Puzzle pieces fitting together for Schaumburg

The Schaumburg girls track team is a work in progress.

The Saxons have teased us with different lineups and offered glimpses of their potential. The only question is what will first-year coach Jon Macnider throw together at the state meet.

The Saxons showed a few of those pieces on a breezy Saturday, taking second with 127 points at the inaugural Mike Rebeck Invitational in Schaumburg.

Chicago Whitney Young won seven events en route to capturing the team title with 127 points. Glenbard North took third with 97 points, followed by St. Ignatius (90 points) and Niles West (64 points) in the eight-team field.

The Saxons won four events in a surprising performance leaving Macnider optimistic about the future.

"You see it in pieces," said Macnider of the Saxons' talent. "You don't need to throw it out there all at once, they're getting the feel for things. All the little things give me the stuff I need to know. The bigger the meet the better we'll be."

Two huge pieces of the Saxons' puzzle are Britten Petrey and Karen Lesiewicz - and the two juniors made quite an impression Saturday.

Petrey (2:20.86) and Lesiewicz (2:21.35) went 1-2 in the 800 battling a stiff northwest wind.

Lesiewicz (5:08.45) came back to defeat Class 3A cross country champion Lavinia Jurkiewicz of Whitney Young (5:11.52) in the 1,600. Lesiewicz overtook Jurkiewicz with 500 meters remaining and never looked back.

"We're trying to stay on the offensive," Lesiewicz said. "We want to go get it and that is how all of us work."

Petrey combined with junior Jordan Wagner, senior Nora Ferguson, and Emily Langlotz to lead the Saxons to first in the 1,600 relay (4:06.68).

"It's not just one person," said Petrey, who ran a sizzling 58.9 split in the 1,600 relay to anchor the Saxons' victory. "We can mix and match. We'll keep working hard and hopefully progress throughout the season."

Saxons sophomore Grace Haerr took control in the final lap to add a first-place finish in the 3,200 (12:16.71).

Junior Colette Falsey helped the Saxons secure second in the 3,200 relay (9:59.9) and took third in the 1,600 (5:13.64). Wagner added a second place in the 400 (61.07). Junior Debra Eluobaju took second in the shot put (35-2) and senior Alysa Poniatowski took second in the discus (97-6).

"I'm very excited," Macnider said. "We were missing a few people but other kids stepped up."

Whitney Young's Reana Rhone finished third in Class 3A in the 400 last season, and the junior is looking strong again this season - taking first in the 200 (25.62), second in the 100 and combining with Janel Simpkins, Elisabeth Forte and Janice McCann to add a first place in the 400 relay (50.54).

"I think we have a lot of potential," said Rhone of the Dolphins, who finished 10th in Class 3A last season. "We have a lot of girls that have a lot of desire and that is what is making us go far."

Whitney Young also cruised to victories in the 3,200 relay (9:53.10) and 800 relay (1:49.02).

Maisa Vachuska took first in the 400 (60.54), Forte added a first in the long jump (16-4.5), and Carla Nodi vaulted to first in the pole vault (8-3) to help secure the Dolphins title.

Junior Christina Rini took first in the 100 high hurdles and triple jump (35-10) in helping Glenbard North secure third place.

"I feel stronger this year," said Rini who was state qualifier in the 100 high hurdles last season. "I've been working on getting out a little bit faster this season."

Panthers' freshman Kailey James took first in the high jump (5-0), Emily Fristrom added a first in the discus (103-9) and Amanda Hilliard nailed down a victory in the shot put (35-9.5).