Carlinville, Gillespie Seek Return to State Track Meet

by Steve Porter

The Telegraph

3/26/97

Ready, set, go.

It's track time for area high school teams. The large ones such as Alton, Edwardsville, Jersey and Civic Memorial figre to steal the spotlight, but the small schools won't be left in the shadows.

Take Carlinville and Gillespie of the South Central Conference, for example. The Cavaliers won the Class A boys state championship last year and the Miners came within a point of capturing the Class A girls state title.

Both teams could make a return trip to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and the Illinois championships. The girls finals are set for May 23-24 at O'Brien Stadium and the boys will follow them to the finish line May 30-31.

Carlinville is without Mr. Everything, better known as Tunde Ridley, the star of last year's state finals. Ridley, who won four open events and directed the Cavaliers to their first state track championship, is doing his jumping and running for the University of Illinois this spring.

"I know some people are saying that losing Tunde will be the deathknell for our program, but I think we can have a competitive team," first-year Carlinville head track coach Ken Garrison said. He replaces Dave Jokisch, now a Carlinville assistant.

"We don't have a superstar, but we have a good team across the board," Garrison said. "If we are to do well this year, it will be as a team."

The Cavs have plenty of talented individuals to plug into the team concept philosophy. Amit Chopra, Bryan Lusk, Matt Smith, Dan Wills and Brett Nejmanowski should keep them humming.

Chopra and Lusk, both seniors, complemented Ridley in fine fashion at last year's state meet. Chopra, who finished seventh statewide in the long jump, will be counted on for a high-level performance this season.

"We might have Amit competing in both jumps and in two sprints," Garrison said. So Chopra will take over Ridley's workhorse chores.

Lusk, a fifth-place finisher in the shot, could also make his mark in the discus. Smith is more than capable in the distance events, Wills can hurdle and long jump and Nejmanowski will get an opportunity in the 800-meters.

"My goal is to get as many people to state as possible," Garrison said. "Then we will see what happens. But I think we have some possibilites."

Gillespie has some strong possibilities of replacing Hercher as the girls state track champ.

Actually, probability might be the more appropriate word. The Miners finished first among their competition the past weekend in an indoor meet at EIU.

"They are going to be hard to beat," Garrison said.

The Miners proved to be a surprise team at state last year when they scored 25 points.

"I didn't expect anything like that," Gillespie coach Joel Blevins said. "The girls really did a good job."

Most of that unit remains intact. Kristine Polo, Jodi Ottersburg, Margo Girardi and Amber Lewis, among others, ignited the Miners in last year's state meet.

Ottersburg finished second in the shot and Girardi was runner-up in the 300-meters. Polo might be the most versatile performer in the bunch. She's adept in the hurdles, sprints and field events.

If anybody locally is going to push the Miners, it could be the Cavaliers. The Carlinville girls finished second in the state cross country meet the past fall.

Sound intriguing? Mark May 13 on your track calendar. The Gillespie and Carlinville girls will class on the Cavs' all-weather surface for the South Central Conference championship. The boys will go at it the same day.

Then it might be time to do the Charleston. Stay timed. . .er, tuned.