On-Site Coverage
- Complete Results & Meet Coverage
- Photos by Brenda Gamboa (815 photos)
- Photos by 77scorpions (124 photos)
Charleston, Ill- Moweaqua (Central A & M) repeats as state champion scoring 60 points. Erie takes second with 56, and Aurora Christian gets the third place trophy with 52 pts.
For the second year in a row, Central A & M used upperclassmen talent to muscle their way to the top of the podium for head coach Todd Rork. The Raiders performed well with the likes of veterans Genny Rose Stringer (Sr.), Taylor Adcock (Sr.), and Kaitlyn Corzine (Sr.). Stringer repeated as discus throw champion heaving the plate in 139-2. Adcock won the 300H in a fine time of 44.56 and 5th in the 100H (15.48.).
Who is Peyton Wade?
Junior Peyton Wade of Aurora Christian was an emerging athlete coming into the state championship based on the fact that she was doing just enough to keep herself relevant. Now, she has crafted herself into a star. Wade’s first task on the big stage was to compete in the high jump against the state’s top jumper Kandie Bloch (Sr., Argenta-Oreana). The pressure was squarely on one of the nation’s most high profiled jumpers. Bloch cracked and Wade beat her in a jump off 5-7. The momentum from that field seemed to spark her in her other events. Wade went on to win the 100H in a personal best 14.86. As well, she anchored her team in the 4x200 relay that won in 1:43.51 over defending champion Sullivan. Next season, all eyes may be squarely on Wade who now is becoming a big name in Class A track and field.
Top performances of the meet-
Amelia Glueck (Jr., Tremont) picked the right time to perform her best and win the long jump in 18-0.5. It was the third time that defending state champion Glueck has tied her personal best. Glueck also won the 100m in 12.50.
Cassie Mundekis (So., Midwest Central) used a 65 second first 400m to win by a healthy amount over second place finisher Julie James (Sr., El Paso) 2:14.77-2:16.62.
The pole vault provided a little drama between Taylor Knauf (Sr., Aurora Christian) and Morgan Zacharias (So., Reed-Custer). Knauf had to compete with a bandage on her sore shine but it didn’t deter the final outcome. Knauf knew that Zacharias was the heir apparent in the vault when Alyssa Applebee (Seneca) graduated. Zacharias could clear 11-6 and that set the stage for Knauf to overpower her and soar to a 12-1 personal best and win.
Rayanne Wright (Sr., Clifton Central) repeated as champion in 56.60 in a close battle over Amanda McClain (So., Sullivan). Jessica Jump (Edwardsville Metro- East Lutheran) pulled her hamstring in the prelim trotted around the track to finish in a great show of great sportsmanship.
The 4x800 relay stepped up big to provide nine sub-10 minute marks. Decatur (St. Teresa) won in 9:45.15. The race was set up by the first three legs that splitted 2:21.0, 2:26.0, and 2:31.1. Junior standout Rachel Devereux anchored the race that won by a healthy three seconds. The Bulldogs were able to steal this race without cross country state champion Ivy Handley (Sr.) and Megan Burgener (Sr.).
It’s unfair sometimes for an athlete to do the work and then have someone come and steal the race. Ivy Handley was doing the yeoman’s duties of leading the majority of the race. She led the field through the first mile in 5:30 and 2400m in 8:26.5 before Brittney Burmester (Sr., Red Bud) had enough drafting and took off for the 11-second win over Handley. Burmester’s time of 11:05.39 was a new personal best effort.
