Kankakee Valley High School

Kankakee Valley High School boys' track and field team competed in the IHSAA Sectional on Thursday, May 22, 2026 at KVHS, a replacement venue for the Rensselaer Central stadium, which was damaged in the windstorm earlier this spring. KV captured a third-straight sectional victory, and the fifth in the last six years. Kougar athletes claimed the top spot in four events: Nolen Kooistra won the 400m dash; Matt Hoffman won the 3200m run; Van Kooistra, Matt Ritchie, Tyson Whittington, and Nolen Kooistra won the 400m relay; and Matt Ritchie, Tyson Whittington, Bryce Moore, and Nolen Kooistra won the 1600m relay. "The score was not looking favorable in the early going," claimed Coach Adams, "but on paper, we were good for 125 points." KV scored 136.75 points to runner-up Rensselaer Central's 117.75 in the fourteen-team field, eleven more points than last year and just five points shy of their record-setting performance in 2024. Team depth helped KV in numerous events. "Placing two athletes in was our salvation today. Until the last three events, we were holding on to a two-point margin over the Bombers." Those last three events saw KV outscore RC, 40 to 23. The 2-3 combination of Nolen Kooistra and Matt Ritchie in the 200m dash led the point spree for KV and widened the gap. Matt Hoffman gained control of the 3200m with two laps remaining, followed closely by Luke Ehrhardt's third place finish, to put the Kougars safely out of reach. The 1600m relay squad (Ritchie, Whittington, Moore, N. Kooistra) battled the entire four laps with RC, holding them off to provide the proverbial icing with a near school-record to take the last event. Other scorers -- in the field events: Pole Vault -- Braiden Huff (3rd) and Joey Patton (5th); High Jump -- Ian Swart (4th) and Parker Harrington (7th-tie); Shot Put -- Jackson Tomich (4th) Long Jump -- Tyson Whittington (6th); Discus -- Max Lyskava (6th). On the track: 3200m relay -- Luke Ehrhardt, Milo Herz, Markus Terborg, and Noah Knoerzer (4th); 110m hurdles -- Van Kooistra (3rd); 100m dash -- Matt Ritchie (2nd), Bryce Moore (3rd). 1600m run -- Owen Sharp (2nd), Noah Knoerzer (8th). 400m dash -- Whittington (5th). 300m hurdles -- Zach Gutierrez (6th). 800m run -- Sharp (5th), Milo Herz (6th).