Eighth annual Missouri vs. Illinois track meet showcases top talent

Published 12:05 am Friday, June 5, 2026

By NICK KOETTERS

In sports, it’s natural to build rivalries.

Sometimes those form with nearby schools or with people you’ve had battles with back and forth. Sometimes those rivalries run really deep and build a lot of competition and drive people to do better whenever they go against each other.

Then there are those rare moments when rivalries can get put on hold and rivals can team up and cheer each other on. That opportunity comes Friday night at Palmyra during the eighth annual Illinois vs. Missouri senior track and field meet. An event that sees local area seniors get one more chance to represent their school and their state on the track.

The event this year has plenty of star power to go around. Both states have headliners in Saylor Barry (Unity) for Illinois and Landen Chapman (Paris) for Missouri.

Barry won her third straight long jump state championship this year and will be continuing her track career at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale next year.

Chapman has won back-to-back state championships in both the 800 and 1,600-meter races the last two seasons. The Columbia College signee also set a new Class 2 state meet record in the 800 at this year’s state championships.

They’ll be joined by Cooper Clair (Knox County) who won state titles in the 100-meter dash, 4×100 and 4×200-meter relays this spring.

The throwing competition will be very competitive. Timia Reinberg (Monroe City), Charlie Roush (South Shelby), and Bailie Crist (Highland) all had to battle each other all season long in the same conference and class. But now the three will team up to try and secure huge points for the Missouri side.

They will be matched with Dakota Thorman (Macomb) and Peyton Ehrhardt (Central) who have their own state experience.

The guy’s side isn’t lacking in star power. Jakarri Clark (Bowling Green), Jay Arnold (Hannibal) and Avery Biggerstaff (Clark County) each have multiple state appearances in the throws.

This event gives athletes a chance to team up and try putting together a “Dream Team” relay. Barry, Jordan Hines (Macomb), Faith Alford (Central), and Agnes Genenbacher (Central) will team up to run a 4×100. They’ll match up against Charlee Holland (Scotland County), Kennedy Hathaway (Marion County), Sophie Slater (Canton), and Bailie Crist (Highland).

The boys 4×400 could have the likes of Cooper Seaton (South Shelby), Quintin Roach (Clark County), Kai Binsbacher (Clark County) and Chapman facing off against Jonas Anderson (Pittsfield), Bodie Marable (Pittsfield), Curtis Rigg (Central) and Tatum Eicken (Central).

The meet is also a chance to have fun and try something new. Ever watch a shot putter try and do high jump? Want to watch a sprinter try throwing the discus for the first time?

In a normal track meet, athletes are limited to four events each. The event allows the athletes to try things and have fun on their last go around with no limitations.

The event has a bigger cause in the end. All money raised through donations and good will donations throughout the night will go towards local Special Olympic groups. Money will be donated for groups to use towards Special Olympic programs of the schools that participate in the meet. Over the previous eight meets held, the event has raised over $7,000. The goal is to end the night having raised $1,500 this year.

The event will take place at Palmyra High School. Field events start at 6 p.m. and running events will start around 7 p.m.