3A Girls Recap: The Grand Daddy Of All Track Meets

 

Roselle Lake Park mirrored their boys team in winning the first ever Top Times team championship scoring 36 points in just edging Glen Ellyn Glenbard West 35.  Homewood-Flossmoor and St. Charles East had to flip a coin to determine who would take home the third place trophy.  They tied with 32 pts.

 

If would be remiss not to mention several missing notables such as Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East), Palatine, and Whitney Young.  But the show must go on…

 

 

Yorkville                 9:22.10 [2:23.7, 2:20.4, 2:25.4, 2:12.6]

Minooka                  9:29.24 [2:22.5, 2:22.9, 2:22.0, 2:19.7]

Chicago Lane Tech 9:31.05 [2:24.4, 2:21.3, 2:22.0, 2:23.0]

Summary: St. Charles East got things jumping with leadoff Torree Scull taking matters in her own hands.  Scull moved clear of traffic and punch full throttle on the gas after the 600m mark and brought the stick home to her fellow Saints mate in 2:21.1.  The Saints runner was joined in progress by Schaumburg, Lane Tech, Yorkville, and several others.  St. Charles East was able to maintain the challenge from behind and keep the lead through the transition. The time was 2:20.0 and more importantly the Saints were still in control.  Things would begin to tighten up a bit.  Lane Tech’s Carina Coss (Sr.) gave chase and joined in on the fun with Yorkville.

 

As the race wore on, it turned into a three girl race with Lane, Yorkville, and St. Charles East.  Coss began to plot her move to the front.  It was with 150m left until the anchor leg, Coss moved to the front and passed Yorkville’s Bri Steupfert and St. Charles East.  She was in full flight and got to her teammate Joanna Podosek (Sr.) in a virtual tie.

 

The final legs were interesting as Minooka joined in with Moira McAsey.  St. Charles East fell back.  At the same time, freshman star Skyler Bollinger of Yorkville stocked her way behind Podosek and McAsey.  Podosek tried to string out the race but Bollinger moved around her and McAsey and took flight.  She opened up a 20m gap within a few seconds.  The race for second was between Lane Tech and Minooka.  Bollinger cruised home to victory and Minooka next. Podosek was able to hold off fast charging St. Charles East for third.

 

 

Brittny Ellis (So., Gurnee Warren) is a star despite what some folks think.  She hasn’t been at the most prestigious meets this season but that’s beside the point.  She is one of Illinois’ finest and will be the heir to Aaliyah Brown’s crown once she graduates.

 

The opening heats of the 60m had various names like Ellis, Savannah Carson (Sr., Naperville Neuqua Valley), Kayla Hylton (Fr., Frankfort Lincoln Way North), Jenna Moody (Sr., Plainfield Central), and Hannah Cohn (So., Chicago St. Ignatius).  Carson won her heat but limped off holding her back.  Ellis cruised in her heat as well.

 

The final was set and Ellis won by an eyelash over Shayna Nwokenkwo (Sr., Homewood-Flossmoor).

 

Ellis would not contest the 400.  She left that race up to standout and friendly rival Cameron Pettigrew (Sr., Chicago Peyton Prep).  Payton waited for penultimate heat winner Courtney Clayton (Sr., Rockton Hononegah) to through up a serious time: 57.10- season best for her.  Pettigrew did one better as she turned on the jets with 100m left to win in 56.22.

 

Ellis did return for the 200m.  She would have fresh legs and in return fast times are on the horizon.  Indeed, Ellis got out of her blocks like a stallion and broke stagger on the field.  Hylton tried to hang on off the final curve but was no match and neither was Pettigrew.  Ellis came home in 24.93- another season best effort.  Brittny did have a reason why she didn’t run the 400. “I have been working on my block starts and I didn’t have enough time to get ready for 400 so I scrapped it.”  

 

Distance fans everywhere have been waiting for the Hilltoppers to put together a great 4x8r like they have been accustomed to doing over the past several years.  But according to coach Paul Haas it may not happen.  “We have been dealing some injuries and sickness.  So, I don’t know if we be able to or not at this point,” he stated.  

Lisa Luczak (So., Glen Ellyn Glenbard West) 10:37.04

Kaylee Flanagan (Sr., Roselle Lake Park)     10:44.53

Emily Brelsfoard (Sr., Normal West)          10:48.05

-Flanagan is pretty much what she is and you know it.  There is no need for a scouting report or even a rabbit because she will provide both.  So, just like the usual scenario she went out in absolute blazing fashion for the first three 400s. Flanagan was well in front of the field with 71, 2:28.8, and 3:47.2.  She was still leading the likes of Luczak and company but not at the killer clip from two laps before.  The first half was negotiated in 5:08.0.  

