The amount of multisport standouts in local boys athletics runs very deep. So many athletes with NCAA Division I offers in one sport are still playing another. It makes for a lot of strong candidates for the Daily Chronicle 2024-2025 Boys Athlete of the Year.

Eli Crome was not only part of Sycamore's state championship 4x400 relay team, but took third in the open 400 to earn the second and third state medals of his career. He's the Daily Chronicle boys track athlete of the year.

Sycamore senior Eli Crome closed out his high school career in style, anchoring the Spartans' 4x400 relay to the Class 2A state championship in Charleston after taking third in the 400. Teammate Aidan Wyzard took second in long jump and DeKalb's Jacob Barraza third in the 1,600.

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Schools compete for Class 3A state titles in Charleston on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

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Schools compete for Class 2A state titles in Charleston on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

It’s not often track and field athletes talk about the momentum of their sport. But as Sycamore prepares for the Class 2A state championships in Charleston, the Spartans are hoping for a strong showing with team chemistry playing a big role.

We take a look at all 24 individuals and seven relay teams that qualified from the Daily Chronicle area for the boys track state tournament, which begins on Thursday.

Aidan Wyzard and Dylan Hodges each won four events, while Eli Crome qualified in three to help lead Sycamore to a sectional title. Dale Johnson qualified in two distance events for Sterling, and 11 1,600 runners qualified.

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Area teams including Marmion Academy, Rock Falls, Sandwich, Sterling, Dixon, Mendota, Plano, Sycamore, Wheaton Academy and St. Francis were at Sycamore High School Thursday to compete in the IHSA Class 2A boys track sectional.