Maisto, Burlington Central savor sectional title

ROCHELLE - Jordan Maisto has logged as many hours of varsity competition as most of her peers have playing HALO or watching American Idol over the past four years.

Maisto has been in varsity competition ever since arriving at Burlington Central as a freshman. And even though the senior has played varsity golf and basketball for four seasons, varsity softball as a freshman and sophomore, and ran varsity track for the past two seasons, she has never made it past the sectional level in any sport.

The constant smile on the senior's face during Saturday's Class 2A Rochelle girls track sectional meet wasn't there for nothing.

Maisto qualified for next weekend's IHSA state meet in both the 400 (2nd, 50.2) and 800 (1st, 1:47.96) meter relays and Central claimed its first sectional crown since 2005. Maisto, along with relay mates Caille Thommes and Alexa Tovsen nearly made the cut in the 400 relay last season, finishing third at sectionals.

"We knew we could do it," Maisto said. "The 400 relay was a little more exciting (than the 800). That's the one we really wanted to get."

Whereas Maisto was focused on the 400 relay, teammate Maggie Gannon had a different strategy in order to get downstate in the 800 and 1,600 runs and the 1,600 relay. The Iowa State-bound Gannon wanted to reserve enough energy in each of her races in order to make sure she would cap off her career running in 3 events at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Field next weekend.

"It worked perfectly," Central coach Aaron Wichman said of the strategy. "She had a sub 60 (second) split in the 1,600 to get her down (state)."

Gannon overpowered Yorkville's Leena Palmer in the final 100 yards to give Central a first-place finish in the 1,600 relay (4:03.49) to close out the meet. Gannon (2:20.60) placed second to Hampshire's Cassie Kruse (2:18.93) in the 800 and finished fifth (5:20.83) in the 1,600, but ran under state qualifying time.

"I gave a little bit of energy in each race, so I could qualify in all three," said Gannon, who placed second in the 1,600 at state last year. "It's about making sure you qualify. You play your cards at the state meet."

One of the most decorated athletes Saturday was Hampshire's Kruse, who qualified in three events.

Of the 10 Class 2A sectionals Kruse ran the third-fastest 800 time and anchored Hampshire to second in the 3,200 relay (9:37.77) and third in the 1,600 relay (4:07.56).

"We had a really good day, especially in the relays," Kruse said. "The experience helped."

Although Kruse, Tiffany Phu and Autumn Chomenko had all qualified on last year's 3,200 relay team, it was freshman Paige Membrano who got the quartet off to a quick start on both the 3,200 and 1,600 relays.

"`It was a hard race all I remember was the start gun and the finish line," said a confident Membrano, who admitted to crying after early season races didn't go so well. "It's great to be a part of such a great team."

Hampshire distance runner Holly Plichta qualified by winning the 3,200 (11:16.53) and running a state-qualifying time (5:17.47) in the 1,600. Even though she won the 3,200 and qualified for state for the third straight year, it was the 1,600 which most impressed the senior.

"My (personal record) was 5:40 last year and I ran a 5:17," said Plichta, who qualified for state for the first time in the 1,600.

Central qualified a host of field competitors, which was a main reason for the sectional team victory, including pole vaulter Autumn Con (10 feet), Thomes (5 feet, 1 inch) and Katie Trupp (5-1) in the high jump, Alli Settani (34-10) in the shot put and its 3,200 relay team (10:01.42). Alexa Tovsen will go to Charleston with a qualifying run in the 400 (4th, 59.75).

Hampshire will also send triple jumper Liz Sicheri, who finished fifth in 34-6.