The two-time champ is back one more time to do it even better
300H-
2018 State Champion: Halle Bieber (Sr., Naperville North) 43.48
Key Athletes: Bieber, Laqwasia Stepney (Sr., Belleville West), Lauren Ferguson (Sr., Springfield), Essence Winters (Jr., Belleville East), Nicole Nguyen (Sr., Wheeling), Sabrina Schlenker (Jr., Batavia) 46.07 3 8 Tarshana Kimbrough (Sr.), Hillside ([Proviso West]), Victoria Spagnola (So., West Aurora), Kayla Walters (Sr., Bolingbrook), Honesty Sandlin (Sr., Rockton Hononegah), Erin Oleksak (Sr., Palatine), Katelyn Johnson (Sr., Bolingbrook), Gabby Cossio (Sr., Barrington), Linda Griffith (Jr., Harvey [Thornton])
Outlook: 8 of the 9 state finalists are back including two-time defending champion Halle Bieber. It took several years, but it appears as though this event is once again stocked with depth. In addition, we should start to see some of the blazing times of yesteryear. Bieber is a bonified winner who has not lost a race in two years. If anyone expects to take her crown good luck. She will be the one leading the charge to go under 43 seconds- the last feat happened in 2017.
One of the state's premier all-around track and field athletes Laqwasia Stepney is back after placing second in the state meet. The long hurdles are arguably her tertiary event and she happens to be very good at them. In a one-off situation on fresh legs (Stepney competes in TJ/LJ), there is no doubt that we see a race of a lifetime.
Alas is the emergence of Laura Ferguson during the state prelims when she won her heat in 44.54 and set the bar for the finals. Ferguson would go on to place third. Now that former teammate Ozzie Erewele off to college, Ferguson will be the focal point for the Senators. With a few minor adjustments in form and technique, it could be an even more damaging season for Ferguson.
Sabrina Schlenker is the older sister of freshman distance phenom Katrina Schlenker. Sabrina placed sixth in the state meet last year and maybe indirectly motivated to improve by her little sister; Kayla Walters is expected to be at an amazing level in this event; Tarshana Kimbrough could be the dark horse in this event. She is the lone all-star Panther after heavy graduation hit the program.