LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Crestwood’s eighth-grade boys claimed the Class 1A State Track and Field title at East Peoria Friday and Saturday, setting two state records in the process and showcasing remarkable depth across events.
Marcus Hutchings loaded the scoreboard Friday with a runner-up finish in the 400m (54.5), runner-up in the 100m with a personal best of 11.91 seconds and became state champion in the high jump with a new state record of 5’9.75.” His versatility and consistent top-level performances were key to the team’s championship run.
Jesse Englebright added six valuable points with his third-place finish in the 110m hurdles, running a personal best of 16.55, and continued to shine throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, the top-ranked 4x100m relay team of Mason Moore, Englebright, Gage Englum and Hutchings delivered in dominant fashion, setting a new state record of 48.65 and electrifying the crowd with their speed and chemistry.
Pole vault brought more points as Englebright cleared a personal best of 10’4.25” to take third place, proving his strength in both track and field events.
Finally, the 4x400 team of Moore, Easton McNabb, Englebright and Englum medaled in an exciting race full of lead changes, with Englum holding off several anchors in a dramatic final stretch to secure a fourth-place finish (4:00.4).
Crestwood finished with 53 points—ten ahead of runner-up Hamilton (43), followed by Morton Blessed Sacrament (26) and a tie for fourth between Bushnell-Prairie Central and Champaign St. Matthew (25). The team’s depth, determination and competitive spirit were on full display.
In the seventh-grade boys division, Will Dennis vaulted into the record books by clearing 9’10” and setting a new 1A state record to finish as state champion. He also tied Crestwood’s school record in the process, originally set by Hutchings in Class 2A last year.
Dennis also placed seventh in the 110m hurdles, contributing more points to a successful weekend. His efforts capped off a historic meet for the Crestwood program.