They assumed he would send their spirits soaring with many more such gems during his Bloomington High School career.
But recurring hamstring woes kept him out of the 2002 state meet, limited him to 18th place last year and kept him from breaking 49.2 in the open 400 -- until last week.
Hughes gave his fans new hope at the Canton Class AA Sectional where he clocked a school record 48.9 in the open 400 and motored 47.9 in the 1,600 relay to advance to today and Saturday's 110th state meet at Charleston.
He will be joined by 34 other Pantagraph area qualifiers, who begin today's preliminaries at 9 a.m. The finals kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday.
"He's an outstanding track athlete," said BHS coach John Szabo of Hughes, the No. 6 seed in today's 400.
"If he races like he did in the 1,600 relay, the sky is the limit. He's definitely the fastest kid I've coached in 20 some years."
Hughes' school record ranks ninth in Pantagraph area history. His 49.90 in last year's state meet 400 seemed to warm him up for a 48.7 relay effort later. Today's four heat winners and the next five fastest times advance.
"The key for him is getting plenty of warmup," said Szabo, whose No. 31-seeded 1,600 relay (3:26.24) includes Matt Christensen, Oheni Morris and Robert Lanier.
The Millikin-bound Morris is seeded 21st in the long jump at 22-3\, but he only made one attempt in the sectional because of a dangerously slippery takeoff board. His school record of 23- 1/2 set Tuesday at the Honor Roll Meet would make him the No. 6 seed.
Teammate Yemi Alliu is seeded 19th in the triple jump at 45-7, but his career best of 46-7 set Tuesday would rank 10th. He placed ninth last year at 46-0.
"If they do what they did in the Honor Roll Meet (Tuesday), they won't just sneak into the finals, they definitely will do it," Szabo said.
"My staff has done an excellent job getting them ready at the right time. I can't remember when we've had as many guys ready to go. Both have been consistent the last month."
Streator senior Walter Moton was never better than in Tuesday's Honor Roll Meet, where he tied his school record of 10.6 in the 100 and lowered his school record in the 200 to 21.6, the No. 6 time in area history. Finishing close behind in both races was Normal West's Brenton Pegues (see story on B1).
Moton's sectional times of 22.16 and 10.92 make him the No. 17 seed and No. 20 seed, respectively.
"To make the finals in both of my races is my No. 1 goal," said the St. Joseph's (Ind.) College football recruit. "After that, place as high as I can."
Pontiac junior discus thrower Blake Gish has been in the high 160s and low 170s the past month, topping out at 172-6. His sectional 170-1 makes him the No. 6 seed. The leader is Machesney Park Harlem's Richard Behling at 176-8.
"I'm hoping to make it to finals," Gish said. "It would be nice if I placed, but I've got to be at the top of my game."
The top of Travis Leonard's game, a 177-7 to rank eighth in Pantagraph area history, makes the Mahomet-Seymour senior a title threat.
"I want to win the thing," said the Cal-Santa Barbara recruit. "It will be my brother Zach's birthday so I've got to do it. I said I would do it for my girlfriend (Nikki), too. It's anybody's game when we go down there."
Justin Harrison's last foray in track before switching his game to football for the University of Illinois comes as a member of BHS' No. 11-seeded 400 relay (42.74). His partners are Alliu, John Hamrin and James Wade.
"The top 12 teams are all inside of one second so we know we compete with the best," Harrison said. "We know if we run our best race possible, it will be up there."
Grant Brewer's best in the 300 intermediate hurdles of 39.3 -- which ranks third in area history -- may not be reachable for the Mahomet-Seymour junior, who was in an auto accident May 20.
"Grant is OK, but he suffered a huge gash across his knee requiring numerous stitches," said Coach Keith Pogue, who hopes Brewer can also join the No. 29-seeded 1,600 relay (3:25.74).
Brewer managed to qualify for state as the No. 20 seed in 40.04. Sophomore teammate Jared Bosch shares the No. 8 seeding in the high jump at 6-5. His best of 6-6 would have placed third a year ago.
Normal Community's 3,200 relay, which is seeded 23rd at 8:01.34, is taking aim at the 1990 school record of 7:53.32.
