Dramatic finish gives Limestone boys first sectional track title in two decades

METAMORA — Sam Morse and Wilson Georges showed who they were Wednesday to help Limestone earn a name it hasn't had in 18 years: Sectional boys track champion.

The Rockets won the 2022 Illinois High School Association Class 2A boys Metamora Sectional, their first boys track sectional title since 2004. They edged Morton by one point, the meet coming down to a Limestone win in the 4x400 relay on the night's last event.

"It's been a long time, but we know who we are and what this team has the potential to be," said third-year Limestone coach Brian Glaza. "This is something we've been working on for a while."

Morse, the top long jumper in the state, won his best event with a leap of 22 feet, 1 inch, then finished third in the 100-meter dash and led off the 4x100 relay team to a second-place finish, falling .06 behind winner Richwoods. He did not run the 200 sprint, an event he won at the Mid-Illini Championships.

Georges stunned the field when he decided not to run the 3200, opting to focus on the 1600 — which he won in a runaway with a personal-record 4:09.47, nearly 27 seconds faster than runner-up Josh Weeks of Morton.

More: How this Richwoods freshman became one of the state's best sprinters

The terrific senior delivered in the clutch, running a leg of the 4x400 relay to help Limestone win the final event of the night and leap into a sectional title.

The Rockets earned 64 points, followed by Morton (63), Galesburg (61) and Metamora (57) in the 17-team field.

'It's who I am'

Georges knew he had some explaining to do as he took the track in Metamora on Wednesday.

"I decided not to run the 3200 because I really want to focus on the 1600," Georges said. "It's always been my favorite event since I first started running track. I decided to go for a state title in it — I really want to win the state title — and go for the 4x400, too.

"I want to win the 1600 and set the state record in it. I think I'm lined up to do that."

Georges ran the 1600 in 4:09.47 on Wednesday. The state record is 4:13.

"It was a hard decision, not to run the 3200," Georges said. "But I looked at doing both, and the 4x400 or maybe the 800, and I was concerned there just wouldn't be enough in my legs for it."

Limestone is a contender for a state title. A top three finish for the Rockets is not out of the question, even with Georges out of the 3200.

"In my eyes, the 1600 is who I am," Georges said. "It's what I want people to remember me for."

More: Here's where Peoria-area boys athletes are headed for IHSA track and field sectionals

Falling in love with track

Morse is also in an athletic transition that is re-defining him.

A wide receiver, and in his younger days a basketball player, the 6-foot-1, 165-pound Bartonville native knew nothing about long jumping a year ago.

"His first-ever meet this season, he had four jumps that scratched," Glaza said, grinning. "He went home and told his mom he didn't want to do this. Well, look at him now. Springs in his legs. Stud athlete."

Morse says he took up track as a way to train and prepare for football. In fact, he signed to play football at Monmouth College next season.

Now, Morse is not so sure he's a football player who also does track. Rather, he might be a track athlete who also does football.

More: Who's at state? Peoria-area girls track athletes competing at the IHSA state finals

"I've fallen in love with track," Morse said. "Football started that way for me. My freshman year, my old grade school gym teacher talked me into going out for football and I enjoyed it. Didn't want to stop doing it. Now I feel that way about track and field. It's just so exciting to compete."

Now he's watching videos of Olympic trials to study techniques in the long jump, and obsessed with finding a way to continue a track career in college.

"I'm going to state as the No. 1 (seeded) jumper," Morse said. "My goal is hold on to that. I want to be a champion."

So does his team, which has quietly put together a terrific season and now is perhaps the area's best 2A hope for a team trophy in Charleston.

"Limestone has been under-rated all year, we had been a laughing stock in Mid-Illini track for a long time," Morse said. "We've had Wilson, and now the sprinters and relay guys are coming up.

"No one is laughing at us anymore."

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA boys track & field: Limestone wins Class 2A Metamora Sectional