Disappointing end for Glenbard W. invitational

The stakes were high as the girls track and field powerhouses assembled at Glenbard West for the Sue Pariseau Invitational on Saturday afternoon in Glen Ellyn.

"This is as close to a state meet as you're going to find," said Naperville North distance coach Dan Iverson. "It's better than any sectional."

But the assemblage of top athletes could not overcome two extended weather delays that forced host coach Kelly Haas to discontinue the competition with six running events remaining.

Hinsdale Central was leading West Suburban Silver rival Oak Park-River Forest and Geneva for top team honors when the meet was stopped for a second time.

"All the events everyone was waiting to see were just about to start," said Downers Grove South coach Katerina Claiborne.

With no possibility to continue the meet at a later date, the team champion at the venerable 16-team competition was vacated.

"It's too bad," Haas said.

Of the completed events the 800-meter run ,which proved to be the final contested event, went down to the wire.

There were three separate lead changes over the final 400 meters as Whitney Young junior Devyn Thompson regained the edge to turn back Naperville North senior Jamie Schertz and Hinsdale Central senior Roey Hines.

"(Thompson) had a great finish," Schertz said. "On the first lap I passed her (at the 200-meter curve). Then I did the same thing (on the gun lap), but on the straightaway she caught me at the end."

York freshman Stephanie Frigo ran a brilliant anchor leg to deny Hinsdale Central in the opening 3,200-meter relay, but the Red Devils' formidable group of sprinters rebounded to capture the following relay at 400 meters.

In the field, meanwhile, in the early going Glenbard North sophomore trumped her district rival from Glenbard West, Sarah Udelhofen, to win the high jump on fewer misses at 5 feet, 3 inches.

But Hinsdale Central took early command as Adabelle Ekechukwu upset Oak Park senior Brittany Smith in the shot put, and Jessie Vardas headlined a Red Devils first-and-tied-for-second result in the pole vault.

Glenbard North sophomore Christina Rici was looking for a second Panthers title in the 100-meter hurdles, but Geneva junior Alissa Dappas derailed her hopes by leaning at the tape.

The varsity 800-meter relay squads, with several top contenders in the triple jump simultaneously preparing for the finals, were in the blocks when thunder and periodic lightening strikes cancelled the competition for good.