Dr. Woodhall Alumni Update (Boys State Track)

Though not intentional, there will be errors in some of the information I send out...I just don’t always have...or take the time... to check out all the facts.   Case in Point..in the Girls State Meet information, I indicated  that the Oak Park – River Forest Girls coached by Sarah McCabe, placed 7th in the state.  That is true.  What I didn’t realize is that Mrs. McCabe’s husband (Mark McCabe – 78) actually coaches girls (not boys) at Hinsdale Central...which place 5th in the state.   Sooooooo....take everything I send out with a grain of salt and a forgiving spirit...it’s tough to get old....ha



SOME PICTURES/ STORIES RELATIVE TO THE BOYS STATE H.S. TRACK MEET  
                      AT EIU  MAY 28, 29 AND 30, 2009

Brian Lee is now a respected Podiatrist (Mt. Vernon) and has been providing excellent care to athletes, as well as non-athletes for more than 25 years.  He ran on the EIU Track Teams in the late 1970’s.  Here he poses as a preliminary 100m heat finishes.  In HS, he placed 10th in the “Low Hurdles” (1976) and though now 50 years of age, continues to coach and train with the Mt. Vernon sprinters/hurdlers.   He is confident he can still break :60 for 400 meters.  His High Hurdler (Kirsch) placed 8th in the Class 1A finals.



Elmhurst York has perhaps been the most successful HS distance running program in the Midwest for 30-40 Years.   The reason for that success can usually be found sitting against the east fence at O’Brien Stadium on IHSA Boys Track weekends.   The coaching “icon” is Joe Newton, who is now 80 years old and still has some input to what happens at York.  He likes this vantage point seat so he can holler at the runners as the start the final back stretch on the track.  He is very much with it and just a passiosteepleweb about running as ever.   


York HS actually won the 3A Championship by 20 points...a great 1 – 2 finish in the 3200 meters (9:03 and 9:04) really excited the York fans....note some of the boys with green body paint....and they all cheered loudly.



Jeff Thode (Hoffman Estates – Conant HS) brought the fastest 1600 meter Sectional Time (4:12) into the State Meet.  He ran 4:11 in the prelims and placed 5th in the 800 meter final at 1:54..certainly not his best.  The 800 – 1600 meter double is tough, but he set a new state record at 4:05.17 to destroy the field in the final.  He went out in 2:02 and came back in 2:03....a beautiful example of free and focused running by a gutsy runner.  Here he crosses the finish line with no one even close behind him.



Chris Stec was one of the more versatile EIU track athletes and loved the Decathlon.  Over the years, he has been a regular official at the IHSA meet.  He coached at Stagg HS for 9 years and for the last 16 years, he’s been at Barrington.



Bob Feller (82) is the Head Coach at East Moline United HS.  His 4 x 800 Meter Relay team brought the fastest Sectional to the state meet.  They ran 7:46 (their best) in the prelims.  Their race in the Finals was not quite as good, however they still placed 8th in the state.



Don Fredericks (82) has always been a passiosteepleweb coach...with a special love for distance running.  He has very large squads and they are always competitive.  Here is a picture of Don and friends (r to l)  Don Fredericks, Chris Bisom (his HS runner and Valedictorian of the graduating class,)  Mike Harrington (Don’s Asst. at Geneseo) and Eric Barron (former EIU high jumper and now coach at Kaneland HS).  Don had knee surgery which is slow to heal and even more frustrating since he has turned 50 years of age and can’t wait to be in the new “Master’s” Age Bracket.



An interesting view of the meet (well...at least the high jump) can be seen if you stay outside the fence and look through the vines.  It isn’t that people are too cheap to buy a ticket, but this way, they get  closer to the event.



 Drew Bell (Vandalia) and Graham Morris (Lawrenceville) are both seniors and they ended up running against each other in the 1600 Meter Class 1 A ....finals.  Drew is coached by his mother and dad (a great distance runner at Drake years ago) and Graham works with our own Bill Bandy (79).  They finished 5th (Graham..4:23.3) and
6th (Drew..4:27.3..a new Vandalia School Record.



Mike Viano (81) has a son (Austin) who is just a Junior at Carlinville HS.  He had 9:54 coming in to the meet, but didn’t run quite that well in the final.  Yet, he beat half the field to place 20th in the 3200 meter run.   

       
   

Jeff Wagner (82?) rarely misses a “State Meet” and as usual, he plays golf with former EIU running friend, Jase Travis (81) who drives in from the St. Louis area.  Prior to this meet, they were joined by Bill Moran (he was a good runner as SIU-C.  Actually, Bill was on the record setting 2 mile relay team from Harvey(Thornton) who ran 7:38 in 1976.  Also on that team was Mike Clark (81) who is now a counselor in one of the Chicago suburb schools.  Here Jeff posses with Billy Moran in the black shirt behind...a group was picking the brain of Joe Newton (hidden from the camera).  Ironically, Billy presented the 4 x 800 meter medals to East Moline, a few minutes earlier.


Dike Stirrett had an outstanding runner from Tolono/Unity HS named Zebo Zebe.  He finised 2nd in the 800 (1:52.6) and 4th in the 400 (49.49)  Here he lead with 350 meters remaining in the 800 meters.

Check out the shoes...they outta make you run really fast....


THEY DIDN’T MAKE THE PHOTO ALBUM THIS TIME
Mike Brehm (77) now an administrator and a Junior High Coach at Paxton was seen but we didn’t get a picture of him.  Bob Feller (82) was very illusive as were Dike Stirrett (70), Marty McIntire (70) and Ken Klipp (71)...but we know they all attended with many others who we didn’t catch.  Saturday was beautiful and the stands were filled on both sides.  See ya next year?