Shepard High School welcomes Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, Benet Academy and more to the 3A girls track and field sectional. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Neuqua Valley impresses in the long and triple jump
In the field events, Neuqua Valley has a great day in the jumping pit. Seniors Olivia Dalson and Lauren Ammenhauser both qualify for state in the long jump. Dalson also hits the mark in the triple jump, along with fellow Wildcat Alexandria Richmond, who takes second place in the triple.
Naperville Central junior Maya Stohner finishes fourth in the long jump and will head to state after a leap of 5.59 meters. Rajae Stevenson from Shepard is the long jump champion.
Karen Boakye from Downers Grove South is the triple jump sectional champ.
Downers Grove North senior Caroline Phillip is a star gymnast, and she puts her skills to good use in the pole vault, winning the event for the Trojans to add to their team score. Neuqua junior Iva Petreva just misses the cut in third place.
To the high jump, where Corrine Williams from Neuqua Valley clears 4′ 11.75″ on her second attempt, which ties for second place. However, she just misses the state cut behind Maya Nicholson from Downers North, who clears the same height in her first attempt. Alanna Banks from Downers Grove South is the high jump sectional champion.
Emma Briggs sweeps the throws for Benet
Benet Academy gets an outstanding showing in the throws from senior Emma Briggs, who finishes first in both the shot put and the discus.
On to the track portion, where the 4X800 relay gets things underway. Sandburg, Lockport, and Naperville Central all qualify for state with the Eagles group of Emily Sayger, Kelli Ellis, Annika Trehan, and Angelina Arroyo flying across the finish line first at 9:27.98. Carly Ernst, Izzie Bernard, Charlotte Danahy, and Eloise Graft help the Redhawks into third.
Lockport wins the 4X100 relay with Downers North also qualifying.
Jumping to the 4X200 relay later in the meet, where Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley compete for a spot at state. Estella Czech, Valencia Ingram, Maya Stohner, and anchor McKenzie Gettemy pull away down the stretch to help the Redhawks win the relay. Downers Grove North finishes second. Neuqua Valley just misses the cut in fifth place.
A fast group hits the track for the 3200 meters. At the midway point, Emma Breese is out in front for Naperville Central. Sara Luo and Ashlyn Willis from Benet Academy are in the hunt just a bit further back.
Down the stretch, Macy Ermitage from Downers Grove North just edges out Nia Ortega from Downers Grove South. Ella Satre from Hinsdale Central is not far behind, with Breese finishing fourth and just getting under the state cut line to punch her ticket. Luo and Willis finish in fifth and sixth, respectively.
Getting the hurdles out for the 100-meter version of the race. Hinsdale South senior Kennedy Ruff shows her stuff with a first-place finish at 14.83. Sydney Cline from Lockport is right behind her in second place. Ava Flynn from DGN punches a state ticket in third, as does Corrine Williams from Neuqua in fourth.
Keira Jenke is heading back to state for Benet
Stretching back out to the 800 meters for two laps around the track. It’s a sprint to the finish with Lily Hodneland from Hinsdale Central holding off senior Keira Jenke from Benet Academy to win the event at 2:13.91. Jenke clinches her eighth trip to state with the Redwings between cross country and track.
Rose Cosme from Marist and Gianna Modica from Downers North finish third and fourth, but make the state qualifying time.
Charlotte Danahy runs away with the 1600 meters
Adding two more laps around for the 1600 meters with the sun down and the stadium lights in full force. Charlotte Danahy from Naperville Central looks to hold off the rest of the pack, which includes Ariana Namvar from Neuqua Valley.
Down the home stretch, Danahy is able to pull away in the last 200 meters and hold on to cross the finish line first over Katie Peetz from Lockport with a time of 5:09.79. A lot of PR’s set in this race, with Namvar also qualifying for state with a third-place finish.
To the 300-meter hurdles with the meet winding down. Kennedy Ruff completes the sweep in hurdles with another first-place finish for the Hornets. Gabrielle Brown from Benet is heading back to state after taking second place. Sydney Cline from Lockport, Jada Judkins from Downers South, and Blake Weltler from Downers North all qualify as well. Anna Brown from Neuqua just misses the cut in sixth place.
Turning to the 200 meters, where it’s a two-person fight to the finish. Molly Gilmartin from Hinsdale Central wins the race to the line, just ahead of Olivia Dalson from Neuqua, who qualifies in her third event of the sectional. A pair of Redhawks, Estella Czech and McKenzie Gettemy just miss the cut line.
Downers Grove North wins the Shepard sectional title
Wrapping up the night with the 4X400 relay. Downer Grove North has already clinched the team sectional championship, but Naperville Central and Benet Academy look to finish strong and bring another relay to state.
Olivia Monteith, Keira Friant, Medha Devineni, and Eloise Graft get the job done for Naperville Central, qualifying with a second-place finish behind Shepard. Hinsdale Central is heading to state in third, while the Benet quad of Gabrielle Brown, Abigail Morrissey, Clare Donnelly, and Keira Jenke finishes strong down the stretch in fourth, but gets inside the cut line to head to state as well. Lockport finishes behind DGN as a team with Naperville Central in third, Neuqua Valley in fourth, and Benet in fifth.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
