Glenbard West in the running at own invitational
Hinsdale Central's girls track team once again flexed its muscles on Saturday, but at the same time conference rival Glenbard West showed that it's not a team to be forgotten.
The Red Devils dominated the sprints, excelled in the throws and did plenty well in the distances while scoring 144 points to win a loaded Sue Pariseau Invitational at Glenbard West. Whitney Young - powered by cross country state champion Lavinia Jurkiewicz's wins in both the 1,600- and the 3,200-meter runs - was second with 95 points and the host Hilltoppers were third at 77. York (57.25) and Downers Grove South (55.25) rounded out the top five of the 15-team field.
"I feel like we've been overlooked a lot, which is easy to do with Hinsdale Central in your conference," Hilltoppers coach Kelly Hass said. "But we have a pretty good team and we're coming along."
Kathyrn Pickett started her day with a victory after a long jump of 17-81/2, but the Hilltoppers star hurdler settled for third place in both the 100 and 300 hurdles from there. Geneva's Alissa Dappas won both hurdle events for a Vikings team that finished seventh in the team standings.
"The weather was perfect during the jumps," said Pickett, who did have to put up with some rain and some soreness during the hurdle races. "But my hurdles weren't the greatest. But as a team we had a lot of PRs and this meet is a like a mini-state meet."
The way Hinsdale Cenrtral's Monique Bronowicki sees it, Saturday's experience should help her and the Red Devils prepare for state. Dealing with tough conditions and tough competition should pay off down the road for the senior, who was part of two first-place and two second-place finishes.
"It's always good to have competition; good to have someone to motivate us to go faster," said Bronowicki, who was second to teammate Chelsea Celistan in the 100 and was part of the 400 and 800 relay victors, as well as a 1,600 relay team that went 3:59.69 that was second only to Whitney Young's fast 3:55.65. "We're really happy with how everyone did, especially under these conditions."
Celistan, who also ran on the Red Devils two relay champs, added a third in the open 200 to go with her title in the 100 where she went 12.26. Hinsdale Central's Adabelle Ekechukwu won both the shot and the discus. York's Meghan and Michelle Frigo had their customary big days. The two joined Melanie Dunne and Megan Fry to win the 3,200 relay in 9:22.96, and Meghan Frigo also took third in the 3,200 and second with a solid 1,600 time of 5:09.24.
A young Naperville North squad, 12th in the team standings, was paced by Jamie Schertz' fourth in the loaded 3,200 race and Anne Herbert's seventh in the tough 1,600 race. Huskies freshman Hope Turner added a personal-best 9-6 height while taking seventh in the pole vault and she also took sixth in the discus.