Girls track and field: Hussaini, Glenbard West win another invitational

Glenbard West's Huda Hussaini gladly is becoming used to winning individual track events as a senior.

"We're more of a team this year," Hussaini said. "I honestly think that's why I've been doing well in my individual events because I feel a lot of confidence. I think that's where most of my success is coming from."

After winning her first two varsity titles at the indoor West Suburban Conference Silver meet March 15, Hussaini captured the 100-meter dash in 12.93 seconds Saturday and the Hilltoppers won Downers Grove South's eight-team Mustang Invitational for the first time since 2014.

"The 100 (victory) was a shock for me," said Hussaini, the indoor Silver 55 and 200 champion. "It was really competitive teams and it shows how much work I've put in and how much my teammates mean."

The Hilltoppers' 100 points was 14 ahead of defending Class 3A champion Naperville North, which won the invite upon joining in 2017. Last year's invite was canceled due to poor weather.

The Mustangs, Glenbard North, Geneva and Hinsdale Central were fourth through seventh.

The Hilltoppers continued their momentum from an undefeated indoor season and their second indoor conference title.

Their other event winners were juniors Ashley Samuta in long jump with 16-6¾ and Aaliyah Collier in high jump on a three-way tiebreaker at 4-10 and the 1,600 relay of Collier, junior Ava Powell, Hussaini and sophomore Kate Morrison in 4:03.99. Senior Dejah Hopkins' lifetime-best 35-11 in shot put and the 400 relay of Hussaini, Morrison, Samuta and freshman Kyrah Maas earned second.

Glenbard West competed without two-time defending 3,200 and 1,600 state champion Katelynne Hart, who earned a 3,200 berth Saturday night for the Arcadia (Calif.) Invitational, an annual showcase for the nation's top high school athletes.

"I'm just really pleased across the board," Glenbard West coach Kelly Hass said. "It's one thing when you're without one of your best runners, but I don't think the team really thought about it. They thought we're just going to go do what we need to do and, of course, they did it once again."

Hart often has provided phenomenal anchors for the 3,200 and 1,600 relays. In that spot for Saturday's 1,600 relay, Morrison held off Lyons Township by .06 in her fourth event of the day - and after competing in the 300 low hurdles two events earlier.

"The 4 by 400 is so high intensity with the energy from the teams on the edges (cheering)," Morrison said. "I think I just found something, and I wanted to do good for the team and do my best."

Naperville North senior Halle Bieber won three events. The two-time defending 300 low hurdles state champion won that in an invite and stadium-record 45.38 seconds and the 200 just two events later in 26.09 after earlier claiming the 100 high hurdles in 15.81.

"It's the first time I've done (the 300 and 200) in a while. Probably my sophomore year," Bieber said. "I was really happy. It was a good start to the season."

With two personal bests, Hinsdale Central junior all-stater Dior Nicholson won shot put with an invite/stadium-record 41-5½ and discus with 133-5, which just missed the 134-10 invite/stadium record.

With the three 2018 Class 3A cross country trophy teams - champion Naperville North, Yorkville and Downers South - as well as Glenbard West and Hinsdale Central and great running weather, the distance competition was impressive.

Naperville North senior Claire Hill's 2:17.51 won the 800 by nearly two seconds. In the 3,200, sophomores Campbell Petersen and Audrey Mendrys set the pace early and finished 1-2 in 10:58.92 and 11:09.38.

"I wasn't thrilled with the time but happy that I got to push myself," Petersen said. "I ran alone, but I just felt good about getting used to pacing it myself."

In a wild 1,600 finish Hinsdale Central junior Emma Watcke held off Downers South junior Erin Reidy as both broke 5:00 running fresh - 4:59.47 to 4:59.54.

A move-in this semester from Ohio, Watcke achieved a lifetime best and nearly broke the 4:58.55 invite/stadium record set by Hart in 2017. Five runners beat the 5:08.84 state-qualifying standard.

"I don't really remember it, but everyone was like, 'Yeah it was crazy,' " Watcke said. "I've been kind of on the (five-minute) border for a while so I was glad to finally do that. For sure, (Reidy helped)."

"I followed the race plan how I wanted to and Emma is just a great runner. I was happy to have her," Reidy said.

Downers South junior Ari Johnson was second in triple jump and third in long jump and second Clarice Maes was second in the 200.

Glenbard North sophomore Cameron Guy won triple jump with a season-best 36-1 after earlier finishing fourth in long jump. Taking second were senior Christy Nguyen with a season-best 16-4 long jump, sophomore Sarah Ozeki with 16.64 seconds for the 100 hurdles and the 800 relay.

Nguyen was a 2017 state qualifier in long jump after a lifetime-best 17-7½ at sectionals. Battling a quad injury in 2018, her season-best 17-2 at sectionals just missed the 17-6 state-qualifying standard. This year it's 17-7.

"Just 3 inches away," Nguyen said. "I've been pretty inconsistent. This season I feel like I have a pretty good chance (at state) because last season I just made it (back) in time for sectionals."

Hinsdale Central senior Bella Pisani was in the 400 in 1:00.68 and part of the second-place 3,200 relay with juniors Taylor Wagner and McKenna Revord and sophomore Diana Denemark.

Geneva junior Katie McNamara won the 400 in a lifetime-best 1:00.17. Her 2018 best was 2:05.17 but she's been working out since the off-season.

"It was crazy honestly (to win). The beginning of this week, I ran my worst time this season," McNamara said. "My goal today was to get sub-61 (seconds). My goal is eventually to go sub-60."

The Vikings' second-place finishers were senior Michelle Siciliano in the 100 in 13.25 and sophomores Katie Beitzel with 9-0 in pole vault, Kelly McCloughan with 47.45 for the 300 hurdles and Niyah Udoiwod, who won the 4-10 high jump tiebreaker for second over Naperville North sophomore Maeve Connelly.

McCloughan was second most of the 100 hurdles race but clipped the next-to-last hurdle and ended up third, .01 from second.

"I felt that I needed to get at least one back (in the 300s)," said McCloughan, who missed half of indoor season playing basketball. "It's been pretty hard coming back. Right now I'd say I'm the same, a little better than last year."