Videographer Thaliya Martinez captured the essence of the state championships via a motion reel
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Charleston, IL-
While the other favorite teams in the different classifications had issues, Normal U High was doing the opposite of self-destructing. The Pioneers were busy getting their key personnel into position for the championship repeat. They would dominate the field, scoring 64 points.
4x800: A new champion was crowned as last year's record holder, Wheaton St. Francis, placed 12th. Tolono Unity did not have the lead until late in the final lap. The Rockets jetted home for the win in 9:19.34. Rochester gave a valiant effort, taking the runner-up position ahead of Rockford Boylan Catholic 9:19.37-9:20.66.
4x100: In one of the day's most exciting races, Troy-Triad stormed from third on the anchor leg and into the lead on the strength of junior
Sophia Schardan. To the spoils goes the victory in 47.39. Chicago Heights Marian and Normal U High broke 48 seconds with 47.44 and 47.53 marks, respectively.
3200: It was more of a survive and advance effort for
Sundara Weber (Jr., Sandwich) than a record attempt. "Sunny" led each lap except the second one. She broke away from a crowded field with two laps remaining and won by 10 seconds over
Zoe Carter (Jr., Normal U High) 10:29.04-10:29.03
100HH: Jordan Hamb (Jr., Chicago South Shore) gets her sub 14.00 legal mark w/13.99 (+1.4) and repeats as champion.
Kendall Gray (Sr., Southland Prep) recovered from a prelims ankle injury to take second in 14.60.
100: To everyone in the stadium's surprise, except for sophomore
Rege Cooper-Smith and the contingent from North Chicago, she stunned the world in 11.92-11.93 (+1.5) over the heavily favored Sophia Schardan. Cooper-Smith showed an outpouring of emotion in the ensuing fray, and Schardan fell to the ground with an apparent leg injury.
800: Emily Stecky (So., Chicago DePaul Prep) and
Klarke Goranson (Fr., Manteno) went out fast on a mission, both clocked 62s for the first circuit. Stecky pulled away at the 600m mark and came home for the win in an IL#2- 2:09.31
4x200: Rege Cooper-Smith was back on the third leg to assist her team in another victory. The Lady Warhawks held off Normal U High and Marian in 1:41.61.
400: Madalyn Marx (Jr., Mahomet-Seymour) repeated as champion, this was faster than last year, 55.88, and over a half-second faster than runner-up
Kamaree Pollard (Sr., Mt. Vernon).
300H: Kendall Gray precisely zoomed through each hurdle and won in 44.29. The victory helped seal her team's trophy, and there was tons of happiness in the Southland College Prep camp.
1600: Maybe it was calculated, especially after the mild 3200 victory by Sunny Weber in the morning. She loves the "mile" so it was no surprise to see her set a rapid pace only she can cover. She opened in 69.4, then 2:20.5 at the halfway point. Weber was 3:33 on the bell, the crowd was on its collective feet as she hit the backstretch with an opportunity to run an incredible time. Weber crossed in 4:41.90 to break Woodstock Kayla Beattie's record from 2011. Her efforts earned US#11/IL#1.
200: It was a fantastic weekend for Rege Cooper-Smith, who earned a third gold medal in 24.34 (+0.9). Her name will be etched into IHSA lore as someone who was not on the radar coming in but left as a superstar.
4x400: Eureka moved from third to first on the final lap to snatch the victory in 3:57.44.
Millie Kaufman clocked 57.06 on anchor.
PV: Sophia Burciaga (Jr., Reed-Custer) won her first state title with 11'7.75"
HJ: Katie Kostro (Jr., Aurora Rosary) had the performance of a lifetime, pulling off the upset win in 5'7."
LJ: Maria Long (Sr., Pontiac) was not a household name coming up, but she had several 19-foot efforts on her resume. Somehow, she was able to muscle out a victory over Jordan Hamb with an 18'1.50" effort.
TJ: Taya Rice (Jr., Chicago Ag Science) was a non-factor in this event a year ago, and did not advance out of the preliminary round. Now she is a state champion at 39'5." She led throughout the competition.
SP: Ranked #4 entering the state meet, Emma Skeate (Fr., Marion) won it on her third throw, which was 38'2."
DT: Isabella Thurston (So., Normal U High) performed well all season, but she stepped it up another notch at the state meet, producing a 144'9" on her second throw in Friday's prelim round that stood up.
