Schaumburg rarin' to go after impressive effort
BLOOMINGTON - One thing became abundantly clear Saturday at the 21st annual Prep Top Times Invitational at Illinois Wesleyan and the Shirk Center in Bloomington.
The Schaumburg girls are ready for the outdoor campaign.
Just one year ago, the Saxons' 3,200-relay team captured the indoor state title and appeared ready to attack the outdoor campaign. While that didn't exactly go according to plan for Schaumburg and coach Jon Macnider then, this year is already looking better than last.
Led by a trio of seniors and one do-it-all junior, Schaumburg captured the 3,200-relay indoor title in meet record fashion. Colette Falsey, Nora Ferguson, Britten Petrey and Karen Lesiewicz raced to an indoor school mark and nearly an outdoor mark of 9:23.87. The mark shattered the record set by Wheaton Warrenville South in 1998.
"We are all ready to go out and kick it into gear outdoors," said Lesiewicz who anchored the relay to the win. "We are definitely ahead of last year's pace and are very excited to do better this year."
Macnider agreed.
"We haven't even started with our speed work yet," Macnider said. "We have some depth and flexibility, so this might not end up being the four we go with. We will have to wait and see."
Lesiewicz was far from done after the relay win. In the 1,600, the junior showed that she is a contender in more than one race this spring.
Trailing Margaret Connelly of Fenwick and Class AAA state cross country champion Lavinia Jurkiewicz of Whitney Young into the final lap, Lesiewicz took over. She quickly passed Jurkiewicz and set her sights on Connelly. With less than 100 meters to go, Lesiewicz passed Connelly and held her off at the line to win in a personal-best 5:00.24.
Hoffman Estates runners Haley Goers and Melissa Schmidt finished fourth and sixth, respectively, while Petrey was right behind in seventh.
Hoffman Estates also earned an individual title from junior Precious Ogunleye. As the top overall seed in the shot put, Ogunleye did not disappoint. Her best effort of 42-4 was just off her season best - but was far and away the best in the field. Lake Park's Sarah Drozdowski was second with a toss of 39-2.
"I have set my goals pretty high, so that helps to push me more," Ogunleye said. "It was a good indoor for me and I am excited to get outdoors."
Back on the track, Naperville Central sophomore Amanda Fox surprised top-seed Jill Hardies of Hinsdale Central to win the 3,200 in an impressive 10:59.88. Fox improved her seed time by over six seconds.
Another winner who came from back in the pack to capture the event was West Chicago senior Annette Eichenberger. She dropped over five seconds from her seed time and came back to hold off Gabrielle Effrein of Downers Grove South to win the 800 in 2:16.23.
"The indoor season has been good for me," said the Air Force-bound Eichenberger. "I look forward to getting outdoors and getting into more speed and endurance work."
Downers South also captured a title by winning the 1,600-relay. Jada Franklin, Grace Magliola, Tori Franklin and Sam Baeten won the relay in a season-best 4:00.03.
Waubonsie Valley and the team of Crystal Butler, Morolake Akinosun, Moryikey Akinosun and Ayo Adewale won the 800 relay in Class AAA in 1:44.52, just ahead of Homewood-Flossmoor (1:45.02).