"What track & field is about..."

Edwardsville High School Boys Track & Field Banquet
May 30, 2008
Video Produced by Tom Atwood
© 2008 Tom Atwood All Rights Reserved

Season ends with boys track & field banquet

Eli Sweatt, Devon Dudding, and Malcom Foster assist with deflation of balloons after Friday night's season-ending track & field banquet at Edwardsville High School. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)


Banquet organizer Stephanie Cann poses with Josh Lawson and Tiger Friday night. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)


Josh Lawson, Daniel Mazar and Tyler Cann have more fun with balloons. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Keith, Devon, and Diane Dudding celebrate Devon's Outstanding Junior Award after track banquet. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Mr. All State

Aaron Cole, the lone senior on the Tigers 4 X 8 relay, poses with family after relay team medaled at IHSA state meet in Charleston. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Tiger relay team grabs 7th at state; Mazar, Cole, Dudding, Sweatt combine for unofficial time of 7:55; 4 X 8 team PR's, medals in last race

Eli Sweatt runs final leg of 4 X 8 relay Saturday as teammate Devon Dudding cheers him on at IHSA state meet. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Eli Sweatt, Aaron Cole, Daniel Mazar, and Devon Dudding on medal stand after placing 7th at state meet. Photo/Val Sweatt (click image to enlarge)

EHS relay team poses (front row) with coach George Patrylak and supporters after medaling at state meet Saturday. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)


Devon Dudding, Eli Sweatt, Aaron Cole and Daniel Mazar celebrate after sectional win Springfield. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Boys relay reaches state finals

Coach George Patrylak, Daniel Mazar, Tyler Cann, Eli Sweatt, Devon Dudding, Josh Lawson, Aaron Cole, Coach Wilson and Coach Bailey before leaving for state meet Thursday. The Tigers 4 X 8 relay team qualified Friday for the state finals, which will be held today in Charleston. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Last Day

For my son, Riley, and for other seniors, today is the last day of class at Edwardsville High School. For all of us—parents and students—it is an end and a beginning. I’m just not sure how it got here so quickly.

The track season is also coming to an end. Today the EHS boys 3200-meter relay team and Josh Lawson (pole vault) compete at the state meet in Charleston. Tomorrow, the season is over.

Riley didn’t qualify for state. In fact, he has never been to state in the seven years he has been running track and cross country. I have been thinking about that as his season, and his high school “career,” come to a close. Riley won’t ever go to state, won’t ever stand on the podium, won’t ever receive those medals.

And yet, Riley has been one of the most successful runners I have ever watched. Like many of those who participate in cross country and track, his seasons have been built on setting and reaching goals, on being part of a team, and most important, being a good teammate, a good athlete, and a good friend.

This season has been his very finest. Not just because he reached his longtime goal of running the mile in less than five minutes (4:54); not just because he reached his goal of running two miles in less than 11 minutes (10:53). No season, or runner, can be measured by the numbers on a stopwatch at the finish line. This has been Riley's finest season because of another goal he set—and that was to make sure that this year the younger members, the underclassmen, felt like part of the team, no matter how fast they ran, how far they threw, how high they jumped or vaulted. One team. Maybe Riley wanted them to feel included because of the many seasons he spent on the fringes himself, close to varsity, but not quite; close to going to state, but not quite.

Riley isn’t going to state. He never will. But my son is a great runner, and this has been another great season. I just wish it wasn’t over.

