See you on September 1

The season has ended, too soon again. Seems like just a few days ago the indoor meets began.

For the Tigers, it was another extremely successful year. Both teams--girls and boys--qualified athletes for state. But that's not really the measure of success. The season was a success because EHS athletes consistently competed at a high level with character, integrity and passion. For Photo of the Day, it was a pleasure to watch the season unfold--and photograph it.

Ironically, the Photo of the Season was not of an Edwardsville athlete; it was a picture at state of Elaine Patten, the O'Fallon high jumper.

Elaine Patten. Photo by Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Thanks again to those who e-mailed photos during the season, especially Diane Dudding, who took pictures at every boys meet. Thanks also to Val Sweatt, Larry Thompson and others who sent pictures.

Photo of the Day will return in the fall, shortly after Mud Mountain (July 25), once the cross-country season begins. See you then!

Medal hopes dashed at state: Tigers unable to move beyond prelims; last high school meet for Lawson, Cann and Eli Sweatt

LAST VAULT - Senior Josh Lawson cleared 13' 0" at the state meet Friday, but was unable to clear 13' 6" (above), and did not reach the pole vault finals. Photo/Tom Atwood

Eli Sweatt awaits handoff in 4 X 400 relay. Photo/Tom Atwood

Garrett Sweatt, the only freshhman who qualified for the mile at state, ran the 1600 meters in 4:30 Saturday. Photo/Tom Atwood

Senior Tyler Cann hands baton to Daniel Mazar in 4 X 400 meter relay. Photo/Tom Atwood

Sophomore Dameon Morgan prepares to run the 400 meter dash. Photo/Tom Atwood

Six at State: Morgan, Lawson, Sweatt, Tigers 4 X 4 relay compete today

Sophomore Dameon Morgan runs at state today in the 400 meter dash and the 1600 meter relay. Josh Lawson makes his 2nd appearance at state when he competes in the pole vault. Freshman Garrett Sweatt runs the mile. Eli Sweatt, Tyler Cann and Daniel Mazar join Morgan in the 4 X 4 this afternoon. Photo/Tom Atwood

For EHS girls, season officially ends: track banquet honors outstanding athletes; Jason, Rice named co-MVPs

WHO'S THE MOST VALUABLE? When asked that question, co-MVPs Laila Jason and Shanice Rice pointed at each other. The two junior co-stars return next year, after each medaling twice at state in 2009.

OUTSTANDING TWINS: Sisters Madi and Michelle Pranger were named Co-Outstanding Seniors for the 2009 track & field season. They each medaled at state, Madi in the long jump (6th place) and Michelle in the discus (6th place). The twins will soon be parted though, as Madi heads to Southeast Missouri State, and Michelle plans to throw the discus (and try the javelin) at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Photo/Tom Atwood

Alex Wever, Briana Chamberlain, Katie Speicher, Courtney Smith, Courtney Lybarger, Lizzie Anderson, Diane Frese and Bridget Fisher pose for photos after the track & field banquet. Photo/Tom Atwood

MVPs Jason and Rice pose with coaches Gibson (left) and Marquez at Thursday night's banquet. Photo/Tom Atwood

Approximately 100 people--athletes and their parents--attended the end-of-season track & field banquet at EHS Thursday night. Photo/Tom Atwood

Boys bound for state; Lawson, Morgan, Garrett Sweatt, 4 X 4 relay seek medals; prelims begin Friday afternoon

A rainy departure did not dampen spirits as EHS boys pose before leaving Thursday for the IHSA State Final at Charleston. Photo/Tom Atwood

Senior Week: Madi Pranger, Bradley Mathis

Madi Pranger, senior sprinter and long jumper who medaled twice this year at state, gets a hug from Laila Jason after 4 X 200 relay set new school record at IHSA Final in Charleston. Photo/Tom Atwood

Senior Bradley Mathis ran sprint relays, high jump and triple jump for the Tigers. Photo/Tom Atwood

Senior Week: Ryan Cullen, Traceea Palmer

Ryan Cullen's years of running cross country and track at EHS come to a close. Photo/Tom Atwood

Senior Traceea Palmer runs the 400 meter dash at Belleville East. Photo/Tom Atwood

Senior week: Courtney Smith

After seven years in cross country and track, and numerous state meet appearances, senior Courtney Smith's running career at Edwardsville comes to an end. Photo/Tom Atwood

Photo of the Day Senior Week: Derek Burge-Beckley, Christina Douglas

This week Photo of the Day will feature pictures of EHS seniors, starting with middle-distance runner Derek Burge-Beckley at SW Conference meet at Winston Brown Track & Field Complex. Photo/Tom Atwood

Shotputter Christina Douglas at IHSA Sectional in O'Fallon. Photo/Tom Atwood

Tigers qualify in 4 events, sending Morgan, Lawson, Sweatt & 4 X 4 relay to state; 4 X 800 relay does not qualify, as unbeaten string ends

Dameon Morgan runs the 400 meter dash in 49.63 seconds at the IHSA Sectional in Moline Saturday. That time qualified him for the state final next weekend in Charleston. Morgan will also run the 4 X 400 relay at state. Photo/Tom Atwood

Freshman Garrett Sweatt is on his way to state after running the mile in 4:23:37, taking 2nd place at sectionals. Photo/Diane Dudding

Eli Sweatt passes baton to Tyler Cann as 4 X 400 relay team grabs 5th at sectionals Saturday, and qualifies for state in a time of 3:23:51. Photo/Diane Dudding

EHS Senior Josh Lawson returns to state this year in the pole vault after clearing 13' 3" at sectionals Saturday. Photo/Tom Atwood

