Glenbard East wins own invitational
The Schaumburg lead lasted all of one event.
The Saxons were seeking to defend their title of the 14-team Glenbard East Ram Invitational girls track and field meet on Saturday afternoon in Lombard.
But the hosts had other ideas.
The Rams’ Kelly Kevil maintained the lead in the event-closing 1,600-meter relay to erase the Saxons’ precarious 2.4-point advantage after 17 events.
Glenbard East secured the team title with 87.6 points, and Schaumburg, which took the lead when Jen Pomagier and Jordan Wagner placed second and third in the 200 dash, finished runner-up with 80 points.
Benet was third, followed by Naperville Central, Waubonsie Valley, Plainfield South, Niles West, Neuqua Valley, Glenbard South, Metea Valley, Proviso West, Romeoville, Plainfield East and West Chicago.
It is believed to be the first time Glenbard East has triumphed at its own invitational.
The Rams’ success had the fingerprints of Lindsay Rakosnik and Maggie Angst all over them.
Rakosnik, Class 3A state runner-up at 400 meters last spring, has made the transition to middle distance and distance with an artful authority.
The junior turned in Illinois’ top prep 800-meter time with her scintillating 2 minute, 15.44-second time.
The Rams’ standout broke free from Schaumburg reining relay state champions Britten Petrey and Karen Lesiewicz on the gun lap.
“I really want to run in college,” Rakosnik said of her decision. “It was probably going to make a big difference where I go (by extending her range). I knew the two girls from Schaumburg were very competitive 800 runners. You just have to go out there as if someone is in front of you.”
“(Rakosnik) is an amazing runner,” Petrey said. “You have to be mentally and physically focused the whole race against her.”
Petrey and Lesiewicz would both taste victory later in the meet, but Rakosnik came back with little rest to run a commendable 5:12.48 at 1,600 meters to place second to Lesiewicz.
Angst, the Rams’ entrenched distance ace, was third at 1,600 meters after winning the 3,200 run.
“It’s hard to come back with the same energy that you start with,” Angst said of the exhausting distance double. “The mile is my favorite (race). I knew it was going to be windy (at 3,200), so I just tried to draft off of it.”
Bridget Peters, Stephany Flores, Nia Joiner, Kelly Kjelberg, Hayley Cardinal and Kevil provided Glenbard East 26 invaluable points in the three sprint relays.
“Our sprints were absolutely huge today,” Glenbard East coach Joe Latala said. “I thought third at (the DuPage Valley) Conference was pretty good last year, but this is pretty sweet.”
Benet jumper Anne Yahiro keyed the Redwings’ third-place win with her championship in the triple jump and another place-winning long jump.
Tahler Bandarra nabbed a second Benet championship in the discus, and Leah Tessiatore was runner-up in the pole vault for the Redwings.
“We didn’t have a very good day on the track,” Benet coach Scott Brooks said.
But it was another splendid day for Waubonsie Valley comet Morolake Akinosun.
The all-state sprinter was in a league of her own with her 11.82-second performance in the 100 finals, and the junior came back to anchor the Warriors’ 400 relay to another title.
Akinosun, ranked fifth in the nation during indoor season, also broke 58 seconds on her leadoff leg in the Warriors’ second-place 1,600 relay.
“The 400 — that’s what I’m working on right now,” Akinosun said. “(The 100 time) wasn’t as good as the 100 at (the) Metea (Invite two weeks ago).”
Naperville Central crowned two champions in high jumper Liz Crissy and senior Jenny Alberts in the 400 dash.
“I knew if I could stay with (the leaders) or ahead of them, I could have a good time,” Alberts said.
Metea Valley won the 800 relay, and Neuqua Valley was led by champion shot putter Jasmine Maclin, triple jumper Kate Kondry and sprinter Savannah Carson.
Samantha Howard led Glenbard South, and Zitlalic Valdiva performed a similar role for West Chicago.
Petrey was second to Rakosnik at 800 meters in the very respectable time of 2:18.54, but the Saxons’ seasoned warrior has showcased new talents this spring.
“I just said (to Jon Macnider), ‘Coach, I want to try the 300 hurdles this year,” Petrey said.
Petrey was the lone athlete to break 50 seconds in the event Saturday, cruising to the title by more than a second.
Petrey and Lesiewicz did not run on the Saxons’ victorious 3,200 as Colette Falsey was the only remnant of the state-champion quartet to participate.
“We’re figuring different ways leading up to the state meet,” Petrey said.
Lesiewicz was third at 800 meters with her 2:21.33 posting.
But the senior broke free from Rakosnik and Angst on the third lap to win the 1,600 in 5:07.77.
“The 800 let me open my legs (after not running in the 3,200 relay),” Lesiewicz said. “It was an awkward first lap (at 1,600). No one wanted to lead that first lap of the mile.”
Pomagier bagged a second runner-up finish at 400 meters for Schaumburg, and Wagner proved to be an interchangeable component for the Saxons’ sprint and middle distance relays.
All 80 of the Saxons’ points came on the track.