JACKSON'S WHITNEY DASHES TO TWO MEET, SCHOOL RECORDS

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- -- The "Speedwagon" has taken his wheels to the track.

Jackson sophomore Mario Whitney, nicknamed the Speedwagon during football season, lived up to his name Saturday by breaking school and meet records in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes in the 13-team Murphysboro Invitational.

Whitney posted an eye-popping time of 10.5 seconds in the 100 and a 22.2 in the 200.

"He's the real deal," said Jackson coach Bob Sink. "I think you'll see both those times drop. If you run a 10.5 at the state meet, you'll be in the money."

Whitney, who posted Jackson's only first-place finishes, was voted the meet's outstanding track performer on the boys side. Despite Whitney's performances, Jackson finished ninth.

Cape Central's Dionna Webb also snapped some meet records. Webb, who was voted outstanding track performer on the girls side, broke meet records in the 100 (12.4), the 200 (26.53) and the long jump (18-2).

Cape Central's Gabe Austin also set a meet record with his 4:34 performance in the mile. Jeff Thiele took a first place in the discus for Central with a throw of 144-0. Also, Central's 3200-relay team of Austin, Mark Stone, Ross Tilghman and Trevor Duncan took first place with a time of 8:30.

Cape Central -- which had several athletes miss the trip due to other school-related ventures, including Heather Jenkins, a returning all-state performer in the shot put and discus -- took first place on the girls side with 101 points and took second place on the boys side with 68 points. Central also had the highest combined score of any team.

Carbondale won the boys competition with 109 points.

On the girls side, Jackson got first-place finishes from Jennifer Love in the 100 hurdles (16.1) and the 300 hurdles (50.5). Jackson's 4x100 team of Megan Kunze, Rachele Smith, Jenna Bolen and Lindsey Myer took first with a time of 52.1. The same group also took first in the 4x200 relay with a mark of 1:50.86.

Jackson finished in second place, falling one point shy, 101-100, of Cape Central.

"Our girls competed well," said Sink. "We had a chance to win the track meet. There were a couple places we could've finished higher or done something different."

For Jackson's results see `Scoreboard'.