Girls track and field: Glenbard North's Nguyen finishes in style
After running her last home race, Glenbard North senior Brenda Nguyen chose to hang on to the baton for several extra minutes.
Nguyen, committed to run at Illinois-Chicago, closed her final home meet in grand fashion at the Weber Invitational. She placed first in the 300-meter hurdles in a time of 48.69 seconds and ended the meet by running the anchor leg of Glenbard North's first-place 1,600-meter relay team.
Overall, Neuqua Valley won the eight-team invite with 99 points, followed by Waubonsie Valley (93.5 points), Glenbard North (88), Downers Grove North (78) and Oswego East (69). Benet placed seventh with 49.5 points and Rolling Meadows placed eighth (21).
"I was really excited to go out on the last lap because I saw it was really close at the handoff," Nguyen said. "I'm pretty confident in my 400 time, so I felt good. I felt strong in the last 200 with no aches in my legs. Since it was my last home invite before conference and sectionals, I was really excited to do well. I was excited for today and also for college, but I was also sad for my last season."
Nguyen, a two-time state qualifier, said she was pleased with her 300 time.
"I wasn't very pushed and it was very windy and I had some stutter-steps here and there, but it was a good day. I just want to see the blue track (at state)," she said.
Neuqua Valley senior McKenna Robinson, a Texas recruit, had a dominating day to lead her team to the title. She placed first in the 400 with a personal-record time of 57.80, claimed first in the 100 and second in the 200. She also helped Neuqua Valley's 400 relay take home a first.
"McKenna had a great day with a breakout performance," Neuqua Valley assistant coach Bruyn Yunk said. "This was definitely her best night. She had a rough indoor season, but she's fighting and knows what she's capable of and driven.
"We're looking forward to the rest of the season as a team because we know we haven't put our best performance together on the track. We still have more goals and more in the tank."
Downers Grove North senior Phoebe Covey had a day to remember. She tallied a pair of personal bests, winning the discus with a toss of 127-4 and taking first in the shot put.
"I had a big jump in personal record with discus and my shot was big for outdoor," Covey said. "I'm trying to make state by staying levelheaded and continuing with good throws."