OK, you old-timers out there ... for IHSA track before the 300m intermediates were instituted, what were the 2 "equivalent" events that were contested?
Fastest player you’ve seen
- Thread starter MS4EVER
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I'm actually referring to the longer hurdle race in a meet beyond the 120-yd highs of the time.
Before the 300m IH, you had the 220-yd lows, which replaced the 180-yd lows, the latter of which were run on the STRAIGHTAWAY. The change between the last 2 versions occurred during the late '60s in the era of mostly cinder HS tracks, chalked lane lines and long spikes on the running shoes. I believe the move to the 300m IH and metric tracks in general came sometime in the early to mid '70s.
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easy answers of don beebe who was held the nfl combine 40 record at 4.25 for 19 years and kevin kasper of hinsdale south who with a 3.73 still holds the nfl combine 5-10-5 record he set in 2011.
Mark Kachmer (2008 St. Francis Spartans)
I will begin by stating I have no idea what his 40-yard dash time might have been, nor whether or not he ran track. Nevertheless, I had the pleasure of watching several St. Francis games during that special 2008 season and each time came away astounded by Kachmer's speed. So much so that I kept a couple of newspaper articles from that year, and determined to make an effort to find them when I saw this thread. It took a while but I found them. Some of what I will now write is based on information from those articles, but the impression the kid made on me is all mine.
My daughter taught at St. Francis at the time and I was in the habit of attending one or two games each year. By the second game of the season it became clear the 2008 season might be special and consequently I saw three games in person, plus (if memory serves me correctly) watched the 5A championship game on television. Greg Purnell had come from Iowa the prior season to take over as head coach. He had won three state championships in Iowa so there was hope he might have some success at St. Francis. In 2006 the Spartans had been 0-9. In Purnell's first season (2007) the Spartans improved to 3-6. Then, magic occurred. The Spartans went 13-1 in 2008 and defeated the defending champion (Metamora) 49-35 in the 5A title game. In doing so, they broke Metamora's 27-game winning streak. That was and still is the Spartan's only football state championship. St. Francis also defeated Driscoll in the third game of the regular season that year and avenged their only loss of the season by beating Montini 28 to 14 in the playoff quarterfinals.
Any football championship is the result of a total team effort, but much of the credit for that amazing turnaround was due to Greg Purnell's coaching and Mark Kachmer's speed. Time after time all season long Kachmer would beat the outside linebacker to the corner, turn it, and then easily outrun safeties to the endzone when they seemingly had the angle on him. The Spartans that year were predominantly a running team, the opponents knew it, and yet the opponents could still not stop it. Bobowski would soften them up with punishing runs up the middle, and then (woosh!) Kachmer would fly down the sideline to the endzone. St. Francis broke the 5A title-game record for most points scored by one team.
To get a sense of what I'm talking about, the Spartans beat DeKalb 61-13 in the second game of the season. Mark Kachmer finished the game with 412 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 17 carries. Three of his touchdowns came on runs of 62, 59 and 56 yards. But it could have been worse for the Barbs because at halftime Kachmer already had 280 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
The lad was fast.
I will begin by stating I have no idea what his 40-yard dash time might have been, nor whether or not he ran track. Nevertheless, I had the pleasure of watching several St. Francis games during that special 2008 season and each time came away astounded by Kachmer's speed. So much so that I kept a couple of newspaper articles from that year, and determined to make an effort to find them when I saw this thread. It took a while but I found them. Some of what I will now write is based on information from those articles, but the impression the kid made on me is all mine.
My daughter taught at St. Francis at the time and I was in the habit of attending one or two games each year. By the second game of the season it became clear the 2008 season might be special and consequently I saw three games in person, plus (if memory serves me correctly) watched the 5A championship game on television. Greg Purnell had come from Iowa the prior season to take over as head coach. He had won three state championships in Iowa so there was hope he might have some success at St. Francis. In 2006 the Spartans had been 0-9. In Purnell's first season (2007) the Spartans improved to 3-6. Then, magic occurred. The Spartans went 13-1 in 2008 and defeated the defending champion (Metamora) 49-35 in the 5A title game. In doing so, they broke Metamora's 27-game winning streak. That was and still is the Spartan's only football state championship. St. Francis also defeated Driscoll in the third game of the regular season that year and avenged their only loss of the season by beating Montini 28 to 14 in the playoff quarterfinals.
Any football championship is the result of a total team effort, but much of the credit for that amazing turnaround was due to Greg Purnell's coaching and Mark Kachmer's speed. Time after time all season long Kachmer would beat the outside linebacker to the corner, turn it, and then easily outrun safeties to the endzone when they seemingly had the angle on him. The Spartans that year were predominantly a running team, the opponents knew it, and yet the opponents could still not stop it. Bobowski would soften them up with punishing runs up the middle, and then (woosh!) Kachmer would fly down the sideline to the endzone. St. Francis broke the 5A title-game record for most points scored by one team.
To get a sense of what I'm talking about, the Spartans beat DeKalb 61-13 in the second game of the season. Mark Kachmer finished the game with 412 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 17 carries. Three of his touchdowns came on runs of 62, 59 and 56 yards. But it could have been worse for the Barbs because at halftime Kachmer already had 280 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
The lad was fast.
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I just now did some additional research on Mark Kachmer. He did run track at St. Francis and holds the school record for the 200-meter dash (22.15 seconds).
In that special 2008 season, his senior year at St. Francis, he ran for 1,988 yards and 34 touchdowns. He was a unanimous All-State selection.
He went on to be a three-year starter at tailback for Brown University, which is an Ivy League school located in Providence, Rhode Island. Among his many achievements there, he had a 95-yard touchdown run against Yale. That was the fourth longest touchdown run in Ivy League history. He also had two kickoff returns for touchdowns. These accomplishments are evidence of just how fast the young man was.
In that special 2008 season, his senior year at St. Francis, he ran for 1,988 yards and 34 touchdowns. He was a unanimous All-State selection.
He went on to be a three-year starter at tailback for Brown University, which is an Ivy League school located in Providence, Rhode Island. Among his many achievements there, he had a 95-yard touchdown run against Yale. That was the fourth longest touchdown run in Ivy League history. He also had two kickoff returns for touchdowns. These accomplishments are evidence of just how fast the young man was.
He was unreal. That was a great year for the old suburban Catholic. I remember watching him on film and thinking he wasn’t that fast, then I remember watching them play in person and thinking how fast he was. In person I watched the IC St. Francis game and the state championship and he ran all over IC. I have family connections from that team and the IC team so I was very familiar with both programs. Fun year that was.
Edit: Bobowski was a tank. He ran very very hard. Great player.
IC wins 2a, st Francis wins 4a in 2008. Hard to believe that was 17 years ago! Getting old.
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