"The last two years, we've dropped 10 seconds from sectional to state," said NCHS coach Tom Patten. "I don't know if we can drop 10 seconds from where we are now.
"Given the fact we've not had any competition with the team loaded up, we feel they are capable of running sub-7:55 and maybe much quicker."
Manning the Ironmen baton will be Steven Hurth, Jared Starnes, Clayton Myers and Brent Chatham, who combined for 24th in 2003.
"Our goal coming into the season was to medal in state," Chatham said. "I think we still have a chance to do that."
BHS junior Andy Kubiak has a chance to lower his bests of 4:27.7 in the 1,600 and 9:35.6 in the 3,200, according to his coach.
It took 14-3 to make last year's 12-man pole vault final and Pontiac sophomore Phil Hanson has been over 14-0.
The 22-2 sectional long jump by Danny Chambers of NCHS leaves him seeded behind 24 others, but 22-2 would have placed ninth last year.
"Historically, kids don't jump as well at state as they did in the sectional," Patten said. "If we get Danny to break that trend, if he can reproduce his sectional jump at state, he has a chance to make finals."
Chambers helped set a school 800 relay record of 1:29.9 in the sectional, the No. 4 time in area history, with help from Wes Smith, Durrell Pitman and Stephan Bakana. They share the No. 22 seeding.
The season best triple jump of 45-7 1/2 by NCHS' Israel Brown would have been enough to place in three of the past four state meets.
"We haven't jumped him many jumps the last few meets," Patten said. "We were saving his jumps for state."
Lincoln coach Doug Benz reported his No. 10-seeded long jumper, Tony Dallavalle (22-6 1/2), will miss the meet to attend his father's wedding in Chicago.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
"He was complaining about how tired he was," said Streator High School coach Kenny Carlson, who watched Moton come alive for meet records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
Four boys meet records fell in near windless conditions. The other marks came from Bloomington in the 400 relay and Eureka in the 3,200 relay.
In both dashes, Moton edged Normal West sensation Brenton Pegues.
Moton tied his school record of 10.6 seconds in the 100, breaking the mark of 10.7 first set by Pontiac's Greg Manabat in 1988 and tied by Bloomington's Dion Brown in 2001. Pegues ran 10.7.
"It was a good race," said Moton after posting a time only four in area history have bettered. "I didn't pass him up until the last 15 meters."
In the 200, Moton, a St. Joseph's (Ind.) College football recruit, churned a school-record 21.5 to break the meet mark of 21.9 set by Lexington's Casey Ketelsen in 1999. Moton's time ties the sixth fastest in Pantagraph area history. Pegues merely tied the old record of 21.9.
Pegues burned energy earlier rallying his 800 relay to victory with a startling 20.8 split. Joining him on the season-best effort of 1:31.4 were Edgar Miller (25.0), Josh Lacombe (22.5) and Leonard Sneed (23.0).
BHS lowered the meet 400 relay record of 43.1 it set in 2001 to 42.6 on the baton work of Yemi Alliu, John Hamrin, James Wade and Justin Harrison.
"The goal was to run a smooth race and work on our handoffs," said Harrison, a University of Illinois football recruit. "We knew the record was in reach."
Alliu later defended his triple jump title with a career best of 46-7 to climb to fourth in area history.
"It seemed like a usual jump," he said. "I feel I can go even farther."
Oheni Morris of BHS went farther than he ever had in the long jump, winning for the third straight year with a school-record 23- 1/2, the No. 8 mark in area history.
"I feel I've got a little bit more (to give)," Morris said. "I'm saving it for state."
Eureka shaved .1 off the 3,200 relay meet record it set in 2002, clocking 8:04.9 thanks to Brett Stewart (2:05.1), Jason Beer (2:00.2), Johnny Reel (1:59.4) and Kevin Martin (2:00.4).
"We wanted to get ready for state," said Reel, whose squad is gunning for a Class A title. "It's a possibility."
Stewart pole vaulted a winning 13-3 prior to the 3,200 relay, but was too tired to scale 13-9.