--Tom Atwood

A vaulter and his poles

Josh Lawson waits Thursday to load his poles onto van bound for IHSA state meet this weekend. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Tigers depart for state track & field meet

Daniel Mazar, Tyler Cann, Aaron Cole, Eli Sweatt, Devon Dudding, and Josh Lawson (not pictured) pack in Thursday afternoon for trip to state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)


Devon Dudding is embraced in this pose before departure for state meet. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Photo of the Day: The Book

Photo of the Day 2008 has 22 pages of the best photos from the 2008 EHS girls track season. It is available in hardcover or softcover and features photos of Chelsea Coley, Kaci Oceguera, Laila Jason, Claire Kates, Stephanie O'Brian, Kaci Smith, Courtney Smith, Kelsey Baumgartner, Ellen Atwood, Shanice Rice, Sam Duft, Diane Frese, Abby Frese, Kristin Hodge, Liz Speicher, Lindsay Osborne, Jackie Mundy, Madi Pranger, Michele Pranger, Lia Saunders, Ashley Johnson, and Charvonne Long. Photo of the Day 2008 is not a fundraiser for the booster club; it is being made available for the cost of printing and shipping.

To order a copy, or for more information, email tom@tomatwood.net. (Click play above to see inside the book.)

A similar version with pictures from the EHS boys track season is also being published and will be available soon.

"What I'm going to miss most..."

“WHAT I’M GOING TO MISS MOST...”
PRODUCED BY TOM ATWOOD
MUSIC BY PAUL F. PAGE
EHS GIRLS TRACK BANQUET, MAY 19, 2008
© 2008 TOM ATWOOD
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

(Thanks to Chelsea Coley for the title)

For a fullscreen version, click here.

Saunders named MVP

Senior Lia Saunders was chosen team MVP at the EHS Girls Track & Field banquet Monday night. Saunders qualified for state in 3 events this year, and earned her 7th medal in state competition, an EHS record.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Lincoln 8th grade boys grab 4th overall at state

The Lincoln Middle School 8th grade boys placed 4th overall in the IESA state meet at East Peoria. The 4 X 4 relay team captured 3rd place Saturday. Pictured below: Garrett Sweatt, Dionte Anderson, Diarra Cropper, and Derek Page (Photos by Val Sweatt). The 8th grade Liberty Girls finished 15th overall at state; the Liberty 7th grade girls placed 12th.






Photos by Val Sweatt (click images to enlarge)

EHS girls 4 X 4 relay places 5th at state

Lia Saunders ran the 4 X 4 and 4 X 8 relays at IHSA meet in Charleston.
Photo/Tom Atwood (clcik image to enlarge)


Sectional meet at Springfield Lanphier: Malcom Foster clears hurdle in 300-meter race Friday. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Exhausted, Devon Dudding leans against bleachers after open 800 race at sectional meet in Springfield. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Chelsea Coley misses final attempt of 9 feet at state meet Friday. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Senior Jake Nelson runs final race as a Tiger Friday with a PR of 4:40 in the 1600-meter run. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Liz Speicher closes running career at EHS in 4 X 800 relay at state meet in Charleston Friday. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Former Tigers join coach George Patrylak on the backstretch at sectional meet in Springfield Friday. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

EHS girls 4 X 4 relay advances to state finals; Josh Lawson (pole vault), boys 4 X 8 relay qualify for state

Aaron Cole leads EHS 4 X 8 relay team to a state-qualifying performance Friday; Cole, Daniel Mazar, Devon Dudding, and Eli Sweatt combined for a winning time of 7:57 at the sectional meet in Springfield. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)


Eli Sweatt celebrates after 4 X 8 relay victory at sectional meet.
Photo/Diane Dudding (clcik image to enlarge)


Kaci Smith awaits handoff in the 4 X 4 relay; Smith, Laila Jason, Shanice Rice, and Lia Saunders advanced to the IHSA state finals which will be held later today at Eastern Illinois University.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Josh Lawson is on his way to state after capturing 1st place in the pole vault Friday at the sectional meet in Springfield with a vault of 12' 6". Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Sectional, state meets held today

Malcom Foster and EHS boys compete tonight at sectional meet in Springfield. EHS girls, Lincoln and Liberty middle schools compete at state meets in Charleston, East Peoria.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Bound for Glory: EHS girls leave today for state meet; Liberty, Lincoln head to East Peoria; EHS boys compete in IHSA sectional tomorrow

