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Busy night for Prospect's Mason, Selep

The 100-meter hurdles was a defining moment for the Prospect girls track and field team in Carol Stream on Thursday night.

Maya Mason and Cassidy Selep, both of whom enjoyed monster nights for the Knights at the Class 3A Glenbard North sectional, swept the event.

Prospect never looked back in winning the team title with 95 points.

The Knights had a double-distance champion in Brooke Wilson and advanced nine individuals as well as their victorious 400 relay.

Wheaton Warrenville South, despite not crowning a single champion, advanced seven individuals in six events and added two relays to the state finals next week at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The Tigers finished with 85 points, well ahead of Lake Park, York, and Glenbard North, for runner-up.

Addison Trail, Wheeling, Fenton, Wheaton North, Glenbard East, Conant, Elk Grove, Leyden and Rolling Meadows rounded out the field.

Mason won the 100 hurdles two events after anchoring the Knights' 400 relay in 49.33 seconds.

"We had to make a substitution (Jes Skudlarek for Catherine Sherwood)," Mason said. "We didn't know if we could get the same time. We're all just a really good group of girls. We all have close times to each other."

Selep complemented her runner-up in the short hurdles by winning the pole vault at 11 feet and also advancing in the high jump as an at-large qualifier.

Skudlarek added another field title for the Knights by winning the high jump in 5-5.

"I had a bad experience last year at the sectional," the junior said. "I had to take the attitude, 'If you're going to miss your first jump, you'll get it on the second.' I hit all my (first attempts) to 5-5 and had some quality attempts at 5-7."

Wilson then cemented the Knights' victory by adding the 1,600 run to her earlier triumph at 3,200 meters.

"I was more interested in hitting some time goals (than winning)," Wilson said after winning the two longest races in 5:06.73 and 11:06.11. "This is just the cherry on top. I'm excited and feel ready for next week."

Emily Stegmeier claimed all 10 points for Elk Grove by taking the lead at the gun lap and never surrendering her advantage in winning the 800 in 2:17.7.

"My coach (Mark Heintz) told me not to cut in right away so I wouldn't have to run farther than I had to," Stegmeier said. "I'm really tired right now, but I'm really glad that I advanced."

Wheeling and Conant advanced individuals in three separate events each.

Hersey and Rolling Meadows had Venus Jones and Gaby Sanchez extend the programs' season in the discus and 3,200 run, respectively.

Michaela Smith, Emily Burris, Allison Wahrman and Lauren Kroll are going to have busy preliminaries next Friday.

Smith, the Lake Park standout thrower, duplicated her DuPage Valley Conference achievement of double wins in another impressive showing.

The junior won the discus in 140-5 and followed suit in the shot put at 41-5.5.

"I'm chasing the school record (in the shot put)," Smith said. "I'm 2½ inches away. If I just maintain (my marks in the preliminaries), then I will be right there (for finals)."

Burris, a Fenton junior, also became the first multiple-event section champion for the Bison in almost four decades.

Burris' winning effort of a shade under 19 feet in the long distance puts her in elite company.

The Bison star came back to nip Kroll to win the 100 dash in 12.35.

"I really wanted to do my coaches and my teammates proud," Burris said. "I wanted to do it for my school. (The winning) long jump was the first jump. Now that I won the 100 is an even better feeling."

Kroll, the highly touted Addison Trail sophomore, anchored the Blazers to an at-large berth in the 400 relay and capped her night with a sound triumph in the open 200.

"(Kroll) has to be the first (sectional champion) on the track in over 30 years," Addison Trail coach Dave Pytko said.

"I was freaking out (at the start of the 200), there was a huge puddle in my lane," Kroll said. "As soon as the gun went off, my body just took over. It shows all my hard work on and off the track has paid off. I thought maybe one or two (qualifying events) but not three."

Wahrman had a repeat of her sectional accomplishments for the host Panthers.

"I had a pretty good night," the Glenbard North junior said. "I made it to state in all three jumping events, just like last year. I hadn't (hit) state-qualifying in the high jump all year, so that was nice to get that tonight."

WW South finished runner-up in the 800 relay, Sara Atkins and Alex Enright did likewise in the 1,600 and 300 hurdles.

Enright was edged out by Glenbard East senior Angela Kerndl in the event.

But the Tigers also enjoyed productive gains in the field.

Hannah Kats' 40-7 shot put throw is a new program best; she also advanced in the discus.

Naomi Yamane was exactly a foot behind her teammate to also qualify for WW South in the shot put.

"(Yamane) was on JV two weeks ago," WW South coach Rob Harvey said.

Glenbard West had its two former all-state runners, cross country champion Lindsay Graham and Lisa Luczak, lost for the season in recent weeks.

Mary Nevins' sub-minute time eased the pain somewhat for the Hilltoppers in the 400, and Grace Rogers' late surge in the 3,200 relay gave Glenbard West another title.

York advanced all four relays, including championship units at 800 and 1,600 meters.

  Renee Blake of Wheaton North gets some air during the triple jump at the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday at Glenbard North. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Jenny Fisher of Glenbard North took part in the triple jump during the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Kim Schonder of Addison Trail launches during the triple Jump at the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Cassidy Selep of Prospect runs the 100 hurdles during the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Kennedy Youngblood ran the 100 hurdles during the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Kristina Loznjakovic of Conant ran the 100 hurdles during the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Melina Thurmond of Glenbard West throws the discus at the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Hannah Dobrowski of Wheeling works the discus during the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday in Carol Stream. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Michaela Smith of Lake Park throws the discus during the Class 3A Glenbard North girls track sectional Thursday at glenbard North in Carol Stream. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
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