Coach Mikes Blog

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 30 May 2009

Its 8:21 am at Charleston, the state finals start in about an hour for some, for us not until about 11 am. I sitting here with one Thomas Goff, Thomas is enjoying his breakfast of cold pizza. Thomas just told me it was warm pizza, he warmed it in the mircowave. And he hated it. Anway the last two mornings Thomas has been up at 5:30 am, I know this because when I step out to into the hall way, he is already out there. He is a member of the 4×800 relay. He ran his best leg of the year yesterday, so we are hoping  and expecting better from him today. To medal we have to be top 8-so we have to beat at least 5 of the teams today. Never know, some teams may be better with some fresh legs, some may be saving people for individual events. We just need to do what we can do. Had a good breakfast myself down town at a local cafe. Two eggs, toast, bacon and juice. Well thats it for now. See how things go later, and maybe Goff can get something better to eat!

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 29 May 2009

Seems like the longest day of all time. Its now 10:42 pm, started at 5:30 am this morning. Good news our 4×800 placed 12th to get to the finals and Q Garrison cleared 6′1 to make the second day finals. I was sure that the 4×800 had not made the final cut. Trying to track all the times in the other heats did not look good for us. Some real fast time in the heats in front of us and when we put a 8:11 on the board I did not think we would make it. So when they announced Salem in the finals it was like a dream.  Q look good in the high jump clearing the first two heights fairly easy, not sure what he will have to do to place, i would say he would need to clear at least 6′3, if not better. Sam was a no height, he was focused, he just could not clear the starting height of 12′6. In the 400, Matt just did not have the go juice to make the finals. But he was a long shot to begin with, his fast leg of the 4×800 had to take something out of him. The 4×400 just was not fast enough, still ran our 2nd fastest time of the year. Can’t be displeased with what went on. Made it to finals day and maybe the 4×800 can pull a minor upset and move up 4 spots. And Q if he has a good day, could place. Later Coach!

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 29 May 2009

Its 6:23 AM, Been up since 5:30 am. Ready for a big day. Both the relays have a chance to get to the finals. But we will need top times from everyone. The races start at 9 am. We drove most of the way in rain yesterday to get here. But the rain had stop by the time we had got to Charleston. The only one that seems a little nervous is Q. We got something to eat, which is always a pain, where to go, we split up, seem to work out fine. Then at the last moment we decided to go to the moives. Got to bed between 10 and 10:30, they would of still been up by that time anyway-at least some of them. I just figured it was a good way to relax. Sam, Q, and Matt will have a tougher chore to get to the finals, with the jumpers, clear the opening height and then go from there. Brummel just needs to race as fast as he can and see what happens. The relays may come down to the anchor leg, probably needs to be under 8:10 in the 4×800 and 3:25 or so in the 4×400. Going to go get something to eat. Later.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 25 May 2009

What a night-as always the guys stepped up. Q placing 2nd in the high jump to advance to state. A bit of drama as 4 guys battled for the top 2 spots. With the top two jumpers coming in at 5′11, they didn’t look real on top of their games. After the smoke cleared at 6′1- there were only 2, so for the 2nd straight year Salem will send a high jumper to state. I hope the weather is better. No indoor jumping. Next up was the 4×800, and there was a battle with 3 teams. Cahokia, Highland and Salem. Brummel got off to a great start-clocking under 2 minutes, Goff looked strong at first and then started to struggle toward the end-then Kubicki ran a great 3rd leg. Wilkins ran a tough first 400 and then was able to hang on for the 2nd place finish, the time was under 8:15 so we were in for sure. Harris looked strong in the hurdles to finsih 3rd at 15.1. Heminover made the finals of the 100 and should of made the finals of the 200’s. Matt Brummel ran a tough hard nosed 400 to advance on time (50.7). Matt has just had a fantastic year, he will be in 3 events at state. Jones ran a good 3200M finsihing his career on a postive note. Nix had a good 1600, to build on next year.  Clark continues to raced strong in the 800. The 4×400 was an event, that I wasn’t sure if we had enough to get out.  I knew we would have to run on time to make it. Once again Brummel ran a great first leg, 50.1, Then Tyler raced well to put a 52 on the board, then the leg of the night belonged to Brummett, he broke 51 with 50.2 to put us in a great spot, 2nd with the final leg, Wilkins gave his all and couldn’t hang onto the 2 spot but his 52 was enough to make it on time. So we advanced a pole vaulter, a high jumper, a 400M runner and two relays-4×8 and 4×4, not bad for a nights work. Good job.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 22 May 2009

