Tuscola Warrior posts top times in IHSA Class 1AAs postseason starts
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By Daniel L. Chamness
Kamden Flenner should be at state in about 2.5 weeks.
Not only should he be there, but all indications are that he will be on the award podium. High up on the award podium. Perhaps even in the top spot.
And like the last few years, he will not be the lone Tuscola Warrior there. On paper, Fleener’s times pop off the page. But, that pales in comparison to seeing him run those times.
The sun, no matter what school you compete for, no matter what race you compete in, will set on the 2026 track season May 30, 2026. If Flenner has his way about it, he will be standing with a group of Warriors about 5:30 p.m. collecting a team medal and a team trophy.
“I have been thinking about the end of the year since my first unattached meet in December,” said the Warrior senior sprinter. “I knew from that first meet that I was capable of doing some pretty good things this season. Crazy good. I want to do everything I can by scoring points in helping them as a team. I know if I can do my part, we have other athletes that will perform and we can put another trophy in that case.”
According to Athletic.net, Flenner is ranked first in the 100-meter dash and second in the 200-meter dash in the rankings of the Illinois High School Association Class 1A track athletes. Not only that, he is the anchor leg of the fastest 800-meter relay team in the state and the anchor leg of the third fastest 400-meter relay in the state.
“Of the four events I am in, I am most proud of those times in the 800-meter relay,” said Flenner. “Not only is it great running and being successful with that group of guys. It is great to celebrate with them after the race is over. Those other athletes want to win the state team title as much as I do. They also want to win that relay title. It is great that we have the same goals and it makes the dynamic tremendous.”
In the 800-meter relay, he has combined talents with Bradlee Washington, Sawyer Beachy and Calvin Cook to run 1 minute, 29.02 seconds. The foursome ran the time at the Gene Ward Invitational on May 1. They lead the state by over 1/2 of a second as Pleasant Plains is the second fastest team in Class 1A, as they have run a time of 1:29.54.
His best time of the year in the 100-meter dash, :10.38, is 24/100ths of a second better than the second best time, :10.63, which was run by Morrison senior Brady Anderson.
“So far this season, I have not been beaten in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes,” said Flenner. “I am hoping to ride that streak into the state championships. At the state championships, I would like to break the state records in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.”
Anderson, at the present time has the best time in the 200-meter dash, running :21.14 this season. At the Central Illinois Conference Meet, a mere six days ago, Flenner posted the state’s second best time at :21.40.
The same Warrior foursome that has posted the state’s best time in the 800-meter relay also has the third best time in the 400-meter relay, which is the second event at high school meets. Only the 3,200-meter relay proceeds it. The Warriors posted a time of :43.11, when competing at the ALAH Invitational in April. Only Bismark-Hennig-Rossville-Alvin (42.46) and Pleasant Plains (:43.02) have run faster.
What is almost a guarantee is that Flenner will add to his medal count at the state finals. Thus far the senior has only one medal, which he won at the state finals a year ago, when Tuscola finished second in the 800-meter relay.