Anna Sophia is virtually impossible to stop (Capapas photo)
Anna, Anna, Anna-
Anna Sophia Keller (Jr., Effingham St. Anthony) is not your typically great distance runner. She does not sit in front of the computer salivating over stats and researching her opponents. She just likes to run. In fact, she does not run as much as one would expect from a national elite athlete. Keller comes from a swimming background as her older brother Peter competed in USA national level competition. Swimming is especially big in the winter months when inclement weather in central Illinois makes training outside unbearable at times. But for this last weekend of indoor track in Illinois, Keller will be her best.
Keller is entered in the 800m for the first time in a championship type race and it will be interesting to see what kind of effort and wheels she displays late in the contest. Keller does not have any kryptonite flowing in her blood but keep in mind this is not her forte. The stamina part of the grueling middle distance race should not be an issue. Keller is rated #4 in the state in her fourth best race (if you add 5k as an event). There may be a glaring of hope for Arielle Summitt (So., Urbana University) should Keller make a calculated mistake. Jacey Roper (Sr., Carlinville) is the next best threat to Summitt and Keller.
Keller will return to her staple the 1600m a few hours later but she should not have any issue with the competition led by Maria Brauer (Sr., Petersburg-Porta) and Daly Galloway (Jr., Dwight). Though Galloway has given Keller some serious resistance in the past. The meet record by the great Katelyn Bastert (Carthage) should be the only thing on ASK's mind when she toes the line late Friday night.
The 3200m was almost forgotten and no offense to any of the contestants but field is incredibly light. There are no major players to speak of. No Anna Sophia, Daly Galloway, or classification #2 Katherine Glew of North Shore Country Day. Colleen Madden (Sr., Carlinville) is not a creme puff though. In case you may have forgotten, she placed 18th in the 1A cross country state meet last fall. And she is the top seed and will have an opportunity shine bright and emerge above all in the 15 girl field.
One of Courtney Sockwell's (#1394) few blemishes has been against state elite Gabby Desrosiers of Chicago North Lawndale (Capapas photo)
The Courtney Sockwell Show comes to IWU-
Move over Mariah Woods! It is time for the Courtney Sockwell show. Woods, the senior from South Holland Seton Academy, is the defending 60m champion. Woods is the queen of IHSA small girls sprinting. Well sort of... Sockwell is a junior who transferred from Rockford Christian Life to Rockford Lutheran this season. She did not run IHSA sponsored competition last year in the transition. However, she quietly toasted the track in 12.18 during last summer's AAU circuit. By all accounts Sockwell is one of Illinois' top sprinters regardless of competition. Both girls will lock horns in the 60 as the top two seeds.
Sockwell is the top seed as well in the 200m. Don't pay attention to the 26.40 as it doesn't on the surface look formable. Courtney Sockwell will be in the 25s somewhere and boost her rating among the state's elite. last year's runner up Jenny Kimbro (Sr., Jamaica Salt Fork) will be out to stop Sockwell.
Speaking of Jenny Kimbro. She happens to be rated #1 in all of Illinois at 8.95 in the 60H. Keep in mind that Kimbro is just getting started and her forte is the 100H which will be conducted soon enough outdoors. In the meantime, the goal is to win and putting down a time for the rest of the state to beat later on during the other two classification championships.
It should be a close race in the 400m as all entrants in the championship section are within a few tenths of one another. Mariah Brodie (Sr., Carthage) is classification #2 coming in. She is more known for her relay running and prowess in the 800. Let's see how she stacks up in the spotlight.
KD Young exercising strength in the weight throw earlier at UK Invite (Kentucky Milesplit photo credit)
Field events will be KD's playground-
Fresh off of a fifth place finish in the shot put at the super elite New Balance Indoor Nationals where four girls ahead of her threw 50-feet plus. So what does Kathleen "KD" Young have to gain in competing against girls who are nearly 10 feet in back of her? Well the stud-ette junior from Warrensburg-Latham likes to compete and she likes to have fun with her peers. It is after all high school and you only get to be a kid once. Young will be serious once in the ring and out after the all-time meet record which she has at 49-1.25. Young threw a whopping 50-8 earlier this season at a meet in Ohio which is #1 all-time for an Illinois girl indoors.
Only one girl has eclipsed 17-feet in the long jump coming in and that is McKendra Barthelme (Sr., Newton) at 17-10.75. Barthelme finished second last year here and will be motivated by taking one step up to first and keeping Jenny Kimbro in check. Yep, the hurdles and speedy track Jenny who happens to be a good long jumper in her own respect. Megan Reed (Sr., Cambridge) is #3 rated coming in.
Hope Tewes (Sr., Pleasant Plains) and Daelin Switzer (Fr., Decatur St. Teresa) are the top seeds in the high jump. Tewes has been here before placing third last year. Switzer could get a little nervous being a freshman. But competition brings out the best in competitors and there are a lot of them here. Count em up: 19 in all.
Megan Reed will be the favorite in her specialty the triple jump. She is well over a foot better than Madison Davis (So., Rockford Lutheran).
Hannah Atwood (Jr., St. Joe-Ogden) is the top choice in the pole vault at 11-3. Four others are over 10-feet which should make overall competition interesting to watch.
Don't sleep on the relays-
There hasn't been too much racing in the 4x800 to date and the times reflect that. Things will pick up significantly with several of the cross country's finest toeing the line. Urbana U High appears to be the favorite.... the speedy Chicago Luther North bunch is back and ready to go after the 4x200 meet record 1:47.90. But Mercer County is the top seed coming in and don't to be overlooked... the 4x400 will close things out . A slew of teams are in the low 4:20s range. So who will be victorious? St. Joe Ogden and Clinton Central have to be ruled the favorites. Winnebago has run under 4:20. Don't leave them out.