MT. VERNON — The Mt. Vernon Rams won seven events on the way to winning their own boys track and field invitational, but it was a Benton freshman who stole the show.

In a prime time finale to close the Ram Invite, some of the top 1600 meter runners in the state went head to head. The race featured Duke signee Brooks Harlan from Centralia, Tulane signee Tucker Poshard from Carbondale, Poshard’s junior standout teammate Alex Partlow, and Benton freshman sensation Gavin Genisio.

That foursome stayed pretty close as Harlan set the pace for the better part of the first three laps, but Genisio grabbed the lead heading into the final lap. He would not give it back. The freshman held off his more experienced competitors, finishing with an eye-popping time of 4:13.93. That’s the top freshman 1600 time in the country, an unofficial Illinois state freshman record, and the current top time in the state regardless of class.

Harlan was second (4:15.51), Partlow third (4:16.28), and Poshard fourth (4:23.53). All four times currently rank in the top 7 of the state.

Mt. Vernon held off Marion for the team title thanks to event wins from Alec Sledge (110/300 Hurdles), Evan Leake (400), Trey Mygatt (800), Quani Rudd (High Jump), as well as the 4×100 and 4×400 relays.

Marion won the 4×200 and 4×800 relays, with Dyson Roye and Colin Beers finishing 1-2 in the pole vault. Roye (15-6) and Beers (15-0) became the first Wildcats in more than 30 years to clear 15 feet with Roye’s effort tying for the second best in school history.

Carbondale’s Jackson Grant swept the throws, including a new personal best in the shot put (56-0).

For full results, click here.