Elena Rybak has returned this spring on a mission to repeat her outstanding 2024 state series (Griffin Forberg photo)
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As the three-class IHSA Girls State Track and Field Championships approach, all eyes turn to Charleston for a weekend of title defenses, breakout stars, and tightly contested team races. 1A gets the annual honor of christening the meet with Thursday preliminaries, so let's start by highlighting some of the main storylines to follow for the 1A meet.
1. Father McGivney Aims to Defend, with a New, Ambitious Event Load
Glen Carbon (Father McGivney) is back to defend its team title, but the makeup of this year's squad looks slightly different. Last year, senior standout Elena Rybak powered the team with victories in the 800 and 1600-meter runs, anchoring the 4x400 and 4x800.
On a new occasion, Rybak has replaced her 4x800 duties with the open 400- a daring quad attempt if she contests all four events. Rybak's season was defined by a slow return from an injury she incurred after last fall's cross country campaign, so the University of Notre Dame commit will be testing her boundaries for the Griffins in their title defense. Returning standouts include seniors Mia Range in the high jump and Lilly Gilbertson, who remains a threat in each sprint and a key option for the relays. Senior Jane Cummins may provide some points in the 3200 as well.
2. Tuscola Poised for a Title Push
The primary challenger to McGivney's repeat bid looks to be Tuscola, who is entering as the slight favorite according to MileSplit's Power Rankings. Senior Lia Patterson leads the way with top-tier performances in both the sprints and hurdles, while junior Kate Foltz anchors their distance hopes. With both individual star power and relay depth, Tuscola has the pieces to make a serious run at the trophy. Hopefully, senior Rylie Vanausdoll can find herself in the finals for long and triple jumps and challenge for vital points. Senior Olivia Wallace completes a well-rounded Warrior attack as the #7 discus thrower in this outdoor season's classification.
3. Distance Stars Taking Winding Roads Toward Converging at State
In November, Tuscola's junior Kate Foltz stunned the field at the state cross country meet, breaking 16 minutes and defeating defending champion sophomore Isabella Keller of Effingham St. Anthony. Since then, Keller has yet to compete again and has been sidelined with injuries, only returning to competition at the Newton Sectional. She'll look to defend her 3200 title and contest the 1600, but it won't be easy.
Neither Foltz nor Keller enters as the clear favorite. That distinction may belong to Westmont junior Kyla Babb, who has put up eye-popping marks this year, including a 10:24 3200 indoors and a 4:52.77 1600. Marshall junior Molly Farrell, the classification leader in the 1600 with a 4:52.74, is another serious threat- and she'll be motivated to reclaim the 3200 title that Keller took from her in 2024. Of course, defending champion Elena Rybak is the 1600 favorite, but she may have to catch her breath quickly from the 800 and the 400 to hold off the rest of this field.
These distance showdowns could also have big implications for the team race, with St. Anthony, Fr. McGivney, and Tuscola hoping to rack up points.
4. Emma Randecker Seeks 3-Pronged Sprint Supremacy
Savanna West Carroll's senior Emma Randecker, the defending 100-meter champion, has gone wire-to-wire this season as the top short sprinter in the classification. She enters the state meet undefeated in nearly 25 open races outdoors, and stamped herself as the one to beat by running 11.9 in the 100 and 24.2 in the 200 at the Lena-Winslow Sectional. She will have the preferred lane in the final heat of both events.
Randecker's only loss this season came in a top-tier meet against Mendon Unity's Saylor Barry, who has also had a breakout year in the long jump and enters as the favorite in that event. Barry has also been undefeated on the track outdoors and was double event champ at the Rushville-Industry Sectional.
Randecker is also a threat in the 400, though the favorite is Henry-Senachwine's junior Daniella Bumber. Bumber is the only athlete in the classification to have dipped under 57 seconds this season and boasts the most consistent résumé in the event. Like Randecker, Bumber was a triple sectional champion (100, 200, 400), but her sights are set highest in her marquee event, the 400.
