Hillcrest seeks 2A track threepeat

Updated: May 24, 2011 6:29PM

Track meets are numbers games. How fast? How long? How high?

At the IHSA championship, there is one more question: How many?

The more entries, the better the chance to score points and pursue the title.

Hillcrest, the two-time defending Class 2A champion, has 18 entries in Friday’s 2A qualifying session. That’s four more than downstate power Cahokia, considered the favorite to wrest the title from the Hawks. Only Glenbard South, which qualified 22, has more.

“More than anything, I’m just proud of what they accomplished,” Hawks coach Ron Towner said. “It’s fantastic. We’re in it to win it.”

It’s fair to say the Hillcrest Sectional was deeper than the one Glenbard South attended, based on the seeds the Hawks have compared to the Raiders. But Cahokia is not to be trifled with. Both Hillcrest and Cahokia have six entries with top-four seeds.

For the Hawks, the journey back to Eastern Illinois’ O’Brien Field has been a difficult one. The cold, wet spring meant canceled meets, including one for which the team traveled to Edwardsville, slow times and the strife that often accompanies disagreement.

“Conference really made it for us,” senior sprinter Justin Kilpatrick said. “Until then, our times weren’t good and we weren’t even being talked about.”

Kilpatrick was one of the Hawks who helped turn the season around. He’s the top 2A seed in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, with times of 10.40 and 21.60 seconds in the two races.

Hillcrest also has 2A’s best pole vaulter in Mike Malone, who cleared 15 feet a fortnight ago. It has field depth in thrower Breyonte Brewer and a host of jumpers, most notable Mark Hicks, who also qualified for both hurdle races and is on the defending 400 relay squad.

All the entries give the Hawks breathing room.

“When you qualify in six events, you have very little wiggle room,” Towner said. “All six need to get to Saturday (finals), or you’re done. You know not everything is going to absolutely go your way.”

But with 18 entries, the Hawks can afford a miscue or two and still have a chance.

Hillcrest’s not the only area team with a shot at a trophy. Thornton has 10 entries in Class 3A, including sprinter Timothy Faust, the top seed in both the 100 and 200, plus the third-seeded 800 relay.

Only Oak Park-River Forest has more (12), but with only two top-four seeds, isn’t considered a threat. Defending 3A champion Lake Park, whose title was won by scoring just field points, has 10 entries, including the Kline brothers, who led last year’s charge. Lyons also has 10.

The Wildcats will lean on Faust, Derrick Guest and thrower Nate Wittington for the bulk of their points.

Crete-Monee, up from 2A, has a half-dozen 3A entries, including sprinter Lexus Jackson in the 100 and 20. Thornwood’s London Hawk is in both the 400 and 800, and should appear on one or both of the Thunderbirds’ relay teams. Thornridge’s Gary Ford is chasing titles in both hurdle races, while Mount Carmel’s Josh Wilson may duel Wittington in both discus and shot put.

In 2A, Oak Forest’s Tevin Coleman is the top seed in the long jump and second to Kilpatrick in the 100. Rich South has five entries, including two relays and Kristopher Burge in the 100 and 200, while T.F. North has six, including Denzel Washington in the 100 and 400.

Beecher is chasing a repeat Class 1A win in the 3,200 relay, with brothers Griffin and Grant Nykaza leading the way.

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