Scouting DuPage County girls track
Top teams: Neuqua Valley, Naperville North, Downers Grove South, Naperville Central, Glenbard West, Benet, Hinsdale Central, Metea Valley, Fenton, Downers Grove North.
Top athletes: Addison Trail: Lynette Banuelos (sr., sprints, jumps), Lauren Kroll (jr., sprints); Benet: Amanda DeSitter (jr., distance), Emma Jones (jr., hurdles, jumps), Ali Munson (jr., sprints, jumps, pole vault), Lucy Zimmerman (sr., jumps); Downers Grove North: Jaida Green (sr., sprints, jumps), Isabel Maletich (so., sprints, jumps), Emma Moravec (jr., sprints, middle distance); Downers Grove South: Michaela Hackbarth (sr., sprints, middle distance), Shaliyah Tucker-Dixon (sr., sprints, hurdles, jumps); Fenton: Emilia Burris (sr., sprints, jumps), Marisol Garcia (sr., middle distance, distance), Katrina Krebasch (so., jumps, pole vault); Glenbard East: Cailyn Biegalski (so., middle distance), Abbey Hoh (jr., jumps), Lexi Weltin (so., sprints, middle distance); Glenbard North: Keina Suggs (sr., sprints, jumps), Allison Wahrman (sr., hurdles, jumps); Glenbard South: Diana Lipa (sr., distance), Abby Schlenker (jr., distance), Mercedes Whitaker (sr., throws), Suvannah Williams (so., sprints); Glenbard West: Anna Gambol (jr., throws), Katie Hohe (fr., distance), Kathryn Kenwood (sr., middle distance, distance), Lindsey Payne (so., distance); Hinsdale Central: Grace McCabe (so., distance), Reilly Revold (so., middle distance, distance), Katie Sluman (sr., sprints), Annie Zaher (sr., distance); Hinsdale South: Kailey Hoel (sr., sprints); IC Catholic Prep: Mikko Eguia (sr., sprints, middle distance), Kiersten King (so., sprints); Lake Park: Emily Golab (jr., throws), Mani Lock (sr., sprints, jumps), Anne Mou (sr., jumps), Michaela Smith (sr., throws); Lisle: Paige Kellie (so., sprints), Edoise Omoike (jr., sprints); Metea Valley: Nicki Cast (jr., middle distance, distance), Leanna Goldman (jr., distance), Courtney Morgan (jr., throws); Montini: Emma Makewski (sr., sprints, middle distance), Gianna Salzbrunn (sr., sprints, hurdles, middle distance, jumps), Jenna Weidacher (jr., sprints, middle distance); Naperville Central: Josilyn Dostal (sr., sprints, jumps), D'Jenne Egharevba (sr., sprints), Alissa Gorzak (sr., sprints), Lauren Kainrath (jr., jumps); Naperville North: Elise Chao (jr., sprints, jumps), Jenny Gibson (sr., middle distance), Emory Griffin (sr., middle distance), Claire Hamilton (jr., middle distance), Judy Pendergast (sr., middle distance, distance), Sarah Schmitt (so., distance); Neuqua Valley: Tashee Hargrave (sr., sprints, middle distance), Caitlin Horn (jr., middle distance, distance), Kenna Lonergan (sr., hurdles, jumps), Samara Miller (sr., sprints); St. Francis: Alice Bettag (sr., throws), Kate Howard (sr., sprints, hurdles), Amanda Peterson (jr., sprints); Timothy Christian: Hannah Bosman (sr., sprints, hurdles, jumps), Olivia Hoekstra (jr., sprints); Waubonsie Valley: Brion Hughes (sr., sprints), Dajour Miles (fr., sprints), Tatiana Moore (sr., sprints), Brooklyne Wilson (jr., throws); Westmont: Annie Carlson (sr., sprints, hurdles, jumps); West Chicago: Maddie Brotnow (so., middle distance); Wheaton Academy: Kimmy Banks (jr., distance), Karyn Best (so., sprints); Wheaton North: Micah Brady (jr., pole vault), Jill Humecke (sr., middle distance); Wheaton Warrenville South: Sara Atkins (jr., middle distance, distance), Allison McGrath (jr., distance), Tamera Patterson (jr., sprints, hurdles), Kennedy Young (so., sprints, hurdles, jumps); Willowbrook: Shannon Jones (sr., middle distance), Catherine Pegler (so., middle distance), Shantel Powell (sr., throws); York: Elizabeth Hagstrom (sr., distance).