Tyler Cann hands baton to Daniel Mazar in 4 X 800 meter relay. The Tigers' previously undefeated relay team did not qualify for the state final, finishing 4th. Photo/Diane Dudding

The sectional at Moline becomes the last high school meet for EHS distance standout Devon Dudding, who graduates this year. Photo/Diane Dudding

Tiger girls grab 5 medals at state final; Pranger twins, Oceguera and relay teams make the podium; Liberty girls finish 10th overall at IESA

Senior Madi Pranger receives 6th place medal in long jump at IHSA Final Saturday. Photo/Tom Atwood (To see all Tiger photos from state, click here)

Kasey Oceguera PR's at state, clearing 5' 4" in the high jump finals. Oceguera medaled in the event, finishing 6th in Class 3A. Photo/Tom Atwood

Michelle Pranger's final throw as a Tiger came at the state meet in Charleston Saturday where Pranger medaled in the discus, finishing 6th in Class 3A. Photo/Tom Atwood

Every event she entered turned to gold: Belleville East's Yolanda Suggs finished first at the state meet in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes, and led the Maroons to 1st in the 4 X 100 relay, and first place overall as a team. Photo/Tom Atwood

Laila Jason, Meih Huddleston and the Tigers 4 X 200 relay team won the 8th place medal Saturday at state. Photo/Tom Atwood

Tiger 4 X 400 relay team poses with EHS Coach Steve Chapman after placing 6th at state Saturday, running the relay in 3:56:13. Photo/Tom Atwood

Sophomore Hannah Faulkner competes in the final round of the pole vault at state, clearing 10' 6" Saturday, and placing 12th in Class 3A. Photo/Tom Atwood

EHS girls advance at state prelims; Pranger twins, Faulkner, Oceguera in field event finals; relay teams reach medal round

Michelle Pranger throws the discus 127 feet at Charleston Friday to advance to the finals. Photo/Tom Atwood

Shanice Rice anchors the 4 X 4, leading the Tiger relay team to a 2nd place finish in the prelims, good enough to reach the finals. Photo/Tom Atwood

Madi Pranger leaps 17' 6" at state, 3rd best in the long jump prelims. Photo/Tom Atwood

Sophomore Hannah Faulkner clears 10' 6" at state Friday, advancing to the pole vault finals on Saturday. Photo/Tom Atwood

Laila Jason leads off for 4 X 400 relay team, which advanced Friday to the finals, and a possible medal. Photo/Tom Atwood

Freshman Meih Huddleston and the Tigers 4 X 200 relay team also moved on to the medal round at state. Photo/Tom Atwood

Freshman Kayla Johnson, a last minute substitute for Madi Pranger (sore hamstring), takes baton from Laila Jason in 4 X 400 relay. Photo/Tom Atwood

Kasey Oceguera did not miss Friday, clearing 5' 0", 5' 2", and 5' 3" to advance to the final round of the high jump today at state. Photo/Tom Atwood

Tiger boys travel to Moline, compete today at sectional

EHS 4 X 800 meter relay team puts its undefeated streak on the line today at IHSA Sectional in Moline, hoping to advance to state. Photo/Diane Dudding

EHS girls compete in preliminary events at EIU today; Lincoln, Liberty in E. Peoria for IESA Final; Tiger relay teams among fastest in state

Lincoln Wildcats onboard their bus today for the IESA State Track Meet in East Peoria. Lincoln and Liberty compete in preliminary events this afternoon. Photo/Val Sweatt




The Tigers qualified two relay teams for the state finals this weekend, the 4 X 200 meter (above) and the 4 X 400 meter (see photos below). The 4 X 4 team includes (top photo to bottom) Senior Madi Pranger, Junior Laila Jason, Freshman Meih Huddleston, and Junior Shanice Rice. The team qualified for state by placing 2nd at the sectional meet in O'Fallon in a time of 3:58.39, the third-fastest qualifying time among Class 3A schools in Illinois. Preliminaries in the 4 X 400 will be held today at 4:30 p.m. at EIU. Photos/Tom Atwood


The 4 X 200 meter relay team includes Madi Pranger, Shanice Rice, Meih Huddleston and Laila Jason. The team qualified for state in a time of 1:43.06, which ranks 4th among state qualifiers. Of the top seven fastest 4 X 200 relay teams in the state, based on qualifying times, five are from the Southwestern Conference. Preliminaries in the 4 X 2 will be held today at 3:15 p.m. Photos/Tom Atwood

Teams leave today for state; EHS boys compete at sectionals Saturday

Michelle Pranger, who holds the EHS discus record, packs Thursday for the IHSA State Final, which begins Friday afternoon at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Pranger had the 4th longest qualifying throw (134' 11") among state finalists in the discus. Twin sister Madi Pranger (left) owns the 7th best long jump (17' 8") among qualifers heading into the state final. In all, nine Tigers will compete at state; Liberty and Lincoln Middle School athletes also compete this weekend at the IESA State Final in East Peoria. Photo/Tom Atwood

Bound for Glory (l to r): Shanice Rice, Kasey Oceguera, Madi Pranger, Robin Umbaugh, Kayla Johnson, Meih Huddleston, Michelle Pranger, Laila Jason, Melissa Collins, Hannah Faulkner. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Coach Chaka Gibson decorates one of the vans bound for the IHSA Girls State Final. Photo/Tom Atwood

Hannah Faulkner takes her school record in the pole vault (10' 9") to Charleston, where she and the Tiger girls will compete Friday at the IHSA State Final.