Oberkfell Claims Triple Crown; Auburn Relay Team Shines at State Meet

CHARLESTON — Chaz Oberkfell has made history as a triple crown champion, while the Auburn 4x400-meter relay team has solidified its place in track and field lore. Oberkfell, a senior distance runner from Gillespie, holds the Illinois High School Association titles for the one-mile, two-mile, and three-mile races in Class 1A. His journey to this impressive feat was filled with unexpected moments.

During the 3,200-meter event, which was organized in heats from slowest to fastest, Oberkfell emerged victorious in his heat with a time of 9 minutes, 8.17 seconds. Following a lengthy wait, he saw Toulon Stark County's Evan Knobloch secure the win in the final heat with a time of 9:32.06, ultimately sealing Oberkfell’s state title in a rather anticlimactic manner. “It feels really good,” Oberkfell remarked. “A lot of pressure lifted off for sure.”

His competitive spirit continued in the 1,600-meter race, where he faced a fierce challenge from Sullivan's Johnathan Iacobazzi, narrowly winning by just 0.07 seconds with a time of 4:14.66. “That was very competitive,” Oberkfell noted, crediting his last lap to divine support. “I mean, after that 800 I was feeling it and just coming back for it, I was a little nervous.” Earlier in the fall, Oberkfell also won the Class 1A boys cross country state meet, solidifying his status as a top-tier athlete in Illinois.

Meanwhile, the Auburn Trojans celebrated their own achievements, as Jacob Barth anchored the 4x400-meter relay team to a repeat state title, setting a new Class 1A record with a remarkable time of 3:17.79, defeating second-place Forreston by over five seconds. “Just proving that it wasn't an accident that we won last year," Barth stated confidently. "We just went out and did our own thing and showed that we belonged here.”

The Trojans' relay team ran a near-perfect race, with Hunter Piper starting strong and handing off to James Baisden, who then passed to sophomore Sam Talavera, before Barth brought it home. Despite the pressure of being defending champions, the team felt prepared and confident. “We had worked way harder than we had last year, and it just paid off,” Baisden said. After their victory, the team planned to celebrate with a meal at the Stadium Grill in Mattoon.

In team standings, Chatham Glenwood secured a third-place trophy thanks to strong performances in the high jump from McKenzie Doe III and Larry Wills. Both cleared 6 feet, 7 inches, but Doe edged out Wills based on fewer misses. Overall, Pleasant Plains finished second in Class 1A, while Auburn ended in seventh place, with all points from Oberkfell's performances. Other notable finishes included Taylorville's Liam Bettis, who took second in the 1,600-meter run.