Girls track: Mostly great news for NLCC champ Grant

Grant's girls track and field team continues to shake its opponents. Now the Bulldogs just have to shake the bad vibes they've experienced in the 400-meter relay their last two meets.

A week after dropping the baton in the Lake County meet, Grant, top-seeded in the 400 relay, false-started in the inaugural Northern Lake County Conference meet on its home track Thursday night. They qualified for state in the event last year.

"We're going to make it count at sectional, when it really matters," said junior Ariyona Wallace, who ran on Grant's state-qualifying 400 relay last spring.

Wallace and her teammates had an otherwise near-flawless meet in Fox Lake, totaling a winning 159.50 points to easily outdistance runner-up Lakes (109), which was led by Taylor Tilmon's trio of sprint wins. Grayslake Central (90) was third and Antioch (70), which hosts a 17-team Class 3A sectional that includes Grant next Wednesday, was fourth.

Grant received first-place efforts from Brooke Drabek in the 800 run (2:21.17), Danielle Osmon in the 3,200 run (11:21.13), Clare Basala in the 300 hurdles (49.10), Kate McEnery in the shot put (38-7.50) and the 1,600 (4:12.39) and 3,200 (10:02.49) relays. Baily Moran, Alya Rangel, Roxanne Temple and Allie Schweinberg made up the 1,600 relay. Drabek, Lauren Troemel, Eliza Scoggin and Temple comprised the 3,200 relay.

"It was a total team effort," Grant coach Greg Wodzien said. "Considering what we did at indoor conference (first place), we were pretty confident coming in here."

Tilmon's triple included winning the 100 (12.59), 200 (25.14) and 400 (59.65). It was the junior's last race, the 200, that she called the most fun.

"I just felt I was going really fast in that one," said Tilmon, who qualified for state in the 200 last year. "The other (two races), I was like, 'Ah, I don't know.' But this one was like, 'Yeah, I feel fast.' "

Wallace finished second to Tilmon in both the 100 and 200. Tilmon edged Wallace (12.61) at the finish in the 100.

"I've been running against her since middle school, so it's always fun," Tilmon said.

The big picture was Wallace was that Grant won the team title for the second week in a row.

"I'm OK," said Wallace, who hopes to qualify for state next week in the 100, 200 and 40 relay. "I'm very proud of our team. We work hard, we're like a family and we push each other. So I'm just glad that we were able to accomplish it together."

Wauconda sophomore Grace Daun won the high jump with a season-best 5 feet, 5 inches and finds herself in the same position as last spring, when shin splints in both legs forced to stop competing in running events.

Wauconda competes in the Class 3A Grayslake North sectional next Thursday.

"I'm hoping to be healed and be ready for jumping next week," said Daun, who had been running the 800 and 1,600 relays."It's perfect timing for sectionals (to be shut down from running) so I can be all rested and my legs can be fresh."

While Daun is disappointed she's done with running events for the season, she's optimistic she can return to the state meet.

"I'm bummed about it of course, but it's definitely for the best," said Daun, who last year finished seventh downstate in the high jump. "I want to have my fresh legs for something that I can go downstate for."

Grant sophomore Osmon made the most of her lone race, winning the 3,200 easily, with teammate Eva Cardy finishing second.

"I know we went out pretty fast. It was a pretty good pace," said Osmon, who went downstate in the 3,200 run last season. "I could hear Kelli Tosic (of Grayslake North) and Eva behind me the whole time, so I had to keep the pace. The last 800 I started picking it up a little bit, and then the last 400 it was just gutsy."

Lakes also got wins from Olivia Schmitt in the 1,600 run (5:16.88) and Toyin Jackson in the long jump (17-00.50). Ayanna Tommy anchored Antioch's winning 400 relay (51.63), which also included Shelby Purcell, Noor Abdellatif and Amada Rowe. Jill Everett of the Sequoits winged the discus a meet-best 118-00-50.

Grayslake Central's Jordan Meciej (17.63) and Rianna Magpantay (17.73) finished 1-3 in the 100 hurdles, with Grant's Shealyn Robinson (17.69) second. Grayslake Central won the 800 relay (1:48.87) with Lian Boucek, Meredith Clancy, Sarah Ishamuddin and Cydnie Paul. Meciej also captured the pole vault (10-3), and Ishamuddin won the triple jump (35-04-5).