Scouting report: Judy Pendergast has been invincible during her senior year. The Naperville North runner has already shattered three state records since dominating the Class 3A cross country finals last November in Peoria. After winning the first track and field individual state championship in program history last May in Charleston - the 3,200-meter run - Pendergast followed by becoming the first female athlete in state history to break the 16-minute barrier at Detweiller Park on the 3-mile layout in leading the Huskies to second place overall. The Harvard-bound Pendergast has stunned the distance community with back-to-back record-shattering performances during the indoor season. Pendergast set new standards in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs in consecutive weeks at Batavia and North Central College, respectively. "I think one of the biggest challenges is going to be to convince people who don't know that much about track some of the things (Pendergast) is accomplishing," Naperville North track distance coach Dan Iverson said after Pendergast won the indoor DuPage Valley Conference 3,200 title in a shade over 10 minutes, 11 seconds. The two-time state champion was timed in under 4:47 in the metric mile at Batavia. Pendergast can become the second local athlete in the last four years - Glenbard West great Madeline Perez was the other - to win the distance Triple Crown this school year with wins at the two distances in May. But Pendergast may have other ideas as Memorial Day approaches. "I'm not thinking of doing the Triple Crown," Pendergast said. "It would definitely be cool. If two of the girls on my team can run the mile in state-qualifying (times), I wouldn't want to take that away from them. There are so many talented girls on the team. Illinois having only two people who can race in each event kind of limits that." But the pressure may be too great on Iverson and first-year Naperville North coach Brian Webb to have Pendergast forgo one of the two longest races at the state meet. "I don't know how you can argue that (Pendergast) isn't the best ever," Benet cross country and track coach Scott Brooks said. "I would be shocked if she didn't win both (the 1,600 and 3,200 at state)." But there is certainly one potential - not to mention highly intriguing - alternative scenario for Pendergast at the state meet. Moments after Pendergast won the open 3,200 race last spring, Gibson, Griffin and Hamilton teamed with current Missouri freshman Elly DeTurris to win the 3,200 relay. The inclusion of Pendergast in the relax mix at the expense of the open variety could certainly threaten the WW South state record set four years ago.
The great unknown of the extraordinary distance runners returning this spring is the health of Glenbard West senior Lindsay Graham. The 2014 cross country state champion missed the track state series last spring and was unable to defend her crown last November as well. Glenbard West coaches Kelly and Paul Hass are hopeful Graham - state runner-up to teammate Perez two years ago at 3,200 meters - can make a full return.
Downers Grove 800 runners Hackbarth and Moravec had the ultimate city challenge last year in the 800 finals. One year after settling for runner-up, the Mustangs' Missouri-bound Hackbarth denied the Trojans' junior for top honors. "The 800 is my baby," said Hackbarth, leader of arguably the strongest team in the area. "Getting to the half-mile at the state meet and having another showdown is what everyone is looking forward to," Downers North coach Matt Maletich said.
Metea Valley has crowned a state champion in one of the two throwing events the last two seasons. Morgan vies for a second title after dominating the indoor season in the shot put. The Mustangs' junior enters the outdoor season as the state leader in the shot put with her 48-foot-plus winning through at the DuPage Valley Conference indoor championship. "She's got a chance," Metea Valley coach Jim Braun said of Morgan eclipsing 50 feet this spring. "She has to stay healthy." DVC rival Smith of Lake Park also has state-championship aspirations after placing runner-up in the discus last spring. Morgan also figures to place her name in the discus discussion this spring as well.
Iowa-bound Glenbard North senior Wahrman has qualified in all three jumping events the last two seasons. Wahrman is a leading contender in the triple jump after placing third a year ago. "I want to get to 40 feet on a regular basis," Wahrman said of her specialty event. Naperville Central will challenge Neuqua Valley and Naperville North for the DVC outdoor championship behind Division I recruits Egharevba (Illinois State) and Dostal (Nebraska). In Class 2A Montini returns three members of its state-title defending 3,200 relay. Salzbrunn is one of the most versatile athletes in the state as the Eastern Michigan-bound senior is a threat in the long jump and 300 hurdles as well. "The 4-by-8 is kind of on the fence," Salzbrunn said of her event sequence this spring. Montini has finished no worse than second the last four years in the longest relay event.
Key dates: April 9, Lincoln-Way Central Invitational; April 9, St. Charles North Invitational; April 15, Downers North Ritter Invite; April 15, Naperville North Gus Scott Invitational; April 22, Lockport Invitational; April 22, Neuqua Valley Invite; April 23, Palatine Invitational; April 23, Glenbard West Invitational; April 29, Wheaton Warrenville South Tiger Invite; May 5-7, Conference championships; May 12-13, Sectionals.