No Deerfield boy has ever won a state championship in hurdles. Chris Douglas is looking to change that this weekend in Charleston.
The senior won the 110 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles at the Class 3A Loyola Sectional on Thursday, May 21, and owns the third-best time among state qualifiers in each event. The program’s only individual state title was during the 1978-79 school year by Tom Stevens in the 1-mile run.
“His goal is to be a state champion,” Deerfield coach Jeremy Kauffman said of Douglas.
Douglas finished first in the high hurdles in 14.29 seconds to repeat as sectional champion and clocked a 38.72 in the intermediate hurdles. Although neither time was a personal best, Douglas owns the program record in both events. Kauffman said the slower times might be a reflection of Douglas getting too fast.
“His training has added more speed, but it’s also throwing his steps off,” Kauffman said. “We will be working on that.”
Hank Flury was Deerfield’s other sectional champion. The junior was first in the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 3 inches. Senior Graham Tonner and senior Charles Nash also qualified for the state meet. Tonner took second in the discus (156-6), and Nash was second in the 800 (1:55.49).
The Warriors finished third as a team with 57 points. Evanston won with 118 points.
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