Palatine girls earn track crown at MSL Indoor meet
KENOSHA, Wis. - Last year the Mid Suburban League had a banner year, as Barrington took second at the IHSA Class AA meet with Conant tying Batavia for third.
But with Barrington's Molly Glantz and Samantha Learch, Conant's Toni Graham, and Palatine's Joceyln Kuksa all graduating, the MSL was left with quite a void.
The void is filling quickly, as was evident Saturday at the 29th annual Mark Saylor MSL Indoor meet at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis.
A balanced Palatine squad won four events and took second in four events en route to winning its 13th indoor title with 100 points. Hoffman Estates (63.5 points) took second at the Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center.
Conant (54 points), Schaumburg (50 points), Fremd (47.5), Prospect (44 points), and Barrington (42 points) bunched together in taking third through seventh place.
"That was a nice team effort," said Palatine coach Steve Currins. "You don't know what to expect when you come to these meets, but I'm really happy with the way we competed."
One thing the Pirates can count on is Martha Shepard in the shot put. The senior took first, setting a meet record with a throw of 41-101/2.
Last week at York, Shepard set a school indoor record with a throw of 43-11/2.
"This season has just been so much more fluid," said Shepard, who finished fifth in Class AA last season. "State will prepare anybody for competition."
While Shepard was setting the tone, freshman Laura Schwiekert had no trouble in picking up the beat.
Schwiekert took first in the 200 (26.5) and third in the 55 dash (7.3). She also combined with sophomores Valere Guertin, Meghan Flanagan, and Morgan Quinnett as the Pirates won the 800 relay (1:48.7).
Schwiekert led off the 200 relay and provided the Pirates with a nice cushion.
"I wanted to get off to a good start and put my team in a good position," Schwiekert said.
"She opened a big lead and the other kids fed on that," Currins said.
Sophomore Sarah McIntosh took first in the 3,200 (11:17.2), Robin Anderson took second in the high jump (5-1), and junior Ruth Allen took second in the 800 (2:21.4) to aid the Pirates, who also took second in the 3,200 relay (9:51.5) and 1,600 relay (4:12.9).
Hoffman cruised to first in the 3,200 relay (9:44.3), as freshmen Haley Goers and Haley Worman combined with juniors Melissa Schmidt and Hannah Worman.
Schmidt brought the Hawks back in the third leg, and Hannah Worman nailed down the victory with a devastating anchor leg.
"Melissa did a great job closing on the Palatine girl," Worman said. "That gave me great position and I just finished hard."
Junior Kristie Hisey took first for Hoffman in the high jump (5-2), Precious Ogunleye (40-9) was second in the shot put, Simone Hawkins placed second in the long jump (16-4.75) and Emily D'Amico was runner-up in the 55 dash (7.3).
Schaumburg sophomore Karen Lesiewicz came from behind on the final lap to set a meet record in the 800 (2:18.8). Saxons sophomore Britten Petrey separated from a loaded field in the final lap to win the 1,600 (5:09.6.)
Lesiewicz and Petrey combined with Nora Ferguson and Jordan Wagner to take first in the 1,600 relay with a meet record of 4:04.2.
"We're a very young team and this is only the beginning of what we're capable of," Lesiewicz said.
"It's very exciting," Petrey said. "We look small, but we're really big."
Josie Hutch (8.4) and Sara Gordon (8.7) went 1-2 in the 55 high hurdles to power Conant. Fremd's Jamie Notaro took first in the long jump (16-5.5). and teammate Bizzy Mellado added a first in the pole vault (10-3).
Hersey's sophomore Tia Roberson edged a hard-charging field to take first in the 55 dash (7.2), while Barrington's Jorie Frey took first in the 400 (60.7).
Buffalo Grove's Nicole LaMantia took first and set a meet record in the triple jump (35-9.5).
"It feels better to be a foot and a half more than I was last year," said LaMantia, who hit her winning mark on her second-to-last jump.