Litchfield Panthers Track Graphic

Litchfield Track & Field Programs Finish Strong at Comet Open

The Litchfield boys’ and girls’ track and field teams delivered another series of impressive performances on Tuesday, April 21, at the Comet Open hosted by Greenville High School. The boys’ squad secured a runner-up finish with 122 points, while the girls placed third overall with 92 points in a highly competitive field.

The Litchfield boys were once again propelled by the electrifying speed of senior Alec Roach and the technical prowess of senior hurdler Johnathon Bowles. Roach continued his dominance in the short sprints, claiming gold in both the 100-meter dash (10.9) and the 200-meter dash (21.9). He also ran the second leg of Litchfield’s victorious 4×100 relay team, which broke the tape in 43.8 seconds alongside Brylan Marten, Lukas Paine, and Jaxon Ray.

Bowles executed a flawless sweep of the hurdles, winning the 110-meter highs in 16.0 and setting a personal record of 41.4 to win the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. He capped off his day by taking bronze in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 5.91 meters.

The boys’ team found success across the board. Lukas Paine finished second in the 400 meters with a personal-best time of 53.2, and Dean Gibbs grabbed silver in the 800 meters (2:12.2). The middle-distance relay team of Bowles, Gibbs, Camron Zumwalt, and Paine also delivered a first-place finish in the 4×400 relay, crossing the line in 3:42.8. In the field, Braedyn Knapp continued to throw well, placing seventh in the discus (34.86m) and eighth in the shot put (11.25m). John Scurlock added a victory in the high jump, clearing 1.63 meters.

Williamsville ultimately won the boys’ team title with 189 points, leaning heavily on field event sweeps and distance dominance. Trenton Wesclin finished third with 107 points.

On the girls’ side, freshman phenom Lana Cress continued to be a revelation for Litchfield. Cress leaped to a personal-best 4.83 meters to win the long jump and sprinted to a second-place finish in the 100 meters with a time of 12.8. Teammate Harley Foulk made it a 1-2 Litchfield finish in the long jump, taking silver with a personal-best 4.65-meter mark.

Distance specialist Leighton Warchol also picked up a gold medal for Litchfield, winning the 3200 meters in a personal-best 12:45.2. She also contributed to Litchfield’s second-place finish in the 4×400 relay (4:27.0).

Ava White added to Litchfield’s point total with a pair of strong hurdle performances. The freshman set personal records in both events, placing second in the 300-meter hurdles (49.6) and third in the 100-meter hurdles (17.7). In the throwing rings, Jennah Longwell secured fifth place in the shot put (8.48m) and eighth in the discus (23.50m).

Williamsville won the girls’ team championship with 106 points, followed by Trenton Wesclin in second place with 96 points.

Game Summary

Score by Quarters

(Note: Track and Field total team points reflect final standings)
| Team | Boys Points | Girls Points |
|—|—|—|
| Williamsville | 189 | 106 |
| Litchfield | 122 | 92 |
| Trenton (Wesclin) | 107 | 96 |
| Greenville | 61 | 29 |
| Carlyle | 47 | 60 |
| Altamont | N/A | 46 |
| Patoka | 6 | 11 |
| Bluford (Webber) | N/A | 8 |

Scoring Drives

(First-Place Event Finishes – Boys)

  • 100 Meters: Alec Roach, Litchfield (10.9)

  • 200 Meters: Alec Roach, Litchfield (21.9)

  • 400 Meters: Thomas Evans, Williamsville (53.1)

  • 800 Meters: Adam Prior, Williamsville (2:10.9)

  • 1600 Meters: Jack Oglesby, Williamsville (5:00.8)

  • 3200 Meters: Griffin Gwaltney, Williamsville (11:15.1)

  • 110m Hurdles: Johnathon Bowles, Litchfield (16.0)

  • 300m Hurdles: Johnathon Bowles, Litchfield (41.4)

  • Relays: Litchfield (4×100, 4×400), Trenton Wesclin (4×200), Williamsville (4×800)

  • Shot Put: Anthony Beckman, Williamsville (14.36m)

  • Discus: Anthony Beckman, Williamsville (45.50m)

  • High Jump: John Scurlock, Litchfield (1.63m)

  • Pole Vault: Ethan Smith-Dubois, Williamsville (3.35m)

  • Long Jump: Aryan Reitz, Trenton Wesclin (6.49m)

  • Triple Jump: Eli Neely, Greenville (11.91m)

(First-Place Event Finishes – Girls)

  • 100 Meters: Taylor Bressan, Williamsville (12.7)

  • 200 Meters: Taylor Bressan, Williamsville (26.0)

  • 400 Meters: Taylor Bressan, Williamsville (58.7)

  • 800 Meters: Joelle Wilson, Williamsville (2:36.7)

  • 1600 Meters: Joelle Wilson, Williamsville (5:38.0)

  • 3200 Meters: Leighton Warchol, Litchfield (12:45.2)

  • 100m Hurdles: Miley Beckett, Williamsville (16.4)

  • 300m Hurdles: Gwen Murphy, Trenton Wesclin (48.8)

  • Relays: Trenton Wesclin (4×100, 4×200, 4×400)

  • Shot Put: Alivia Allison, Carlyle (10.58m)

  • Discus: Alivia Allison, Carlyle (31.72m)

  • High Jump: Brylee Goff, Carlyle (1.42m)

  • Pole Vault: Amilli Dugans, Trenton Wesclin (2.13m)

  • Long Jump: Lana Cress, Litchfield (4.83m)

  • Triple Jump: Katelyn Wiblemo, Trenton Wesclin (8.73m)

Individual Statistics

  • LITCHFIELD MULTI-EVENT MEDALISTS: Alec Roach (1st in 100m, 1st in 200m); Johnathon Bowles (1st in 110m Hurdles, 1st in 300m Hurdles, 3rd in Long Jump).

