But it’s his 26+ foot foul that left an impression

By Michael Newman

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Charleston, Ill ---  The 2A meet of the Charleston Invitational Saturday afternoon had the emphasis of the field events especially when you have athletes like Ja’Mari Ward (Cahokia HS) and Darryl Sullivan (Marion HS) competing in their specialties. It was Ward that put the emphasis on the track events in a scorching race. It was his foul in the Long Jump that had people around that competition area shaking their heads in disbelief.

The Cahokia did not have his best race last week in the finals of the Edwardsville Indoor Invitational 60 Meter Dash when he slipped coming out of the blocks. He still ran 6.93 in that race finishing second behind Triad’s Adam Nelson in that race. The week in between was hectic as he was involved in a minor car accident on Monday and missed a week of practice. It did not show in the 60 prelims when he ran a 6.95 prelim time.

It would be faster in the finals. He did have company next to him as Jayden Kaiser (Tolono Unity HS) was coming into the race hot. He ran 6.98 to win his preliminary heat. It did not look like Ward got the best start out of the blocks. His first three steps after that are impressive because he finds that speed that he displays on the Long Jump runway. He had the lead by 20 meters. He crossed the line in 6.85. The best time in the state in that event.

He did not have his best day in the Long Jump jumping only 22-8 for the win. The week that preceded this meet explains that. It was the third round jump that was the talk of the rest of the meet. He was smiling at the end of the ready as he was focusing for that jump. Maybe he knew something that no one else in the fieldhouse was not privy to know. But as he was getting ready, that infectious smile lit his face. He came down the runway and stuttered just before the takeoff. He was six inches over the board when he flew through the air. He landed with sand spraying the onlookers behind the pit as he popped out. The red flag popped up calling a foul but he had just missed almost jumping out of the pit.

A couple of coaches commented that had to have gone past 26 feet. Cahokia Coach Leroy Milsap knew it was a special jump as he ran back to greet his athlete. Both shared an embrace. I had never seen that kind of hug between a coach and athlete in that kind of circumstance. Both realized that Ward was close to his goal of jumping 27 feet. Really close. What made that jump even more special was that he took off on the wrong foot. He took off on his right foot. Usually it is the left.

“That jump shows that he is very close,” Milsap said. “We just have to tune up a couple of things with his takeoff and he will be ready to go.”

“I just wanted to run faster than I did last week. That’s all I had on my mind,” Ward said about his sprint race. “I was ready on my third jump (in the Long Jump). I had all my speed. My coach said that everything was lined up perfectly. I just didn’t jump.”

Ward did run in the 1600 Meter Relay leading off with a 51.1 leg leading Cahokia to the win in the relay (3:26.24) five seconds ahead of Normal West (3:31.13). There will be no relays in Ward’s future next weekend at the Illinois Top Times Championships when he runs two individual events along with the Long and Triple Jump.

Fifty feet across the track from the Long Jump runway in the middle was the High Jump area where Darryl Sullivan and Anthony McRoberts (Cahokia HS) were in a dual for the event win. They were the only two athletes left at 6-6. That is when Sullivan started his event. It looked a little rocky for Sullivan when he missed his first two attempts at that height. Part of that had to do with Sullivan not being able to get his warmups in for the event. He opened up Marion’s winning 800 Meter Relay team. He cleared easily on his third attempt. Sullivan again missed his first attempt at 6-8, but nailed his second jump. McRoberts was in control as he was clean through 6-8. That changed at 6-10 when Sullivan looked great making his first attempt. McRoberts was having problems at the height. On his final attempt at 6-10, McRoberts made a clutch clearance nipping the bar but it stayed on. He stayed in the competition as the bar went up to 7-0.

Sullivan put the pressure on the Cahokia jumper by making his first attempt at 7-0. McRoberts missed on his final two attempts settling with second place and his third meet where he has cleared 6-10. Sullivan moved on to 7-2 and had a good first attempt at that height just nipping the bar on his way down. It was the same on the following two attempts as he was so close clearing that height. His day ended setting a meet record at 7-0. It was the third meet in a row that he has cleared 7-0 or higher. 

“I just feel like I should be clearing seven feet every meet,” Sullivan said. “I feel I can be consistent at that. I had a great warm up today running the 4x2. I don’t feel any effects. I felt fresh going into this. I am feeling good when I jump. Nothing is effecting me.”

The Class A meet that took place in the morning came up with two great performances. Curtis Gordon (Vandalia HS) cleared 15-6 in the Pole Vault achieving a personal best. He had to borrow a pole from competitor Andrew McWhorter (Teutopolis HS) to get to that height.

Any race that Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian) is in is an anticipated race. Davis used a workmanlike approach in the 1600 Meter Run to capture the win (4:19.84) but just missing the meet record by a tenth of a second. He wanted to use this meet as a preparatory race for Friday’s Illinois Top Times 3200 Meter Run. He did have company with him the entire race. Davis wanted to get the record but wanted to hit 65’s for his four 400’s. He hit the first 400 in 65.2 with Cory Landon (Carlinville HS) right on his side. Landon had confidence on his side after running 1:57 at Principia College a week ago.

Davis kept the pace that he wanted the next 400 going through the 800 in 2:10.5 with Landon still hanging right behind him. It slowed down the next 400 as the two went through in 3:17.4. Landon was getting itchy to make a move. He did have the leg speed but it was a question if Davis would let him pass. As the two passed the bell lap in 3:50, Landon got on Davis’ right side wanting to pass. Davis picked up the pace heading down the back stretch. He veered a little to the outside of Lane 1 and Landon took advantage of that wanting to pass on the inside. Davis sensed that and found another gear. He looked back twice in the final 20 meters just to make sure that Landon would not get by him. The margin was less than half a second as Landon ran a personal best by almost three seconds (4:20.18).

“My long runs have been going great. My tempo runs have been great. I have been injury free for the first time. I have been packing in the miles getting ready for Arcadia (in April),” Davis said. “Cory is a great runner who is taking it to the next level.”