St. Charles East, Neuqua Valley win UEC crowns
St. Charles East needed every point it could muster from its defending state champion 1,600-meter relay team at the Upstate Eight Conference girls track and field championships at Memorial Field in Elgin on Thursday.
The Saints trailed until midway through the second leg. That's when sophomore Casey McNichols kicked into high gear and took the lead on the far turn. St. Charles East never looked back as Kathleen Strohaker and Elizabeth Chmelik finished off what teammate Keely Flanagan started: a victory in the meet's final race over second place Batavia.
The relay victory lifted St. Charles East to the UEC River title by a narrow margin. The Saints finished with 159 points to Batavia's 157.5.
“We were just trying to get everyone in a good position, in a good place versus trying to run the fastest split,” McNichols said. “I just wanted to set Kathleen up for a nice race.”
“It was so nice,” Chmelik said of receiving the baton on the bell lap with a big lead. “That's why I love running with these girls. They got such a good lead for me and gave me enough confidence to know I could keep the lead and try my best. They all got it to me in first. I didn't want to disappoint them.”
St. Charles East also benefitted from Toree Scully's championship run in the 800 meters (2:16.03) Allison Chmelik's first-place finish in the triple jump (37 feet, 8¼ inches) and second-place finishes in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and the victorious 3,200-meter relay team, among many other performances.
Neuqua Valley won the UEC Valley title more comfortably. The Wildcats finished with 155 points to Metea Valley's 131.6. West Aurora was a distant third (78.6), followed by Glenbard East (70.2), Waubonsie Valley (60) and South Elgin (32.6).
Metea Valley's Holly Julifs won the discus throw and finished third in the shot put, an event won by Neuqua Valley senior Olivia Griswold. Her winning heave of 44 feet, 5 inches matched her personal record set a two weeks ago at the Neuqua Valley Invite.
“I think it was OK,” Griswold said. “I'm never satisfied with my throws, so I'll continue to get better.”
The Wildcats also benefitted from Samara Miller's 400-meter win (56.33). The junior held of West Aurora sophomore Tamia Rayford (57.19).
Batavia swept the sprint races. Sophomore Hannah Schlaman won the 100-meter dash in 12.78 seconds and freshman Tori Ortiz raced to victory in the 200 in 25.8 seconds with Schlaman finishing third. Ortiz and Schlaman were also part of the winning 400-meter relay team along with Audrey Jonke and Catie Ross (48.59).
“We just tried to get that 1-2 punch and get first and second and do our best and contribute our all,” said Ortiz of the 200 race with Schlaman. “It was both of our last races so we just tried to win it for Batavia and get as much points as we possibly could.”
West Aurora won the 800-meter relay (1:44.55) and freshman Kiyanna Rodgers won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.37, a tad faster than Batavia's Leah Narup (16.41).
Geneva's Janie McCloughan raced to victory in the 300-meter hurdles. The seniors time of 46.26 edged Angela Kerndl of Glenbard East (47.04).
Streamwood's Gabbie Juarez won the 3,200 in 11:02.07 just ahead of Batavia freshman Emma Stephens (11:03.69).
St. Charles North freshman Audrey Ernst took a big lead early in the 1,600 run and never relented. She led after every lap and won in 5:04.56.
“I just tried to push it the whole way and not die out,” Ernst said. “At the end I knew they were coming up on me so I just pushed it out as hard as I could until the end.”
The growing Larkin track and field program got a lift from its first all-conference finishes in several years. Sophomore Shawniece Douglas won the River Division title in the shot put (33-1½) and junior Izzy Orozco took fourth in the UEC River in the 300 hurdles.
“It really means a lot,” Douglas said of the all-conference showing. “Being a sophomore, I really pushed myself.”