  • LITCHFIELD BOYS TOP FIELD FINISHES: John Scurlock (1st in High Jump, 1.63m); Jaylen Komor (2nd in Pole Vault, 3.13m); Johnathon Bowles (3rd in Long Jump, 5.91m).

  • LITCHFIELD GIRLS TOP FIELD FINISHES: Lana Cress (1st in Long Jump, 4.83m); Harley Foulk (2nd in Long Jump, 4.65m); Gracie Boden (2nd in Triple Jump, 8.50m).

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Poll: More than a third of American voters don't trust U.S. power grid

Poll: More than a third of American voters don’t trust U.S. power grid

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Slightly more than half of American voters say they at least "somewhat trust" the American power grid, according to a new poll. The Center Square...
Harvard sued after Jewish students harassed

Harvard sued after Jewish students harassed

By Christen SmithThe Center Square Harvard University found itself at the center of a federal discrimination lawsuit on Friday after the Trump administration said it failed to protect Jewish and...
In one year, U.S. military conduct tens of thousands of missions at southwest border

In one year, U.S. military conduct tens of thousands of missions at southwest border

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square In one year, U.S. military conducted tens of thousands of detection, monitoring and security site missions at the southwest border. More than 20,000 service members...
Illinois Quick Hits: Illinois lags behind nation in roads and bridges

Illinois Quick Hits: Illinois lags behind nation in roads and bridges

By The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois’ roads and bridges continue to lag behind most of the country, ranking 37th overall in the Reason Foundation’s 29th...
Supreme Court upholds preacher's First Amendment lawsuit

Supreme Court upholds preacher’s First Amendment lawsuit

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld that a street preacher can sue over a city ordinance that prevented him from exercising free...
United, American clash at O’Hare as growth strains capacity

United, American clash at O’Hare as growth strains capacity

By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to scale back flights at O'Hare International Airport this summer as two major carriers rapidly expand service, raising concerns...
Photo courtesy of Litchfield Fire Department

Litchfield Bowling Alley Destroyed in Massive Second-Alarm Blaze; Mutual Aid Prevents Spread During High Winds

Article Summary: A Sunday afternoon fire completely destroyed the Litchfield Bowling Alley on March 15, requiring a massive second-alarm response from over a dozen agencies to prevent the flames from...
Litchfield Panthers Soccer Graphic

Chloe Law’s Hat Trick, Three Assists Power Litchfield Soccer to 7-0 Rout of Jersey

Senior standout Chloe Law delivered a masterclass performance on Wednesday, registering a hat trick and three assists to propel the Litchfield varsity soccer team to a dominant 7-0 non-conference victory...
Litchfield Girls Soccer Graphic

Law’s Back-to-Back Hat Tricks Power Litchfield Past Roxana in 5-0 Shutout

ROXANA, Ill. — Showing no signs of fatigue on the second night of a back-to-back, senior striker Chloe Law recorded her second hat trick in as many days to lead...
Litchfield Panthers Softball Graphic

Litchfield Uses Three-Run Fifth Inning to Defeat Greenfield/Northwestern, 5-2

A pivotal three-run surge in the fifth inning proved to be the difference on Thursday as the Litchfield softball team secured a hard-fought 5-2 non-conference victory over Greenfield/Northwestern. Charlie Bono...
Litchfield Panthers Baseball Graphic

Witt’s Perfect Day at the Plate, Strong Pitching Lift Litchfield Past Southwestern 8-2

The Litchfield varsity baseball team combined opportunistic hitting with steady pitching to secure an 8-2 non-conference victory over visiting Southwestern on Thursday afternoon. Litchfield established control early, methodically building a...
Google Gemini face scans violate IL biometrics law: Class action

Google Gemini face scans violate IL biometrics law: Class action

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Google has been hit, again, by a class action lawsuit under Illinois' stringent biometrics privacy law, this time accusing the tech giant...
House members raise concerns about Islamic terrorist threats 25 years after 9/11

House members raise concerns about Islamic terrorist threats 25 years after 9/11

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Several members of Congress raised concerns about Islamic terrorist threats now that the U.S. is approaching the 25-year anniversary of 9/11. At a U.S. House...
Officials react swiftly to allegations about Cesar Chavez

Officials react swiftly to allegations about Cesar Chavez

By Liam HibbertThe Center Square Political and civil leaders across California and the wider Latino community in the U.S. are reacting to several allegations of sexual abuse and rape by...
Lack of Homeland Security funding hits maritime workers

Lack of Homeland Security funding hits maritime workers

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square Employees of the Transportation Security Administration are not the only ones working without a paycheck during the partial government shutdown. The same goes for Vessel...