York’s boys track team hopes to end the decade as it began.

Having won the only state track championship in school history in 2000, the Dukes now are geared up for a strong run at another title this weekend in Charleston.

The Dukes produced 12 state qualifiers (nine individuals and three relays) at last Friday’s Class 3A Lake Park Sectional. And in an unusual twist for the greatest cross country program in Illinois history, York’s sprint events provided the biggest highlights.

York had the fastest 4 x 100-meter sectional time in the state (41.93 seconds) and also won the 4 x 200 (1:27.57) with the third-best relay time in all of Class 3A.

Khara Williams joined John Fox, Tarrence Williams and Jim Sullivan on both relays and also advanced to state with a first place in the 200 dash (21.68) and a second-place time of 10.9 in the 100.

“It was my goal just to get downstate and do as much as I can for the team,” Williams said. “I believe we can get first in both (relays). We just need to focus and do what we always do.”

But along with the glory, sprints also produced a key disappointment.

Fox battled through a leg injury to help the sprint relays to brilliant finishes, but he missed qualifying for state individually in the 100 (fourth, 10.98) and was later scratched from the 200 finals as a precaution against further aggravating the injury.

His absence in those individual events will be felt, as Fox placed second in the 100 and third in the 200 at state last year.

“We’re sad about it, but we know he’ll come through for us in the relays,” Williams said. “We knew that our 4 x 1 and 4 x 2 would qualify. It was the sprints that we really wanted to get down. Fox unfortunately didn’t, so I will have to step up my game for the team.”

Williams is seeded fifth in Class 3A in the 200 with his personal-best time at sectionals, putting him in a good spot to fill Fox’s void in that event.

And York will pack plenty of kick in long distance events as well, as the Dukes amazingly had the top two finishers at Lake Park in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

Seniors David Way (1:57.03) and Patrick Morgan (1:58.05) topped the 800 field, senior Steve Sulkin (4:18.43) and sophomore Jack Driggs (4:23.19) were 1-2 in the mile, and the two-mile was similarly dominated by senior Herbert Jordan (first, 9:22.40) and Sulkin (second, 9:23.26).

More importantly looking to this weekend, Sulkin is seeded sixth in the 1,600 and Herbert and Sulkin are ninth and 10th among 3,200 runners in all of Class 3A.

The 4 x 800 relay also excelled at sectionals, as York sped to a first-place 7:57.98.

York also received a contribution in field events as Sullivan qualified in the long jump (second at 21 feet, 7 inches).

York’s 124 points topped runner-up Wheaton North (106) for the sectional team title, but Fox’s injury aside, it was the quantity and quality of advancers to state that has elevated hopes for a top finish.

“Everyone gave it their all,” Williams said of the sectional performance. “We came here to win of course, but also qualify as many as we could for state. And we got a good amount of qualifiers. We could win state this year.”

Other top placers for York at sectionals that missed qualifying for state were 110 hurdlers Mark Cellini (fourth, 15.35) and Anthony Melone (sixth, 15.66), high jumper Matt Hilgendorf (sixth, 42-3) and Ben Boesenberg (seventh in the 400 dash).