Girls track and field: Hoffman Estates reigns in MSL West
Wednesday is cap and gown distribution day at Hoffman Estates High School.
Seniors on the Hawks' girls track team hope to be packing those items again for a special ceremony at the IHSA state finals in May.
Tuesday was a special night for the Hoffman girls, who won their second Mid-Suburban League West title in school history and first since 2010 when they won by 1 point.
The host Hawks had a lot more breathing room on Tuesday, racking up 179 points.
Next came Barrington (160), Palatine (159), Fremd (89), Conant (48) and Schaumburg (39).
"It's an interesting relationship we have with graduation because we are all committed as a team to miss our graduation with it falling on the same weekend as state," said Hoffman senior Anna Miller, a Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL) recruit who won the 800-meter run (2:22.27).
"For the last two years we've taken our picture on the big blue track (Eastern Illinois) with our caps and gowns so it's a very important moment. It's a nice little tradition to have that mini ceremony and it kind of shows that our goals athletically and academically have been accomplished."
Hawks coach Kirk Macnider was quite proud of his team's accomplishment on Tuesday.
"We knew that if we came out and did our job tonight, we could win it," said the fifth-year head coach, who has been in the program since 2003. "We had some people with illnesses and a little banged up, but the girls rallied and got it done. I'm super proud of them."
"This is just one check on the list and we're going to keep going in the championship season trying to get stronger every week."
Other individual event winners for Hoffman were Aahiyah McAllister (200-meter dash and long jump), Janae Dean (400-meters) and senior Mikiyah Blackwell, who won the discus (personal record of 131-08) and the shot put (40-11).
"I just felt it with the disc," she said. "Now I just want to keep trying to go further."
The Hawks also won the 4x200 meter relay (Bisola Bello, Kayla Harris, Toniyah Brown and McAllister), the 4x400 relay (Nikki Rong, Dean, Miller and Mikkaela Palmer) and the 4x800 relay (Miller, Dean, Rong and Palmer).
Barrington sophomore Molly Fitzpatrick won the 1,600-meter and the 3,200-meter.
Other winning Fillies were Gabby Cossio (300-meter hurdles) and the 4x100 meter relay team of Olivia Helmer, Ally Butirro, Brooke Husby and Cossio.
"Molly had outstanding times in the 1,600 and 3,200," said Barrington coach Jodi Gitelis. "Team-wise, we had some outstanding performances. We were not a full boat but I'm really pleased with what the kids did."
Palatine winners were Erin Olesak (100-meter hurdles), Anya Ball (high jump) and Jess Steepy (pole vault).
"Erin won the 100 hurdles and came back and just got edged in the 300," said Palatine coach Joe Parks. "There are definitely things we have do a lot better. We've got some work to do."
Other first-place finishers were Fremd's Elena DiVito (100 meters) and Palatine's Dacia Foster (triple jump).