 with a 1:42.63 and she has ran a 4x4 where she anchored home the Kays to a 4:09.70 for IL #4. She will be neck and neck with Mariyah Robinson in the open 400, it is going to be a very close race.
5. Jordan Hamb (Jr., Chicago [South Shore])
The star from South Shore will take her considerable talents and put them towards 4 different events this weekend. She is currently set to compete in the 60, 200, long jump and triple jump, and she has the capacity to win all of them. She has ran 7.85 and 26.07 so far this season, and will look to return to PR speed at this meet. Her indoor PR in the 200 was set at this exact meet last year, I would expect the same thing to happen this year. She is seated second behind her teammate, Kylee Gardner, in the long jump, although she has yet to stick a solid jump yet this season for her abilities. She has a meteoric PR of 19’ 4” and if she is anywhere in the vicinity of that mark, she will take the win with ease. Similar to her long jump, she has yet to land a solid triple jump (for her standards). She has a PR in the event of 41’ 5.75” which would put her a solid 2 feet ahead of first. If she could hit 40, she will likely take home the win in triple as well. Hamb is an excellent athlete, I would expect her to win at least something this Thursday.
6. Courtney McDonald (Sr., Plainfield East)
She has been a beast so far this season, running 7.69 for 60 and a PR 200 of 25.42. She is currently IL #8 in the 60 and IL #9 in the 200. She has a PR of 7.62, which she set at the Clemson High School Invite last year. She is set to run the 60 and the 200 this Thursday, as well as a potential alternate for the 4x2.
7. Whitney Young 4x200m
After the antics that Kankakee and Homewood Flossmoor got up to in the 4x2 last week, Whitney Young looks like they want to join the fun. They have loaded their 4x2 in hopes to maybe match or beat these 2 powerhouse relays. Angelena Bullocks will lead off for the dolphins, she will guarantee them a lead and ensure a clean handoff without interference from other teams. Simone Bernard, Whitney Young’s star hurdler, will take the second leg. She has ran 7.63 and 26.86 so far this season, she will be a strong runner for this squad. Ella Sweatt will run third, she has season bests of 7.95 and 25.89. Anchoring this team home is Mia Seaton, who is primarily a 400 runner, but will get the job done for Whitney Young. If everything goes right, I don’t see why this team can’t be the new IL #1. Even without sprinter Kayla Riepe.
8. Emily Stecky (So., Chicago [DePaul])
The top distance runner at this invite, Stecky has popped off so far this season. She is teetering on the edge of a PR in both the 800 and the 1600, and she will look to tip that balance and hit a PR in the 800. She has ran 2:15.55 in the 800 so far this season and is currently IL #1 in that event. She ran the 1600 in early February and ran a 5:02.22 which is currently IL #9. She is only .2 off of her 800 PR of 2:15.37, she will look to slip under that this weekend, as she is signed up for only the 800. It will be a fresh race for Stecky and she won’t have to worry about coming back for a 4x4 later. I think she is going to lower her own IL #1 to something even more impressive, I can’t wait to see what she runs.
9. Layla Bonilla (Sr., Chicago [Whitney Young])
Bonilla is already jumping PRs in the triple, she is going to be a dangerous weapon for the dolphins come outdoor season. She is set to do triple jump and high jump at Cabin Fever. She jumped a huge 39’ 5.75” at the Select Challenger meet, that mark is currently IL #2 in that event. Her PR is not quite as strong as Jordan Hamb, but if Hamb can’t stick a solid jump, Bonilla will walk away with the win. Her high jump season best is 5’ 5”, her PR is 5’ 6”. London Jarrett (who you will see later on this list), is seated slightly ahead of her with a 5’ 6” season best in the high, so it will be interesting to see how these two freaks of nature match up with each other. Bonilla is going to reap huge points for Whitney Young and could be the make or break for the team title.
10. London Jarrett (So., Homewood Flossmoor)
Jarrett has improved mightily from her freshman year and she has really stepped out of her shell, not just in high jump, but in sprints as well. She was not an awful sprinter her freshman year, but there is a big difference between her 60 times from just a year ago. She has ran 7.85 for the 60 so far this year and her 60mH has also improved significantly. Where she has always shined is high jump, and she continues to shine this season. She has already hit her lifetime PR in the high jump, scraping over 5’ 6” for IL #3. It will be a close matchup between her and Layla Bonilla of Whitney Young for the title here at Gately. I can see either one of them taking home the win, but Jarrett does have a slight edge over Bonilla this season. If she is able to keep her cool and not come in too early or late, Jarrett can definitely win the high jump this weekend.
Comments