JUNIOR HIGH TRACK: Elverado Repeats as Regional Champion

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ For the second straight year, Elverado (Junior High School) is Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) Class S Regional Boys Track and Field Champion.

Tuesday afternoon at Carbondale Community High School, the Junior Falcons blitzed the nine-team field to earn a regional repeat.

EJHS advances athletes in seven different events to the SIJHSAA State, May 9 at Salem.

Jake Lipe topped Elverado by winning four individual events.

Lipe was first in the 100 Hurdles (14.99); 100 Meters (12.4), 200 Meters (26.1) and Long Jump (16'8).

Kyle Whittington (5:50) was first in the 1,600 and joined Brian McClanahan, Nathan Epperheimer and Marshall Bell on the first place 4x200 8th Grade Relay (1:53.1).

Whittington, Austin Mapps, Epperheimer and Bell are also state bound in the 4x400 Relay after placing second (4:22.44).

"We are very confident about our chances at state and want to being back a team trophy," EHS coach Garrett Janello said. "With a kid like Jake Lipe a threat to win several events, I like our chances. We just missed getting a team trophy last season."

The Junior Falcons will also send Jenny Sarensen to state. Sarensen placed second in the girls 400 (70.38) during Tuesday's regional, which was also held at Carbondale.