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Nobody could beat Warsaw's Jon Hill in the 100-meter run this year.
The 200 dash? Forget it. The 400? No luck.
Hill went undefeated in all three events this season. Amazing, yes.
Even more amazing may be his age. He can't drive a car yet. He's a sophomore.
"Just loads of potential," Warsaw track coach Troy Akers said of Hill. "Every meet he grows more mentally. Then you look at a 15-year-old boy going up against an 18-year-old man. He has a lot of physical development left, too.
"Jon's a real fluid athlete who is blessed with great flexibility and good speed. He's a smooth runner to watch."
Warsaw won five events in last week's Northern Lakes Conference track and field meet. Hill was involved in four.
"He's definitely the best in the conference," Akers said. "No question."
When he's not winning the 100, 200 or 400, he anchors the 400 and 1,600 relays. He's the last man to get handed the baton.
"The good thing about Jon is, we're able to build some pretty nice relay teams around him," Akers said.
Warsaw competes in Thursday's Goshen Sectional. Yes, Hill will be there. Yes, the Tigers will lean heavily on him.
"You're gonna be hearing about Jon Hill for three years," Akers predicted. "There's no question he has more of an opportunity to move down to the state track meet than anyone."
A better chance than Warsaw as a team, Akers admitted. The Tigers compete in the same sectional as Elkhart Central, as in No. 1 Elkhart Central. The top four individuals in each event and top four relay teams advance to the regional.
But there is only one sectional team title.
Put it this way: Akers could cross his fingers all he wants in hope of a poor meet by Elkhart Central. All he would get out of the deal are sore fingers.
"Elkhart Central's all alone by themselves," Akers said. "They're the best team in the state. Basically every event, they can place two kids. You're running with the potential state champion in the sectional.
"When you can do that, the end result is a big team score. At the NIC meet over the weekend, they scored more than 200 points. The runnerup was Penn. They were 100 points behind."
The Tigers put their sectional hopes in individuals like Hill. He will face Elkhart Central's Ryan Clark, also one of the top sprinters at the sectional, in the 100 and 200.
"It should be a nice showdown," Akers said. "They ran against each other in the 100 at the (Max) Truex (Invitational). Clark was second. It was a photo finish.
"Jon's quiet, not boastful or anything. But he is a competitor. He's eagerly waiting to run Clark in the 100 and 200. That will be fun."
Akers also looks for Scott Shepherd (long jump), Jose Esquivel (100, 300 hurdles), Wesley Rodman (shot put) and Steve Fribley (shot put, discus) to do well. The Tigers could also advance their 400, 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams.
Shawn Mudd, Esquivel, Shepherd and Hill comprise the 400 relay team. Steve Fussle, David Hoffert, Esquivel and Hill are the 1,600 relay team. Justin Rice, Gregg Seiss, P.J. Wiley and Hoffert make up the 3,200 relay team.
Two Tigers are injured - Derrick Duncan and Wiley. Akers listed Duncan, who has had hamstring troubles, as probable. If healthy, he will run in the 400 dash. Akers said Wiley, who has battled a hip flexor, is questionable.
Hill doesn't own any Warsaw school records - yet. The key word, Akers said, is yet.
"The school records here are tough," Akers said. "He has it on his mind. He's a goal setter. Now our biggest goal isn't time. It's 'Let's go somewhere. Let's go to regional. After regional, let's go to Indianapolis.'
"Eventually, you'll see records go down."
GOSHEN SECTIONAL
Thursday, May 22
5 p.m.
Teams competing: WARSAW, WAWASEE, Bethany Christian, Concord, Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Fairfield, Goshen, Howe Military, Jimtown, Northridge, NorthWood