Top-seeded pole vaulter Phil Hanson of Pontiac also made 13-3, but took second because of more misses. He redeemed himself with a 50.8 split on the winning 1,600 relay as both Pontiac and University High clocked 3:27.5. Chris George anchored U High with a 51.0. It was Pontiac's eighth 1,600 relay win in this meet in nine years.
"We want our kids to keep that as long as they can," said Pontiac coach David Young.
Western Illinois recruit Matt Wrage of Delavan-Hartsburg-Emden won the shot put with a career best of 53-3? ahead of the 53-2 by Eureka's Joe Painter.
"I got my extension to the perfect point," said Wrage, who threw the discus 167-8 to edge Mahomet-Seymour's Travis Leonard (167-7), but not Pontiac's Blake Gish (172-0).
"It felt pretty good once I released it," Gish said.
Matt Fisher of GCMS didn't match his 110 high hurdle best of 14.3, but he still won in 14.8.
"My trainer really worked me over pretty good last night," Fisher said. "He said this meet is just a bonus. Friday and Saturday (at state) is the one that counts."
The 300 intermediate hurdles went to Normal Community's Wes Smith in a school record 40.1.
"It seemed like I was possessed," said Smith, whose previous best was 41.1.
Olympia picked up wins in the 800 and 400 from John Neisler (1:59.1) and Austin Brand (51.2). Neisler's personal best came with no one to draft off of.
"I'm pretty good at pushing myself," he said.
El Paso's Luke Carr outdueled Eureka's Andy Studebaker for the high jump title, 6-4 to 6-2. Carr's high jumping brother, Chris, never won in three trips to this meet.
"I've got one on him," Carr said.
Brent Chatham of NCHS finally got a non-relay 1,600 time under 4:30 with a winning 4:28.9. He has twice run under 4:30 on relays, but only 4:37.7 in the open 1,600.
Ben Nathan of BHS was the meet's lone freshman champion, clocking a personal best of 10:07.9 in the 3,200.
Friday, May 21, 2004
Sectional track capsules
At Canton
Times: Field events -- 4 p.m.; Running event preliminaries -- 5 p.m.; Finals -- 6:30 p.m.
Entrants: Bloomington, Normal West, Normal Community, Bartonville Limestone, Canton, Dunlap, East Peoria, Lincoln, Metamora, Morton, Pekin, Peoria Central, Peoria Manual, Peoria Notre Dame, Peoria Richwoods, Peoria Woodruff, Washington.
Stars to watch: Eastern Illinois recruit Brenton Pegues of Normal West will contest the 100 (10.6), 200 (21.8) and 400 (50.2) along with one relay. Bloomington's Yemi Alliu is the Pantagraph area's lone returning Class AA state medalist, having placed ninth in last year's triple jump at 46-0. His career best of 46-6 ranks fourth in the state this season. Teammate Oheni Morris ranks in a tie for fifth in the long jump at 22-6. Alliu's 42.9 400 relay includes John Hamrin, James Wade and Justin Harrison. Andy Kubiak of BHS is the top seed in the 1,600 (4:27.7) and 3,200 (9:35.6) while teammate Brandon Hughes (49.8) paces the 400. NCHS has the sectional's top 3,200 relay (8:04.6) in Steven Hurth, Jared Starnes, Clayton Myers and Brent Chatham. Other Ironmen hopefuls are its 800 relay (1:32.4), 1,600 relay (3:30.2), Israel Brown in the triple jump (45-7 1/2) and Christian Beck in the discus (155-10).
FYI: BHS and NCHS, which went 1-2 in last year's sectional, figure to battle Metamora for the crown.
Quoting: "We could take quite a few down (to the state meet)," said BHS coach John Szabo. "It will be fun. It's been a while since we've taken that many."
"For us, it's all about getting to state," said NCHS coach Tom Patten. "We'll do things to keep guys free that will cost us team points."
"Brenton seems to be OK (after a minor hamstring injury)," said Normal West assistant coach Den Patten. "He had no problem at conference."
Friday, May 21, 2004
"They don't say a whole lot," said BHS head coach John Szabo. "They just go out and do what they need to do."
What the seniors have done is dominate Pantagraph area horizontal jumping.