 

Flanagan’s lead was shrinking but she was committed in running the helter shelter pace.  Luczak began to make her move even though she was still 10 seconds back and less than 1200 remaining.  Now, with just 400 left she closed the once enormous lead completely off.  Flanagan did not have anything left.  Luczak took off and opened up her own gap and won by seven seconds.  It was disheartening to see Flanagan totally spent from doing most of the race work and not get a victory.  But give credit to Luczak for executing a very smart race for various reasons.  Coach Hass indicated that she is still getting in shape after enduring several illnesses that derailed her off season training. One can only imagine what type of runner she will be in May.

Emma Reifel (Sr., Glenbard West) 2:14.85 [32.2, 1:05.9, 1:40.4]

-it was not really a contest for Reifel who was essentially alone from the gun.  The only goal was to run fast and that’s it.  The second place finisher Stephanie Urbancik from Downers Grove North made the best of it coming back from a leg on the 4x8r.  She ran 2:19.51.  It will be some time before knowing what route Reifel will going in race wise.  No matter route it will be, she will be ready.

Maddie Perez 4:53.60 [72.4, 2:24.6, 3:39.2, 4:53.6]

-Maddie is everyone’s friend off the track and that’s the nice side of her.  But on the competition arena she is a cold blooded competitor.  She would not openly admit it, but she knew who Skyler Bollinger was.  Maddie had to know that Bollinger had been slaying giants all indoor season.  To make sure there would be no confusion about Bollinger, Perez set the pace and after the intro 400, the speed notch was turned up a bit- circuit after circuit Perez made it known she was the boss. By the 1200 it was over.  Perez was free to go for the old classification record held by former St. Charles HS great Tera Moody.  Perez kept working hard and ran all the way through the line for the record win.  Bollinger ran well too. She set a personal best and school record in the process.  Perez recalled “I took off some time after NXN to rest up and heal it.  I feel great,” she said.

 

 

Something was strange when going over to the shot put arena to see that none of the favorites were near their personal bests.  The main attraction was Emmonnie Henderson (Sr., Edwardsville).  Her only purpose was to get to 50-feet.  It would be as her best effort on the day was 46-8.  One thing in particular that affected the throwers sitting around 30 minutes after warming up.  Secondly, there was a scramble to see what officials would be conducting the event.  It is not certain if this happen to the boys because they had an awesome performance top to bottom.  But it was rather strange to see one of the best throwers in the country heaving 44, 45 feet throughout the competition. “I feel ok and I didn’t outwork myself.  I just feel cold sitting around earlier,” said Henderson.

 

 

Plainfield North girls made the best of a bad situation.  The Tiger quartet was entered with a pretty slow time of 1:49 for the 4x200 relay.  However, they ran 1:45.58 to win the DGS Relays a month ago.  They tried to dispute the error but it was no go.  Coach Tammy Gummerson’s crew went out won the event from the slow heat in 1:44.31- a season best effort.  Credit should be given to the kids who showed character by competing and not worrying about what heat they were in.

 

St. Charles East ended the season as the top 4x4r team running a state best 3:57.75 [59.1, 58.1, 60.6, 59.7] to beat runner up Lane Tech 4:01.99 [59.8, 61.6, 59.9, 60.6.]- it was a good fight but the Saints were too strong for the Indians to overthrow.  Elizabeth Chmlek opened the door and Britney Williams closed it.

 

Jasmine Brown (Dekalb) can add indoor state champion to her name after defeating Charday Greenlee (Sr., Homewood-Floomoor) in a close affair in the triple jump.  Brown set a personal best 39-9.5 to Greenlee’s 39-0.  It has been quite awhile since two athletes dueled in the 39s together.

 

Savannah Carson won the long jump despite tweaking her back.  The super senior got the title in 19-1.25 compared to Aliyah Harmon (Rich Central) 18-10.

 

Neuqua Valley sophomore Maya Neal placed third in the long jump (18-8), fourth in the 60 hurdles (9.01) to winner Emma Spagnola (West Aurora), and fourth in the 200 (25.69). 

 

Carly Schmidt (Lake Forest) won the pole vault in 12-6