Weather cuts Geneva's day short
The Geneva girls track and field squad was poised to discover its progression this spring at the Sue Pariseau Invitational at Glenbard West on Saturday afternoon.
"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."
With top-drawer programs from throughout Chicago and the suburbs represented, the 16-team meet figured to cast much attention on a collective attempt to unseat two-time defending champion Barrington.
But Geneva, coming off back-to-back invitational titles the last two weekends, had its measuring stick removed by a pair of extended weather delays that ultimately led host coach Kelly Haas to declare the meet null and void with six events remaining.
"It's too bad," the Glenbard West coach said.
"All the events everyone was waiting to see were just about to start," Downers Grove South coach Katerina Claiborne said.
Between scheduling conflicts exacerbated by county meets and conference tournaments, there was no choice but to leave a team champion vacant.
Hinsdale Central, a prime contender for the Class 3A state title, was leading the competition over conference rival Oak Park-River Forest and Geneva when the meet was called.
Of the six running events completed, the 3,200 relay marked the outdoor return of Geneva sophomore Kat Yelle. With classmate Kelly Whitley in tow, the Vikings are a leading candidate for finals exclusion at state next month. In a field loaded to match the overall texture of the meet, York turned back Hinsdale Central on the anchor leg with the Vikings coming in third.
The Vikings' 400-meter relay quartet, which featured its four swiftest runners, in Erica Miller, Alissa Dappas, Erin Kluck and Sammi Hill, was third behind Hinsdale Central and Lake Zurich.
Sarah Heuer was next up for the Vikings, and the senior transfer from Minnesota was passed in the final stretch by Whitney Young junior Lavinia Jurkiewicz for top honors.
"You can really feel the pressure," Heuer said. "We have a lot of girls who specialize in other events. You really want to get those times in track (compared to cross country)."
Two events later, Dappas ended two weeks of runner-up performances in the finals of the 100 hurdles by edging Glenbard North sophomore Christina Rini.
But the 100 dash proved to be the final varsity race of the competition. After an hour and a half delay, continuous thunder and lightening strikes evaporated all hopes to continue the meet.