Morris has a long jump best of 22 feet, 6 inches, which ranks in a tie for fifth in the state according to Illinois Prep Top Times. He has ranked first or second in the area his whole career, spanning 21-9} as a freshman, 22-4\ as a sophomore and 22-6 1/2 last year.
Alliu leads area triple jumpers at 46-6, the state's No. 4 mark. He also has a 21-11 1/2 long jump, which ranks second in the area. His triple jump progression has gone from 41-8 in 2001 to 45-4} in 2002 to 46-0 last year when he placed ninth in the state meet.
Morris and Alliu are the top seeds in their specialties at today's 4 p.m. Canton Class AA Sectional.
The top two in each event and those meeting a qualifying standard advance to the May 28 and 29 state meet at Charleston. The standards in the long jump and triple jump are 22-0 and 45-0, respectively.
"Hopefully they can get a state-qualifying jump earlier in prelims so it will be done with," Szabo said. "That's the goal."
The goal of getting feedback from the pair has gone unmet by BHS jumps coach Chip Mosely.
"You can't really get anything out of them," said Mosely, who usually settles for a one-word answer when inquiring about how a jump went.
BHS sprint coach Rich Baldwin said what the two lack in the gift of gab, they make up for with a desire to win.
"Early in the season it seemed like one was always going an inch farther than the other one and it pushed them both," he said.
Alliu has twice beaten Morris in the long jump, the latest win coming in the Big 12 Conference Meet where the two went 1-2 as they so often do.
"I've just got to work harder the next time," Morris said. "I get kind of upset."
"He makes me jump even farther," Alliu said. "It brings the best out of both of us."
Baldwin labels Alliu the team's most valuable performer because he's also part of a 42.9-second 400-meter relay team, which shares the No. 2 time in area history.
Alliu also lends team-leading splits of 22.3 to the 800 relay coming out of the blocks.
Baldwin believes Alliu could become a 23-foot long jumper if he stopped looking at the sand while soaring over it.
"When he does that, he ends up hitting a lot sooner than he should," Baldwin said.
BHS coaches prevent Alliu from touching down early in the triple jump by having him use a board 40 feet from the pit.
"Szabo told me to put down a board just for him to make him reach for it," said Mosely, who wants Alliu to slow his approach in the triple jump.
"He approaches the triple as he approaches the long jump and you can't really do that. He needs to slow his speed down to be able to emphasize each of the phases."
In the long jump, Alliu uses a 14-step approach while Morris takes 16.
"Oheni is not a real explosive guy," Baldwin said. "It's all speed down the runway. If he can get good height, he can go farther."
Last winter, it didn't look like Morris would be going anywhere following knee surgery.
"Luckily it's not his takeoff leg for long jump," Szabo said. "His speed isn't as good as it has been so for him to still go 22-6 is outstanding."
Morris made the jump to BHS from Normal Community after his freshman year. Sports helped him make new friends.
"Everyone already knew my name," said Morris, whose first name is of African origin meaning "first born male child."
His father, Arthur, was a 22-5 long jumper and his mother, Olivia, also ran track.
Alliu's mother and father, Peju and Sikiru, immigrated from Nigeria 30 years ago. They gave their son a first name of Sheriffdeen and a middle name of Yemi.
"They are proud of me," Alliu said. "They go to work and my name's in the paper and the workers talk about it."
To be a positive subject of conversation speaks volumes.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
This is the eighth time in the past nine years the meet has been held at Rantoul. Action begins with the long jump and discus at 4:45 p.m. followed by the high jump and pole vault at 5, running preliminaries at 5:15 and the finals at 6:30.
The title contenders are Decatur Eisenhower, Champaign Centennial, Normal Community and Bloomington.
"I think it be will a very close conference meet," said Normal West assistant coach Den Patten, whose team figures to supply one of the meet's stars in sprinter Brenton Pegues.
Pegues will contest the 100-meter dash, 200 and 400 along with the 400 relay. His best times are 10.6 seconds, 22.1 and 50.2.
Other top entrants from the Intercity are Andy Kubiak of BHS in the 1,600 (4:27.7) and 3,200 (9:42.4) and top-seeded teammates Oheni Morris in the long jump (21 feet, 11 1/2 inches) and Yemi Alliu in the triple jump (46-6). Alliu is the No. 2 seed in the long jump at 21-11 1/2.
