Mattoon’s Sam Bradbury and Charleston’s Wyatt Strader each qualified for the Class 2A IHSA state boys track and field meet. 

Bradbury, who just committed to EIU Track & Field, relied on a heave of 15.55 meters to easily win the shot put by nearly 1 1/2 feet at the sectional meet held at Tolono High.

“Sam had a great night in the shot put,” MHS coach Jarod Kimbro said. “He PR’d and put himself in a great spot going into the state meet.”

Strader leaped 6.37 meters to win the long jump by roughly 3 inches. 

“Wyatt looked great last night,” CHS track coach Josh Stice said. “Our goal was to get a mark high enough to keep him in the top two and he did just that with his very first jump. He was, unfortunately, not able to get a better mark in finals to help his seed going into the state meet but we are excited for next week, nonetheless.”

Brothers Alex Stout and Zac Stout also qualified for next’s state meet at EIU’s O’Brien Stadium.

Zac surpassed 12 feet, taking second in the pole vault thanks to fewer missed attempts over teammate Peyton Cox and a Mahomet vaulter.

Alex finished third in the discus, qualifying on his final attempt when he recorded a toss of 45.08 meters, or roughly 147 feet, 9 inches. That was also a personal best distance.

Mattoon’s Brock Davee just missed qualifying. The senior finished third in the 3,200, clocking 9 minutes, 53.93 seconds – a personal record but just .28 seconds shy of the state time. “Brock ran a great race and just missed qualifying time,” Kimbro said. “He did everything he could and, unfortunately, came up a little short.”