Cook County girls track state preview
Where: Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium, Charleston
When: Today's preliminaries - Class 2A field events and running events, 9 a.m.; 3A field events, 10:45 a.m., running events, 12:45 p.m. Saturday finals - parade of competitors, 9 a.m., field events, 10 a.m, running events, 11 a.m.
Team outlook
The field is wide open for 3A, with Mid-Suburban League members Hoffman Estates, Palatine, and Schaumburg all in the running for a team trophy. The talent is spread wide among 10 to 12 teams, including East St. Louis, Thornton, Whitney Young, and Morgan Park.
Eye on the area schools
Palatine: State qualifiers - Meg Jump (long jump and triple jump), Meghan Flanagan (pole vault and 100 high hurdles), Deviin Mabry (shot put), Courtney Brown (3,200), Emily Schulte (3,200), Ruth Allen (800 and 1,600), Tess Wasowicz (800), Laura Schweikert (400), Sarah McIntosh (1,600), 400 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay. Outlook - The MSL champions are loaded, Allen will be worth watching in the 800 and 1,600. Flanagan, Schweikert, Jump, Wasowicz will also give the Pirates depth in all the relays.
Hoffman Estates: State qualifiers - Precious Ogunleye (shot put and discus), Kristie Hisey (high jump), Melissa Schmidt (3,200 and 1,600), Takshaka Patel (3,200), Emily D'Amico (100 and 200), Haley Goers (1,600), 400 relay, 800 relay, 3,200 relay. Outlook - Ogunleye had the top sectional mark in the shot put (44-8) and second-best in the discus (136-4) and will key the trophy drive. Schmidt also has the top time in the 3,200 (10:41.39) and third-best in the 1,600 (5:03.07). Hoffman will also count on Goers and D'Amico in the relays.
Schaumburg: State qualifiers - Colette Falsey (800), Jordan Wagner (400), Karen Lesiewicz (1,600), Britten Petrey (1,600), 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay. Outlook - Schaumburg has a chance to medal in each of the events it qualified. Lesiewicz enters with the top time in the 1,600 (4:59.91) and Falsey has the top time in the 800 (2:12.75). Keep an eye on the 3,200 relay, it has the makings of being very special.
Prospect: State qualifiers - Grace Gruendel (pole vault), Samantha Sturm (shot put and discus), Brooke Wolfe (1,600 and 3,200), Annette White (1,600 and 3,200), Emily Salzman (800), Kasey Krum (800), 400 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay. Outlook - The 3,200 relay will once again be in the medal hunt, and Wolfe will be in contention for medals in both the 1,600 and 3,200.
Conant: State qualifiers - Josie Hutch (long jump), Caitlin Reid (pole vault), Jessica Przyby (discus), Becky Sulentic (3,200), Sarah Gorden (100 high hurdles and 300 low hurdles), Allison Gallo (800), 400 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay. Outlook - Gorden is a threat to medal in both hurdles. The 400 and 800 relays have also looked impressive.
Barrington: State qualifiers - Anna Etherington (pole vault), Becca Batliner (3,200), Elizabeth Tracy (3,200), Jorie Frey (400), 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay. Outlook - Etherington and Frey both will be seeking their second consecutive state medals.
Hersey: State qualifiers - Mahnker Dahnwein (discus), Dana Markech (100 high hurdles and 300 low hurdles), Danielle Perkins (100), 400 relay, 800 relay. Outlook - Dahnwein has come on strong the final part of the season and is in the mix for a medal.
Remaining state qualifiers
Fremd: Ashley Fullerton (high jump), Emi Sudo (3,200), Stephenie Resis (800). Wheeling: Sydney Keith (100), 400 relay, 800 relay. Rolling Meadows: Morgan Keller (shot put), Christina Gastfield (3,200). Leyden: Klaudia Susul (long jump, 100, 200, 400), Marta Korpacz (800). Maine West: Taylor Stephenson (800). St. Viator (2A): Hanna Winter (1,600), 3,200 relay.