Central’s Thompson leaps, Eagles’ Girardin sprints into Class 1A state track and field finals

CHARLESTON, Ill. — Ezra Thompson led the brigade of area athletes into the finals of the Class 1A boys state track and field championship.

The Central leaper qualified for two events, finishing seventh in the long jump at 6.47 meters and eighth in the triple jump at 12.76 meters. He will compete in the finals Saturday at O’Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus.

Central’s 4×200 relay team will be there with him. The Panthers’ quartet of Aveory Lamanske, Wyatt Schemerhorn, Garret Williams and Sterling Stotts qualified ninth with a time of 1:31.93. The same foursome finished 15th in the 4×100 and did not make the finals.

Liberty’s Alex Girardin made the finals in the 200 dash, qualifying fourth in 22.43 seconds. The Eagles’ Cannen Wolf fought his way into the finals in the 1,600 run, qualifying 12th in 4:31.77.

West Hancock’s Miles Sheppard qualified third in the 1,600, finishing in 4:25.49. Sheppard and Wolf will also run in the 3,200 race on Saturday.

Quincy High School will have three athletes compete in the Class 3A preliminaries Friday, with the finals in all events in all three classes being contested Saturday.