Teams targeting Barrington

The Class AA Waubonsie Valley girls track sectional advanced a whopping 93 qualifiers to this weekend's state meet.

"It was insane," said Naperville North coach Chuck Hoff, who added that 37 "extra" individuals and 20 extra relays earned their ticket to Charleston on top of the 36 guaranteed qualifiers for the 18 events.

Big numbers for a big challenge: toppling defending Class AA state champion Barrington.

The Fillies bring the top-seeded 3,200 relay team, which has its eye on Wheaton North's meet record of 9 minutes, 7.89 seconds. At St. Charles North, Barrington ran 9:03.2, among the best in the nation.

"If it's going to go down," Hoff said, "it'll probably go down the first day, because on the second day the kids will probably be pretty tapped."

Relay success can carry the day downstate, and no local team is better equipped than Hinsdale Central. The Red Devils bring down all four units, which have led the area all season. Naperville North and Downers Grove North also qualified all four relays.

Waubonsie Valley junior phenom Shakeia Pinnick shook off muscle tightness at the sectional to post the top time in the 300 hurdles, where she's poised to battle Batavia's Natalie Tarter.

Pinnick qualified in four events at Waubonsie Valley, as did Benet's ace duo of senior Kelsey Ontko and sophomore McKinzie Schulz.

Schulz, Pinnick, Waubonsie Valley's Toni Ogundare and Neuqua Valley's Sara Hartley hope to give Bloomington's Ashley Verplank a challenge in what should be a crackerjack 800-meter run.

"That 800, I think, down at state is going to be wonderful, with (defending champ and current Naperville Central soccer player Casey) Short not there," said Neuqua Valley coach Gretchen Parejko, who has a top-seeded high jumper, Monika Jakutyte.

Lake Park junior Lindsay Flanagan hopes to leave Charleston as she arrived -- with the top time in the state in the 3,200.