The last two years have been hectic for Yorkville’s Jake and Luke Hoffert.
The two were the central figures in the Foxes’ back-to-back Class 2A state cross country championships, and the Bradley-bound twins became the first Class 3A All-Staters in track and field program history last year.
Yorkville coach Ben Draper will employing the Hofferts to full effect Friday at the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference Meet at Rochelle.
“We are really trying to maximize our points,” Draper said.
Jake Hoffert, the reigning state cross champion who was fifth in the 1,600-meter run last spring, will anchor the 3,200 relay and try the mentally exacting 800-1,600 double.
Luke Hoffert, state runner-up in cross county, will also double in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs. He was fourth at the longer distance last year in Charleston.
Draper is expecting a barn-burner for the team race.
“Final seed scores show Geneso, Yorkville, Kaneland, DeKalb and Sycamore all have a chance to win it,” Draper said. “I think the five schools will be so close that it will make it very exciting.”
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Draper also possesses the top seed in both throwing events.
Sam Weisz, a junior, broke the Foxes’ 41-year-old program record in the discus last week in a dual meet against Morris.
Weisz augments his distance of 167 feet and 10 inches in the discus with a conference-best of 54-4 in the shot put.
“It’s going to take at least 100 points to win the team title,” Draper said.
Reigning Class 2A state runner-up Kaneland will look for another huge effort from Ben Barnes.
The senior is coming off winning Kane County titles in both the long and triple jump on his final attempts in last Saturday.
The Illinois recruit also energized the Knights’ championship 400 relay.
“We haven’t put that relay together before,” Kaneland coach Eric Baron said after Barnes, Aaron Olson, Isaac Swithers and Tanner Robertson defied all odds by winning the event from the slow heat.
Walker hurting
Barnes enjoyed his big day in the jumps at the county meet in Geneva as West Aurora star junior Chris Walker struggled mightily.
The Blackhawks’ defending Class 3A state runner-up in the triple jump was almost four feet short of his top-seeded mark in settling for fifth. Walker was more competitive in the long jump with his third-place finish.
Walker had his left hamstring heavily bandaged and scratched all his finals jumps in the triple.
“We’re going to do what we need to do to get (Walker) ready for the sectional,” West Aurora coach Cortney Lamb said.
The Blackhawks matched the number of Batavia championships at county with three each, but the Bulldogs near-30-point team triumph was accomplished with greater depth.
“We had a good day, but Batavia had a better day,” Lamb said. “I am very proud of the kids for the character they showed today.”
McNanna primed
Hinckley-Big Rock coach Greg Burks can only wish he had the same luxuries as some of his counterparts in the area.
Burks has but 10 athletes in the program and a limited schedule.
“The Little Ten doesn’t have a conference meet,” Burks said. “We spend the entire year preparing for the (Class 1A Byron) sectional.”
But Burks does have one ringer among on his team. Junior Zach McNanna is not only a returning state qualifier in the high jump, but also a threat to advance in both hurdle races next week.
“(McNanna) would be a person any school, big or small, would like to have in their program,” Burks said. “He has been consistently scoring for us in four events.”
McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.