2026 Central ILXCTF Athletes of the Year

This article provides a breakdown of the athletes of the year in every event. These selections are based on my own personal opinion and rely on performances throughout the year with an emphasis on post-season success. 

Girls 100m Dash

Winner: Hannah Safranek (Jr, Normal University)

Season Record: 11.70

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion (100m, 200m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m), State Qualifier (100m, 200m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m), 3A All-State (100m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m)

Girls 200m Dash

Winner: Jamia Esther (So, Danville HS)

Season Record: 23.86

Accolades: Sectional Champion (100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x200m), State Qualifier (100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x200m), 2A State Runner-Up (4x100m, 4x200m), 2A State Champion (200m)

Girls 400m Dash

Winner: Madalyn Marx (Sr, Mahomet-Seymour)

Season Record: 54.27

Accolades: Apollo Conference Champion (100m, 200m, 400m, 4x400m), Sectional Champion (200m, 400m, 4x400m), State Qualifier (200m, 400m, 4x400m), 2A All-State (200m), 2A State Runner-Up (4x400m), 2A State Champion (400m)

Girls 800m Run

Winner: Sophie Rentmeister (Jr, Chatham Glenwood)

Season Record: 2:13.56

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion (4x800m), Sectional Champion (800m), State Qualifier (800m, 1600m)

Girls 1600m Run

Winner: Klaire Eighner (Sr, Maroa-Forsyth)

Season Record: 4:55.40

Accolades: Sangamo Conference Champion (1600m, 3200m), Sectional Champion (3200m), State Qualifier (1600m, 3200m), 1A State Champion (1600m, 3200m)

Girls 3200m Run

Winner: Klaire Eighner (Sr, Maroa-Forsyth)

Season Record: 10:17.66

Accolades: Sangamo Conference Champion (1600m, 3200m), Sectional Champion (3200m), State Qualifier (1600m, 3200m), 1A State Champion (1600m, 3200m)

Girls 100m Hurdles

Winner: Hannah Safranek (Jr, Normal University)

Season Record: 13.99

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion (100m, 200m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m), State Qualifier (100m, 200m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m), 3A All-State (100m, 100m Hurdles, 4x100m)

Girls 300m Hurdles

Winner: Ameena Ross (Sr, Rock Island HS)

Season Record: 42.94

Accolades: WB6 Conference Champion (200m, 100m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles), Sectional Champion (100m Hurdles, 4x400m), State Qualifier (100m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 4x200m, 4x400m), 3A All-State (300m Hurdles)

Girls 4x100m Relay

Winner: Normal University (Harper McIntyre, Abigail Jackson, Addie Cortese, Hannah Safranek)

Season Record: 46.85

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion, State Qualifier, 3A All-State

Girls 4x200m Relay

Winner: Danville HS (Samantha Brown, Jamia Esther, Yariah Shaw, Jhe'Nyi Parker)

Season Record: 1:40.14

Accolades: Sectional Champion, State Qualifier, 2A State Runner-Up

Girls 4x400m Relay

Winner: Normal University (Scout Minnaert, Caty Minton, Addie Cortese, Abigail Jackson)

Season Record: 3:49.03

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion, State Qualifier, 3A State Runner-Up

Girls 4x800m Relay

Winner: Toulon Stark County (Cheyenh Smith, Norah Rorem, Paytin Terwilliger, Dusti Smith)

Season Record: 9:24.77

Accolades: Lincoln Trail Conference Champion, Sectional Champion, State Qualifier, 1A State Champion

Girls Shot Put

Winner: Zion Young (Jr, Maroa-Forsyth)

Season Record: 45' 9"

Accolades: Sangamo Conference Champion (Shot Put), Sectional Champion (Shot Put), State Qualifier (Shot Put), 1A State Champion (Shot Put)

Girls Discus Throw

Winner: Emma Whightsil (Sr, Warrensburg-Latham)

Season Record: 144' 11.25"

Accolades: Central Illinois Conference Champion (Shot Put, Discus Throw), Sectional Champion (Discus Throw), State Qualifier (Shot Put, Discus Throw), 1A All-State (Shot Put), 1A State Champion (Discus Throw)

Girls High Jump

Winner: Samantha Yeh (Sr, Dunlap)

Season Record: 5' 6.5"

Accolades: Mid-Illini Conference Champion (High Jump), Sectional Champion (High Jump), 3A All-State (High Jump)

Girls Pole Vault

Winner: Claudia Ifft (Sr, Bloomington HS)

Season Record: 12' 10"

Accolades: Big 12 Conference Champion (Pole Vault), Sectional Champion (Pole Vault), State Qualifier (Pole Vault), 3A State Champion (Pole Vault)

Girls Long Jump

Winner: Saylor Barry (Sr, Mendon Unity)

Season Record: 19' 4.25"

Accolades: West Central Conference Champion (Long Jump), Sectional Champion (Long Jump), State Qualifier (Long Jump), 1A State Champion (Long Jump)

Girls Triple Jump

Winner: Mariyah Elam (Jr, Mendota)

Season Record: 38' 2.75"

Accolades: Three Rivers Athletic Conference Champion (Triple Jump), Sectional Champion (High Jump, Triple Jump), State Qualifier (4x200m, High Jump, Triple Jump), 2A State Runner-Up (Triple Jump), 2A State Champion (High Jump)

