Bartlett's Schneider, Hampshire impressive at state

CHARLESTON - Last season Bartlett's Alyssa Schneider took fifth place in the 1,600 meters at the Class 3A state finals. The Hawks' junior is ready for more this year.

Schneider finished fifth in the second heat of Friday's prelims with a time of 5:01.16 to qualify for today's finals here at O'Brien Stadium.

Hampshire also was impressive. The Whip-Purs qualified for the finals in three events in the Class 2A preliminaries, including hitting the top mark in the 3,200 relay (9:32.11).

Now Schneider and Hampshire will be seeking to finish the deal today at Eastern Illinois University.

The parade of competitors will kick off the action today at 9 a.m., with finals following at 10 a.m. in all three classes.

Schneider led for the first two laps in her preliminary heat Friday, but Whitney Young's Lavinia Jurkiewicz (4:58.78) pulled away down the home stretch to nail down the victory.

Schneider was limited during cross country season due to an injury, but the junior showed on Friday that she is back

"I think I'm right where I want to be," said Schneider, who entered the meet with the second best sectional time. "Now I just have to take it up to the next level the best as I can."

Schneider also combined with sophomore Taylor Crawford, junior Julie Cronin, and senior Samantha Maiorana in qualifying the Hawks in the 3,200 relay (9:28.35).

"This is the first time we made it to the finals in the 3,200 relay," said Schneider, "At the beginning of the season we didn't even know if we had a qualifying team, we put it together at conference."

Crystal Lake South's Marianne Collard finished third in the same heat as Schneider to qualify in the 1,600 (4:59.65). The junior hung with co-leader Jurkiewicz and Benet's McKinzie Schulz (4:59.42) and wouldn't let go.

"I definitely knew we were going fast," said Collard who took eighth in Class 3A last season. "I didn't want to let go and jeopardize my chance at finals."

Huntley's Amy Fanella hit 36 feet, 04 inches to qualify in the triple jump; the senior enters today's finals with the 11th best mark.

Cary-Grove's Carly Loeffel missed the past two state meets due to injuries, but the junior cleared 5-3 to qualify in the high jump.

"I think I can definitely go higher (today)," said Loeffel, whose best mark this season is 5-4. "I was kind of nervous (Thursday), but once I stepped onto the track (Friday) everything went away."

Hampshire definitely made an impression in Class 2A. Sophomore Cassie Kruse had the fourth best qualifying mark in the 800 (2:17.41) and senior Holly Plichta had the fourth best qualifying mark in the 1,600 (5:12.84) to pace the Whip-Purs. Kruse and Plichta started the day by combining with freshman Paige Membrano and junior Autumn Chomenko in pacing the Whip-Purs to the best qualifying mark and setting a school record in the 3,200 relay (9:32.11).

"It's very exciting," said Kruse of the Whip-Purs' 3,200 relay effort. "We wanted to get the school record and we got it. Now we're ready to do it again."

Burlington Central senior Maggie Gannon took third in her heat of the 1,600 (5:17.26), qualifying her to today's Class 2A finals. Junior Caille Thommes and sophomore Elissa Bitterman both cleared 5-1 in qualifying in the high jump for the Rockets.

Gannon also usually runs the 3,200 relay and 800, but the senior is focusing her attention on the mile this year.

"I'm going to the finals in the race I love to do," said Gannon of the 1,600. "It's my senior year and it'll be my last race."