CHARLESTON — Junior Malcolm Taylor made school history Saturday in the Class A 400-meter state title race at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium.

Taylor finished as the IHSA state runner-up with a time of 49.74 seconds. With that performance, he joined Warren Goodell as the highest-placing boys state track medalist in Uni history.

Goodell was the state runner-up in the 880-yard run in 1941, when the IHSA used a single-class system.

In the two-class era, the highest-placing Uni boys track athlete had been Damian Marshall, who finished third in the 1,600 in 1996. Uni female athletes have won state championships in six events, the most recent being Cindy Wang's 100-dash title in 1994.

Sophomore Ben Asmus of Heyworth won Saturday's race with a time of 49.11 seconds.

The nine-person final figured to be a showdown between Taylor and Asmus, who at 6-foot-3, 170 pounds goes by the nickname of "Long Stride."

In the span of just one week, Taylor vs. Asmus had developed into one of the most compelling rivalries in Class A track.

They competed against each other in the Monticello sectional on May 16, with Taylor winning the 400 title by just two-tenths of a second (49.20-49.40).

Then on Friday, running in separate state prelim heats, Taylor and Asmus tied each other (50.03) for the fastest time in Class A.

"I remember Ben Asmus from sectionals," Taylor said. "Our times were almost identical, and yesterday [at prelims] they were almost exactly the same. So today I knew it was going to between him and me; I knew it was going to be close."

And indeed it was until the home stretch. After rounding the final curve, Taylor had built a slight lead over Asmus and briefly kept it as the track straightened out.

But then Asmus made his push with about 80 meters left. The Heyworth star used his long legs to put several meters between himself and Taylor, and the Uni junior couldn't make up the ground.

Asmus' personal-best time set a Heyworth record as he became only the third male athlete and first runner from the McLean County school to win a championship at the state meet.

Taylor, while running almost three-tenths of a second faster than he did during the rain-delayed prelims, fell shy of both his sectional mark (49.20) and his personal best/school record (48.99).

"I mean, you know, he had a better day than me basically," Taylor said. "You can't ask for everything. I got second place and [I'm] happy with that. I mean at the beginning of the season I would never have imagined I was going to come to state and especially finish second in the 400. I mean, I'm happy."

Here are the complete results of Saturday's race:

Class A 400-Meter Dash Finals
1. Ben Asmus (so), Heyworth, 49.11
2. Malcolm Taylor (jr), Uni High, 49.74
3. Theotis James (sr), Kankakee McNamara, 49.96
4. Blake Koerner (sr), Effingham St. Anthony, 50.25
5. Tanner Carlson (sr), Kewanee Wethersfield (Coop), 50.31
6. Blake Doane (jr), Monticello, 50.71
7. Anthony Robinson (sr), Litchfield, 51.00
8. Trevor Unzicker (so), Fisher, 51.31
9. Ben Vavra (sr), Byron, 52.64

Taylor was the only Uni athlete to compete on Saturday.

At the Friday prelims, senior Frankie McFarland (shot put, discus throw) and the 4x800 relay team (junior Isaac Chambers, senior Austin Rundus, senior Jacob Olshansky, and Taylor) competed but did not advance.

The 4x800 squad placed 14th out of 34 teams; only the top 12 advanced out of prelims. Uni recorded a time of 8:22.66, almost 8 seconds slower than its sectional runner-up time (8:14.90). The 12th-place team (Winnetka North Shore Country Day) ran 8:22.22.

McFarland placed 35th in the shot put (41 feet, 1 3/4 inches) and 15th in the discus throw (135-4).

He missed advancing to the Saturday finals in the discus throw by just 2 feet, 6 inches. The final spot went to Catlin Salt Fork's Sean Nicholson (137-10).

A week earlier, McFarland won the sectional title in both events: 45-10 1/2 in the shot put, 133-3 in the discus throw.

Of the five Illineks who advanced to the state prelims, only Taylor and Chambers will be back next year.

Earlier this season, Taylor and head coach Doug Mynatt sat down and talked about which individual event Taylor should concentrate on: the 400 or 800. They agreed that the 400 was the better fit for Taylor's skills, even though he is a standout in the 800 as well.

