Girls track: Injuries thwart some state-qualifying hopes

OTTAWA - The Naperville North and Neuqua Valley girls track and field teams had to overcome adversity Thursday night.

At the Class 3A Ottawa sectional Judy Pendergast, the Naperville North defending state champion at 3,200 meters who also is the state leader in the 1,600 run this spring, struggled late in the longer race, placing fourth overall.

Pendergast still met the state-qualifying time in comfortable fashion, but the Harvard-bound senior was unable to compete in the 1,600.

"Tonight set (her foot) back," Naperville North distance coach Dan Iverson said. "She wasn't quite ready tonight, clearly."

The Wildcats' Samara Miller, a three-event conference champion last week, had already captured the 800 run in thrilling fashion.

But the Purdue-bound senior collapsed at the finish line of the 400 dash due to apparent back spasms.

Miller was unavailable for the remainder of the evening.

But the schools' athletes still found ways to persevere.

Naperville North (67 points) was second, and Neuqua Valley (59) was third; Waubonsie Valley and Naperville Central tied for fifth with 48 points each.

Oswego East captured its first team title in program history behind Morgan Harris' three sprint championships.

Naperville North hurdler Halle Bieber, only a freshman, reversed the results against Oswego East senior Tara Schumacher from the 100 hurdles to win the 300 race.

"It was just a really close race," Bieber said. "I just tried to push through on the corner (the curve)."

The Huskies qualified a pair of relays, including its defending state-champion quartet at 3,200 meters, and four individuals.

In addition to Pendergast and Bieber, the Huskies' Elise Chao in the triple jump and Claire Hamilton in the 800 run qualified for the state finals next weekend at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The Wildcats led the area programs in total qualifiers with six individuals - in seven events - and their 3,200 relay.

Tashee Hargrave is state-bound in the 100 and 400 dashes for Neuqua Valley.

Grace Merritt denied discus champion Brooklyne Wilson of Waubonsie Valley with her winning shot-put effort of 40 feet, 3.75 inches.

Wilson will be joined by Dana Dwyer and Tatiana Moore in two events at state for the Warriors.

The former ran a key leg on the victorious 400 relay and qualified via time in the open variety of the same distance.

"Qualifying in a relay secures the team aspect," Dwyer said. "(Qualifying in an individual race) reinforces all the hard work in the off-season."

Moore anchored the sprint relay before becoming one of six girls to make the 100 cut.

Naperville Central senior D'Jenne Egharevba was runner-up to Harris at both 100 and 200 meters.

Senior anchored the Redhawks' 400 relay to a third berth.

"That makes it even better," Egharevba said.

The Redhawks' Alissa Gorzak won the long jump.