Litchfield Track Teams Claim Combined Runner-Up Honors at Jokisch-Grandone Invitational

CARLINVILLE, Ill. — The Litchfield High School track and field teams turned in a spectacular all-around performance on Friday, May 1, 2026, earning a combined second-place finish at the highly competitive Jokisch-Grandone Invitational hosted by Carlinville High School.

Battling a crowded field of 20 schools, Litchfield accumulated 132.5 combined points, trailing only Jerseyville (182) for the overall meet championship. The Litchfield girls’ squad captured second place in their division with 76 points, while the boys took home third with 56.5 points.

Senior Alec Roach continued his blistering spring campaign for the Litchfield boys, asserting his dominance in the short sprints. Roach swept his signature events, blazing to a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.93 seconds and following it up with a gold-medal run in the 200-meter dash (22.26).

The boys’ hurdle crew also racked up essential points. Senior Johnathon Bowles secured a runner-up finish in the 300-meter hurdles, crossing the line in 42.02 seconds, and took third in the 110-meter hurdles (16.58). In the field events, freshman Brylan Marten impressed with a third-place finish in the triple jump (12.21m) and a top-five placement in the long jump.

On the girls’ side, Litchfield’s depth across distance, hurdles, and relays proved to be the difference-maker. Freshman Maggie Schwab conquered the grueling 3200-meter run, breaking the tape first in 12:18.23—nearly a full minute and sixteen seconds ahead of her closest competitor. Freshman Ava White added another individual championship for the Panthers, winning the 300-meter hurdles in 50.10 seconds.

The Litchfield girls also demonstrated elite baton work, capturing the 4×100-meter relay title. The quartet of freshman Harley Foulk, freshman Lana Cress, sophomore Jada Carroll, and sophomore Kilee Hoover clocked a winning time of 51.47 seconds. The same group reunited to take second place in the 4×200 relay (1:49.92).

Cress was a powerhouse individually as well, earning silver medals in both the 100-meter dash (12.81) and the 200-meter dash (26.92), finishing just behind Jerseyville’s Belle Peuterbaugh in both events.

Jerseyville swept the team titles in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions to claim the overall meet crown, but Litchfield’s slew of individual victories and podium finishes cemented their status as a postseason threat in the weeks to come.

Game Summary

Score by Quarters

Scoring Drives

• First Quarter (Boys Sprints & Hurdles Winners)

  • 100m: Alec Roach, Litchfield (10.93)

  • 200m: Alec Roach, Litchfield (22.26)

  • 400m: Bradley Tueth, Jerseyville (51.38)

  • 110m Hurdles: Gavin File, Greenville (16.21)

  • 300m Hurdles: Cade King, Maryville M. Christian (41.35)

• Second Quarter (Girls Sprints & Hurdles Winners)

  • 100m: Belle Peuterbaugh, Jerseyville (12.69)

  • 200m: Belle Peuterbaugh, Jerseyville (26.35)

  • 400m: Alena Graham, Mt. Olive (58.40)

  • 100m Hurdles: Neely Goetten, Jerseyville (16.99)

  • 300m Hurdles: Ava White, Litchfield (50.10)

• Third Quarter (Distance Events Winners)

  • Boys 800m: Chaz Oberkfell, Gillespie (1:55.50)

  • Girls 800m: Millie Schumacher, Jacksonville Routt (2:16.65)

  • Boys 1600m: Thor Springman, Piasa Southwestern (4:37.81)

  • Girls 1600m: Millie Schumacher, Jacksonville Routt (5:18.27)

  • Boys 3200m: Aiden Green, Staunton (10:19.96)

  • Girls 3200m: Maggie Schwab, Litchfield (12:18.23)

• Fourth Quarter (Relays Winners)

  • Boys 4×100: New Berlin (44.20)

  • Girls 4×100: Litchfield (51.47)

  • Boys 4×200: New Berlin (1:32.83)

  • Girls 4×200: Jerseyville (1:47.66)

  • Boys 4×400: Jerseyville (3:34.32)

  • Girls 4×400: Effingham (4:15.79)

  • Boys 4×800: Carlinville (8:25.36)

  • Girls 4×800: Carlinville (10:26.73)

Individual Statistics

LITCHFIELD BOYS TRACK: Alec Roach – 1st in 100m (10.93), 1st in 200m (22.26); Johnathon Bowles – 2nd in 300m Hurdles (42.02), 3rd in 110m Hurdles (16.58); Lukas Paine – 3rd in 400m (53.71); Nolan Engstrom – 4th in 3200m (10:44.66).
LITCHFIELD BOYS FIELD: Brylan Marten – 3rd in Triple Jump (12.21m), 5th in Long Jump (5.71m); Johnathon Bowles – 5th in Triple Jump (11.92m).
LITCHFIELD GIRLS TRACK: Maggie Schwab – 1st in 3200m (12:18.23), 4th in 1600m (5:49.93); Ava White – 1st in 300m Hurdles (50.10), 4th in 100m Hurdles (17.72); Lana Cress – 2nd in 100m (12.81), 2nd in 200m (26.92); Leighton Warchol – 4th in 800m (2:32.45); 4×100 Relay (Foulk, Cress, Carroll, Hoover) – 1st (51.47); 4×200 Relay (Foulk, Carroll, Hoover, Cress) – 2nd (1:49.92).
LITCHFIELD GIRLS FIELD: Kilee Hoover – 4th in High Jump (1.45m); Harley Foulk – 6th in Long Jump (4.21m).