Area track standouts qualify for finals, position themselves to chase state championships

CHARLESTON, Ill. — The title pursuits are in full chase.

Three area athletes — Illini West’s Ian Bentzinger, Camp Point Central’s Jack Thompson and Liberty’s Tanner Gimm — positioned themselves to be in the mix for Class 1A state track and field championships when Saturday’s finals roll around at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium.

Bentzinger qualified second in the 100-meter dash and fourth in the 200 dash during Thursday’s preliminaries, while Thompson sits third in the triple jump and Gimm is third in the shot put.

Bentzinger, a senior, broke his own school record in the 100, winning his heat in 10.57 seconds. Winnebago’s Supreme Muhammad set the fastest qualifying time at 10.55 seconds. Later in the day, Bentzinger nearly broke Jacob Sholl’s school record in 200, finishing in 22.02. Muhammad also topped the 200 qualifying in 21.24 seconds.

Liberty’s Keegan Sunde finished 18th in the 100 in 11.08 seconds and 30th in the 200 in 23.62.

Thompson, a senior, set a personal record in the triple jump with a leap of 13.66 meters (44 feet, 9.75 inches). Litchfield’s Keenan Powell set the top qualifying distance at 13.97 meters (45-10). Thompson also qualified in the long jump, finishing eighth with a jump of 6.40 meters (21-0).

West Hancock’s Nolan Gooding is in the mix in the triple jump as well, qualifying sixth with a leap of 12.96 meters (42-6.25). Gooding missed the finals in the long jump, finishing 13th at 6.33 meters (20-9.25).

Gimm, a senior who has signed with Southern Illinois University, stuck his best attempt in the shot put at 15.83 meters (51-11.25), which was three-fourths of an inch shy of second place. Dwight’s Graham Meister had the longest throw at 17.01 meters (55-9.75).

In the discus, Gimm finished 15th with a toss of 41.93 meters (137-6). 

Camp Point Central’s Evan Walker was 18th in the shot put with a toss of 14.10 meters (46-3.25). Illini West’s Roan Jackson was 28th in the discus at 35.36 meters (116-0).

Camp Point Central also qualified for the finals in the 4×100 relay, setting a school record with a time of 43 seconds. The team of sophomore Curtis Rigg, senior Corbyn Cookson, senior Wyatt Schemerhorn and Thompson qualified eighth.

Illini West finished 11th in the 4×100 in 43.39. In the 4×200, Brown County finished 26th in 1:33.91, while Pittsfield was 29th in 1:34.60 and Illini West was 33rd in 1:35.41. The West Hancock 4×400 relay team was 33rd in 3:40.64 and the 4×800 relay team was 22nd in 8:36.57.

Payson Seymour’s Jordan Martin finished 16th in the 400 dash in 51.66. Camp Point Central’s Zack Wear was 11th in the 110 hurdles, running a 15.93. Pittsfield’s Jonas Anderson tied for 17th in the high jump, clearing 1.8 meters (5-10.75).