The Homewood-Flossmoor boys varsity track & field team will be competing for top honors in seven events during the IHSA state meet at Eastern Illinois University on Saturday.
The Homewood-Flossmoor boys varsity track & field team will be competing for top honors in seven events during the IHSA state meet at Eastern Illinois University on Saturday.
The team placed second in the sectional meet Wednesday, June 9, when H-F track & field members qualified for state. In 2018 and 2019, H-F was state runner-up in IHSA track & field competition
Head coach Nate Beebe said half of the H-F contingent is seniors, but senior Marshall Ellis is entered in three races and may run a fourth. He’ll be in the 100m and 200m dash and a member of the 4X100 relay team. He could also run in the 4X200 relay. Ellis has accepted a track scholarship to run at Louisiana Tech University.
The other H-F competitors are senior Jamar McMillian, long jump; senior Isaiah Hubbard, shot put; junior Jerry Hester, 110 high hurdles; seniors Ellis, Ugo Anidobu and Kivan Bowens with sophomore Robert Scott, 4X100 relay; juniors Taji Mathis Akinremi and Jaiden Allen with senior Jalen Brown and sophomore Robert Scott in the 4X200 relay.
Team alternates are senior Trent Pearson, junior Jeffon Dudley, sophomores Jeremiah Turner and Dane Ivancevic and freshman Andrew Mitchell.
Beebe said the season has been just 10 weeks due to COVID-19 restrictions and changed sports scheduling. In a normal year, H-F would have had 19 weeks of competition.
“It’s not ideal, not a perfect set-up, but we’re very thankful that the IHSA has done what it can to ensure the state meet,” Beebe said.
“We are losing some very good seniors” at the close of the meet, Beebe said. “Our top relay team is three seniors and a sophomore. We are going to be losing quite a bit, but at the same time we have a very good young group. The well is not dry.”
Team members are:
Seniors: Zachary Agosto, Kivan Bowens, Justin Burns, Christian DeVine, Marshal Ellis, Caleb Mitchell, Dylan Offord, Abdul-Karim Toheeb-Lawal, Ugo Anidobu, Jalen Brown, Isaiah Hubbard, Adam Kramer, Jamar McMillian, Trent Pearson.
Juniors: Jaiden Allen, Allen Attakorah, Jahliel Conklin, James Hampton, Aaron Hogan, Denzel Lee, Taji Matthis Akinremi, Ahmari Meeks Miller, Anthony Mootry II, Jelani Perry, Michael Shelley, Ayomide Ajayi, Alain Cawley, Oscar De La Torre, Jeffon Dudley, Randall Gray, Jerry Hester III, Omari Mason, Brian Nwachukwu, Umar Ryan, Jaden Sharp, Carlos Tejeda.
Sophomores: Dane Ivancevic, Robert Scott III, Tyler Moore, Jeremiah Turner.
Freshmen: Damarion Best, Andrew Mitchell.
Coaches working with the track & field team are Beebe focusing on hurdles and sprints; Rob Assise, jumps; Chris Korfist, sprints; Brian O’Donnell, distance; Lia Tulua, throws; and Matt Dreger, pole vault.