Sam Follett sectional champion! Sam cleared 12′6 to win the pole vault on the 1st day of the IHSA boys sectiona. Sam was clean through all his attempts. WAY TO GO SAM!

Another quick thought the boys won the Big Trojan on Monday.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 11 May 2009

Mt Zion has some very talented young men-but not enough. To win a track meet you need depth, you have to score points in every event, you have score double points in each event. We weren’t able to double in every event, but everyone who competed scored points. Even Paulie in the 3200 M run. The events we won: 3200M relay barely-I think the guys thought they were going to blow through this race, didn’t work that way, had to race. But they came through-Catfish-(Barringer)-Bullard-Clark and Brummett. Clark came back and won the 800M open. He has really picked things up of late. Jerod Brumett won the 400M, we went 1 and 2 in that race. Those were big points. Peanut Butter Cup won the 3200 M run. The strangest win was the 100M dash, I know we have never won that race before on f/s or varsity level. Trey Williams has show some speed in his limited races. He won his heat of the 100, with a standing start, no blocks. Not sure how a coach could let his 100M  guy not use blocks, but it slip pass us.  During the prelim he hurt his hammie a little, so we sit him out of the 4×100. So he lined up for the finals of the 100M, standing up, his start put him at least a .5 to a full second behind the rest of the field. He caught the pack and then rolled after his finish. I’m not sure I had ever seen anything like it. His running form is not the best either, but he can motor down the track for a 100M. The guys picked up points where needed. Did a good job. So another year another f/s victory. Good job.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 10 May 2009

Hope I don’t leave anyone out. To be All Conference you have to finish in the top 2 places in the event.

