By Michael Newman

New name. New meet management.  New track surface.

However, same surroundings where excitement has abounded in the past and a great field that has been assembled.

Put that all together and we should some exciting things happen during the opening session of the Illinois Top Times Classic Friday evening at the Shirk Center. There will be some exciting races and events that will occur during this session.

Here is a look of what to watch for on Friday evening during the 1A Girls meet.

On the Track:

3200 Meter Run – the first girl’s final on the meet schedule. Junior Brittney Burmeiseter (Red Bud HS, Red Bud) has the fastest time in the field (11:39.03) that she ran at the beginning of the month at Carbondale. Burmeister is one of the most improved runners in the state and will be the runner to push the pace. Her chief competition will come from teammate Deanna Deterding and Regan Weidner (Bureau Valley HS, Manlius). Weidner caught her competition off guard last fall by finishing second in the 1A state cross country race. Do not discount her in this race.

Also watch for Lea Viano (Carlinville HS, Carlinville), Theresa Welle (St. Thomas More HS, Champaign), and Taylor Renfroe (Unity HS, Tolono).

4 x 800 Meter Relay – Decatur St. Teresa is the three time defending team champs in 1A cross country. Their distance depth will show in this relay. The Bulldogs enter this race with the fastest seed time (9:59.94) by 37 seconds over Arcola. It is hard to see them being upset in this race. When it comes to big races, St. Teresa seems to always be ready and Coach Todd Vohland makes sure of that.

Keep an eye on Champaign St. Thomas More, Arcola, and Eureka. I think these teams will be fighting for second. I know anything can happen in a race but St. Teresa looks to be a lock in this race.

60 Meter Hurdles – I think this race will be wide open. The one hurdler to watch is Taylor Adcock (Central A&M HS, Moweaqua) who has the fastest 1A time in this race (8.97). Freshman Jenny Kimbro (Catlin HS, Catlin) emerged with her performance just behind Adcock at the Charleston Invitational two weeks ago. It could be Adcock with her big meet experience that may give her the edge over Kimbro.

Also watch for Peyton Wade (Aurora Christian HS, Aurora), McKendra Barthelme (Newton HS, Newton), and Kaitlyn Corzine (Central A&M HS, Moweaqua). All are within a tenth of a second of Adcock setting up what could be a photo-finish moment in this race.

60 Meter Dash – This is the first of many times that we will see Jessica Jump (Metro-East Lutheran HS, Edwardsville) on the track Friday evening. Jump has the fastest times in both the 55 (7.37) and 60 Meter Dashes (7.91). She has not shied away from competition running against anyone from any class this winter. The one sprinter that I would keep a close eye on is Danielle Crawley (Sherrard HS, Sherrard) who ran 7.93 to win the Silver Streak Invitational last Saturday. Amelia Glueck (Tremont HS, Tremont) ran 7.97 last week on this same Shirk Center track and will challenge as well.

Taylor Adcock (Central A&M HS, Moweaqua) will be coming back from the Hurdles and will be in the mix in this race also. Others sprinters I would watch for include Samantha Reece (Arcola HS, Arcola), Rebecca Anderson (Clinton HS, Clinton), and Ariel Gibbs (Momence HS, Momence).

800 Meter Run – Maddison Zimmer (Delavan HS, Delavan) ran a great race in winning the Lady Wildcat last Wednesday on this track (2:20.66). She has the fastest seed time in this event by close to four seconds over Cassie Mundekis (Midwest Central HS, Manito) and Julie James (El Paso-Gridley HS, El Paso). Mundekis ran her 2:24 at the beginning of the month at the Jacksonville Invitational and is ripe for improving her seasonal PR. I think all three of these runners will be the leaders in this race.

Freshman Lauren Evelti (St. Teresa HS, Decatur) is the next great St. Teresa distance runner and could pull a surprise here. Other runners to watch include Corrie Reilly (Erie-Prophetstown HS, Erie), Jacey Roper (Carlinville HS, Carlinville), and Kelsie Wujek  (St. Teresa HS, Decatur).

4 x 200 Meter Relay – Clinton has the fastest time in 1A (1:48.90) having achieved that on Monday at their last chance meet at the Shirk Center. They are running hot right now. Carthage Illini West ran their time (1:49.65) a week ago at Monmouth College and will challenge Clinton for the championship.

Also watch for Erie-Prophetstown, Seton Academy, and Sherrard to be in the hunt for first. You know that anything can happen in this relay when handoffs can be an adventure so do not be shocked if there is a surprise winner in this race.

400 Meter Dash – Jessica Jump (Metro-East Lutheran HS, Edwardsville) will return to the track for her second race of the evening but will not be the favorite here. That role will go to Amanda McClain (Sullivan HS, Sullivan). The sophomore has the fastest 1A time and the only 1A runner under 60 seconds in this event (59.54). Miranda Marry (Fisher HS, Fisher) finished third last Saturday at the Gene Armer Invitational and has the second fastest seed time. Jump will be in the mix as well.

Runners to watch in this race as well include Rayanne Wright (Clifton Central HS, Clifton), Sophie Fairman (Staunton HS, Staunton), and Toria Plotner (Catlin HS, Catlin).

