Girls track: Naperville North's strength apparent at DVC meet

Few - if any - girls track and field teams in the state can match the arsenal Naperville North possesses between 800 and 3,200 meters.

Thursday afternoon at the DuPage Valley Conference championship at Wheaton Warrenville South, the Huskies were on a different planet than the other eight league members at the three distances.

Naperville North swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs as the centerpiece of a 139-91 victory over runner-up Lake Park.

WW South (86 points), Glenbard North (80), Naperville Central (74), Waubonsie Valley (73), Neuqua Valley (64.5), Metea Valley (49.5) and Wheaton North (43) filled out the final conference standings.

"First and foremost, it is our coach, Mr. (Dan) Iverson," said defending 1,600 champion Sarah Schmitt of the extraordinary depth of the Huskies' distance runners. "He is amazing. He pushes everyone the same. We have so many talented girls."

Alex Morris and Hannah Ricci began the Naperville North onslaught in the 3,200 run with their respective times of 10 minutes, 42.96 seconds and 10:46.98.

"My main focus for my race was to run my hardest," said Morris, ranked among the best in the state in the discipline. "I try not to think about the rankings too much."

In the 800 Claire Hill passed Indiana-bound Claire Hamilton in the waning meters to win in 2:19.81.

"I was proud of (Hill)," said Hamilton, who was also runner-up to Schmitt in the 1,600. "She ran an amazing race."

Schmitt, who also ran on the Huskies' victorious 3,200 relay, and Hamilton were 1-2 in the 1,600 in times of 5:02.62 and 5:07.01.

The Huskies' star sophomore sprinter, Halle Bieber, anchored the 400 relay to victory and also captured the 300 hurdles in 46.69.

"(Bieber) is insane," Hamilton said.

"That was a pretty big deal for the team," Iverson said of the returning all-stater in the event.

"I'm excited for the next two weeks (the state series)," Bieber said. "It feels great to contribute more to the team."

The Huskies also would have swept all four relays had the 800 quartet not been disqualified.

Jill Fitz was a member of both the 1,600 and 3,200 units.

"I'm doing it for my teammates," the Naperville North junior said. "It's for them more than anything."

In the field Lake Park junior Izzy Kennedy was the lone athlete to claim two individual championships.

The Lancers' standout swept the long and triple jumps with marks of 17 feet, 11 inches and 37-8.

"It was a good day," Kennedy said. "The jumps were really strong."

In the throws defending Class 3A shot put state champion Courtney Morgan of Metea Valley won with an effort of 44-0 to deny Waubonsie Valley senior Brooklyne Wilson, who captured the discus at 133-1.