West Aurora wins 3rd straight County title

Annie Martines was the last obstacle for Emma Spagnola to complete an impeccable run at the Kane County girls track and field invitational Friday night at St. Charles North.

But Martines, a returning state qualifier in the 300-meter hurdles, met the same fate as the competitors in Spagnola’s three other events.

The West Aurora sophomore won the mentally demanding and physically punishing race over the St. Charles East senior by almost a second to win four individual events for the second time in as many weeks at a major meet.

West Aurora, with Anita Saffa sweeping the two short sprints and sophomore Maya Marian capturing the shot put, won its third consecutive county championship with 142 points.

St. Charles East was a distant second despite Britney Williams’ heroics, and Batavia was third behind its senior stalwarts Hailey Clabough and Haleigh Theuerkauf.

St. Charles North edged Burlington Central for fourth, while Geneva and Rosary tied for sixth.

Kaneland, Hampshire, Aurora Central Catholic, South Elgin and Streamwood rounded out the field.

“I want to get better at every meet,” Spagnola said after winning the 300 hurdles in 45.08 seconds. “I’m starting to actually run the (the 300 hurdles). I used to pace myself.”

Earlier under daunting conditions, Spagnola cruised to her initial track triumph in the 100 hurdles (15.02), dominated the field by more than foot in winning the long jump at 17 feet, 4.25 inches and denied Burlington Central junior Katie Trupp on criteria to win the high jump (5-1).

“(Spagnola) is a powerhouse,” West Aurora coach Teresa Towles said. “She is a very humble young lady and very coachable.”

“(Spagnola) is so smooth (in the hurdles),” St. Charles East coach Denise Hefferin said. “She looks like she is just jogging (in the 300s) out there and then you look at your stopwatch and you’re like, ‘Wow!’”

Saffa, meanwhile, was a blur in the 100 and 200 dashes, winning with ease in both events in respective times of 12.65 and 25.8 seconds.

“I felt like I needed someone to push me in the 100,” said Saffa, returning from a two-week absence due to tender hamstrings.

Marian and Theuerkauf traded razor-thin victories in the two throwing events.

The Blackhawks’ sophomore eased past the Batavia senior in the discus with her winning throw of 109-10, only to see Theuerkauf win by less than four inches in the shot put.

West Aurora also had valuable points from jumper and hurdler Kyla Walton, while Rachel Cavander set a new personal record in placing second at 1,600 meters. “Those 40 points (from Spagnola) are nice, but we needed points from all the girls,” Towles said.

Saffa would have had an equally flawless night had it not been for Williams.

The St. Charles East junior standout outgunned Saffa to the finish line to anchor the Saints’ 400 relay to first place, turned back Saffa at 400 meters by becoming the only athlete to break the minute-barrier and ended her night by concluding the Saints’ dazzling 1,600 relay to a win by nearly 13 seconds over West Aurora.

“The four-by-four (was my personal highlight),” Williams said. “All the girls (Kelsey Gentry, Jordan Shead and Allison Chemlik) ran really well. I still have some things to work on (in the open 400).”

Northwestern-bound distance runner Mallory Abel, with teammate Sarah Hill coming in second, gave the Saints the early team lead by winning the 3,200 run in 11:19.44.

“It was a hard race to run” Abel said. “I wish my time would have been a little better.”

The St. Charles North quartet of Megan Young, Kaylee Wessel, Natalia Gawlik and Jessica Scheets opened the running portion of the finals with a one-sided win in the 3,200 relay.

Sydney Stuenkel captured the North Stars’ other triumph with a win at 1,600 meters.

The senior is expected to give the 3,200 relay more firepower for the state series.

“I ran this race (the open 1,600) to get the team points,” Stuenkel said. “I won this last year. I think we can get down to 10:30 (in the 3,200 relay).

Rosary received its one championship effort from the sprint-relay foursome of Sydney Zaragoza, Kristyna Perillo, Grace Petry and Megan Conlin at 800 meters.

Hannah Davison earned the same distinction for Geneva in the triple jump.

Lisa Rodriquez and Sydney Strang were the individual leaders for Aurora Central and Kaneland.

Kayla Wolf had the distinction of combating the windy and chilly conditions with a keen sense and tactical grace.

“One of the coaches told me that if you lead a race in windy conditions like this, it takes 30 percent more energy,” the Central senior said after holding off South Elgin senior Jordan Tuin to win the 800 meters in 2:23.07. “I wasn’t going to lead (until necessary).”

In a congested pack at the gun lap, Wolf made her move with 150 meters to go, overtaking Scheets and then outracing a fast-charging Tuin to win.

The Rockets’ pole vaulters have been bedrock for the program the last two years.

Trupp and senior Autumn Conn were the class of the field as the former had a season-best 11-6 to top the higher-seeded Conn by six inches.

Alexa Tovsen is the Rockets’ senior leader on the track; the three-time individual state qualifier at 400 meters was third in the 300 hurdles and fourth at 200 meters.

“We were fifth (as a team),” Central coach Vince Neil said. “For us that’s pretty solid. Today was kind of a pre-sectional for us.”

Tuin was the lone Storm athlete to score after also finishing with another mad rush in the 1,600 to place fourth.

“I am more excited about the 800,” Tuin said of her prospects in looming weeks. “It’s been a rough season for me. I’m getting to the point where I am lowering my times every week.”

Sophomore Ashley Fouch was the prime performer for Hampshire.

The Whips’ sprinter was runner-up at 200 meters after earlier placing at 100 and anchoring the 800 relay to second.

Candice Hawkins’ shot put performance earned the lone medal for Streamwood.

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