EHS girls send 4 individuals and three relays to state this weekend. Above, Laila Jason anchors the 4 X 200 relay team at sectional meet last week. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Can Josh Lawson vault to state meet? All he has to do is finish 1st or 2nd at IHSA Sectional Friday in Springfield.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Lincoln 8th graders Brendon Colligan and Garrett Sweatt will both compete at state meet this weekend at East Peoria in the mile and in the 800-meter run.
Photo/Val Sweatt (click image to enlarge)

Madi Pranger and Laila Jason narrowly missed qualifying for state in the long jump, but both will run in the 4 X 200 meter relay.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Teammates on the 4 X 8 relay, Devon Dudding and Eli Sweatt will compete head-to-head in the open 800 meter run at sectional meet tomorrow. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Kasey Oceguera hopes to PR at state in the high jump.
Photo/Tom Atwood click images to enlarge)

An encouraging word

Coach George Patrylak pushes Senior Riley Atwood to a PR and a win in his final one-mile race. Derek Burge-Beckly also ran a personal best and finished 2nd in the race at Granite City. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Bridget Fisher clears her final hurdles of the 2008 season at sectional meet at Alton. Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Sectional dash

Ashley Granger hands baton to Madi Pranger during 4 X 100 meter relay Friday in Alton.

Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

The Mile, a Dash, the Hurdles

THE MILE, A DASH, THE HURDLES
PRODUCED BY TOM ATWOOD
MUSIC BY TADASHI TOGAWA (USED WITH PERMISSION)
© 2008 TOM ATWOOD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

To see full-screen version, click here.

Teams peaking as final meets approach

The starting gun launches Senior Cory Zach in the 100 meter dash at conference meet Thursday in Granite City.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Laila Jason soars to 3rd place long jump finish at IHSA Sectional Meet at Alton Friday.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Madi Pranger contemplates sore hamstring during long jump competition. Pranger jumped 16' 1" to place 5th at sectional.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Michelle Pranger captures 6th place at sectional meet, throwing discus 107' 10" Friday.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)


Derek Burge-Beckly at the start of the 3200 meter relay at conference meet.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

EHS girls qualify for state in seven events

Three EHS relay teams and four individuals qualified for state at the sectional meet in Alton Friday.
Photos/Tom Atwood

EHS girls win sectional meet at Alton

Kasey Oceguera is one of several EHS girls to qualify for state at the sectional meet Friday in Alton. Photos from the meet will be posted later Saturday morning.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Tigers claim 3200-meter relay win at conference

Devon Dudding takes baton from Aaron Cole during 4 X 8 relay victory at South West Conference Meet in Granite City.

Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

The last mile

EHS Senior Riley Atwood prepares to run the final one-mile race of his high school career at the SW Conference Meet; Atwood won the race in 4:54, a personal best.

Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Cheering for her son

Aaron Cole's mother urges him down the stretch in the 400 meter dash at Granite City.

Photo/Tom Atwood  (click image to enlarge)

The Big Move

THE BIG MOVE
(FEATURING DANIEL MAZAR, AARON COLE, DEVON DUDDING,
AND ELI SWEATT)
PRODUCED BY TOM ATWOOD
(3200 meter relay videotaped at Collinsville Invitational,
May 3, 2008)
MUSIC: “OUTER SPACE” BY TADASHI TOGAWA
©2008 Tadashi Togawa
USED WITH PERMISSION

© 2008 TOM ATWOOD
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

For a full-screen version, click on this link.

Jumps and Throws

JUMPS AND THROWS
PRODUCED BY TOM ATWOOD
MUSIC: PRELUDE FROM JS BACH’S
UNACCOMPANIED CELLO SUITE NO. 1
PERFORMED BY YO YO MA
© 2008 TOM ATWOOD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Four-by-eight headed for state?

Junior Devon Dudding, member of the Tigers' 4 X 8 relay team, which is hoping to qualify for state later this month. Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)