Lake Zurich sprints to first NSC title
Amy Polhemus’ tears from a week ago had long dried, replaced by a champion’s smile and sense of redemption.
And when Thursday’s North Suburban Conference girls track and field championships finally ended, Polhemus’ Lake Zurich teammates Marissa Wagner and Lindsey Moritz shared a tight embrace.
They had competed hard against each other, and at night’s end, they and all their teammates could celebrate as champions.
Lake Zurich captured its first NSC championship, winning two relays en route to an even 100 points. Lake Forest (77) was second, Vernon Hills (68) took third and Warren (62) and Libertyville (49.5) rounded out the top five in a meet that, due to two lightning delays, lasted nearly five hours at Vernon Hills.
Lake Zurich’s title was especially sweet for the Bears after they lost the conference title by the slimmest of margins (87.5 to 86) to Lake Forest last season.
“It was really competitive,” said the sophomore Moritz, who won the 400- and 200-meter dashes and ran on the winning 400 relay. “A lot of great girls here.”
Moritz (59.52) edged Wagner (59.61) in the 400. At the NSC meet a year ago, it was reverse, with Wagner nipping Moritz.
“She and I are really competitive with each other,” Moritz said. “We push each other as much as possible. We make each other better in our races, actually.”
Moritz followed up by winning the 200 (26.59), just ahead of Stevenson’s Christina Pritchett (26.92). Wagner (27.02) was third.
Polhemus clocked a 45.7 in the 300 hurdles to win a thriller over Mundelein’s Megan Geldernick (45.92). Zion-Benton’s Chelsea Maxey (third, 47.7) had beaten Polhemus in the event at the county meet the previous week. The second-place finish did not sit well with Polhemus, who couldn’t hold back tears.
“I ran a little slow and I just had to prove that I was better than her this week,” Polhemus said. “I wasn’t happy about (the second place at county) because I had the mind set that I was supposed to get first.”
After her 300 Thursday, she was beaming.
“I like to be smiling after my races,” said Polhemus, smiling.
Wearing “lucky” glitter on her eyelids for the second week in a row, Southern Illinois-bound and superstitious Kelley Gallagher of Vernon Hills won the 1,600 (5:23.67) ahead of Mundelein’s Lauren Anderson (5:28.95).
Gallagher led from the start.
“I was really pumped up for this race because this is my last time racing on this track,” Gallagher said. “I knew I was coming with the first position (seed) so I had to keep that.”
Lakes’ Hannah Wittman (third, 5:29.15) was on Gallagher’s heels with half a lap to go, but Gallagher found another gear and pulled away.
“I just fought to the end of my race,” Gallagher said. “My kick is my strongest point. I know if there’s people near me, I can catch them because I just get this drive inside me.”
Warren senior Gabby Nystrom had a good meet. She anchored the Blue Devils’ winning 3,200 relay (9:53.43), overtaking Lake Forest with about half a lap to go. Greta Doden, Victoria Knauf and Paige Kupfer ran the first three legs for Warren.
As Nystrom was getting set to run the 800 final, the first lightning delay stopped the meet for 50 minutes. When the meet resumed, Nystrom clocked a winning 2:20.95, with Libertyville’s Carly Stewart (2:21.24) taking second.
“I felt really good,” Nystrom said. “It’s really fun running with Carly. She always pushes me.”
Grant sophomore Melissa Dunham uncorked season-best and winning throws of 124 feet, 8 inches in the discus and 40-1 in the shot put.
In the finals of the discus, she executed a full rotational throw for the first time. She was using a “South African” (partial rotation) technique in the prelims.
“I can throw far with it,” Dunham said of the full rotational technique. “It’s just sometimes I scratch with it.
“I was surprised how far (the discus) went.”
Mundelein’s Geldernick won the 100 hurdles (15.81).
Lake Zurich won the 400 and 800 relays. The 400 (49.45) featured Wagner, Kelly Doheny, Moritz and Teagan Hough. Polhemus anchored the 800 (1:47.53), which also featured Doheny, Emily Trittschuh and Madeline Jordan.
Warren’s Amber Cook successfully defended her title in the triple jump (36-9.75), while her teammate Alyssa Phillips won the long jump (16-10). Vernon Hills’ Shannon Nugent took the high jump with a season-best 5-5.
Vernon Hills’ Alli Tran overtook Moritz at the finish to give the Cougars a thrilling win in the 1,600 relay. Taylor Krue, Taylor Pearson, Ali Peacock and Tran ran 4:09.45 to clip Lake Zurich (4:09.56).
“That made it all worthwhile,” Vernon Hills coach Jason Rush said. “I’m exhausted.”