Chargers’ Bentzinger qualifies for state track meet in four events, Titans’ Gooding breaks triple jump record

FARMINGTON, Ill. — Ian Bentzinger is sprinting his way toward a shot at a state championship, and the Illini West senior will have four chances at that.

Bentzinger qualified for the Class 1A state track and field championships in four events during Wednesday’s Farmington Sectional, winning both the 100- and 200-meter dashes and running a leg on the Chargers’ 4×100 and 4×200 relays.

Bentzinger won the 100 dash in 10.71 seconds, almost half a second faster than the rest of the field. In the 200 dash, he beat the field by four-tenths of a second, running a 22.12.

The relay team of Bentzinger, Thomas Chandler, Colin Curfman and Trenton Hanks finished second in the 4×100 relay in 43.97. Mercer County won the race in 43.55. They took fourth in the 4×200 in 1:33.41.

West Hancock’s Nolan Gooding won the triple jump, breaking his own school record with a leap of 43 feet, 8.5 inches. Gooding also qualified for state in the long jump, finishing fourth with a leap of 20 feet, 11 inches.

Illini West’s Roan Jackson qualified for state in the discus, finishing second with a toss of 133 feet.

West Hancock’s 4×800 relay team of Quentin Althar, Parker Quinlan, Dominick Quinlan and Evan Carel finished second in 8:19.10. The Titans’ 4×400 relay team with the same four runners finished second in 3:34.05.