Cary-Grove a 3-peat sectional champ
This was the most fun that Cary-Grove girls track coach Mark Anderson has had at a meet.
Which is saying a lot since the Trojans have won a sectional title each of the last two seasons, aas well as this year's McHenry County and Fox Valley Conference meets.
But winning Friday night's Class 3A Huntley sectional, the third-straight sectional crown for the Trojans, just had a different feel to it.
“This is the most fun I've had as a track coach,” Anderson said. “(The girls) had fun. Winning these meets is hard. Our girls really showed up to compete.”
Cary-Grove (104), which ran away with the team title, more than doubled Huntley, Machesney Park Harlem, and Rockton Hononegah, who all tied for second with 50 points.
The Trojans qualified in 8 events, with Sarah Ryan advancing to state in 4 different races. Ryan won the 100 (12.49) and 200 (25.73). She will also run at next week's IHSA state meet as part of the 400 (second, 49.93) and 800 relay (first, 1:45.47) teams.
After Ryan won the 100 by jumping out to an early lead, she needed to play catchup in the 200.
“I thought if I went out hard, then they'd have to catch me,” said Ryan, who advanced to state as part of the 400 relay team last year. “I worked really hard on coming out of my blocks faster.”
Trojans' hurdler Kathie Wollney doubled up with first-place finishes in the 100 (15.17) and 300 (46.36). The junior won the latter by over a second against Barrington's Melissa Madden (47.44). She also advanced as part of the 800 relay team, which finished first (1:45.47).
“I tried to keep tunnel vision and just run fast and just focus on myself,” said Wollney of the 100. “(In the 300) there's more thinking involved and planning what you're going to do.”
The Trojans, who surpassed last season's school record of 7 state qualifiers, will also send Carly Loeffel in the high jump (first, 5 feet, 7 inches) and discus thrower Ketura Humm (118 feet, 20 inches).
Barrington sophomore Rachel Simon will make her first state meet appearance after she placed second in the 3,200 (11:24.87). Simon stayed in the pack until the start of the fifth lap, but then separated. She spent the rest of the time trying to get back to the top.
“I didn't start to catchup until my last lap,” Simon said. “It was hard but my entire team was spread out cheering for me.”
Crystal Lake South's Marianne Collard won the 1,600 (5:12.88) by edging out Huntley's Haley Loprieno (5:13.75). Collard also ran the second leg of the 3,200 relay team, which also took first (9:43.06). Junior Lexi Dahl took first in the pole vault (10 feet) for the Gators.
Huntley finished qualifying in 4 events, with Anthonia Nelson's third-place finish in the 400 being the most dramatic finish. Nelson (59.41) was edged out Boylan's Katherine Nelson, who did the same thing to her at last year's sectional.
“I already beat her two times this season,” Nelson said. “She did the same thing to me last year.”
Despite not hitting a personal best, Jacobs' Allie Virgilo took first in the triple jump at 36-feet, 7.5 inches. The first-time qualifier used a 30-minute rain delay to mentally prepare, which paid off with the victory.
“It was a nice rest,” she said. “I just kind of rested in the gym. We sat and talked about our goals.”