Glenbard West strikes Silver

Kathryn Pickett and her Glenbard West teammates were in rarified air Saturday afternoon in Glen Ellyn.

Not terribly hospitable hosts to their fellow West Suburban Silver girls track and field teams, Pickett led an inspired showing by the Hilltoppers as the squad totaled 139.67 points to claim the Silver's team championship.

With its first league title since 1984, Glenbard West ended the five-year reign of defending Class 3A champion Hinsdale Central, which finished a point behind Lyons Twp.'s 106 total for runner-up.

Downers Grove North was fourth behind its superlative middle-distance and distance runners; York was fifth, followed by Oak Park and Proviso West.

The Western Michigan-bound Pickett, a jumper, hurdler and sprinter, won three individual titles and led off the Hilltoppers' torrid 400-meter relay.

“Go hard or go home,” a jubilant Pickett said after playing a central role in ending the Hilltoppers' quarter-century-plus of frustration. “I was mentally and physically relaxed.”

Pickett began her day by long jumping almost 18 feet for her opening title; the senior then led off the Hilltoppers' sprint relay that Caroline Maloney, Bridget Flanagan and Kinn Badger brought to fruition in less than 49 seconds.

“We finally found a fourth girl,” said Flanagan, who also placed in the 100, which Badger captured, and the 400, where Badger was second.

“Pickett was the missing link,” Glenbard West coach Kelly Hass said of the Hilltoppers' third-ranked quartet.

Pickett then ended her afternoon by claiming both hurdles races in state-qualifying times.

“We have been doing great things with (the 400 relay) all year,” said Badger, who won the 100 dash in 12.7 seconds. “When we have good competition, we do pretty well.”

Senior Sarah Dau was the queen of throwers for Glenbard West; the senior advanced her personal best in the shot put by 25 inches to win easily at 39 feet, 11 inches.

Dau later added the discus to become another two-event champion for Glenbard West.

“I knew I had it in me,” Dau said. “I had my game face on and went in (the ring) and threw it.”

Hinsdale Central received titles from top-ranked 3,200 runner Jill Hardies and Kelsey Truedson, who won the pole vault by 3½ feet.

The Downers North 3,200 relay is among the best in the state; its four team members — Gabbie Hesslau, Stephanie Urbanski, Gaby Effrein and Jillian Kothanek — blazed to the title in 9:13.27.

Kothanek and Hesslau later swept the 1,600 run; Wisconsin-bound Effrein was runner-up in the 800, and anchored the Trojans' 1,600 relay to second.

“There's a different motivation when I run in relays,” said Effrein, who ran a blistering sub-2:17 split in the 3,200 relay. “There's not a time right now we're aiming for (as a team).”

Michelle Frigo won the lone York title when she denied Effrein in the open 800.