CHARLESTON — Kody Danko didn’t have a perfect race Saturday during the final day of his high school career at the IHSA State Boys Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University.
But the Streator senior had an awfully good one.
Danko, seeded sixth after Friday’s preliminaries, ran to fourth place in the Class 2A 800-meter run, finishing in 1 minute, 54.58 seconds, not quite five seconds behind Aurora Central Catholic’s Patrick Hilby and his new state record 1:50.49.
“I didn’t really have any expectations,” Danko said. “I’ve been up and down throughout the season, so I was just trying to get a strong finish, get a medal. I was a bit stuck on the first lap – I think I was in seventh in the first lap – and then I had to make some ground on the backstretch of the last lap, which I did. I was able to finish strong, so it was good race.
“It’s great, just awesome. It’s a pleasure to be at state, but when you’re running against one of the best guys – I guess the best guy, he has the best-ever 800 time in 2A – it’s awesome to run against him, be out there on the track in the same race.
“I couldn’t have it any better. The only thing is if I had a better position, maybe I could’ve gotten second or third. But fourth, I’m happy with it, I’ll take it, for sure.”
“The only thing is if I had a better position, maybe I could’ve gotten second or third. But fourth, I’m happy with it, I’ll take it, for sure.”
Kody Danko, Streator boys track and field
Also in Class 2A, Sandwich’s 1,600 relay team of Dayton Beatty, Wyatt Miller, Luis Baez and Simeion Harris clocked a seventh-place time of 3:26.21.
Harris, a sophomore who also plays football and basketball, said he’s excited about his future in the next two years.
“I’m tired but energetic,” Harris said. “This was my first time making state. I think the relay did pretty good. I’m going to keep pushing and learn from this. I can’t wait for next year.”
In Class 1A, Marquette senior Caden Eller finished eighth in the long jump, traversing 6.28 meters.
“Prelims were pretty good. Today, I kind of struggled,” Eller said. “Nothing like prelims today. We didn’t have a headwind Thursday, and today we had a headwind, so jumps kind of struggled today. But overall, it was a pretty good weekend.
“After the prelims, I thought I was going to do pretty good today, but I definitely could’ve jumped better today. I thought I was going to get a medal after prelims, but after I jumped today, I wasn’t really sure about it. But I ended up getting a medal.
“It feels pretty good.”
Also in Class 1A, Seneca’s Nathan Grant tied for 12th place in the high jump, clearing 1.80 meters. Fellow Fighting Irish finals qualifier Sam Churchill was 12th in the pole vault at 3.50 meters.