Boys 100m Dash

Winner: D'Mario Jackson (Jr, Danville HS)

Season Record: 10.50 

Accolades: Big 12 Conference Champion (100m, 200m, 400m), Sectional Champion (100m, 200m, 400m), 2A State Champion (100m, 200m, 400m)

Boys 200m Dash

Winner: D'Mario Jackson (Jr, Danville HS)

Season Record: 21.07

Accolades: Big 12 Conference Champion (100m, 200m, 400m), Sectional Champion (100m, 200m, 400m), State Qualifier (100m, 200m, 400m), 2A State Champion (100m, 200m, 400m)

Boys 400m Dash

Winner: Evan Landers-Kristensen (Jr, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley)

Season Record: 47.44

Accolades: Sectional Champion (400m), State Qualifier (100m, 400m, 4x400m), 1A State Champion (400m)

Boys 800m Run

Winner: Ben Gorsage (Jr, Washington)

Season Record: 1:49.88

Accolades: Mid-Illini Conference Champion (800m, 1600m, 4x400m), Sectional Champion (4x400m), State Qualifier (800m, 4x400m), 3A State Champion (800m)

Boys 1600m Run

Winner: Elliot Batz (Jr, Rock Island HS)

Season Record: 4:12.05

Accolades: WB6 Conference Champion (1600m, 3200m), State Qualifier (1600m), 3A All-State (1600m)

Boys 3200m Run

Winner: Chaz Oberkfell (Sr, Gillespie)

Season Record: 8:59.34

Accolades: South Central Conference Champion (800m, 3200m), Sectional Champion (1600m), State Qualifier (800m, 1600m, 3200m, 4x800m), 1A All-State (800m), 1A State Champion (1600m, 3200m)

Boys 110m Hurdles

Winner: William Hardy (Sr, Champaign Central)

Season Record: 14.00

Accolades: State Qualifier (110m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 4x400m), 3A All-State (110m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles)

Boys 300m Hurdles

Winner: Jamari Randolph (Jr, Bloomington HS)

Season Record: 36.57

Accolades: Big 12 Conference Champion (110m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 4x200m), State Qualifier (110m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 4x200m, 4x400m), 3A All-State (110m Hurdles, 4x400m), 3A State Runner-Up (300m Hurdles)

Boys 4x100m Relay

Winner: Chatham Glenwood (Cruz Evans, Trystin Decatoire, Blake Lehnen, Colton Ladage)

Season Record: 41.30

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion, State Qualifier, 3A All-State

Boys 4x200m Relay

Winner: Chatham Glenwood (Cruz Evans, Blake Lehnen, Larry Wills, Colton Ladage)

Season Record: 1:26.15

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion, Sectional Champion, State Qualifier, 3A All-State

Boys 4x400m Relay

Winner: Morton (Thomas Seneca, Jude Rogers, Keyston Beyer, Abe Martin)

Season Record: 3:15.94

Accolades: State Qualifier, 2A State Champion, 2A State Meet Record

Boys 4x800m Relay

Winner: Mahomet-Seymour (Henry McMurry, Tate Bode, Adam Smigielski, Augustus Gaudio)

Season Record: 7:48.44

Accolades: State Qualifier, 2A All-State

Boys Shot Put

Winner: Graham Meister (Jr, Dwight)

Season Record: 65' 5.5"

Accolades: Tri-County Conference Champion (Shot Put, Discus Throw), Sectional Champion (Shot Put, Discus Throw), State Qualifier (Shot Put, Discus Throw), 1A State Champion (Shot Put, Discus Throw)

Boys Discus Throw

Winner: Patrick Peterson (So, Dunlap)

Season Record: 201' 5"

Accolades: Mid-Illini Conference Champion (Shot Put, Discus Throw), Sectional Champion (Shot Put, Discus Throw), State Qualifier (Shot Put, Discus Throw), 3A State Runner-Up (Shot Put), 3A State Champion (Discus Throw)

Boys High Jump

Winner: McKenzie Doe III (Jr, Chatham Glenwood)

Season Record: 6' 11.75"

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion (300m Hurdles), State Qualifier (110m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 4x400m, High Jump), 3A State Runner-Up (High Jump)

Boys Pole Vault

Winner: Isaiah Whitaker (Sr, Bloomington Central Catholic)

Season Record: 17' 11.25"

Accolades: Illini Prairie Conference Champion (4x400m, Pole Vault), Sectional Champion (Pole Vault), State Qualifier (4x200m, 4x400m, Pole Vault), 2A State Champion (Pole Vault), 2A State Meet Record (Pole Vault), All-Time State Meet Record (Pole Vault)

Boys Long Jump

Winner: Larry Wills (Sr, Chatham Glenwood)

Season Record: 23' 8.75"

Accolades: CS8 Conference Champion (4x200m, High Jump, Long Jump), Sectional Champion (4x200m, Long Jump), State Qualifier (4x200m, High Jump, Long Jump), 3A All-State (4x200m, High Jump), 3A State Runner-Up (Long Jump)

Boys Triple Jump

Winner: Malik Johnson (Sr, Peoria HS)

Season Record: 48' 4.5"

Accolades: Big 12 Conference Champion (Long Jump), Sectional Champion (Long Jump), State Qualifier (Long Jump, Triple Jump), 3A State Champion (Triple Jump)