Girls track & field: Batavia repeats as UEC champion
Tori Ortiz had neither a desirable lane assignment nor a pleasant disposition for the final heat of the 200-meter dash Saturday afternoon in Batavia.
The Batavia sophomore was still smarting from being disqualified in the open 400 minutes earlier.
Teammate Hannah Schlman led off the Bulldogs' 800-meter relay one event prior; the Bulldogs were in first place, only to have the squad meet the same fate as Ortiz due to a muffed baton exchange.
"Hannah and I both went into that 200 super mad," Ortiz said. "After running a bad 400, I knew I had to give it all I had and run mad."
With the Bulldogs clinging to a precarious lead over perennial power West Aurora with two events remaining in the Upstate Eight Conference indoor track and field championship, Ortiz defended her individual title in 25.79 seconds.
Schlaman, who won the 55 dash earlier, was runner-up.
The Bulldogs' sweep in the event enabled the team to turn back West Aurora 118.5-108.5 for a second straight indoor league championship.
Geneva, St. Charles North and St. Charles East were incredibly bunched for the third through fifth slots.
Glenbard East, South Elgin, Bartlett, West Chicago, Larkin, Streamwood, East Aurora and Elgin were in the second half of the 13-team field.
"I wasn't going to let (Lane No. 6) slow me down," Ortiz said. "It wasn't the best lane, but I gave it all I had."
"Definitely, a pretty successful day," Schlaman said after winning her third consecutive league 55 title in 7.34 seconds. "I couldn't be prouder."
Leah Narup prevailed over West Aurora defending champion Rajiah Andrews to capture the 55 hurdles for Batavia; the Bulldogs' 3,200 relay claimed victory with a brilliant push by anchor leg Alexa Andrews.
"West Aurora, they have an outstanding team," Batavia coach Justin Allison said. "They always do. Our girls battled the whole time."
Tamia Rayford is the final scoring link to the Blackhawks' Class 3A state runner-up team from two years ago.
The West Aurora junior performed her typical role as team workhorse.
Rayford captured the open 400 in 58.85 to turn back fellow sprint-relay all-state returnee JeMya McClendon for one of three team sweeps on the day.
Andrews anchored the Blackhawks' victorious 800 relay to a second team championship.
"After a while I get used to it," Rayford said of her workload that contributed 33 team points.
As the 1,600 run unfolded, it became clear there would be a two-event champion between either McKenzie Altmayer or Audrey Ernst.
The former, the Syracuse-bound 3,200 champion from Geneva, followed her game plan to deny the reigning all-state Ernst at the distance for a unique double.
"I knew (Ernst) was going to take it out hard," Altmayer said of the St. Charles North sophomore. "I was very ready. I figured the equivalent of the third lap outdoors (800-1,200 meters), I could make my move."
Altmayer, who won the 3,200 run in 10:51.2, passed Ernst with 600 meters to go the win the shorter distance by almost four seconds to the North Stars' runner-up.
Ernst had earlier won the 800 in 2:21.01.
"There were so many girls on my shoulder that pushed me to go faster," Ernst said.
St. Charles North senior Hannah Schilb was the dominant performer in the five field events.
Schilb surpassed 18 feet in the long jump and 39 feet in the triple jump to win each event convincingly.
The triple-jump mark is the new conference record for the returning all-stater in the event.
"My speed wasn't as fast as I felt going down the runway," the Iowa-bound Schilb said. "(But) my power off the board was on point today."
Kennedy Gift and Emily Gier swept the pole vault to highlight the St. Charles East day.
Bridgette Williams' significant win in the shot put was the lone title for South Elgin.
"I worked on the glide (a foot maneuver) all summer," Williams said. "My footwork has improved a lot from last year."