Eastern Adds Shelbyville Athlete To Track Roster

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois men’s track and field added two local athletes to its 2017 roster after both competed at the IHSA State Track Meet in late May.  In addition six previously signed track and cross country athletes wrapped up their senior seasons.
 
Colton Yeakley and Marcus Skinner recently signed with the Panthers track and field team.  
 
Yeakley is from Atwood and helped ALAH HS (Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond) place sixth at this year’s IHSA Class 1A State Championships.   Yeakley advanced to the state meet competing in the discus and shot put.  He was the state runner-up in the shot put with a finals throw of 54’7.75”.  He placed seventh in the discus finals with a mark of 158’5”.  As a junior Yeakley placed 11th in the shot put and 12th in the discus at the Class 1A finals participating on the final day in both events.  He placed seventh in the state as a sophomore in the discus with a finals mark of 157’1”.
 
Skinner competed for Shelbyville HS and advanced to the IHSA Class 1A State Championships in three events.  He was part of the state runner-up squad on the 4x800m relay team that posted a finals time of 7:55.71.  As an individual Skinner placed 10th in the state finals in the 3200m run with a time of 10:01.47.  Skinner was second at the Moweaqua Central A&M Sectional in the 1600m with a time of 4:34.84 as his team won the Sectional title.   Skinner was seventh in the state in the 3200m as a junior with a Class 1A finals time of 9:44.38.
 
The Panthers track & field and cross country teams previously signed six athletes that wrapped up their senior seasons in May.  Seth Williams, Zach Phillips and Nick Phillips all signed with EIU in April.  Tyler Lay, Robbie Prescott and Raul Rosendo signed national letters of intent with EIU back in November.
 
Williams closed out his senior season competing at Rock Falls HS.  He advanced to the IHSA Class 2A State Championships in the 1600m run.  Williams closed out his prep career placing 12th in the state finals with a time of 4:36.74.  He was second at the Galena Sectional with a 1600m time of 4:22.49.   Williams was a standout cross country runner advancing to the IHSA Class 1A State Championships three times.  His best finish was eighth during his junior season.
 
Zach Phillips competed at Fort Zumwalt West HS in O’Fallon, Mo.  He placed second in Big River Runner Championship Series in the weight throw during the indoor season with a mark of 61’5.50”.   During the outdoor season he competed in the shot put and discus.  As a junior he advanced to the Missouri Class 5A District 4 Championships in the discus.
 
Nick Phillips competed at Fort Zumwalt West HS in O’Fallon, Mo.  He won the Big River Runner Championship Series weight throw during the indoor season with a mark of 63’3.50”.  During the outdoor season he competed in the shot put and discus.  As a junior he advanced to the Missouri Class 5A District 4 Championships in the shot put.  
 
Lay closed out his senior track season advancing to the IHSA Class 3A State Championships as a member of the 4x800m relay team competing for McHenry HS.  The relay team ran a prelims time of 8:13.89 after placing second at the DeKalb Sectional with a time of 7:54.40.  Lay placed 44th at the IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Championships as a senior.
 
Prescott closed out a solid prep career for Downers Grove North HS competing in the 4x800m and 1600m run at this IHSA Class 3A State Championships.  Prescott placed second in the state in the 1600m run with a finals time of 4:16.52.  The 4x800m relay team placed third in a fast field at the Downers Grove North Sectional posting a time of 7:56.02.   As a cross country runner he twice advanced to the IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Championships.
 
Rosendo just missed out on back-to-back trips to the IHSA Class 3A State Track Championships as he placed fourth in the 3200m run at the Neuqua Valley Sectional with a time of 9:43.79.  He was a three-time state qualifier in the IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Championships competing for Joliet Central HS.
 
The EIU men’s track team won the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track Championship while placing second at the 2016 Outdoor OVC Championship meet.  The Panthers cross country team placed second at the OVC Meet in 2015.