Sectionals last year did not go as planned for Guerin senior Corey Jones.
Jones qualified for state as a sophomore by taking second place at sectionals (20 feet, 7 inches), but last year he went into the Class 1A Lisle Sectional and was unable to go 21 feet, the state cut for those who didn’t finish in the top two.
The problem was a shoulder injury he had been dealing with since football season. Jones had separated his left shoulder twice playing football and then separated it again in the spring.
He said doctors told him he needed surgery, but he wanted to wait until after track season because he had already cleared 23 feet during some regular season meets.
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Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to long jump effectively at sectionals due to the injury.
“It wasn’t really a sharp pain, but I couldn’t take full strides when I run without it hurting,” said Jones, a Chicago resident. “Then I’d feel pain when I was in the air or when I swing my arms in triple jump.”
Jones had the surgery in June and is feeling 100 percent now. His mom didn’t want him to play football in the fall, so he just rested for his final season of high school track.
Heading into sectionals, he had yet to crack 21 feet this spring, but he’s just biding his time and feels like he’ll put up a big number if the weather warms up.
He won the Metro Suburban East meet on May 15 by jumping 20-3.
“The arm is 100 percent and I feel great,” Jones said. “I’m in a perfect condition, but the weather in the meets has been horrible. I’m just waiting for that perfect meet.”
Guerin coach Shannon Pearce was confident that Jones would get that perfect meet at the Lisle Sectional on Friday, May 22.
“He’s really focused and determined this year,” Pearce said. “I know he has it in him. He’s the strongest he’s ever been. It’s just getting his right footing.”
If Jones could leap 21 feet at sectionals, the state qualifying mark this year, he knew exactly how to handle the state meet, held at Eastern Illinois O’Brien Stadium in Charleston.
“When I got downstate as a sophomore, I was very nervous,” Jones said. “I scratched my first two jumps because I was under pressure. My third jump (18-7) was so bad I should have just scratched. But I learned my lesson. If I go to state this year I know what I have to do. I just have to relax.”
One of the obstacles Jones has had to overcome is no track and field facilities at Guerin. He usually practices by marking off lines on the sidewalk to simulate a jumping pit, or practices technique on a runway made of rubber next to the softball field. But he’s unwilling to blame his circumstances as something that’s holding him back.
“Honestly it’s not difficult at all not having a [jumping] pit,” Jones said. “I just use it as a reason to do better than my competition. They have the facilities and I want to surpass them. Using [lack of facilities] as an excuse is just that, an excuse.”
Jones planned to compete in sectionals in two other events, triple jump and the 100-meter dash. His personal-best jump is around 40 feet and the state cut is 42-3.
But the 100 dash offered interesting possibilities. Jones ran 11.12 seconds in an invite hosted by Ridgewood and the state cut is 11.14.
Jones will attend Carthage College in the fall and plans to compete for the school’s track and field team.
Valentin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.