Hawks' Schneider shines in mile at UEC meet

Alyssa Schneider was in rarefied company at the Upstate Eight Conference girls track and field championship on Thursday night in Naperville.

The Bartlett sophomore, inspired by Lizzy Hynes' brilliant run in the 3,200 run to deny nationally ranked Lindsay Flanagan, had a similar purpose in the open mile. Schneider left no doubt from the opening lap, opening a lead that would only grow as the Hawks' star miler set a new regular-season personal best of 5 minutes, 8.77 seconds to win going away.

Larkin senior Britney Whitehead, who earlier was runner-up to Waubonsie Valley three-event champion Shakeia Pinnick, was a distant second to cap a sterling double in the 800 and 1,600 meters.

"I'm going into sectionals with a lot faster time than last year," Schneider said. "I like someone to push me, but I was pretty much running on my own after the first lap."

Waubonsie Valley stormed to its second league title in the last three years behind the incomparable Pinnick and its galaxy of sprinting stars, but Bartlett led the way for the Fox Valley-area schools. The Hawks, who received another consistent performance by Sam Salinas and first-year senior Becca Cronin, scored 50.75 points to place fifth. Larkin was seventh with 27 points.

Cronin, who played soccer her first three years at Bartlett, continued to impress, placing second in the triple jump and 300 hurdles.

"I'm just very competitive and want to do well in everything I try," said Cronin. "I knew the girl from Waubonsie (Pinnick) was the best, and I wanted to try and stay with her (in the 300 hurdles)."

Whitehead, meanwhile, reduced her career best in the 800 meters by almost five seconds, only to see Pinnick ease to the title. The senior came back to set another personal record in the mile in placing runner-up to Schneider. Salinas, the Hawks' workhorse distance runner, was fourth in the 3,200 and fifth in the 1,600.

"I'm still so tired from the 800," Whitehead said after finishing the mile. "We (the coaches and her) decided to move back (after experimenting with the 300 hurdles last year), and it's working."

Megan McGlone placed in both hurdles events to pace Streamwood; freshman Jordan Tuin soared 5 feet in the high jump to lead South Elgin. Fatima Diabate was fourth in the triple jump for Elgin.