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Boys Track: Hinsdale South’s Binion makes State in two events
Updated: July 2, 2012 9:49AM
Few would have given Hinsdale South junior Tavaris Binion much of a chance to win the 100-meter dash at the Lockport Sectional on May 17.
The sectional field included two place-finishers from last year’s IHSA Class 3A state meet.
But Binion pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the meet by beating five other contenders, including previous State qualifiers Perez Ford of Romeoville and Leo Okeke of Eisenhower.
Binion won the 100 in 10.78, qualifying for the 2012 state meet — at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston — and also made the cut with a third-place finish in the 200 (22.17).
Hinsdale South’s only other State qualifier was Dijon James, who earned an automatic berth as the sectional runner-up in high jump (6-2). James qualified for the state meet for the second time in three years.
Binion has an opportunity to make school history, as no Hinsdale South sprinter has ever medaled in the state meet. Binion ranks sixth among State qualifiers based on sectional times. He ranks 12th in the 200.
“I probably didn’t look at it as a surprise,” Binion said regarding the 100. “Those guys are good. I knew about the talent (in the field).”
Binion was aware of Hinsdale South’s slim history of developing sprinters. Hornets coach Dean Norman said he believed the last State-qualifying sprinter at the school was Josh Jones (Class of 2001).
In the 100, Binion beat Ford (10.85) and Downers Grove North’s Jordan Munar (10.93) among the State qualifiers. Okeke missed the State-qualifying time in both the 100 and 200, as he’d been battling a hamstring injury in recent weeks.
No other event in the sectional produced more State qualifiers than the 200, as Ford (21.97) led a group of five. Binion was third behind Munar (22.14).
Binion nearly made it to State with the 1600 relay (3:23.88), but with D.J. King out due to injury, the relay came up short. The Hornets’ quartet — Joe Gangichiodo, Abreon Starks, Binion and Rory Caputo — placed third in 3:23.88; the State-qualifying time was 3:23.74.
The 800 relay also missed making State, with Greg Danielson, DeMario Gordon, Binion and Gangichiodo finishing third in 1:29.83. The qualifying time is 1:29.64.
Hinsdale South (37 points) finished seventh in the 16-team sectional.
