In a historic performance, Delavan sophomore Corie Green claimed the Class 1A 800-meter state championship at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Boys Track and Field State Championships on Saturday, clocking an impressive personal record of 1:55.46 at O'Brien Field at Eastern Illinois University, a full 1.01 seconds ahead of his closest competitor.

Green’s victory marks Delavan High School’s first state track and field title in more than four decades, ending a long championship drought. The school’s last state crown came in 1982, when the Delavan boys won the 4x800-meter relay.

The race was a thrilling spectacle, with Green setting a commanding pace from the outset. As the final stretch approached, he unleashed a powerful finishing kick, holding off challengers and crossing the line as the state champion.

Delavan’s success at the state meet extended beyond Green’s victory. Senior Ryan Schmidgall delivered a strong performance in the Class 1A 400-meter dash, securing sixth place with a time of 49.89 seconds, finishing just 1.42 seconds off the first-place finisher.

Additionally, junior Nick Glisson represented Delavan in the Class 1A High Jump, finishing tenth with a height of 1.88 meters, just 0.12 meters shy of the winning mark. 

Green’s achievement, along with Schmidgall’s and Glisson’s impressive showings, is expected to inspire future Delavan runners and jumpers, cementing their place in the school’s athletic history. 

As the IHSA State Championships conclude, Delavan’s performances stand as symbols of perseverance, proving that the legacy of Delavan track and field is once again alive and well.