Time to try 2A

There were nothing but smiles in the Rosary hallways on Wednesday afternoon as the track and field team went through its final preparations.

Still basking in the glow of the first sectional championship in school history last Saturday at Glenbard South, the Royals are primed to make their mark in the middle tier of the inaugural three-class track and field state meet this weekend at Eastern Illinois' O'Brien Stadium in Charleston.

"Once you get down there, it's still pretty tough competition," Rosary coach Vic Meade said. "We've looked at the (seed) times, and our (sprint) relays are very competitive. They're in charge of their own destiny."

The quartet of Ally Rindone, Amy Kus, Anna Duefel and Katie Petrando has visions of standing on the podium Saturday afternoon in the 400- and 800-meter relays.

"We're all going to have to run our best to make finals," Duefel said.

"I think it's going to be less intimidating (being in Class 2A rather than AA in a two-class format), and it's going to give us more chances," said Nora Bowe, the Rosary senior leader who will compete in the high jump, 300-meter hurdles and 1,600-meter relay.

"I would like to be in the (300 hurdle) finals and get a high place - that would be like a dream come true," said Kus, who was third in the high jump last year but unable to compete in the event this season due to an ankle injury.

For the second consecutive year, Monica English has twin qualified for Rosary in the shot put and discus. Meghan Gannon and Emily Launer round out the Royals' downstate aspirants in the 800 and 3,200 runs, respectively. Sonya Steder and Natalie Perry will represent Aurora Central Catholic in the high jump and 200 dash, and IMSA sophomore Amber Farrell is a top seed in the 200, 400 and 100 hurdles.

"The Aurora schools really stepped it up this year," Meade said of the Plainfield sectional, where Waubonsie Valley nipped West Aurora in the final event.

It was a breakthrough year for the Blackhawks, who won their first conference championship in program history and qualified five individuals in six events. The Blackhawks' 400 and 800 relays are potential final qualifiers.

"This has just been a fantastic season all around for us," West Aurora coach Teresa Towles said. "We have no regrets. I can't be disappointed (about not winning the sectional)."

Markesha Davis' fourth appearance at the state tournament this weekend could finally bear some fruit; the senior anchors the Blackhawks' two formidable sprint relays. Davis is also a legitimate contender in the open 200 meters.

Shanice Andrews won the Blackhawks' first state medal this decade last year in the long jump; the junior is a leading contender in the 100 hurdles and triple jump. Mariah Smith is headed down in the shot put and discus, and sophomore Jasmine Ranson is not only a leader in the relays but also a qualifier in the triple jump.

Brittany Loza reduced her personal low in the 800 meters by almost four seconds to snare an at-large bid.

"She ran that race like her life depended on it," Towles said.

Like West Aurora, Geneva narrowly missed its first sectional title at Streamwood last weekend. But the Vikings have the largest contingent of any local program to add to its illustrious season.

Geneva has two entrants in three events: Erica Miller and Taylor Wickware swept the 400 meters; Sarah Heuer and Liza Tauscher earned the distinction at 3,200 meters, with Meghan Heuer and Kelly Shogren making the grade in the 1,600 run. Sammi Hill and Allie Pace represent the Vikings in the field in the triple jump and pole vault, respectively, and junior Alissa Dappas is in both hurdles. The Vikings' 1,600 and 3,200 relays are eyeing final berths as well.

Geneva coach Peter Raak said there is one constant no matter what the format is at the state meet.

"(Illinois' best athletes) always seem to drop massive times after the sectional," Raak said. "Obviously, we're looking for some good things this weekend. This is going to be a feeling-out process (with three classes)."

Raak is particularly optimistic with his mile relay, which has historically been the measuring stick for all programs on the track.

"We're not going to take any chances with (the relay) after missing out (of the finals) by one-hundredth of a second last year," Raak said.

Lizzy Hynes has two more chances to earn an elusive state title. The St. Charles East distance standout has the two fastest times in the 3,200 meters, where she was fifth last year, and has consistently broken the 5-minute mark in the mile, where she was runner-up as a freshman.

"(Hynes) is definitely mentally and physically prepared for what's to come this weekend," St. Charles East coach Denise Hefferin said. "In all my years of observing Illinois track and field, she is the best-prepped athlete I have seen to win the (1,600-3,200) double."

St. Charles East junior Maya Rittmanic qualified in all three jumping events. Allie Devor cashed in a return engagement to state in the shot put, and fellow senior Jess Nier makes her debut in the 300 hurdles. Danielle Kuzniewski won the 200 at Streamwood to earn her first state appearance, and freshman Mallory Abel is the Saints' second hope in the 3,200.

The unprecedented career of Batavia state champion Natalie Tarter closes on a bittersweet note this weekend. The Wisconsin-bound Tarter looks to reach double digits in career medals, but a left hamstring injury leaves her participation in the 100 hurdles as questionable.

Tarter is the two-time reigning Class AA runner-up in the event, and the senior said her physician gave her a choice.

"He told me that he could get me ready for one event," Tarter said. "He asked me which one I wanted to do and I said the 100 hurdles because I don't have a state championship in that event."

Melissa Norville also concludes her sterling four-year Batavia career this weekend; the senior has been among the state leaders all season in the triple jump. Norville also qualified in the two hurdle races.

Meredith Beird is the lone qualifier for St. Charles North; the sophomore is one of many vying for pole-vault inclusion.

The six smallest schools in the Western Sun Conference figure to significantly sway the Class 2A competition. Lindsay Gierke closes out her storied career at Kaneland in three events: the two hurdle races and the 100 dash. The Northern Iowa-bound senior has won four state medals the last two years.

Jordan Pinkston and Sara Wallace qualified in the pole vault for Kaneland, and Andie Strang is not only in the open 800 meters but the sophomore anchors the Knights' highly regarded 3,200 relay.