The decision certainly paid off, as Taylor quickly established himself as one of the state's top runners in the 400 regardless of school size. Indeed, had Taylor competed in the Class AA finals, his time would have earned him an eighth-place medal. (Asmus would have placed sixth.)

A return matchup in 2009 between Taylor and Asmus looks intriguing. Although track and field will expand to a three-class system next year, both Uni and Heyworth (267 students) will remain in the same class, 1A.

And as the Uni rising senior heads into the offseason, he already knows his objective.

"I'm looking for gold next year," he said.

MORE PHOTOS: CLASS A 400-METER STATE FINAL RACE

Malcolm Taylor (standing, No. 899) gets ready for the start of the IHSA Class A 400-meter dash championship race Saturday at EIU's O'Brien Stadium. Taylor was the only finalist not to use a starting block. Gargoyle photos by David Porreca (click to create your own slideshow)

Early in the race, from left: sophomore Ben Asmus of Heyworth, Taylor, and senior Ben Vavra of Byron.

From left: junior Blake Koerner of Effingham St. Anthony, Asmus, Taylor.

From left: Koerner, Asmus, Taylor.

Taylor closes the gap. The spacing is deceptive since the runners must stay in their lanes. At this point Taylor is actually in very good shape.

The 6-foot-3 Asmus shows why he is nicknamed "Long Stride."

The runners begin the second curve.

With less than 200 meters to go: Koerner, Asmus, Taylor.

Despite Koerner's presence at left, this is already a two-man race between Asmus and Taylor.

The rest of the nine-person field is out of the picture, although Kankakee McNamara's Theotis James will make a big push to finish third, ahead of Koerner.

The rivalry between Taylor and Asmus began a week earlier at the Monticello sectional.

Taylor won that race and the sectional title with a time of 49.20, while Asmus finished second (49.40).

That was only the second time Asmus lost to a Class A runner this season. His previous loss was to sophomore Corey Hammon of Illini Bluffs, younger brother of last year's 400 champ, Brady Hammon (now graduated).

Running in separate state prelim heats on Friday, Taylor and Asmus tied each other for the fastest 400 time in Class A (50.03).

Neither Taylor nor Asmus competed in last year's 400 state prelims or finals.

Corey Hammon of Illini Bluffs, who defeated Asmus earlier this season, competed in the prelims but did not advance.

Koerner (left) placed ninth at last year's state finals. He would finish fourth this year.

Tanner Carlson of Kewanee Wethersfield (right) comes into the picture.

Carlson, a senior, placed fourth at last year's finals.

At this point Taylor is about to take the lead over Asmus.

Carlson remains behind Taylor as they enter the home stretch. Also in the picture: senior Anthony Robinson of Litchfield (black uniform) and junior Blake Doane of Monticello (purple and gold).

Asmus makes his big push and pulls ahead.

Asmus heads to the finish line and will finish first with a time of 49.11, a personal best and school record. Taylor will finish second in 49:74.

Koerner (left), Taylor and Asmus wait for the medal ceremony to begin.

Taylor at rest. After a rain-soaked Friday, the weather was ideal on Saturday.

From left: Doane, Koerner, Taylor, Asmus.

The ceremony is ready to begin. Bishop McNamara's James (right) joins Koerner, Taylor, and Asmus.

Taylor is about to receive his state runner-up medal.

Taylor tied Warren Goodell as Uni's highest-placing boys track athlete at an IHSA state meet.

Goodell was the state runner-up in the 880-yard run in 1941.

Once Taylor and head coach Doug Mynatt decided Taylor should concentrate on the 400 this season, he emerged rapidly as one of the top runners in that event throughout the state.

If Taylor had competed in the Class AA finals, his time would have earned him an eighth-place medal. (Asmus would have won sixth place.)

Taylor gets his picture taken by the official IHSA photographer.

Taylor and the other finalists wait while Asmus receives his first-place medal.

The top eight finishers, from left: sophomore Trevor Unzicker (51.31), Fisher; junior Blake Doane (50.71), Monticello; senior Blake Koerner (50.25), Effingham St. Anthony; Taylor (49.74); Asmus (49.11); senior Theotis James (49.96), Kankakee McNamara; senior Tanner Carlson (50.31), Kewanee Wethersfield; senior Anthony Robinson (51.00), Litchfield.

The top three: Taylor, Asmus, James.

Taylor and Asmus: See you next year!