The BHS 400 relay has tied the No. 2 time in Pantagraph area history at 42.9. Relay members are Alliu, John Hamrin, James Wade and Justin Harrison. Wade will also run the 200 (23.4).
Area 400 leader Brandon Hughes of BHS (50.1) has been nursing a hamstring injury.
"He ran this week and had a good workout Tuesday," said BHS coach John Szabo. "He's not 100 percent, but he will give it a try."
Versatile NCHS star Wes Smith, who missed training time this week because of illness, is entered in the 110 high hurdles (15.1), 300 intermediate hurdles (41.5) and 200 (23.0).
"We think he'll be all right by Friday," said NCHS coach Tom Patten, who has the top-seeded discus thrower in Christian Beck (155-10).
NCHS has area-leading times this season in the 3,200 relay (8:04.6) and 800 relay (1:32.4). Patten will stack his 3,200 relay with Steven Hurth, Jared Starnes, Clayton Myers and Brent Chatham.
"This is the time of year to get used to running together for the sectional and state," said Patten, who is also entering Chatham (4:37.7) in the 1,600. "It's a great 1,600 field. We want to see what he can do time wise."
NCHS has the No. 2 seed in the triple jump in Israel Brown (45-7 1/2) and the No. 3 seed in the long jump in Danny Chambers (21-10).
"We have to get a lot of places," Patten said. "If we can scratch out some individual places, we could finish in the top three. Eisenhower is definitely the favorite. Centennial is really strong. Bloomington is going to be in the thick of things."
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
The Ironmen thought they won last year by four points over Bloomington only to lose by two the next day when a scoring error was discovered.
After the scores were checked and rechecked Tuesday, NCHS indeed had 121 points to 119 for BHS, which saw its streak of eight consecutive titles end.
University High took third with 71 points, its best total since 1997, followed by Normal West (50) and Central Catholic (12).
"I thought that we had some really remarkable performances tonight," said NCHS coach Tom Patten, whose team last won in 1995. "Wes Smith was just a ton."
Smith, a senior in his first season of track, contested a rare combination of four events: winning the 110-meter high hurdles in 15.7 seconds, placing third in the next event, the 100 (11.2), then winning the 300 intermediate hurdles in (42.0) and placing second in the next event, the 200 (23.0), for a 26-point contribution.
"He's just such a smooth runner," Patten said. "He doesn't beat himself up running and I think that's why he is able to double back."
Smith had a healthy attitude about his 300 hurdle-200 double.
"Just think the faster you get it over with, the faster you are done," he said.
Bloomington senior Oheni Morris was able to regain the long jump title he won as a freshman and sophomore, leaping 22 feet, 6 inches to account for the only meet record in the 55-degree chill.
Morris, who wore a knee brace, erased the record of 22-0 set by Mike Dotts of BHS in 1984 and tied by Edwin Drane of BHS in 1992.
"I just can't think about it," said Morris of the brace. "I feel I have to gradually get back to my level."
BHS jump coach Chip Mosely got his pulse back to normal when top-seeded triple jumper Yemi Alliu -- after opening with three fouls -- bounded 46 feet, 6 inches on his final attempt. Only four athletes in Pantagraph history have gone further.
Alliu tied his personal best, but missed Mosely's 1992 meet record by a half inch.
"I was just thinking I had to get a jump in because we needed points," said Alliu, who also led off the winning 400 relay (43.6) and 800 relay (1:33.1).
His partners in the 400 were John Hamrin, James Wade and University of Illinois football recruit Justin Harrison. The 800 relay included Hamrin, Morris and Harrison.
"We just had to beat Normal," Alliu said. "That's all we were thinking about."
Nobody could beat Normal West senior Brenton Pegues, who became the first sprinter since Marquis Mosely of BHS in 1993 to sweep the 100, 200 and 400, clocking 10.9, 22.2 and 50.2.
"My 400 was bad," he said. "I took off real slow the first 200 meters."
Pegues' showdown with BHS star Brandon Hughes in the 400 fizzled when Hughes re-injured his hamstring after 150 meters.
