A day to remember: Ja’Mari Ward wins four events at Norm Armstrong/Belleville West Invitational

In a high school track and field career full of epic performances, Cahokia senior Ja’Mari Ward simply took his ability an even higher level on Saturday at the Norm Armstrong/Belleville West Invitational.

Competing in the 100 and 200 meters in an outdoor competition for the first time, Ward posted meet record and national caliber times in both as he led the Comanches to a second-place finish in the elite 26-team event at Belleville West High School.

One week after posting the nation’s top effort in the triple jump (50 feet, 11 1/2 inches) at the Mobile (Ala.) Challenge of Champions, Ward set meet records in the 100 meters of 10.64 seconds and the 200 meters at 21.05 seconds as part of a four-victory performance on a crisp, cool spring afternoon.

“I knew Ja’Mari was capable of those types of times. I just didn’t think he would run them today,” a smiling Cahokia coach Leroy Millsap said, shaking his head in wonder about his talented senior. “This is was the first time he had ever run the 100 meters and just the second time he had run the 200 meters and the first time was indoors two weeks ago.

“He is a remarkable young athlete.”

Ward, who also won the long jump with an effort of 24 feet, 9 inches and the triple jump with a leap of 49 feet, 1 inch, was joined by two more local national-caliber athletes in William Session, of Belleville East, and A.J. Epenesa, of Edwardsville, who combined for three more titles.

A University of Iowa football recruit Epenesa, who set the record in the discus at the O’Fallon Relays last week, had a throw of 190 feet, 4 inches to beat former Lebanon standout Andrew Ellison’s meet mark of 188 feet set in 2011.

Session, one of the best in all of the Midwest in the hurdles, took the titles in the 110 meter hurdles (14.12 seconds) and the 300 hurdles (38.53).

While Ward, Epenesa and Session led the way for local athletes, it was the Minooka Indians who unseated Cahokia as team champions. Coach Nick Lundin’s talented team won just two events — the freshman-sophomore 1,600 meter relay and the varsity 1,600 meter relay — but scored in nearly every event as it finished with 104 points — 27 more then Cahokia.

Edwardsville, which like Cahokia, was competing without athletes who were taking the ACT test on Saturday, was third with 63 poits, while Lockport (60 1/2 points) and Marion (55) rounded out the top five teams.

“I was pleased. This is our third year coming down here and we’ve never been able to catch Cahokia or Edwardsville until today,” Lundin said. “We only won two events and they were the last two of the day. But we were able to have a lot of third-through sixth place finishes. Our depth really paid off.”

Ward leads Cahokia

Ward’s day began with a scratch on his first attempt in the long jump before the two-time state champion in the event, landed his winning jump on his second attempt. With the title at hand, Ward passed on his third attempt to conserve his valuable energy.

That strategy paid off in the 100 meters where he got out of the blocks quickly and finished with a time of 10.64 seconds. Ward however tweaked a muscle in his left thigh the final 10 meters, which at least for a second, left a question as to if he would compete in the triple jump and 200 meters.

But he did.

After winning the triple jump, Ward saved the best for last as he left the competition in the dark with a time of 21.05 seconds in the 200 meters.

“I was fine. I just tweaked the quad (muscle),” Ward said. “Running the four open events is something I’ve wanted to try. I knew I could do it and while I still think I can do better in the triple jump, I’m happy with how I did in the 100 and 200 meters. I felt good.”

Session looks strong

The defending Class 3A state champion in the 110 meter hurdles and a medal winner in the 300 meter hurdles at state a year ago, Session overcame a slow start out of the blocks in the 110 meter hurdles and challenges in the 300 meter hurdles from several athletes including Waterloo senior Greyson Moehrs.

“I didn’t get a good start out of the blocks in the 110’s today and that’s something I need to continue to work on,” Session said. “The 300 meter hurdles was a good race for me because I was pushed and being pushed forces me to run my better times.

“I just had to stay focused in the 300 meters. It was close and when I felt someone closing on me, I just needed to remember to keep my arms moving and my legs high while I was going over the hurdles.”

A long day for Epensea

The premier athlete in the state in the discus, Epenesa’s day began in the classroom as he was one of many juniors around the state who took the ACT test on Saturday. Missing the shot put, Epenesa arrived just minutes before the start of the discus competition.

After fouling on his first attempt and getting off good, but not great throws, on his next two attempts, Epenesa, using a still new throwing form, hit his winning toss of 190 feet, 4 inches.

“How did I do on the ACT test? I think I did pretty well,” Epenesa said. “It was all right. The only thing was that we felt a little rushed to get here. Throwing 190 feet today is a good throw. But I know I can do better.”

Other local winners

O’Fallon junior Chris Conrad continued to show why he may be the best 800 meter runner in the metro-east, posting a championship time of 1 minute, 55.52 seconds,.

Granite City junior Will O’Keefe won the 1,600 meters in a time of 4 minutes, 26.63 seconds.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 10:11 PM with the headline "A day to remember: Ja’Mari Ward wins four events at Norm Armstrong/Belleville West Invitational."