Athletes from Marian Catholic also to appear at state
LANSING, Ill. (May 22, 2023) – Karrel Harvest is heading back to Charleston, while Jevon Warren is going for the first time.
Harvest, a TF South junior, and Warren, a TF North senior, will represent District 215 at the Class 3A boys track and field state meet May 26-27 at Eastern Illinois’ O’Brien Field.
They qualified out of Thursday’s 3A Lockport Sectional. Harvest won the discus with a personal-best effort of 162-8.75 and was runner-up in the shot put at 47-10.5, while Warren took first in the high jump with a personal-best clear of 6-5.5.
Harvest also qualified in the discus last season. This is his first time downstate in the shot.
“He’s really been working hard,” said South coach Steve Nelson, who gave credit to throws coach Tim Sullivan for Harvest’s progress. “He was ready to start throwing that distance.”
There should be more of a comfort level for Harvest at state this time.
“I even told him that last year was for the experience as a sophomore, just to see it,” Nelson said.
Harvest accounted for the bulk of South’s points as the Red Wolves fielded a smaller than usual lineup with many athletes attending the school’s prom.
The Red Wolves finished ninth among 15 teams with 24 points.
In other TF South highlights, sophomore David Nkwogu took fourth in the 300 hurdles with a PR of 41.68 and the 3,200 relay team of Aaron Oliver, Diego Flores, John Carson, and Terrell Hall finished fifth at 8:46.08.
Warren, meanwhile, has been a mainstay for the Meteors’ boys basketball team for a while, but didn’t come out for track and field till last season.
Indoor track season starts in January, but he couldn’t focus on high jumping till basketball was over. Even then, TF North doesn’t have an indoor facility for track and field like many of its rivals.
Despite all that, Warren was a top-five finisher at last year’s sectional. This spring, he’s getting better and better. Warren set a PR of 6-2 a few weeks ago before blowing past that on Thursday.
“He’s a natural athlete with our coaching helping him out,” TF North coach Jermaine Bulie said. “He’s a great kid. I’m kind of sad to see him leave.”
Before that happens, Bulie is hoping Warren can make a little history. North hasn’t had a state medalist since Avery Taylor was eighth in the 3A 110 hurdles in 2016, and has had only one high jump medalist: Aaron Baker, who was sixth in 2A in 2011.
Can Bulie end that drought by placing at state?
“That’s the goal,” Bulie said. “The school record for us is 6-7. He’s right there at it.”
Better technique has been a key.
“He puts more speed into his approach (now),” Bulie said. “Last year he was just feeling it out.”
Warren has come so far so fast that he might have a college future in the high jump. Bulie said he’s received interest from NCAA Division II Central State (Ohio). A good showing at state could make even more coaches take notice of North’s late-blooming high jumper.
The Meteors tied for 13th among 15 teams at the sectional with 11 points.
Marian Catholic
Boys track and field
The Spartans won the first sectional title in program history on Wednesday, beating the defending 2A state champion hosts 73-62 at Kankakee.
Leading Marian’s list of state qualifiers was senior Braydon Waller, who won the 100 (10.56) and 200 (21.39). He also anchored the first-place 400 relay team (43.10), joining Paul Frazier Jr., Michael VanHootegem, and Roosevelt Griffin.
VanHootegem also won the 300 hurdles (40.76) and advanced in the 110 hurdles (14.31) by placing second, while sophomore Daniel Kasperan took first in the 800 (2:02.94) and 1,600 (4:36.89).
Marian’s 800 relay team of Kaleb Isom, Marcellus Clifton, Harrison Russell and Waller was fourth in 1:31.49 and advanced by beating the state-qualifying standard.
Baseball
The Spartans fell 11-7 to Homewood-Flossmoor on Thursday in pool play of the Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament. Lloyd Mills led Marian (15-17), finishing 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs, and an RBI.
