January 11, 2025
Sports

Morton's Sahian Lopez relishes state track meet experience

Mustang boys send five from sectional meet to state

By DAN SANTAROMITA

Morton's Sahian Lopez competes in the 3,200-meter run on May 23 at the Class 3A state meet at Eastern Illinois University. Lopez competed in the 3,200 and 1,600 at state, setting a new personal record in the 1,600. (Clark Brooks)

CHARLESTON – For track and field athletes, the state meet is the best weekend of the year.

Morton’s Sahian Lopez got to experience that weekend for the second year in a row and enjoyed every minute of it.

The junior ran in the 1,600-meter run May 22 at Eastern Illinois University and competed in the 3,200 the next day. Lopez took 24th in the 3,200 and placed 30th in the 1,600 after running a personal-best time of 5:18.32. She finished the 3,200 in 11:40.14.

“Every time I come out of the tent, I smile because it’s so exciting,” Lopez said. “It was a really successful weekend. I look forward to this weekend all year, so it’s great.”

Last year, Lopez qualified for state in the 3,200 and placed 32nd in the event. This spring, she cut more than 40 seconds off her state time from a year ago.

Janeka Stokes cleared 5 feet on the high jump to tie for 22nd place. Maria Rodriguez also competed but didn’t clear the initial height on the pole vault.

Boys send 2 relays, 3 individuals to state

While the girls were competing in Charleston, the Morton boys were fighting for their chance to get to Charleston for the boys state meet May 29 and 30.

The Mustangs took third at the Lyons Township sectional May 22 and sent five entries to state. Junior Tovalis Parker won Morton’s only sectional title of the night, taking first in the 400-meter dash in 50.29 seconds.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Parker, who is a first-time state qualifier. “After my 400 I couldn’t believe it.”

Morton’s 4x400 and 4x800 relays also qualified with second-place finishes. Parker ran with Chris Zavala, Dishaun Cook and Cornelius Woods in the 4x400. Zavala, Edwin Renteria, Omar Prado and Luis Escarcega ran in the 4x800.

“It’s better to go down with a team than an individual,” Parker said. “When you got a whole team behind you, like eight guys we’re taking down, it’s an amazing feeling. Last year, we had a good chance of going down and missed. This year we came in and worked harder and it paid off.

“Coach was on our backs about everything, about finishing through, form, everything. It really showed though. We had wanted this for so long. This group of seniors, they get to go out with a bang.”

Senior Malik LaMothe was second in the long jump and junior Darin Gipson took second in the shot put to qualify as well.