By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – The Chester High School Boys Track and Field Team outdid themselves Wednesday May 18 at the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Meet held at Chester’s Dr. Charles R. Young Memorial Track and Field Complex. CHS hosted the event.
Jacob Cowell, a Chester High School senior, was the Pole Vault Champion of the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Track and Field Meet. This qualified him to advance to the 2022 IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet this Thursday and Friday May 26 and 28. He vaulted 3.35 meters in his champion effort and that effort was not even his best of the 2022 season. He will compete at Eastern Illinois University this weekend in efforts to achieve a place on the awards stand at State. Jim Beers Photo \
The Yellow Jackets finished 3rd out of 14 teams and qualified four boys to advance to the State Track Meet in the process. Senior Aiden Jany qualified in two events, the 400-Meter Dash of which he was the 2022 Sectional CHAMPION, and the 100-Meter Dash. Senior Jacob Cowell qualified in the Pole Vault and was the Sectional CHAMPION in that event.
Chester High School senior, Aiden Jany, advanced to the 2022 IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet in two events. He qualified in the 400-Meter Dash as Champion of the Sectional Meet with his time of 51.86 and he also qualified in the 100-Meter Dash with his 2nd Place time of 11.44. He will compete Thursday May 26 at Charleston, Illinois at Eastern Illinois University, the site of the State Meet. Jim Beers Photo
Lannin Caron, a freshman, qualified to advance in the Pole Vault and sophomore Gabrielle Steele qualified in the High Jump. This is the largest number of boys that have qualified for State in recent history.
Nashville was the Sectional winner with 93 points followed by Madison (2nd, 91.33); CHESTER (3rd, 70.33); Trenton-Wesclin (4th, 61); Steeleville (5th, 52); Sparta (6th, 45); Red Bud (7th, 29); Breese Mater Dei (8th, 26.33); Waterloo Gibault (9th, 25); Okawville (10th, 23); Belleville Althoff (11th, 22); SIUE Charter School East St. Louis (12th, 14); Dupo (13th tie, 3); and Lebanon (13th tie, 3).
Gabriel Steele, a CHS sophomore, placed 2nd at the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Track and Field Meet which qualified him to advance to the State Meet this week. His jump of 1.85 Meters and 2nd Place finish gets him into the State Prelims this Thursday May 26. If he qualifies in Prelims, he will advance to the State High Jump Finals Saturday May 28. Jim Beers Photo
Chester specific results are as follow:
State Qualifiers:
Aiden Jany: 400-Meter Dash: CHAMPION (1st Place, 51.86) and 100-Meter Dash (2nd, 11.44).
Jacob Cowell: Pole Vault: CHAMPION (1st Place, 3.35 Meters)
Gabriel Steele: High Jump: (2nd, 1.85 Meters)
Lannin Caron: Pole Vault: (2nd, 2.90 Meters)
Lannin Caron, a Chester High School freshman, clears the bar at the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Meet. His vault of 2.90 meters qualified him to join his fellow teammate and pole vault mentor, Jacob Cowell at the 2022 IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet this Thursday May 26. If Caron qualifies in the Preliminary Round, he will advance to the State Finals Saturday May 28. Jim Beers Photo
Other Chester Results:
FIELD EVENTS
Long Jump: Cooper Eggemeyer (12th, 5.32 Meters) and Jacob Cowell (13th, 5.06 Meters)
Triple Jump: Freddie Alvarez (3rd, 11.68 Meters) and Jacob Cowell (5th, 11.47 Meters)
Discus: Isaac Jany (11th, 30.89 Meters) and Gavin Cowan (18th, 24.55 Meters)
Shot Put: Isaac Jany (3rd, 12.78 Meters) and Jonathan Renfroe (16th, 9.49 Meters)
RUNNING EVENTS
4 X 800-Meter Relay: Chester (5th, 9:30.73) Blake Farmer, Jacob Handel, Garret Hopkins, and Cooper Eggemeyer.
4 X 100-Meter Relay: Chester (8th, 47.28) Will Schuwerk, Isaac Jany, Freddie Alvarez, and Gabriel Steele.
110-Meter Hurdles: Gabriel Steele (7th, 20.72)
100-Meter Dash: Will Schuwerk (10th, 12.37)
800-Meter Run: Blake Farmer (4th, 2:13.43) and Garret Hopkins (13th, 2:23.95)
4 X 200-Meter Relay: Chester (6th, Lannin Caron, Freddie Alvarez, Cooper Eggemeyer, and Isaac Jany.
400-Meter Dash: Jacob Handel (12th, 57.87)
300-Meter Hurdles: Jacob Cowell (7th, 47.13)
200-Meter Dash: Will Schuwerk (6th, 24.26) and Aiden Jany (7th, 24.44)
4 X 400-Meter Relay: Chester (4th, 3:43.29)
CHS Head Boy’s Coach, Chris Kern said, “I am very proud of how hard and well we competed all Year. We would have had a chance to win every meet this year if we had been healthy. I am proud of the whole team!”
“I want to congratulate the four individuals who qualified for State this year, Aiden Jany, Jacob Cowell, Gabriel Steele, and Lannin Caron. Their commitment hard work paid off! They all have the chance to place at State this weekend.”