Bloom keeps SICA South trophy at home

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

At this time of the year, when what matters most is meeting the state qualifying standard, the conference meet, traditionally the event before state sectionals take place, can almost be an afterthought.

That wasn’t the case Thursday in Chicago Heights, where Bloom hosted the last meet under the SICA South name. To a man, the Blazing Trojans wanted the title.

“For seniors, this is our last conference meet, and we’ve never had conference or sectionals on our home track,” Bloom senior Joseph Tooks said after edging Rich East Jeremy Simmien in a thrilling 300-meter hurdle race. “Conference is where we want to set a foundation.”

Consider it set. Bloom scored a 21-point victory over runner-up Crete-Monee, 153-132, for the championship and the last SICA South trophy, their second in as many years in the conference.

“The kids have really come together,” Bloom coach Andrew Schmitt said. “It’s just real satisfying.”

Tooks ran the 300 in 39.69 seconds to Simmien's 39.70, coming from behind in the final two hurdles.

Earlier, Simmien had captured the 110-meter hurdles in 15.23 seconds, continuing a hot streak that has moved him among the better hurdlers in the area. The key has been in staying low when running from hurdle to hurdle.

“When I started, I was jumping real high,” Simmien said. “Coach told me to stay low, and to look past the hurdle, not at it. When did I get it? This year.”

Simmien’s run the 110 as fast as 14.70 seconds, which would earn him a spot downstate if he runs it in next week’s Class 2A sectional.

Bloom’s Michael Taylor won the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.05 seconds, outdistancing Mike Neal of Rich East at the line by 11-hundredths of a second. Crete-Monee’s Adrian McElveen was third, after running the preliminary race gingerly.

“In my last meet, my coach told me to open up my stride, and it worked,” Taylor said. “I was good in the 55 (indoors), but now, in the 100, I’m finally starting to show something.”

Taylor was pleased to win, but not that pleased with the time. He’d have to run the 100 in 10.60 seconds in next week’s Class 3A sectional to qualify for the state championship.

“That time’s not good enough for me,” said Taylor, who has been clocked in 10.80 seconds. “I want to be in the mid-10s.”

The 100 final was missing Rich East’s Logan Coan, who pulled up during a preliminary heat of the 200.

Coan, with a season best of 10.77 in the 100, was considered one of the favorites.