Sophomore Bree Schneiderman of Forreston was runner-up to Randecker in each event at the sectional and won't be far behind any of these competitors.
5. Don't Blink When Lia Patterson Is On the Track
A reminder: marks hit in the preliminaries can count toward a state record. In 2024, Lia Patterson (Sr., Tuscola) nearly broke Jenna Kimbro's 1A state record in the 300-meter prelim hurdles with a blazing 42.81 performance. Though she didn't match that time in the final, she still defended her title, and now she's going for a three-peat.
Something to watch for: Will Patterson go all-out again in the prelims to chase another record? Remember that the 200 meters follows shortly after the hurdles, and Patterson has also made that a priority event.
Patterson also attempts to defend her 100-meter title and reclaim her 300-meter title that she won as a sophomore (she finished third last year behind Randecker and the now-graduated Alaina Lester).
However, St. Bede's junior Lily Bosnich deserves to be more than just a footnote below Patterson. Bosnich blazed a 14.63 at the Rockridge Sectional, the fastest short hurdles time of the season, and her long hurdles time of 44.27 from the same meet is the only performance within a second and a half of Patterson's. If Bosnich wins either or both events, no one should be surprised.
6. Razor-Thin Sprint Relays
Last year, Virden (North Mac) and Monmouth (United) traded victories in the 4x100 and 4x200, setting new 1A state records in an all-time great year for the sprint relays.
Of these two teams, United has more gas returning and is a strong candidate to win both relays. Senior Rosie Flynn is the most prolific leg, but United is defined by a strong 1-4 relay group without needing a star to bolster their efforts.
El Paso-Gridley was in lockstep with these teams last year but was denied a win in either race. They are the class leaders in the 4x200 and, with the help of sophomore Jaida Reed, co-favorites with United in this event. Maroa Forsyth, along with El Paso-Gridley, has a trophy chase on the mind, is a class leader, and is the #1 seed in the 4x100. They can also win either event.
7. Will the Martin Twins Go 1-2 in the Pole Vault?
Last year, Mya Strahm from Elmwood absorbed the vaulting storylines by setting the all-time IHSA state meet record with a 14-foot jump. In her wake, the Martin twins of Newton- Camryn Martin and Karasyn Martin produced identical field series and tied for the final all-state spot in the vault.
This year, the Martins are #1 and #2 in 1A in the vault, and poised for a compelling 1-2 performance that would also vault Newton in the trophy chase. For Newton to grab a trophy, senior Sydney Kinder will also need to score big in the triple jump, and all four of Newton's relays will need to make noise. Do not be surprised to see both Martins in the 4x400 and 4x800.
8. The state meet is always where someone underrated will shine
The field events don't always receive the attention they deserve, especially the throws. There has been hardly any mention of the defending discus thrower Addie Stadsholt (Sr., Athens), who sits fourth in the classification and tenth overall with a season best 137'6." Stadsholt is undefeated but hasn't faced any of the girls in the top three, and will need to defeat the Warrensville-Latham twin towers, Emma Whightsil (Jr), and Brenna Dutcher (Sr). They are leading the state with imposing 146'10.25" and 145'3.75" marks. Dutcher took second last year, and Whightsil was fifth. Coming from a championship program, their school record holder is no other than the all-time great KD Young.
Staying in the field events is the shot put, where the top three and four of the top five shot putters in the state are from this class. The state leader is Chelsey Stotler (Sr., Stark County) at 43'4.5." Multi-sport athlete Makayla Gajewski (So., Nashville) plays basketball, softball, and track. She did not compete in the indoor season, but that has not stopped her from going undefeated since competing outdoors. The much-traveled and Top Times indoor champion Zion Young (So., Maroa-Forsyth) has only lost to 3A giant Marco Reynolds (Sr., Normal Community) and Emma Whightsil. Young avenged her defeat to Whightsil at the Maroa Sectional. She would be out for blood. Please make no mistake, this will be the top event in 1A, it just happens to be outside of the stadium in the grass field.