"I was expecting him to pass me," said Pegues, who didn't see Hughes ease up.
U High's Chris George became what is believed to be the first three-time winner of the 800, clocking 1:57.3 after earlier sparking his 3,200 relay (8:15.6) to victory with a 2:01.6 leg. Also on that relay were Nick Shaver (2:04.3), Jordan Busse (2:08.5) and Jarell Chavers, whose 2:01.0 anchor leg rallied the Pioneers past Clayton Myers (2:01.6) and NCHS (8:16.0).
George concluded his day with a career best 4:24.8 to win the 1,600.
"That's a time I'm definitely shooting for at this point in the season," he said. "Hopefully I can get under 4:20 by state and have a shot at that first place."
George covered the last half of the 1,600 in 2:07.9 and the last lap in 61.6.
"The last two laps were just insane," he said. "I didn't expect Andy Kubiak to push it that hard on the third lap."
BHS' Kubiak wound up second in 4:28.5 after earlier winning a tactical 3,200 in 10:05.8.
"If (George) doesn't win state, that would be pretty amazing," said an impressed Kubiak.
Central Catholic freshman Josh Brent, the top seed in the discus at 153-3, knew what to do after placing third at 134-5.
"I basically channeled my anger into positive energy for the shot put," said Brent, who won that event at 52-7. "My timing, my tempo, my rhythm were off (in the discus)."
The surprise discus champion was Normal West's No. 3-seeded Jake McGowan at 139-3.
U High's Lane Raney cleared a career best of 6-1 to win the high jump after failing to clear a height in his previous meet.
"I was just trying to redeem myself," said Raney, who took second in the high hurdles in a personal best of 15.8.
Billy Kummer gave BHS its 11th straight Intercity pole vault title, clearing 11-0.
NCHS entered the final event, the 1,600 relay, trailing by two points, but placed first to BHS' third as Jacob Heck (52.4), Myers (53.4), Brent Chatham (54.1) and Eric Lam (52.8) combined for 3:32.9. The Ironmen only won three of the 18 events.
"I really thought our field events did a good job for us tonight," said Patten, whose four horizontal jumpers all set personal bests, including triple jump runner-up Israel Brown (45-7 1/2) and long jump runner-up Danny Chambers (21-10).
BHS coach John Szabo, whose team was seeded to lose by 20, said, "We made up a lot of points in a lot of areas. We didn't lose the meet. They won the meet."
Normal Community is seeded to score 121 points followed by BHS (101), University High (70), Normal West (58) and Central Catholic (18).
"NCHS is pretty good," said BHS coach John Szabo. "We're going to have to have our kids perform up to their ability."
Action at Fred Carlton Field in Bloomington begins with field events at 4:30 p.m. and running events at 5:30.
"It should be a more balanced meet than it was the last few years," said NCHS coach Tom Patten. "Who that is going to help or hurt, I'm not sure."
BHS won by two points over NCHS last year. In the April 17 Urbana Open, the Purple Raiders finished second and the Ironmen fifth.
"We have not seen University High at all," Patten said. "It looks like they are as strong as they have been in years."
Normal West and Central Catholic won't be left out thanks to potential multiple-event winners Brenton Pegues and Josh Brent, respectively.
Pegues leads the area in the 100-meter dash (10.6 seconds) and ranks second in the 200 (22.1). The meet 100 record of 10.7 was set by Guy Sikora of BHS in 1987.
Pegues' 400 best of 51.1 has only been topped area-wide by Brandon Hughes of BHS (50.1), who is the two-time defending champion. Hughes brings a best of 22.6 to the 200.
Pegues has run 47.9 for 400 meters in a relay, which makes him a threat to the meet's oldest record, the 49.2 by Bruce Jones of NCHS in 1972.
"Pegues and -- we hope -- our sprint relays, can make the meet interesting in terms of the team race for other schools," said Normal West assistant coach Den Patten.
Pantagraph files since 1949 show no one has won three 800 titles, a
feat U High senior Chris George could accomplish if he can hold off
Brent Chatham (1:58.8) of NCHS. George is the top seed at 1:58.1 and is
also favored in the 1,600 (4:26.8).