Girls track: Glenbard East's Biegalski steps up in difficult double
Glenbard East sophomore Cailyn Biegalski was intent on returning to the Class 3A girls track meet in the 800-meter run until she recently ran a great time in a rare open 400.
Maybe Biegalski would instead to try to qualify at the Lake Park sectional Friday in the 400 instead of the 800?
How about qualifying in both?
In roughly a 25-minute span, Biegalski ran a personal best to qualify in the 800 and then pulled out second place in the 400 by nearly a second to advance in both events.
"Hard. It hurt my legs a lot," Biegalski said moments after her 400. "I just wanted to qualify in (the 400) because it sounded cool, I guess, if I did. I guess it just came down to who wanted it more and I really wanted it."
Several area athletes rose to the occasion despite intermittent rain to qualify with top-two finishes or by achieving state-qualifying standards at the meet.
"That was incredible (by Biegalski)," said Glenbard East distance coach Joe Latala said. "That is a really, really hard double. I'm so proud of her. All of the guts in the world and an amazing kick like that (in the 400)."
While Prospect won a second straight sectional team title, the host Lancers and Glenbard West were second and third and had eight qualifiers apiece in the scored events. Glenbard North, York and Glenbard East had four qualifiers, Wheaton North three, Addison Trail and Wheaton Warrenville South two and Willowbrook one.
Great competition resulted in eight 1,600 qualifiers, seven in the 800 and five in pole vault, high jump, discus and the 3,200.
Biegalski and teammate Lexi Wallin both advanced in the 800. Abbey Hoh qualified in high jump.
Senior all-stater Michaela Smith led Lake Park by sweeping shot put at 40-5 and discus with 136-2. Also advancing were Emily Golab in discus, pole vaulters Cami Fiala and Laura Sienkiewicz, triple jumpers Isabelle Kennedy and Anne Mou and Mani Lock in the 100.
"It's been a pretty rocky season so this kind of helped me build a foundation (for state)," said Smith, third in shot and discus in 2015. "I'm trying to get (personal records), go out with a bang. I've just got to compete."
Glenbard North senior Allison Wahrman qualified for state for the fourth time in triple jump and long jump and third time in high jump. The Panthers' 400 relay also qualified.
Wahrman, third at state in triple jump as a junior, might not be in the top-seeded flight at state despite winning Friday. Her 36-9 is more than 3 feet from her lifetime best.
"I'll just do better at state. The other two jumps, I was just trying to qualify," Wahrman said. "I want to medal in triple jump again and hopefully long jump."
Newcomers from cross country helped Glenbard West. Lindsey Payne, second at Class 3A cross country, won the 3,200 in 10:37.14 and also advanced in the 1,600 in her first outdoor track season. Katie Hohe and Kathryn Kenwood qualified in the 3,200 and 1,600, respectively.
The winning 3,200 relay advanced for the third time in four years, all with senior Grace Rogers.
Junior newcomer Janie Nabholz, also from cross country, helped both the 800 and 1,600 relays advance. The 800 relay also included Jessica Michel, who had a school-record 10-3 in pole vault.
Kenwood, a senior who just missed qualifying in last year's bad sectional weather, won the 1,600 in a personal-best 5:03.51 after taking the lead entering the last lap.
"That was kind of scary after I took it. But I knew I had something left so I just went for it," said Kenwood, part of the 3,200 relay. "Still bitter about last year, but it's senior year. You've just got to run as best you can."
Addison Trail junior Lauren Kroll returns after winning both the 100 and 200. Because of state, she will miss prom Friday.
"I really am excited that I can hopefully go for finals in the 200," Kroll said. "I feel like I ran well considering the weather and being terrified of slipping."
Wheaton North senior Naomi Noyes qualified again in the 800. She'll be joined at state by Shea Brown in shot and pole vaulter Micah Brady.
"It was a hard (800), but I just laid it all on the track," said Noyes, who finished sixth. "When I saw all of these girls passing me (I thought), am I running too slow? That's the fastest 400 (I've finished with)."
WW South's Sara Atkins qualified again in the 1,600. Fellow state cross country teammate Allison McGrath earned her first state track berth in the 3,200 with a personal best.
"I'm happy to go downstate for track because that's been my goal for the past two years," McGrath said.
Willowbrook's Kyla Denwood also advanced in discus. York advanced its 3,200 relay and members Elizabeth Hagstrom in the 1,600 and 800 champ Sarah May.
Glenbard West sophomore Daniela Polencheck, the 2015 state champion in the 100 and 200 wheelchair, scratched from the 200 after winning the 100 and suffering shoulder problems during the 400. Teammate Ahalya Lettenberger won the 400 and 200.