Trevor hurdles with style

Jacobs' Danny Trevor competes in the 110-meter hurdles during the boys Fox Valley Conference Track and Field meet in McHenry on May 14. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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Danny Trevor says he was just looking for a way to establish “a little identity” this season when he purchased white and black skullcaps.

“I know it looks a little goofy, but I think it’s appropriate,” Trevor said.

It might be considered goofy if the skullcap was the main part of his identity. To the contrary, what people see when the Jacobs’ senior is in a race is how he glides over in textbook-like form.

Trevor will run at Eastern Illinois University next season, but plans on competing on O’Brien Stadium’s blue track much sooner than that. He is a favorite to qualify in the 110-meter high and 300 intermediate hurdles at the IHSA Class 3A Huntley Sectional Boys Track and Field Meet, which starts at 4 p.m. today.

Trevor ran at state last year and suffered a bittersweet moment after the high hurdles preliminary heats. His time (14.89 seconds) was one of his best, but it was 10th fastest of the heats, with the top nine making the finals.

“Heading into state I was seeded 16th or 17th, so I finished a lot higher than I was supposed to,” Trevor said. “But it was still hard. I feel so much more confident. Last year I had problems with my right ankle and kept thinking I could be faster. I felt like I could have given a lot more if it had felt better. Now, I’m feeling great.”

Trevor’s fastest time (14.44) ranks him sixth in Class 3A on dyestat.com, a website that records the season’s top performances around the state. He also has made significant improvements in the 300 hurdles, a race he admits he really didn’t know how to run well until last year, when assistant coach Matt Campbell came to Jacobs. Campbell had worked at Hampshire with former Class A 300 hurdles state champion Quinn Walker.

“Danny has worked very hard on his craft this year,” Jacobs coach Jason Borhart said. “He is focused and has been a great leader for us this year. He has a good shot to medal in the highs, and his 300s have the potential to drop more if he can have everything click in one race.”

Trevor went to a running camp at Eastern last summer and quickly developed a relationship with the coaches. He calls it easily the most productive camp he has attended, so he decided EIU was where he wanted to continue his career.

Former Jacobs distance runner Evan Jager, who now runs professionally for Nike in Oregon, had his trademark red headband when he ran. Next weekend, Trevor likely can unleash his fashion statement on the rest of the state.

“As long as it’s not illegal, I’m fine with it,” Borhart said.

Trevor said he saw a skullcap in a sporting goods store one day and decided to buy it.

“There’s no real reason why I wore it,” he said. “I just thought it’d be cool.”