Girls track and field: Prospect, Hersey take top two spots at Deerfield sectional
It was going to take a herculean effort for any team to stop Prospect from winning the Class 3A Deerfield girls track and field sectional championship Wednesday night.
And nobody could stand in the perennial power Knights way as they captured their 17th sectional title with 167 points. Hersey took second with 109 points.
The top two finishers in each event advanced to the state meet next weekend in Charleston along with any competitors who met the state cut-off times and distances.
Prospect's 4x100 team of Nikki Niebrugge, Samantha Skowronski (Marquette commit), Elyse Freeman, and Charlotte Conner won in 47.42 seconds. The Knights’ 4x800 squad of Allison Kalkwarf, Juliana Mihalopoulos, Ella Benassi, and Meg Peterson (Illinois commit) easily won in 9:16.36. Conner (second) and teammate Olivia Farina both advanced in the 100 hurdles.
Miami of Ohio-bound Niebrugge also won the 100 in 12.20 seconds, and the 200 in 24.87 seconds. Hersey's Anne Park took second in the 200. Prospect's Dajana Skolimowska (57.74 seconds) advanced in the 400. Peterson (5:06.77) and Kalkwarf went 1-2 in the 1,600.
Niebrugge, Skowronski, Freeman, and Frances O'Grady won the 4x200 in 1:40.77. Prospect's Callie Morris took second to qualify in the pole vault.
"Callie has been coming on like gangbusters the last month and she got the job done," said Prospect coach Pete Wintermute, whose team took second in the 4x400. "We ran great, and it was a huge boost when you have two sophomores advancing in the 3,200 with PRs of 25 to 30 seconds."
Prospect is going for its sixth straight 4x800 state crown next weekend. "You never know how the state meet is going to go, but we're very happy with getting the No. 1 time in the state tonight," said Peterson. "Just being super positive, having fun, and not stressing out will bring us to success."
Hersey's 4x100 team of Ndidi Iwuagwu, Shannon Conroy, Emilia Rogowski, and Park advanced to state in second place. The Huskies' 4x800 team of Alexandra Kopacz, Clara Vincent, Sofia Donner, and Martyna Makowski also qualified in second place.
Rogowski also advanced in the long jump in second as did Skowronski in third. Hersey's Emily Hany (45.03 seconds) won the 300 hurdles while Conner also advanced in that event.
Prospect's Samantha Lobacz (10:45.91) and Hersey's Graceleen Mabry went 1-2 in the 3,200-meter run while Prospect's Kaitlin Miazga easily made the cut for state in that event. Mabry and teammate Alexandra Kopacz also advanced in the 1,600.
High jump qualifiers were Prospect's Eva Lapys in second, Wheeling's Lindsay Kane in third, and Rogowski in fourth. Hersey junior Sadie Marks (35.20 meters) will be making her third trip to state in the discus.
"Emilia Rogowski qualified in three events which is pretty hard to do, and she's an impressive kid," said Hersey coach Jim Miks. "Our relays were both excellent, and we're super excited about having a balanced squad going to state."
Fremd seniors Avery Frer (second in discus) and Vanessa Tasheva (11.17 meters in shot put) will be heading downstate. Fremd's Addie Dietrich (2:18.62) and Prospect's Caitlin Resac (2:19.46) are heading to state in the 800.
"Our shot putter (Tasheva) has been consistent all season, but Avery (Frer) has come on strong in the last two weeks with her technique," said Fremd coach Joe Marcin. "Addie (Dietrich) made a strong move at the 150-meter mark, and she was strong enough to hold on in the last 50 meters."