West Aurora, Geneva open strong

CHARLESTON — Jasmine Ranson and Taylor Wickware are back for one final encore in their track and field prep careers.

Ranson, the West Aurora senior leader, and Wickware, the Miami of Ohio-bound middle-distance ace for Geneva, are back in familiar territory after the first day of the Class 3A girls state finals at Eastern Illinois’ O”Brien Stadium.

Ranson stands third in the triple jump after a career-best 37 feet, 10.5 inches; the Southern Illinois-Edwardsville recruit was seventh in the event a year ago.

Ranson also had a great deal of motivation after the Blackhawks’ sprint relays were denied finals berths by one position in each race.

“I have to do something,” Ranson of her mindset after running the second leg on the two relays that were barely denied in the semifinals. “The second jump could have been even better, but (the officials) said I scratched by an inch.”

Wickware, meanwhile, also made a return date in the 800-meter run with her splendid third-heat leg in 2 minutes, 15.18 seconds.

“I definitely wanted to make finals,” Wickware said. “That was my main goal. I kind of knew what I could do to make finals. I knew (top-seeded Glenbard East junior Lindsey Rakosnik) was going to go out fast.”

Neither Ranson nor Wickware are the lone athletes competing for their schools on championship Saturday.

Emma Spagnola, three combined places from being a four-event state finalist after finishing in 10th place in the 100 hurdles, has three more chances to improve her position in the long jump and conclude her breakout freshman campaign for West Aurora.

Spagnola, who joined the two sprint relays for the first time all year, stands ninth in the event.

Tess Ehrhardt will join Wickware for a final time after the Geneva senior made the always competitive 1,600 run cut at 5:10.56.

Erin Kluck and Meridith Beird have dueled each other all season in the pole vault; the seniors from Geneva and St. Charles North, respectively, are among 21 athletes who cleared 10-6 on Friday afternoon.

Liza Tauscher will become the fourth Geneva senior to make it to Saturday when she runs the 3,200; Elisia Meyle will do likewise for West Aurora.

Rachael Spalding is the last chance for Batavia; the sophomore will be the final local representative in the 3,200 run today.

St. Charles East had aspirations in the 1,600 relay and were in prime position after Britney Williams’ brilliant third leg gave Rachel Rawson a fighting chance to snare an at-large berth.

But Rawson tripped over the railing that protects the inside lane after attempting to dart in front of the Schaumburg anchor.

The Saints were given a major consolation prize when Williams made the cut in the open 400 run, though.

“I was not expecting that,” Williams said. “I wanted to break 58 (seconds). I didn’t have a specific time in mind.”

Williams’ time of 57.39 seconds places her as the seventh seed heading into the finals.

In Class 2A, Kaneland freshman Lauren Zick snared the final berth in the field at 200 meters after helping the Knights’ 3,200 relay capture the third heat to earn an automatic bid.

“We had to run our best time this year,” Zick said of the quartet she anchored.

“We knew we had to win the heat,” said Kaneland senior leader Andie Strang. “We knew it was the slowest heat.”

Sydney Strang and Kris Bowen are the other Kaneland runners in the 3,200 relay.

Aurora Central Catholic sophomore Jenna Koerner also made a late run to earn inclusion in the 800 run.

It could not have been a worse day for Rosary and senior sprint leader Anna Deufel.

One year removed from two all-state sprinting performances, Deufel was shut out of the 100 and 200 finals; the Royals’ four relays all failed to advance as well.

“It wasn’t our best, but it happens,” Deufel said. “It was fun, though.”