Illiana Christian
Boys track and field
Jarvis Mickles and Fritz Olthof led the way for Illiana at Thursday’s Highland Sectional, earning automatic regional qualification in the 800 and the 3,200 relay.
Mickles was second in the 800 at 2:08.66 and Olthof finished third at 2:08.90. They teamed with Nathan Bouwman and Josh Wondaal to finish runner-up in the 3,200 relay (8:20.67).
Also automatically advancing to next Thursday’s Valparaiso Regional was Vinny VanDeel in the discus (109-2).
Illiana also had fourths from Owen Bandstra in the 300 hurdles (42.79) and Andrew Calix in the pole vault (9-6).
Illiana finished fourth in the 11-team field with 71 points.
Girls track and field
Faith VanRyn and Ella Olthof each won an individual event and ran on the first-place 3,200 relay to highlight the Vikings’ night at Tuesday’s Highland Sectional.
VanRyn won the 800 in 2:30.95 and Olthof took first in the 1,600 at 5:34.22. They teamed with Alex Vis and Alexa Meruri to win the 3,200 relay in 10:09.78.
The top three finishers in each event automatically qualified for the Portage Regional next Tuesday.
Hannah Bruinsma advanced by finishing third in both throws, going 31-6.75 in the shot put and 97.9 in the discus.
Other automatic qualifiers for Illiana were Vis (third, 1,600, 5:38.10) and Gabriella Costello (third, 100, 13.33).
Picking up fourths were Mercuri in the 3,200 (13:27.37) and Costello in the pole vault (7-0).
Softball
Mikayla Derks threw a two-hitter as the Vikings shut out South Central 10-0 in five innings on Thursday. Lydia VanderWoude went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI for Illiana (16-7), while Lauren Sherwood was 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Girls tennis
Illiana shut out Kankakee Valley 5-0 on Wednesday in the Crown Point Sectional semifinals.
Winning singles matches in straight sets were Gianna Vukas (No. 1), Sabrina Lopez (No. 2), and Avery Olthof (No. 3).
In doubles, Maddy Smith and Josie Plank rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 1, while Ava Lindemulder and Sophie Plank won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2.
Boys golf
Illiana beat Kankakee Valley 162-192 on Thursday on Palmira’s front nine. Isaac Sherwood led the Vikings with a 39, Zach Davids shot 40, Van Corcoran had a 41, and Donny Woo shot a 42.
TF United (TF South/TF North coop)
Boys volleyball
United fell 25-18, 25-17 to Eisenhower on Wednesday.
South Suburban College
Baseball
The Bulldogs finished second to national No. 3 Wabash Valley at the NJCAA Division I Midwest District tournament, ending the season at 42-21.
SSC beat host Indian Hills 10-6 on Wednesday as Scott Hansen was 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Brad White went 2-for-5 with his eighth homer of the season.
Mariano Gomez pitched four-hit ball over five innings for the win, allowing three earned runs and striking out six.
The Bulldogs split two games on Thursday, falling 3-2 to Wabash Valley and eliminating Indian Hills 8-7 in 10 innings.
Hansen was 2-for-4 with a run against Wabash Valley and starter James Burke took the loss, allowing six hits and two runs over seven innings with four strikeouts.
White tripled home the go-ahead run against Indian Hills in the 10th and finished with two RBI. Nicholas Johnstone was 2-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs.
Dawson Tanner went 3-for-4 with a run. Ethan Lambrigger pitched a scoreless 10th to save the win for Alberto Lamas.
Wabash Valley won the title game 15-1 on Friday. White was 2-for-5 and drove in the Bulldogs’ lone run.
Related
- SSC Baseball wins region title, enters Midwest District tournament – other local scores (May 17, 2023)
- TF United girls soccer on six-game win streak heading into playoffs – local scores (May 13, 2023)
- Daniel Lingua resumes shortstop post as Gary SouthShore RailCats season starts Thursday – local scores (May 10, 2023)