1600 Meter Run – You could look at this as a cross country race with the number of St. Teresa runners in the field. I am guessing some of them will be coming back from the 4 x 800 Meter Relay and that could factor into the race. Brittney Burmeiseter (Red Bud HS, Red Bud) has the fastest seed time (5:27.79) but the first six runners are within 5 seconds off each other in regards to seasonal bests.  Burmeister will be coming back from the 3200. Julie James (El Paso-Gridley HS, El Paso) is also in the race but she will have only 35 minutes to recover after the 800.

Two runners to watch are Ivy Handley (St. Teresa HS, Decatur) and Maria Baldwin (Fieldcrest HS, Minonk). Handley, the 1A state cross country champ, runs big in big races. Baldwin will be fresh in this race and could win it.

It is a loaded field. Other runners to watch include Lea Viano (Carlinville HS, Carlinville), Regan Weidner (Bureau Valley HS, Manlius) Bree Tschosik, Megan Burgener, and Rachel Devereux (St. Teresa HS, Decatur), and Cassie Mundekis (Midwest Central HS, Manito). I think we are going to see 5:20 or under in this race.

200 Meter Run – Jessica Jump (Metro-East Lutheran HS, Edwardsville is the big favorite in this race. After all, she has the fastest seed time (25.97) in this event by almost three quarters of a second ahead of Danielle Crawley (Sherrard HS, Sherrard) who has run 26.63 this season. Watch for these two in the front.

Other runners to watch include Amelia Glueck (Tremont HS, Tremont), Erin West (Clinton HS, Clinton), and Chelsea Miller (Sesser-Valier HS, Sesser).

4 x 400 Meter Relay – Carthage-Illini West is tops on the TFX board and is the favorite in this race.  The top 6 teams in this race are within five seconds of each other. This should be one fun race to watch to end the evening. Pleasant Plains, St. Joseph-Ogden, and Moweaqua Central A&M are within a second of Illini West. Those would be the teams that will make it interesting.

Other teams to keep an eye on include Clinton, Erie Prophetstown, and Decatur St. Teresa.

And in the Field Events…

Long Jump – Only two athletes are over 17 feet in this field. They are the top two in the event and will be the favorites here. Courtney Croy (Neoga HS, Neoga) jumped 17-4 at Charleston two weeks ago and will look to improve her seasonal best at this meet. You probably recognize the name Amelia Glueck (Tremont HS, Tremont) mentioned many times in the preview. The junior jumped 17-1 ½ last Wednesday on this runway. She will be a factor in this competition.

Others to watch include Chelsea Miller (Sesser-Valier HS, Sesser), Peyton Rus (Erie-Prophetstown HS, Erie), Jenny Kimbro (Catlin HS, Catlin), and Amanda McClain (Sulivan HS, Sullivan).

Triple Jump – This should be a tight event with the top 6 athletes in this field are past 33 feet and within in a foot of each other. The one athlete to watch is 1A leader at 33-11 ½ Sophie Fairman (Staunton HS, Staunton). One half inch behind her is Paige Rus (Erie-Prophetstown HS, Erie). Others to watch include Graci Bastert (Illini West HS, Carthage), Mollie Bowman (Sullivan HS, Sullivan), and Taylor Rich (Neoga HS, Neoga).

High Jump – This could be the best event in the 1A Girls schedule on Friday. The top five athletes are all rated in the top thirty nationally. With this much talent in the event, I think we will see a 5-10 jump or higher Friday afternoon.

Peyton Wade (Aurora Christian HS, Aurora) and Karissa Roman (Wethersfield HS, Kewanee) have both cleared 5-8 this year and tied for seventh in the United States. At 5-6 is defending 1A state champion Kandie Bloch (Argenta-Oreana HS). The senior has a lifetime best of 5-10. She was pushed at the Charleston Invitational by Freshman Hope Tewes (Lutheran HS, Springfield) who had also cleared 5-6 In the meet. She could be the big surprise in the event. Rachel Rhodes (Williamsville HS, Williamsville) has also cleared 5-6 and could win this event.

Also watch for Tessa Holland (Fieldcrest HS, Minonk) who cleared 5-5 at the beginning of the month at the ISU Invite. I would not discount her in this meet.

Pole Vault – Taylor Knauf (Aurora Christian HS, Aurora) has stepped in the spot light this year. She had a great competition at the Windy City PV Summit clearing a PR 12-0 at the meet. She was 11^th at last year’s state 2A final when she cleared 10-6. Knauf will have two athletes that will be her chief competition. The first is Morgan Zacharias (Reed-Custer HS, Braidwood) who cleared 11-6 in her home meet last Saturday. The second is Hannah Swift (Clinton HS, Clinton) who cleared this height early in the year. It will take 12-0 at least to win on Friday.

Other athletes to watch on Friday include Zoe Gossmeyer (Tremont HS, Tremont), Bailey Reifsteck (Unity HS, Tolono), and Katie Denby (Carlinville HS, Carlinville).

Shot Put – It could be a tight competition in this event. Freya Block (Kewanee HS, Kewanee) achieved a distance of 38-9 last weekend at the Silver Streak Invitational and is the top seed in the event. Two juniors, Jasmine Jefko (Cambridge HS, Cambridge) and Paige Putnam (Knoxville HS, Knoxville), are within a foot of Block. They should challenge the Kewanee senior in this meet.

Others to watch include Mckayla Baillie (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley HS), Emily Allhands (Watseka HS, Watseka), and Colette Norris (Bushnell Prairie City, Bushnell).

Good luck to all athletes, coaches and fans on Friday!