High school track and field season will soon hit the outdoors.

The official season began with indoor meets on Jan. 29, with outdoors events starting soon. The Illinois High School Association sectional meets are May 8-10 for girls, while boys run a week later. The state meet at Eastern Illinois for girls is May 16-18, with the boys competing from May 23-25.

Here is a look at the top 16 track and field athletes to watch in the Peoria area for the 2024 season — listed alphabetically and separated by players from boys and girls.

2023 IHSA STATE MEETS: Boys recap | Girls recap

BOYS

Marcus Czapar, El Paso-Gridley

The junior was a top-four pole vault finisher at the 2023 Class 1A state meet. He finished fourth with a vault of 13 feet, 1.5 inches. Czapar won 12 outdoor meets last season highlighted by victories at the Heart of Illinois Conference (13 feet, 5.75 inches) and a Class 1A sectional (13 feet, 7.75 inches) crown.

Darrin Dussett, Richwoods

The senior returns the top two sprint times in the Peoria area. In 2023, he ran the 100-meter dash in 10.96 seconds, while having the top time in the 200-meter dash (22.14 seconds). Dussett qualified for the Class 2A state medal in those two events, plus the 4x100-meter relay.

IHSA track and field records: The all-time best performances around Peoria

Heath Hawkins, Pekin

The senior had the Peoria area's best pole vault height (15 feet, 1 inch) in 2023. He was the ninth-place finisher (14 feet, 1.25 inches) at the Class 3A state meet. Hawkins won the Mid-Illini Conference title, while also running the 100, 200 and 400 as well as the sprint relays.

Isaiah Hill, Elmwood/Brimfield

The senior and 2023 Journal Star boys cross country runner of the year earned three Class 1A state medals last season. He finished as the runner-up in the 1600-meter run (4:19.93), fourth in the 800-meter run (1:55.38) and fifth in the 4x800-meter relay (8:10.61).

Peoria track and field shines at state: SpongeBob socks, rock star moms and words of wisdom

Jayden Jones, Macomb

The senior was the Class 2A long jump state champion, going unbeaten for nine meets in 2023. His winning leap of 22 feet, 11.5 inches was an outdoor personal best. Jones was also the eighth-place finisher in the high jump at 6 feet, 2.75 inches.

Carson Lehman, Eureka

The senior ran in three events at the 2023 Class 1A state meet. He was a member of the 4x800-meter relay runner-up finish (8:00.64) and a seventh-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay (3:27.46). Lehman also ran in the prelims of the 400-meter dash, clocking in at 51.51 seconds.

Keagan Uphoff, Olympia

The senior was a three-time state qualifier at the 2023 Class 2A state meet. He competed in the state prelims of the 110-meter high hurdles (15.69 seconds), 300-meter hurdles (40.90 seconds) and high jump (6 feet, 0.75 inches). His 110-meter high hurdles time of 15.35 seconds was a Peoria-area best in 2023.

Josh Weeks, Morton

The senior held two of the 2023 Peoria area's best times last season, running the 1600-meter run in 4:30.70 and the 3200-meter run in 9:45.62. Weeks finished 19th at the Class 2A state meet in a time of 9:54.19. He was the Class 2A sectional and Mid-Illini Conference champion in the 3200.

JOURNAL STAR ALL-AREA TRACK AND FIELD: Boys athletes of the year | Girls athletes of the year

GIRLS

Kennady Anderson, Annawan/Wethersfield

The senior and 2023 Journal Star girls cross country runner of the year was a three-time Class 1A state medalist in 2023. Anderson was sixth (2:19.14) in the 800-meter run, seventh place (5:11.05) in the 1600-meter run, and placed fourth (10:57.73) in the 3200-meter run.

Syriah Boyd, Galesburg

The senior was a three-time Class 2A state qualifier, taking third in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes. Boyd ran the 200 in 24.81 seconds, while finishing the 400 in 57.34 seconds. Her 200-meter dash time was the best among Peoria-area sprinters in 2023.

Daniella Bumber, Henry/Midland

The sophomore was a three-time state medalist at the 2023 Class 1A state meet. She was a second-place finisher in the 400-meter dash (57.27 seconds), fourth in the 200-meter dash (25.35 seconds) and took sixth in the 100-meter dash (12.43 seconds).

Ranaisha Howard-Dunigan, Limestone

The senior was a two-time Class 2A state qualifier in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. She took seventh place in the 100 (12.31 seconds). Her two top times in 2023 were 12.16 seconds (100) and 24.86 seconds (200), winning both events at the Mid-Illini Conference meet.

Lena Jackson, Richwoods

The junior was the 100-meter dash fifth-place finisher at the Class 2A state meet, clocking in at 12.08 seconds. Her state prelim time of 11.99 seconds was a 2023 Peoria-area best. She was also fifth in the 200-meter dash at 25.04 seconds — third among the Peoria area's best in 2023.

Sophia Ramirez, Washington

The sophomore made her most at her first state meet in 2023. She took fifth in the Class 3A 1600-meter run (5:02.19). Her top times last season included 59.87 seconds in the 400-meter dash, 2:18.51 in the 800-meter run and the 1600-meter run at 4:54.85.

Mya Strahm, Elmwood/Brimfield

The junior is the reigning Class 1A state champion in the pole vault. Her winning vault of 12 feet was an outdoor personal best. Strahm, who is committed to Tennessee, vaulted 13-3 to win the 23rd Annual Windy City Pole Vault Summit indoor meet on March 2.

'This year is amazing': How two friends from two schools ended up IHSA pole vault champions

Chelsea Wetzel, Dunlap

The senior and reigning Journal Star girls track athlete of the year set the Peoria area's all-time pole vault effort in 2023. She vaulted 13 feet, 1.5 inches at the Class 2A Galesburg Sectional last May. Wetzel went on to win the Class 2A state championship, vaulting 12 feet, 2.5 inches.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA track and field: Top athletes around Peoria, Illinois in 2024