Conant races to runner-up finish

Conant and its sprinters are at it again.

Last year the Cougars took third in the 400 relay (47.94) and fourth in the 800 relay (1:42.08) at the Class AA state meet.

Saturday at the 21st annual Carol Koszola Classic, Conant flashed it speed again, taking first and setting meet records in the 400 relay (48.18), 800 relay (1:42.5), and 1,600 relay (4:08.54).

That helped lift the Cougars to second place with 100 points in the 14-team field at Lake Park in Roselle.

Rock Island won 6 events and the title with 106 points. Host Lake Park (88 points) took third, followed by St. Ignatius (75 points) and Leyden (46 points).

Conant returned all four runners from its 400 and 800 relay team, and the experience and talent showed.

Brianna Millar, Emily Quinones, Destiny Arps and Toni Graham, all seniors, powered the Cougars to victories in the 400 and 800 relays.

Sarah Gorden and Joelle Lien combined with Millar and Quinones to win the 1,600 relay.

"We're all comfortable with each other," said Millar who also finished second in the 100 (12.61). "We're confident we can get our hand-offs. We're all really close and we want to win."

The four seniors are not about to go quietly.

"We're ready," said Arps who finished second in the 200 (25.01). "Our hand-offs are smooth, but we want to get them down pat where everything is perfect."

And it helps when you have Graham, who finished second in both the 100 and 200 at the Class AA state meet last year, as your anchor.

Graham set a meet record in winning the 200 (24.88) and also blazed to a victory in the 100 (12.24).

"The relays are definitely on point," said Graham, "We're passed where we were at this point last year and we want to be tested."

Conant junior Jenna Verity added a first with a season best in the discus (117-04).

Sophomore Josie Hutch (16.93) and junior Kelly Hendricks (17.12) went 2-3 in the low hurdles, and Gorden added a third place in the 300 low hurdles (49.10).

Junior Lindsay Flanagan powered Lake Park, winning and setting a meet record in the 3,200 (10:44.53). She came back to gain a victory in the 1,600 (5:18.54).

"I had a really good indoor season and I want to continue that outside," said Flanagan who ran the 3,200 for the first time outdoors this season. "It doesn't really matter where you're at in the race, I'm just focusing on times right now."

Junior Juliet Vogel took first in the 800 (2:23.1) for the Lancers and also was part of the 3,200 relay (9:44.31) that took second.

"I'm looking to get under 2:20 at this point," said Vogel, "Once I break the wall I'll be there."

Junior Rachel Kreuzer cleared 10-6 to win the pole vault for Lake Park, followed by teammate Ugne Klibaite (9-6).

Senior Yazmin Gutierrez took third in the 1,600 (5:28.08), and Amanda Rafidia took second in the high jump (5-0) for the Lancers.

Sarah Drozdowski added a third place in the discus (105-0) for Lake Park.

Junior Jaime Johnson took second in both the 3,200 (11:26.52) and 1,600 (5:26.97) to power Leyden.

Senior Bridget Sanchez finished fourth for the Eagles in the 100 (12.85), then came back to combine with Sonja Filipovic, Emilita Stanil, and Klaudia Susal for third place in the 1,600 (4:15.65).

Marta Karpacz took third for Leyden in the 400 (2:24.2)

Junior Nadiyah Spencer took first in the long jump (15-11.75), and Britney Whitehead was second in the 300 low hurdles (48.25) for Larkin.

"It is Nadiyah first year jumping," said Larkin coach Jeremy Bloomberg. "Our goal for her this year was to hit 15-6, she crushed that today."

Erin McGrath took second in the 400 (2:24.14) and Nicole LaMantia took third in the triple jump (32-11) for Buffalo Grove.

Junior Kelsey Seiler took third in the 3,200 (11:30.58) and Kateleigh Pilson took third in the shot put (35-02) for Dundee-Crown.

Palatine invite

Palatine's 3,200 relay was in prime form.

Colleen Standridge, Ruth Allen, Sarah McIntosh, and Tory Wright combined to lead the Pirates to first place with a time of 9:24.

Standridge came back to win the 1,600 (5:15.8) and Jocelyn Kuksa added victories in the pole vault (11-4) and 300 low hurdles (45.1).

Hoffman Estates Hannah Worman took first in the 3,200 (11:19.4).