Boys Track and Field: Alec Pierce's debut in track helps lead Hilltoppers to ninth at state

CHARLESTON – With three returnees from potential all-state relays, the Glenbard West boys track and field team needed to fill a tall and quick order.

Enter 6-foot-4 Alec Pierce.

The Cincinnati football recruit was a member of the Hilltoppers’ boys volleyball state championship team last spring, but opted for a change of pace.

“I always wanted to do track. I just wanted to try something else senior year,” Pierce said. “I thought we had a really good shot in the relays. They were already competitive. Once we got outside, all we worked on was handoffs.”

Seniors Brady Heller and Joe Zydlo, junior Tyquan Cox and Pierce excelled in the 400 and 800-meter relays May 26 as the Hilltoppers had five top-nine, all-state performances at the Class 3A state finals at Eastern Illinois University.

Glenbard West’s 3,200 relay of senior Cam Benes, junior Will O’Brien, senior Kyle Rogus and junior Rory Cavan was fourth (7:51.05), the 400 relay was fifth (42.33) and the 800 relay sixth (1:28.28). Benes (800 in 1:55.61) and Pierce (school-record 45-11 3/4 in triple jump), who debuted in the event May 12, both were eighth. Glenbard West (19 points) tied for ninth in the team standings.

The 400 and 800 relays set school records in the preliminaries (42.16 and 1:27.53). Benes joined the 3,200 relay in finals after being the last 800 finals qualifier by .05. Cavan was all-state in cross country in November.

“I remember past years. I was like, ‘Maybe I can make it to state and actually place,’ and today that happened,” Benes said. “It feels like a dream come true.”

Wheaton North senior Tyler Johnson was an all-state eighth in shot put for the second straight year (56-3 1/4). Senior Joey Simon took ninth in the 800 (1:55.70) by .38 and joined seniors Charlie Hill and Ian Rothery and junior Briggs Cecil on the sixth-place 1,600 relay (3:23.49). Johnson needed 56-3 3/4 on last throw of prelims to reach finals, beating his eighth-place 56-0 from 2017.

“I just tried to picture myself at practice. That’s where the best throws come,” Johnson said. “It’s nice to come here the first year and not be nervous the second year.”

Simon, 10th in the 800 in 2017, was 12th going into this year's finals before surging the final 200 meters.

“I didn’t want to miss all-state again. It’s hard [being 10th] but obviously all of these guys put in the work,” Simon said.

An added bonus was the 1,600 relay, which with Simon, Hill and Rothery was 15th in 2017.

“To be here last year, we really got the experience. To get to the finals and run well, that’s all you can really ask for,” Hill said.

Three Wheaton Warrenville South juniors earned their first all-state medals. Cedric Rowzee was seventh in the 100 (10.84) and 200 (22.07), Sean Maison was seventh in the 1,600 (4:17.69) and Jake MacConnachie ninth in pole vault (14-3).

“That was my goal, just to place as a junior,” MacConnachie said. Rowzee was 10th in last year’s 100 (10.74), .01 from finals. “Seven is my lucky number today,” Rowzee said. “[Both] was my ultimate goal. I definitely kept (2017) in the back of my mind all season.”

In cross country, Maison was three seconds from all-state contention.

“It means a lot. It was nice to finally have (the medal) around my neck,” Maison said.

In Class 2A, St. Francis senior Alex Hernandez was seventh in the 800 (1:56.12) and anchored the seventh-place 3,200 relay with junior Jon Aquino, sophomore Dan Weizeorick and senior Joe Leo (8:02.17). They were the Spartans’ first all-state event medals since 2005 (3,200 relay) and 2000 (800).

“I know it’s been a long time,” Hernandez said. “Sophomore year at our sectional we got rocked. A lot of us trained harder than we ever had. We’ve all been doing it for two, three years now.”