Naperville North's Pendergast impresses in 1,600 at Batavia
The last time Judy Pendergast competed in a state running event the Naperville North senior set a new state record in capturing the Class 3A girls cross country championship.
Making her track and field season debut Friday night at the Batavia Distance Madness Invitational, the Harvard-bound Pendergast, also the defending state champion at 3,200 meters, made an impressive case for completing the career Triple Crown of distance racing.
With fellow former state champions - Michaela Hackbarth at 800 meters and Anne Zaher, the 1,600 victor two years ago in the field - Pendergast put on an astounding performance to dominate the championship heat of the 1,600 run.
Pendergast had a 7-meter lead at the opening lap and only proceeded to create separation in shattering the Batavia field house record in 4 minutes, 49.3 seconds.
Zaher, the Hinsdale Central senior who was unable to defend her title last spring, was a distant second in 5:03.01, 150-plus meters behind Pendergast.
Hackbarth, headed to Missouri next fall, was seventh after earlier breaking the Downers Grove South indoor program record with her championship-time of 2:14.57 at 800 meters.
Batavia senior Dakota Roman was fourth in the superior field.
"I knew for the first 200 meters, the first lap, people were going to try and be sticking with me," Pendergast said. "It went pretty much how I expected it to go. It's totally different coming out racing (in competition versus training)."
"I don't know if anyone has ever run that fast before (indoors at 1,600 meters)," Naperville North cross country and track distance coach Dan Iverson said. "It may be an all-time state record. I don't know. I haven't been around that long. This is the best mile I have ever had the privilege of coaching."
The coed invite featured multiple heats between 800 and 3,200 meters; there was no team score nor relays.
Hackbarth outdueled Lyons Twp. senior Vanessa Flaherty and Batavia sophomore Marygrace Golden in the championship heat at 1,600 meters.
"It's definitely my first time in doing (the 800-1,600) double," said Hackbarth, who was runner-up as a sophomore before taking the top prize last spring at 800 meters. "I was really happy with how I responded to (Flaherty)."
Geneva senior McKenzie Altmayer was looking to add the 3,200 crown to her list of recent accomplishments at Batavia after winning an invitational distance half that length last weekend.
The Syracuse-bound Altmayer was engaged in a serious duel with Minooka runners Emily Shelton and Mackenzie Callahan for much of the 16-lap race.
Naperville North returning all-stater Claire Hamilton supplanted Callahan for third, and Shelton did likewise over Altmayer over the last 600 meters to win in 10:47.13.
Altmayer was runner-up in 10:49.8.
"I knew the goal was to kick it from the start and set my own pace," Altmayer said. "We haven't done any speed work yet. It has been all miles. I don't know if I have that extra gear yet; we're working on that for outdoors."
The following local girls won heats at either 800 or 1,600 meters: Natalie Galvan, St. Charles North; Jackie Oh, St. Charles North, and Claire Hill, Naperville North.
The boys' three championship divisions did not produce any local champions.
Brian Kuehl had to settle for second place to Lyons' Vince Zona at 800 meters.
"I wanted to come in here and break two minutes," said the Geneva junior, who was timed in 1:59.55. "I missed (qualifying for state) by half-a-second last year. Our (4-by-8) team is really good."
New Trier athletes Warren Blood and Josh Derrick swept the 3,200 run in the championship heat.
Marmion senior Andrew Burroughs was fourth in 9:43.54.
"My focus right now is to be competing," the returning state qualifier said. "The goal is to be running your fastest times in late May at the state finals. Right now in the winter, it's all about putting together a solid training block."
Distance events represent the cornerstone of the East Aurora boys team.
Senior David Galvan had a strong start in the 3,200, only to falter late in finishing seventh.
"For my performance I think it was solid," the Tomcats' senior said. "I slowed down a little bit at the end."
Huntley distance stalwarts Seth Conroy and Keagan Smith headlined the area competitors at 1,600 meters.
Conroy was runner-up; Smith was three spots behind his fellow senior.