Matt Heminover 200M 4×200

Adam Hargis 4×200

Doug Hanus 4×200

Bryce Harris 4×200  110 Hurdles 1st

Jacob Kubicki 4×800 1st 1600M 1st

Thomas Goff 4×800 1st

Adam Wilkins 4×800 1st 4×400 1st

Kolin Clark 4×800 1st

Jordan Jones 3200M run 1st

Jacob Heser 3200M run

Sam Follett High Jump

Quentin Garrison Long jump

Tyler Hopkins 400M

Matt Brummel 800M 4×400 1st

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 10 May 2009

The thing about track meets, at the beginning something is going all over the place. High jump here, long jump over there, pole vault somewhere else. Shot put in this corner and then the premilins for the sprints. I have always said its like a 3 or 5 ring circus. Then with the Apollo conference championship you have the girls and boys at the same time. Once again the boys stepped up to the task at hand. The seniors had a big night and thats what you have to have, no matter how strong your under classes are, without strong senior leadership you have nothing. Starting with the field events-Q had a good day in the jumps-some problems in the long jump getting off on the correct foot and was over 40 in the triple. Sam struggled some in the vault but scored points and then he placed 2nd in the high jump that was somewhat of a big surprise, because that event had some several jumpers over 6′. Both the discus throwers Conklin and Pontious placed and Green placed in the shot.  We doubled placed in most of the field events, points is the name of the game. Heminover had a good day getting to the finals of the 100 and 200 as did Hargis in the 200. Harris and Klop both go to the finals of the 110 hurdles. First final on the track 3200 relay, we changed the lineup some to provide rest down the road for Brummel-Clark had a another good leg, and with Kubicki, Wilkins and Goff won with ease. 3200 run was a big race, there were 4 or 5 guys running together for the whole race. A fun race to watch, Jones pulled away and made the first move after the 1st mile  and then our other guy freshman Peanut Butter Cups took off after him, Jordan knew he had to make some space between himself and the others because he doesn’t have a kick. The gap was enough with us going 1 and 2. I really was happy for Jordan, his personal best in the conference championship thats all you can ask for. The freshman Jacob Heser (real name) can be a top notch runner before its all over, lots of talent. Lots of other good stuff on the track, Kubicki in the mile winnning with a battle from Smith from Charleston. The epic 800 with Brummel and Wilkins battling the same Smith kid for the 800 meter title, Brummel ran his best time ever only to nipped at the end. Then the 400 with Hopkins going number 2. Brummel the favorite going in, just couldn’t come back from the 800, (who could?) He’s a warrior and thats all you can ask of a kid, give it your all. The 4×200 perform well, with 2nd place finish. Matt Heminover had a big day with the sprints, he has really improved so much, his finishes in the 100 and 200 were great, he had the 200 won but just ran out of steam at the end. Both our 110 guys Harris and Klop going 1 and 3. Just seem to be getting faster. Setting here thinking about all the guys that had a part of this-Nix in the 1600, the 4×400 relay team with Brummett running a solid leg 51.9, with Hopkins, Brummel and Wilkins. Conklin in the 300 with his best time of the year, Fredrich taking a big fall in the 300’s only to get back up and finish. Tate placed in the triple, Prosise, Hanus in the relays. Hess keeping things going in the vault (little Hess I’m talking about), he didn’t have a great day but he kept the offical lined out. Just a team victory all around. I think we scored in every event and doubled in most. The assiantant coach kept things going and tried to keep the head coach calm. Just another great day, even the lightning delay was great! (Not really!) Congr’s guys for another championship! On to the sectional, who wants to go to state?

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 05 May 2009

Finally a track meet. The Ram relays.We did well, better than I thought we would. Had to tone down the varsity guys a lttle since conference is Thursday. The 4×800 improved time wise and won the 4×800 varsity. Wilkins, Brummel, Goff and Kubicki got their time down to 8:17, 2 seconds off state qualifying.  That was good to see. I still believe we will have to run under 8:15 to get to state.  Q cleared 6′2 for the first time and Harris looked very good in the hurdles.  Follet looked better in the pole vault clearing 12′6. The f/s had a big night and scored a lot of points for us. We have some good young athetles. Goose and Cross put in a tough day on the track. Slover continues to look like a high jumper, clearing 5′8 and looking good at 5′10. Brown continues to improve as a hurdler.  Another surprise has been Kolin Clark, his 800 times keep getting better.  cup ran a 5:03 mile and looked slow next to the kid from O’Fallon that ran a 4:30 something.  Enough for now, need to try to sleep.

in Uncategorized by coach mike on 03 May 2009

Another prom is in the books. The students seem to have a good time. The post prom seem to be a big success. 355 students signed in and only around 21 left early.  Big week for the track teams. Finally our conference meets. Thursday is the varsity and Saturday is the F/S meet. Both on the road, but short trips. Varisty is at Effingham and starts at 4 pm and F/S is at Olney and starts at 9:30 am. I told the guys the other day, this is our playoffs, our World Series, our Super Bowl, one of them said our Stanley Cup. Anyway we are as ready as we can be. The weather and other activites (Prom) has slow things some, but those are the uncontrolable things. We should see, the seniors will step up and rest will follow.  This week will be long sleepless nights for me, worring about the meets. The varsity is going for 4 years in a row and the f/s is like 30 plus years since they have lost a conference title. Tuesday we go to Mt Vernon for the Ram relays, I will have to tone that down some with the conference meet only two days after that. I will be able to load up the f/s events there, so that will be fun for them. But will limit the varsity guys to about max of two events each, specially the distance guys. Thats it for now, I have some accounting homework to start.