Record-breaking McShane powers Freeport to state track title

CHARLESTON - Junior Deion McShane won a state title and finished in the top five in three other events to power Freeport to its first ever IHSA track and field championship.

McShane set a state record in the 300-meter low hurdles with a time of :36.53. That

bettered the 2A record of :37.10 and the Illinois record, which had stood since 1999, of :36.77.

He added second place finishes in the 200 meters and 100-meter high hurdles and finally a fifth place in the long jump.

Jered Allison was the other Pretzel to add to the Freeport point title. The senior finished fourth in the shot put with a toss of 55 feet.

Allison's points gave Freeport 37 for the meet, tying them with Normal University.

McShane's performance was perhaps the finest for a male NIC-10 athlete since the wondrous Bob Packard powered Rockford High School to the 1935 state championship. In 1935, Packard won the 100-yard and 220-yard dash, but Packard had more help from David Denny, who won the 120-yard high hurdles and took third in the 220 low hurdles.

With a year to go, McShane already is the most accomplished track athlete in Freeport history.