The OPRF boys track and field team is already moving forward from capturing its first state championship since 1987. The Huskies should be in contention again after they and Edwardsville shared the 2024 Class 3A crown with 49 points.
Seniors Caleb Schulz (100-meter dash, school-record 10.58 seconds) and Kwabena “Geegee” Osei-Yeboah (7.19 meters/23 feet-7¼ inches, long jump) were 2024 individual state champions.
“Everywhere we go, it’s ‘the defending, the defending.’ We’d like to be the reigning state champions and that’s the focus,” OPRF coach Tim Hasso said.
Even with altered lineups to rest or prevent further injuries, the Huskies had numerous indoor highlights and continued their streak of indoor West Suburban Conference Silver Division titles, March 21, at Proviso West (130 points) by 22 points. They’ve also won seven straight outdoor Silver titles.
Besides his state championship, Schulz was 4-for-4 with top-nine, all-state honors in all of his events last spring. Schulz was sixth in the 200 (21.67) and part of the sixth-place 4 x 100 relay with Osei-Yeboah (42.21) and sixth-place 4 x 200 relay with junior Kingston Petersen (1:27.88).
Senior Lukas Brauc was an all-state eighth in pole vault (4.60 m/15-1) and part of the 4 x 400 relay with senior Connor Schupp and junior Brian Carter Jackson that was 10th (3:22.12), .39 from making finals. Osei-Yeboah also was 44th in triple jump (11.20m/36-9).
Other returning state qualifiers are senior Liam O’Connor (14th in 3,200, 9:16.32), Schupp (39th in 800, 2:02.06), Jackson (25th in 400, 50.91), juniors Jonathan Sibley-Diggs (33rd in shot put, 14.41m/47-3½ in shot put) and Riley Jackson (36th in triple jump, 12.72m/41-8¾ in triple jump), sophomore Cameren January (22nd in high jump, 1.85m/6-0¾) and the 4 x 800 relay with O’Connor (23rd in 8:03.20).
Others to watch include seniors Finn Kelly, Andrew Harmon and Quinn Testore, juniors Malik Griffee, Kelson Lewis and Emilio Nery (transfer from Fenwick) and sophomores Marquill Griffee and Connor Harmon.
Schulz (DePaul) and O’Connor (Williams), a two-time cross country all-stater, are set for college track. Osei-Yeboah still is deciding.
With the success of his club hockey team, Schulz did not compete until the indoor Silver Meet. Out of the slower heat, Schulz still won the 55 in 6.47 seconds, which shares the No. 4 fastest time among Illinois runners this indoor season.
At the Illinois Indoor Championships at Chicago’s Gately track Saturday, Schulz was fifth in the 200 (21.82) and second in the 60 (6.88) for the state’s respective No. 5 and 6 times.
Osei-Yeboah, the school-record long jump holder at 23-9, is No. 3 (7.11m/23-4, March 1) and No. 5 in triple jump (14.22m/46-8, Feb. 7), Brauc is No. 6 in pole vault (4.88m/16-0, March 8), Malik Griffee is tied for No. 8 (1.98m/6-6 in high jump, March 21) and Sibley-Diggs is No. 10 in shot (17.40m/57-1, March 7).
Also winning indoor Silver titles were Osei-Yeboah (7.05m/23-1¾ in. long jump), Brauc (4.41m/14-6 in pole vault), Sibley-Diggs (16.59m in shot), Riley Jackson (13.04m/42-9½ in triple jump) and the 4 x 200 relay (1:33.29).
“It’s being able to ride that momentum into the most important meets in May and be able to peak at the right time,” Hasso said. “It’s that balance of having kids prepared to compete at the elite level at state and being health conscious so you’re putting your best numbers in May instead of April.”
OPRF girls
OPRF seniors Bella Brauc and Julia Brown already are off to fast starts in the 400. Brown has the No. 4 fastest 400 by Illinois runners this indoor season (56.63) at the New Balance Indoor Nationals, March 14, and was ranked No. 1 after her 56.75, March 6. Brauc is at No. 19 after a season-best 58.45 at the Illinois Indoor Championships. They’ve also helped the 4 x 400 relay go as fast as 4:02.71 for No. 11.
Brauc (Northern Arizona) and Brown (Bradley) will compete collegiately.
“Our biggest goals are get stronger, get faster and build up some depth we haven’t quite had in past years,” OPRF coach Nick Michalek said.
Brauc was a multiple 3A all-stater in 2024 with ninth in the 400 (58.83 after 57.40 in prelims) and high jump (1.60m/5-3).
Also back from the state lineup are juniors Alexis Henderson (17th in high jump finals, 1.55m/5-1) and Olivia Slezak (19th in discus, 33.41m/109-7), Brown (20th in 400, 58.53), the 4 x 400 relay with Brauc, Brown and junior Chloe Kozicki (13th in 3:59.20) and the 4 x 800 relay with junior Violet Schnizlein, sophomore Lucy Stein and senior Nora Butterly (18th in 9:31.08).
Other key contributors include seniors Amelia Hammersley, Blaire Brown and Alana Gerona, juniors Sheila Johnson and Soraya Lewis-Arellano and sophomores Devyn Kleidorn and Jaelyn Hammersley.
Injured Kleidorn and Henderson, whose injury occurred during gymnastics season, did not compete indoors but could return.
The Huskies were third at the indoor Silver Meet, March 21, at York (86 points). Brauc won the 400 (58.89) and high jump (1.57m/5-1¾), Julia Brown (41.10) and Brauc (41.73) finished 1-2 in the 300 and the 4 x 400 (Brauc, Blaire Brown, Julia Brown, Kozicki in 4:06.44) and 4 x 200 (Blaire Brown, Hammersley, Kozicki, Lewis-Arellano in 1:47.99) also took first. Johnson was second in shot (personal-best 11.14m/36-6¾).
