3-class track works out fine for Burlington Central
CHARLESTON - Who's for the 3-class system?
Burlington Central sure is. The Rockets had their share of success in Class A, but after moving up to Class AA they were shut out of medals.
In the first year of 3-class system in track and field, Burlington found Class 2A to be a perfect fit.
Junior Maggie Gannon starred for the Rockets, leading the 3,200 relay (9:43.75) to fifth place and then coming back to take second in the 1,600 meters (5:05.45).
On an overcast but warm day at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium, Bloomington Central Catholic won the state title in Class 1A with 36 points, Rock Island (49.50 points) nipped Springfield Southeast (48 points) for the Class 2A title, and Belleville West won the Class 3A title with 53 points.
Gannon combined with Katie Puccio, Hannah Williams, and Markelle Turk to secure the fifth-place medal in the 3,200 for BC.
Gannon took the baton on the anchor leg with the Rockets sitting in ninth place. But she navigated her way through traffic and finished with a flurry.
"That was big," said Turk who finished 10th in the 3,200. "We knew (Gannon) had to run the mile afterward and it meant a lot to us."
Gannon came back in the 1,600 and challenged eventual champion Margo Richardson of Mt. Vernon for the lead with 300 meters remaining before settling for second place.
"I felt good so I kind of pushed it," said Gannon, who finished 19th in Class 2A at last fall's state cross country meet.
"But she went with me. I'm really happy with how we performed today."
Senior Vanessa Perez added to the Rockets' success by taking sixth in the 300 low hurdles (46.12), securing her first state medal.
"That's all I wanted to do before I graduated," said Perez of her state medal. "We took it out hard and I picked it up at the end."
So it was a pretty successful debut for the Rocket in Class 2A.
"The class system breaking up was really motivation for us," added Gannon. "Knowing that there were three classes, we knew we could do something this year."
And the Rockets did just that.
Bartlett had a pretty successful day in Class 3A.
Alyssa Schneider knew she had her work cut out in a loaded 1,600 field, and the junior responded for the Hawks taking fifth place in an impressive 5:01.04.
Barrington's Rebecca Tracy, Benet's McKinnzie Schulz, St. Charles East Lizzy Hynes, and Warren's Heather Olson set a blazing pace. But Schneider didn't panic and ran a controlled race to pick up her state medal.
"I wanted to chase them as hard as I could," said Schneider, who was also fifth in Class 3A at state cross country. "But I didn't want anybody to get in front of me. I was happy with the race."
Senior Becca Cronin had an impressive debut season in track for the Hawks. Cronin capped her season by taking sixth in the triple jump (37 feet, 21/2 inches.
The senior hit her mark in Friday's prelims and it held up in Saturday's finals.
"I didn't think I'd do so well at the beginning of the season," said Cronin, "But I started believing later, it feels amazing."
Kelly McCoy capped an amazing season for Cary-Grove by taking eighth place in the 100 high hurdles (15.51), nipping Geneva's Alissa Dappas (15.58) at the finish.
The junior then took ninth place in the high jump (5-3).
"There was no pressure today, I just wanted to finish," said McCoy after the 100 high hurdles. "I heard about a lot of these girls I ran against, it was fun to be here."
Elgin's Fatima Diabate capped her season by taking seventh in the triple jump (37-00).
Tiffany Phu, Autumn Chomnko, Liz Sicheri, and Cassie Kruse combined to lead Hampshire to a seventh-place medal in the 3,200 relay (9:45.50) in Class 2A.