(By: Toby Gullion – Sports Director)
The Franklin Park Bobcats made school history on Saturday, capturing the program’s first-ever SIJHSAA state championship in boys track and field in dramatic fashion.
Entering the final event of the day, Franklin Park knew exactly what was needed. The Bobcats required at least a sixth-place finish in the 4×400 relay to clinch the state title. That task became even more challenging when Salem found itself placed in the “slow heat,” leaving little margin for error and no guarantee of a high overall finish.
But when it mattered most, the Bobcats delivered.
The quartet of Eli Purdy, Emit Gibson, Dakota Gregg, and Ben Lux dominated their heat, running their way into a fifth-place overall finish in a time of 3:55.72. That performance proved to be the difference, officially securing the state championship and cementing the Bobcats’ place atop the podium nipping Herrin 51-49 with Carbondale a very close 3rde with 48 points.
While the team victory was the headline, the individual performances were just as impressive.
Tanner Purintun claimed a state championship in the shot put, finishing ahead of teammate Ben Lux, who placed second. Purintun also added a third-place finish in the discus with a throw of 137 feet, 7 inches. Lux had a standout day of his own, placing second in the shot put with a throw of 48 feet, 7 inches, and taking third in the discus with a mark of 151 feet.
The championship continued a dominant run for head coach Tyson Moore, who has built Salem into one of the state’s premier throwing programs. Purintun’s victory marked the third straight throwing state champion under Moore and gave him his eighth individual throwing state title in just 10 years of coaching. Even more impressive, Salem has produced a throwing state champion at every state meet held since 2019.
Moore’s impact on the program has been undeniable since he joined the coaching staff in 2016 as an assistant and throws coach. In that span, Salem has produced eight throwing state champions between the boys and girls programs. Moore became head track coach in 2021 and has already added another championship to his résumé, leading Salem baseball to the 2021 Class L state title while guiding the program through the only undefeated season in school history.
Franklin Park’s state title was also supported by strong performances across the board.
Kayne Rhynes finished fifth in the pole vault after clearing 8 feet, 6 inches. Eli Purdy placed third in the hurdles with a time of 14.57 seconds. Dakota Wiggins turned in personal bests in both the 400 meters (59.29 seconds) and the 800 meters (2:21.54). Kaiden Washington earned a fourth-place finish in the 100 meters, running 12.11 seconds.
In the relays, the Bobcats’ 4×100 team of Mickens, Lux, Horton, and Washington finished sixth in 48.33 seconds. The 4×200 relay team of Mickens, Gibson, Horton, and Purdy set a personal record with a time of 1:42.35. Another 4×200 group featuring Horton, Krutsinger, Eagan, and Dice also ran a personal best of 1:48.31.
On the girls side, Salem qualified a relay team in every event and produced multiple personal bests. The 4×200 team of Malan, Biegeleisen, Benjamain, and Pennypacker ran a PR of 1:58.32, while the same group also set a personal best in the 4×100 at 55.15 seconds. The 4×400 relay team of Detmer, Biegeleisen, Kuhns, and Carroll posted a PR of 4:41.84, and the 4×200 team of Kuhns, Owens, Teriet, and Carroll ran another PR at 1:58.96.
For Franklin Park, the day was one that will be remembered for years to come. A championship-clinching relay, multiple medal-winning performances, and a coach whose impact continues to elevate the entire program all combined to create a historic state title run for the Bobcats.
