C-G going for another championship

The Cary-Grove girls track team is riding some major momentum these days.

The Trojans recently won both the McHenry County and Fox Valley Conference titles and will look to make it a 3-peat today at the Class 3A Huntley sectional.

Cary-Grove is one of 5 area teams in the field. Other local entries at Huntley include Jacobs, Dundee-Crown, Crystal Lake South and the host Red Raiders. The winners of each event and any individual or relay team equaling or eclipsing the minimum state-qualifying standard will advance to next weekend's girls state finals at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium.

"Yes, we think we have a shot at winning sectionals," said Cary-Grove coach Mark Anderson. "We have a deep enough lineup that we don't need to consolidate too much as what usually happens in sectionals. Our first and foremost goal is to qualify for state in as many events as we can, and if that results in a sectional title, then we'll be thrilled. As always, our focus is on Cary-Grove and everything else will fall in place."

Cary-Grove is led by Kelly McCoy, who has won the county and conference titles in the 100 high hurdles. McCoy said she'll compete in the high jump, the 100 hurdles and the 800 relay.

"The hurdles are my best right now," said McCoy. "I'm starting to run instead of coasting through the hurdles. I had to work a lot on my arms."

McCoy said she's in a bit of a slump with the high jump (she's gone as high as 5-4 this year).

"I'm in a little 5-foot rut right now," said McCoy. "I did 5-4 earlier in the year and ever since then I've been stuck at 5-feet."

Cary-Grove flashed its depth at the FVC meet with Sarah Ryan and Carly Loeffel going 2 and 3 in the 100 and Lindsay Young and Molly MacInnes going 2 and 3 in the 800.

"We've got a lot of depth on the team," said McCoy. "We just have to run our best and not think about other girls and places and times and see what we can do. I know these girls we have can do it. They are so great."

Huntley finished second to Cary-Grove at both the county and conference levels. Standout Amy Fanella recently won 3 FVC titles (triple jump, 300 hurdles and part of Huntley's winning 1,600 relay). She narrowly missed a fourth title, finishing second to McCoy in the 100 hurdles.

Crystal Lake South features double conference winners in Alexis Wells (100 and 200) and sophomore Marianne Collard (800 and 1,600).

All of the local Elgin U-46 schools will be at the Class 3A Streamwood sectional at Millennium Field today.

Bartlett sophomore Alyssa Schneider will look to improve even further on her Upstate Eight Conference 1,600 winning time of 5:08.77. Schneider qualified for state in the 1,600 and 3,200 relay.

"I just try and stay with the top pack and stay with them the whole race and try and finish with them," said Schneider. "Going in, hopefully the time will take care of itself if I run with the top girls. I feel confident in the mile at this point."

Big Northern Conference champion Burlington Central and Hampshire will head west for the Class 2A Sterling sectional today.

Central junior Maggie Gannon won 4 conference titles last week (800, 1,600, 3,200 relay and 1,600 relay). Gannon broke her own conference records in the 800 and 1,600. She finished the 800 in a blistering 2:17.84 (keep in mind Class 3A state qualifying in the 800 is 2:20.5) and ran 5:17.90 in the 1,600 (also under the 3A qualifying time; Central is a 2A school).

"I'm going to focus on either the 800 or the mile, I'm still deciding," said Gannon earlier this week. "I'm probably going to do the 1,600 because our 4-by-8 can hopefully qualify. If I do the mile, I'll have more time before the 4-by-8. We want to get as many girls Downstate as we can."

Vanessa Perez, a state qualifier a year ago, won a conference title in the 300 hurdles and was second in the 100 hurdles. Freshman Alexa Tovsen (conference champion in 400) has been a key addition to the Rockets lineup.

Hampshire presents a number of possibilities, including its 3,200 (Autumn Chomenko, Tiffany Phu, Cassie Kruse and Liz Sicheri) and 1,600 (Chomenko, Phu, Jeanna Ballard and Kruse) relay teams along with Holly Plichta in the 3,200, Chomenko and Ballard in the 300 hurdles, Phu and Kruse in the 400, Macy Luedtke in the discus and Autumn Holze in the shot.

Elgin Academy, St. Edward and Westminster Christian will compete in the Class 1A Rockford Christian sectional today. Elgin Academy's Sarah Parker won the Independent School League long jump title and took second in the ISL 100 recently.