Rosary duo makes history; ACC's Liz repeats

CHARLESTON - It was a moment unlike any other in Rosary High School athletic history Saturday afternoon at Eastern Illinois' O'Brien Stadium.

Peoria Notre Dame junior Maryjeanne Gilbert was seeking the distance triple crown - state cross country, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in track and field in the same school year - in the finals of the mile of the Class 2A girls track state meet.

But Emily Martin and Madison Ronzone spoiled the plan in dramatic fashion.

Martin took a slight edge on her junior teammate midway through the 1,600 run and only expanded it over the next 800 meters.

Ronzone also held off Gilbert down the stretch as the teammates swept the event for Rosary in four minutes, 56.51 seconds and 5:00.14, respectively.

In the opening running event of the day, the pair had to settle for a runner-up finish to league rival Montini in the 3,200 relay.

"I have always wanted to break five minutes," said the Creighton-bound Martin. "(Ronzone and I) both have a strong kick. It helps to run the 800. It helps to pick it up at the end."

"I knew that I really had to do it today," Ronzone said. "It was my last race of the season. We wanted to really pick it up for the last 600 meters."

Rosary, Kaneland and Aurora Central Catholic all had spectacular finishes to their seasons.

ACC junior Karina Liz was once again the dominant 800 runner in the state in the middle division on Saturday.

The Chargers' junior - second as a freshman and a runaway champion last year - opened an insurmountable lead at the gun lap and destroyed the field in 2:15.53.

Liz came back one event later to place fourth in the 400 run.

"It was pretty much the same as last year," said Liz, undefeated for a second straight year en route to a one-sided state title. "My time wasn't what I wanted it to be. I can't be disappointed; I won."

ACC junior Abby Fioresi became the fourth local product to cash in an all-state performance in the 1,600.

Kaneland, meanwhile, was not nearly as spectacular but consistent on a regular basis.

The Knights' Brianna Bower was fourth in the 3,200 that Gilbert won easily.

The 400 relay was fourth behind Allie Heinzer. The junior, who edged Liz for third in the open 400, would later team with Carly Bartholomew, Olivia Galor and Jamie Martens in the 1,600 relay.

The unit was the last of nine squads to qualify on Friday. But when Martens crossed the finish line, only Morgan Park was in front of them.

"We kind of showed everybody what we had and what we could do in the finals," Heinzer said. "We kicked butt."

But the Knights would fall within a few points for a third-place team trophy.

Cahokia claimed the championship with 61 points; Kaneland settled for fifth with its 31 total.

Rosary was eighth with 26 points.

Class 1A: In Class 1A, defending champion Aurora Christian was fourth.

Natasha Brown, Hope Montalbano and Megan Haggerty have been the Eagles' sprint stalwarts the last two years.

The trio placed in the two sprint relays for the second straight year, but Brown had an especially hard-to-swallow day by placing runner-up in both the 100 and 200 dashes.

Becca Wert also closed out her career for Aurora Christian with one final all-state medal in the 800.