Scouting Tri-Cities girls track

Girls track and field scouting report

Top area teams: Batavia, West Aurora, Geneva, St. Charles East, Rosary, Kaneland, St. Charles North

Top returning athletes: Batavia: Natalie Tarter, sprints, hurdles, sr.; Melissa Norville, sprints, hurdles, jumps, sr.; Kathryn Warner, sprints, hurdles, pole vault, jr.; Alexis Sampson, middle distance, jr.; Julia Gross, sprints, jr.; Alex Onyiego, throws, jr. Geneva: Allie Pace, sprints, pole vault, jr.; Alissa Dappas, sprints, hurdles, jr.; Lexie Tomchek, jumps, jr.; Erica Miller, sprints, jr.; Sarah Cable, distance, jr.; Sammi Hill, sprints, jumps, jr.; Kelly Shogren, distance, jr.; Kelly Whitley, distance, so.; Kat Yelle, distance, so.; Taylor Wickware, distance, so.; Lisa Tauscher, distance, so. Kaneland: Lindsay Gierke, sprints, hurdles, sr.; Jordan Pinkston, pole vault, sr.; Alyssa Galvan, throws, sr.; Andie Strang, middle distance, so. St. Charles East: Lizzy Hynes, distance, sr.; Allie Devor, throws, sr.; Jess Nier, sprints, hurdles, sr.; Dayna White, middle distance, sr.; Arielle Parker, middle distance, sr.; Maya Rittmanic, jumps, jr.; Danielle Kuzniewski, sprints, jr.; Rachel Rawson, middle distance, so.; Colleen Earl, middle distance, so. St. Charles North: Jenna Loynachan, long sprints, sr.; Coral Cass, sprints, jr.; Danielle Goebbert, pole vault, jr.; Rehanna Stout, sprints, so. Aurora Central Catholic: Sonya Steder, sprints, jumps, sr.; Natalie Perry, sprints, jr.; Lauren Buba, hurdles, jumps, jr.; Bianca Guzaldo, sprints, pole vault, jr.; Nicole Bohr, sprints, middle distance, so.; Allison Alosio, middle distance, so. Rosary: Monica English, throws, sr.; Nora Bowe, sprints, hurdles, jumps, sr.; Chelsea Becker, sprints, jumps, sr.; Katie Petrando, sprints, jumps, jr.; Anna Duefel, sprints, jr.; Amy Kus, sprints, hurdles, jumps, so.; Ally Ridone, middle distance, so. Aurora Christian: Chelsea Cooper, sprints, sr.; Deanna Jimenez, middle distance, jr. West Aurora: Markesha Davis, sprints, jumps, sr.; Char Smith, sprints, jumps, sr.; Shanice Andrews, sprints, hurdles, jumps, jr.; Mariah Smith, sprints, jr.; Brittney Loza, middle distance, jr.; Jasmine Johnson, throws, jr.; Melissa Thompson, middle distance, jr.; Jasmine Ranson, sprints, jumps, so.; Kehlah Dunah, sprints, so.; Elisa Meyle, distance, so.

Transfers with a bullet: Geneva sisters Sarah and Megan Heuer; the latter, a senior, was third in Class 3A cross country last fall.

Freshmen to remember: West Aurora, Cynthia Smith, sprints; Shaday Pickett, sprints; Megan McKinley, middle distance; Gretta Meyle, distance; Geneva, Kaitlyn Kanarowski, pole vault; St. Charles East, Mallory Abel, distance; Kelsey Gentry, sprints; Annie Martinez, hurdles, sprints; Heather Mende, sprints; St. Charles North, Jessica Scheets, distance; Aurora Central, Anna Sestak, distance; Bailey Shemenski, distance; Kaitlin Rosa, throws; Ashley Wilk, jumps, sprints; Aurora Christian, Sarina Oleson, middle distance.

Scouting report: It is not an overstatement to suggest this could be the deepest collection of talent the area girls track and field scene has ever witnessed. Batavia, which tied for third last year in the Class AA state meet, has the incomparable Tarter at its disposal ­- and the Bulldogs may not even win their own conference, the Western Sun. Geneva won the indoor league title for the second year in a row, and the Vikings' combination of depth and balance could unseat the Bulldogs. West Aurora, meanwhile, seeks its first DuPage Valley Conference title after claiming its indoor title at Glenbard East. St. Charles East was second in the Upstate Eight indoor championships behind its twin returning state medal-winners Hynes and Rittmanic. With a new three-class state series this spring, Rosary and Kaneland could very well be in the thick of elite status in the middle tier of divisions. St. Charles North, Aurora Central Catholic and Aurora Christian all have promising individuals as well as the outdoor season commences. With the local programs scattered throughout different conferences and class arrangements, the Kane County Meet, to be held May 1st at Batavia, figures to be the primary regular-season arbiter of area bragging rights. "That is the one meet we really want to win," said Tarter, the defending champion in the 300-meter hurdles who welcomes back state-seasoned teammates Norville, Sampson and Warner. But Geneva has quietly begun laying the groundwork for recognition commensurate with its two-time defending cross country state champions. "We sent seven events to state and we only graduated one relay member," Geneva coach Peter Raak said. "We're ready to make a serious run. (I have) a very positive outlook, that's for sure." West Aurora, meanwhile, has been stockpiling talented underclassmen for the past three years in completely reversing its lower-half conference finishes. The Blackhawks have so much sprinting depth this spring that two freshmen, Smith and Pickett, qualified for indoor state running in underclass competitions. "West Aurora has really improved every year for several years, and it makes (the county meet) all the much better," Batavia coach Chad Hillman said. "They're definitely the team to beat (in the DuPage Valley)," said Chuck Hoff, coach of four-time defending league champion Naperville North. Denise Hefferin takes over the reigns at St. Charles East. "This is one of the most talented teams we've had in some time," Hefferin said. "(County) is definitely going to be the big one to test the waters. It's great to have such great competition in the area." The two hurdles races have dominated the local girls track and field discourse in recent years with a slew of immensely talented athletes headlined by Tarter, Gierke and former two-time Class A state champion Ashley Kasnick of Aurora Central. But no event has generated as much excitement for the upcoming season as the high jump. Kus, the Rosary sophomore who was third in the state last year in Class AA, is the odds-on favorite to capture the inaugural Class 2A title this spring. "I am 5-feet-7 tall, and it would be kind of cool to able to jump over myself," Kus said of her primary goal this spring. Kus' teammate, Bowe, has legitimate place aspirations of her own, and the Aurora community could be well represented at Charleston come May. Char Smith and Ranson are returning state qualifiers for West Aurora, and the latter sailed 5-6 in a national AAU competition last summer. Rittmanic is a triple threat for the Saints in all three jumping events. "We want (Rittmanic) to be all-state in both (the long and high jump)," said Hefferin. Tomchek is a returning medal-winner in the high jump for Geneva. Rosary senior thrower Monica English will also be heavily favored to medal in the shot put. "I would definitely like to break 45 (feet)," English said.

Key dates: Kaneland Invitational, Apr. 11; St. Charles North Invitational, Apr. 11; Downers Grove North Invitational, Apr. 17; Gus Scott Invitational, Apr. 17; Geneva Invitational, Apr. 18; Lockport Invitational, Apr. 24; Kane County Meet, May 1 at Batavia; Conference championships, May 7, 8 and 11; Sectionals, May 15.

Predicted state champions: Class 1A: Seton Academy; Class 2A: Rock Island; Class 3A: Waubonsie Valley