Lesiewicz, Schaumburg snare 2 state titles

CHARLESTON - Karen Lesiewicz got a bit greedy at the IHSA Class 3A girls track finals at Eastern Illinois University on Saturday.

And that was a good thing for Schaumburg.

Lesiewicz combined with junior Colette Falsey, junior Britten Petrey and senior Nora Ferguson in "wowing" the O'Brien Stadium crowd by setting a school record to win the state title in the 3,200 relay (9:06.83).

Then the junior came back - using a surge with 200 meters remaining - to take first in the 1,600 with a school-record time of 4:54.980.

"Today I put it together both mentally and physically and it paid off," said Lesiewicz of her double state titles. "That is what Schaumburg is all about - we hit the times when we need to hit them."

Hinsdale Central won the state championship with 47.5 points, with East St. Louis (44 points) edging Thornton (43 points) for second.

Schaumburg finished tied for 10th, and the Saxons got their day rolling with the 3,200-relay championship.

Last year, the Saxons reported late to their preliminary heat and were disqualified from the event. This season there was no delaying the Saxons.

"That was always in the back of our mind," Petrey said. "This year we wanted to show what everybody missed."

The Saxons had kept the relay under wraps for most of the season, but their effort was certainly worth the wait.

"We like to show glimpses of it," said Falsey, who also took eighth in the 800 (2:15.32). "We really brought it home today."

"It was huge," said Ferguson, who ran a key second leg to position the Saxons for their final drive. "We just had to remain confident."

Lesiewicz capped the special day by holding off Benet's McKinzie Schulz in the 1,600.

"It worked out just right," said Saxons coach Jon Macnider. "I said today was the day to go and they went. They made me a really good coach in the last six hours."

Ruth Allen took second in the 800 (2:12.57) to help Palatine secure a tie for 10th place. The senior was nipped at the finish by West Chicago's Annette Eichenberger (2:12.26).

"Today's race was all for my teammates," said Allen, who won 5 state track medals during her career. "When I was out there I was thinking of everyone that ever supported me."

The Pirates took fourth place in the 3,200 relay (9:17.42). Pirates junior Meghan Flanagan finished eighth in the pole vault (11-3) and sophomore Laura Schweikert was fourth in the 400 (57.39).

Hoffman Estates' Precious Ogunleye took second in the shot put (43-05.75), as Edwardsville's Emmonnie Henderson hit 43-09.25 on her second-to-last throw to edge the Hawks junior.

"I was hoping to pull through," said Ogunleye, who threw over 45 feet in the warmups. "Now I just have to gear up for senior year."

Hawks sophomore Emily D'Amico took seventh in the 100 dash (12.15), and Haley Goers added a fifth in the 1,600 (5:02.40).

Prospect seniors Jeanette Wochinski and Kasey Krum, sophomore Laura Maibuecher and senior Emily Salzman combined for eighth in the 3,200 relay (9:19.89). Salzman has anchored the Knights' relay to four consecutive state medals.

"It was kind of like bittersweet since it was our last race," Salzman said. "We came through and secured a state medal and it was very rewarding to be a part of this relay for all four years."

The Knights' Grace Gruendel was seventh in the pole vault (11-3), junior Samantha Sturm took ninth in the shot put (38-11.5) and freshman Brooke Wolfe ran to sixth 3,200 (10:47.88).

Barrington's Anna Etherington secured her third state medal by taking second in the pole vault (11-9). The senior had no misses until the height was raised to 12-0.

"I almost had it," said Etherington, who holds the school record (12-0). "I finished with no regrets and this was my highest height at state."

Rolling Meadow freshman Morgan Keller was eighth in the shot put (39-04.25).

Conant's Sarah Gorden placed ninth in the 100 high hurdles (16.17), and Leyden's Klaudia Susul was seventh in the 200 (25.36).