Downers Grove South senior Michaela Hackbarth powers home for her second 800m title (Mark Capapas photo)
Class 3A-
Lincoln Way East 83, Alton 37, Hinsdale Central 30, Oswego East 30
Capapas' Finals Featured Photo Album
Long Jump: Hannah Morris (So., Bloom Twp.) 19-3. Morris worked over time on her last jump to defeat the favorite Lajarvia Brown 19-2.5
Pole Vault: Katie Schroeder (Sr., Grayslake Central) 12-3- the pre-meet favorite stayed true all season.
High Jump: Jaida Green (Sr., Downers Grove North) 5-7. The Penn State U basketball bound Green scored an upset over the state's top jumper Jelena Rowe (Jr., Bloom) who also cleared 5-7 but had less misses.
Shot Put: Courtney Morgan (Sr., Aurora Metea Valley) 45-11.75
Triple Jump: Lajarvia Brown (Sr., Alton) 42-1.75w (+3.3)- connected on the best leap ever under all conditions on her last attempt to steal the victory and her place in history. Here is magical jump
Discus Throw: Nikki Freeman (Sr., Cary-Grove) 142-5 is two feet better than Jada Jackson (Sr., Shepard)
4x800: Hinsdale Central 9:04.27- one of the fastest times in IHSA history is also US #6
4x100: Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East) 46.86- the Griffins regained the title they lost a year ago to Bolingbrook. The margin of victory was nearly seconds ahead of runner up Prospect.
3200: Lindsey Payne (So., Glenbard West) 10:35.40- Payne wins title over Ashley Tutt (Jr., Minooka) and Emily Shelton (So., Minooka) who ran 10:39.12 and 10:39.36. McKenzie Altmayer (Sr., Geneva) slips to 4th in 10:39.37
100HH: Larjarvia Brown won her first title in a windy 13.89w (+3.2). The favorite Shaliyah Dixon-Tucker of Downers Grove South got a late start out of the blocks and could not recover to defeat Brown.
100: Amira Young (So., Chicago Whitney Young) shocked the world in winning the Century in 11.79 (+3.1). Young took advantage of a flaw in Dixon-Tucker's bad start and shifted on Kayla Hylton (Sr., Lincoln Way East) late to the finish.
800: Michaela Hackbarth (Sr., Downers South) 2:09.91. The defending champ earned every ounce of one of the most exciting races in event history. The pace was set by a furious Imani Davis (Lane Tech) who clocked 62-63 for the first 400. Hackbarth powered past a locked up Davis with 150 to go for the victory. Jenna Lutzow (Jr., Belvidere North) 2:11.80 was second.
4x200: Lincoln-Way East 1:39.11. The Griffins were threatened by a pesky O'Fallon team until the final stretch when 200m ace Kayla Hylton pulled away. The Panthers consolation prize was a school record 1:40.00.
400: The surprise of 2016 has to be a quiet and soft talking Kylie Welch (Jr., Bloomington). The state leader lived up to the billing with virtually no hype and won in 55.06 over everyone's favorite Kierra Griggs (Sr., Bloom) 55.96.
300H: Savannah Long (Sr., Dekalb) 43.34. It was a close battle down the front stretch like a thoroughbred race- place your bet! Long was just as determined as Lajarvia Brown and Alexis Pierre-Antoine (Sr., Lincoln Way East) in edging ahead for one of the closest finishes in IHSA history.
1600: Kelly O'Brien (Sr, Palatine) 4:56.37. It was sweet redemption for O'Brien who went out hard last year and paid dearly. Anne Zaher (Sr., Hinsdale Central) tried to steal the race with 300 to go but O'Brien pulled even with less than 100 to go and powered home.
200: Amira Young takes the half-lapper in impressive fashion 24.24-24.30 (+1.5) over Hylton. For a moment it appeared as though Hylton would prevail but Young was able to hold her fifth gear longer.
4x400: Lincoln-Way East competed the sweep of the sprint relays in a school record 3:49.84 over E. St. Louis Sr. Anchor Asia Brown busted a 56.2 carry that ended any thoughts of an upset.
Imani Carothers posing in front of the sign which details the output performance in the long jump (P. Nealon photo)
2A-
Cahokia & Kaneland 53, Springfield Southeast 40
LJ: Imani Carothers (So., Chicago Brooks) 19-5.75 (+1.1). Brooks starts the day off with a meet record and decisive victory over surprise second place finisher Erika Furbeck (So., Geneseo) 19-0.5
PV: Ali Munson (Jr., Benet Academy) 12-9; Munson won the competition and then went for a state leading 13-0 which fell a little short.
HJ: Gillian Urycki (Sr., Metamora) 5-8: Went for a class record 5-10. Post event interview
SP: Latavia Maines (Jr., Centralia) 44-2.5.. Maines follows up with indoor title with the big one outside. Interview
TJ: Carothers 40-0.75; Carothers was brooding until her coach made it clear she was going to jump before exiting to the 100HH final. The result was a big personal best in her off event.
4x100: Springfield Southeast 48.15, Kaneland 48.30, Dunlap 48.45; the Senators won another short relays title proving once again this is the event for them. Race video
3200: Maryjeanne Gilbert (Sr., Peoria Notre Dame) 10:47.47- won probably her easiest championship in meet history by nearly 20 seconds
100HH: Imani Carothers wins in a personal best 13.92 but a wind of +2.4 negates the record book from changing.
100: Gabrielle Desrosiers (Sr., Chicago North Lawndale) 12.09 (+1.1) wins in a big finish over Nicole Sreenan (Jr., Kaneland) 12.12 and the favored Mariya Hudson (Cahokia) 12.15. Desrosiers had a great start and it was over at 60m
4x200: Rich South 1:41.98- only team under 1:42 in Class 2A this season
400: Elisabeth Drab (Jr., St. Viator) 55.10. The world's 400 form chart was destroyed by Drab who this race with grit and determination. Mariya Hudson falls to the track with anguish after finishing 4th.
300H: Grace Cronin (Sr., Fenwick) 42.91. Cronin moved down in class but still produced the fastest time in the state overall.
1600: Gilbert 4:53.68. Gilbert put the rest that she can't run under 5:00
200: Hudson returns back to put pressure on the title chasers with a 24.70 ringer
4x4: Kaneland 3:56.15. The Knights needed a victory to tie Cahokia for the win and they got it.
Courtney Sockwell wins the 100 and 200 titles (Capapas photo)
1A-
Salt Fort Caitlin 52, St. Joe Ogden 42, Warrensburg 40
LJ: Jenny Kimbro (Sr., Caitlin) 17-10.25; first long title seemed to set everything else up nicely for the day
SP: KD Young (Jr., Warrensburg-Latham) 51-0. Young got the all class record on the second day.
DT: Young 155-0. A personal best holds her US position at #19
4x100: St. Joe Ogden 49.53 is classification best
3200: Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony) 10:32.16. Keller runs the classification best time.
100HH: Kimbro 13.97 (+3.5) a big wind push was the only thing to stop Kimbro from getting a legal meet record.
100: Courtney Sockwell (Jr., Rockford Lutheran) 11.95 (+2.8); a new star has been born. IT was easier than drawn up for Sockwell in her return to high school season track
800: Arielle Summitt (So., Urbana UHigh) 2:12.29. A fast pace help lead to the unbelievable time
300H: Kimbro in a breeze 42.66
200: Sockwell competes the sweep with a 25.06 (+1.8)