Spartans win SCC; Fifths for Lucas

St. Francis needed to make a lot of change to win the Suburban Catholic Conference girls track and field title.

"We told the girls on the way over (to Rosary in Aurora) that we needed to nickel and dime (the other schools) to death," St. Francis coach Scott Nelson said.

St. Francis' Sarah Torres was the lone athlete to win three events Monday afternoon, and the other Spartans delivered the game plan to perfection.

Receiving double-scoring in a host of events, which largely negated the seven events captured by Rosary, the Spartans hoisted the league title for the first time since 2001 with 148 points.

Rosary, which had of pair of double winners in Amy Kus and Monica English, was second with 136.

Aurora Central Catholic, behind its superlative 1,600-3,200 champion Val Cintron, was third with 106; Marian Central (93.5), Montini (43.5), Driscoll (22) and St. Edward (8) rounded out the scoring. Immaculate Conception was eighth.

St. Edward senior Ashley Lucas closed out her conference career with a pair of fifth-place finishes.

Lucas, running injury-free for the first time in the outdoor season since her freshman campaign, was circumspect about her afternoon.

"I haven't done as well as I could have (this season)," said Lucas, who will continue her running career at either Valparaiso or Lewis. "The 2-mile, I was hoping for a better time and I felt pretty good in the mile."

The Wave 3,200 relay -- Megan Venlos, Karoline Kelly, Nadia Suarez and Tina Wahl -- earned a fifth-place result, and Venlos had a late dash in the 800 to secure the final fifth-place award for the Green Wave.

"That's usually what I do," Venlos said of her closing burst. "At the end you have to give everything you have left or you're wasting it. I expect to do better at the sectional."

Torres, a sophomore, jump-started St. Francis' attack by winning the 100 meters by three-hundredths over Aurora Central senior Jackie Elliot.

Showcasing her versatility, Torres then trumped the competition in the triple jump with a winning effort of 34 feet, 11 inches, only to claim her third title in the mentally exacting 300 hurdles (49.21 seconds).

"I knew I had a shot at winning (all three)," Torres said. "I had a lot of encouragement from my teammates. We all wanted to win (the conference) this year."

Torres ended her day with a fourth-place result in the 200 meters, and teammate Katy Garcia had one of the outstanding individual efforts with a 5-4 performance in the high jump.

The freshman settled for first after narrowly missing at 5-5.

"I wanted to get 5-4 and also beat Rosary," Garcia said. "(The Rosary high jumpers) are always my competition, but friendly competition."

St. Francis' plurality was inconceivable without the efforts of its distance runners; the Spartans scored 28 points in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs behind Alyssa Robinson, Kelly McShea and Courtney Trunk while Rosary was shut out in the two events.

"That was huge," Nelson said.

St. Francis' Rachel O'Connell snared the Spartans' fifth individual championship in the pole vault.

Bridget Fahey was second in the event to pace Montini, and senior workhorse Vanessa Bain was once again the leader for Driscoll.

English was named outstanding performer of the meet for her twin triumphs in the shot put and discus.

The Rosary junior stymied the competition in each event with throws of 118-6.5 and 38-2¾ in the discus and shot, respectively.

"The shot put could have been better," English said. "I was a little slow on that. I'm starting to climb back up the ladder (in the discus)."

Kus started her day with a runner-up in the high jump, only to win the 100 hurdles in a personal-best 15.53.

The freshman from Batavia also captured the 200 meters and was a dropped baton in the 800 relay away from a third title.

"(Finishing second in the high jump) was disappointing, but the height (5-2) was good," Kus said. "Hurdles was my best time yet, and the 200 was my best time as well."

Anna Deufel was a common denominator on the Royals' 400- and 1,600-winning relays; the freshman also won the open 400 meters.

Senior Stephanie Roth concluded her league career as she began it by running a leg on the victorious mile relay.

"We have big shoes to fill with (Roth)," Rosary coach Vic Meade said. "This is a team of the future."

Cintron broke free over the last 800 meters to reverse a runner-up finish in the 3,200 from last year, and the senior overcame a debilitating cramp over the final 100 meters, not to mention a late rush from St. Francis' McShea, to defend her title at 1,600 meters as well.

"I really wasn't thinking about (winning both events), so I didn't know what to expect," Cintron said.

Aurora Central junior Sonya Steder provided the defending league champions another first-place result in the long jump, and senior stalwart Jamie Nagel was invaluable in the 800 and 1,600.

The Chargers were also the beneficiaries of the Rosary muffed exchange in capturing the 800 relay.