Downers Grove North and Prospect girls dueled for most of the championship 4x800
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RESULTS I VIDEOS I PHOTOS
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Naperville IL-
The pregame hype did not disappoint the faithful inside the Al B. Carius track on a stormy Monday evening. The three events: 4x800, 4x200, and 4x400 relays dropped fire for virtually the entire meet.
4x800-
As billed, the girls main event did not disappoint. Niles North won section 1 in a respectable 10:24.14. The second section featured two top-level "B" teams from Downers Grove North and Prospect. After several lead exchanges between them, Downers North seized the race on the final leg and won with a good time of 9:34.49.
The main event featured defending champion Prospect, Downers Grove North, and York. But Naperville Central and St. Ignatius were among the "other" teams to watch.
Immediately, Downers North and Prospect bolted to the lead and separated themselves from the fray. The Trojans and the Knights came to the first exchange in a high 2:13 split. They were destined to threaten Prospect's 9:04.68 meet record set a year ago.
Prospect commanded the second leg, but the Trojans could stay in striking range at the halfway point.
However, on the third leg, Prospect's Lily Ginsberg (Sr.) began to assert herself and finally shook the pesky Trojans.
Meg Peterson (So.) had little resistance on her four-lap carry, streaming home all along. She hit the finish line in a new state best and a US#6 9:05.01. DGN came home second in a school record and meet's #3 all-time performance, 9:10.14.
The boys' race featured some of the state's top teams, and they would not disappoint.
It was a pedestrian opening leg for many of the state's top teams, such as Plainfield South, Downers Grove North, and Plainfield North, but Glenbard West did not mind, as they copped the short margin at the first exchange in about 1:58.xx.
Plainfield South took the lead on the strength of junior Dylan Maloney's tote. But the Hilltoppers again asserted themselves late in the leg and led at the halfway point in 3:56.
Whitney Young and Plainfield North joined the parlay, with Downers North lurking in fifth. Plainfield South took the lead for good on Joaquin DeAlba's (Sr) strong carry. He set up anchor Camyn Viger (Sr) nicely, who coasted home for the victory in a state-leading 7:53.44.
4x200-
There were six sections of the girls race, each getting progressively faster. Downers North won the fourth stanza in 1:45.86, putting some pressure on the final two sections to get things moving.
The fifth section was taken by an upstart Plainfield North, who mysteriously was left out of the sweepstakes #6 section. It didn't matter as the Tigers roared to a 1:43.55 clocking, the third fastest time in the state. It remained in that position until senior star Zawadi Brown brought her Neuqua Valley mates from behind to win the title in the final 60m. The spoils produced an IL#2 1:43.13.
As usual, the boys' side of the game produced a few casualties, including a dropped baton and DNF, but overall, it was entertaining for the eyes.
Minooka produced the fastest time of the evening and the only time under 1:32, with a season-best 1:31.97--good for IL#6.
4x400-
Prior to Monday, there were just a few girls' teams under 4:10. That would change in a big way as eight squads made the push inside the indoor satisfactory checkpoint. Once again, it was the underrated Plainfield North quartet that produced a fast time out of the penultimate section, #4 to be exact, and a time of 4:02.05.
The favorite Prospect saved their best for last in a thrilling 4:00.48- IL#2 win. Chicago Lane reasserted its relevance, taking second in the final stanza but third overall at 4:02.54. Downers Grove North was a few steps back in 4:02.96.
Three of the boys' fastest times in the state came from here. Five of the six fastest performances from the event occurred in the showstopping section five. Naperville Central used a blistering 49.8 anchor from Foster Shelbert (Sr.). The Red Hawks closed the meet out in 3:26.33.