Girls track and field: Benet's Munson soars to first place

CHARLESTON - Saturday at the girls state track and field meet at Eastern Illinois University, it made little difference what level Benet junior Ali Munson competed.

The Redwings were reclassified to Class 2A this spring, but Munson would have been the class of the larger-school division as well in the pole vault.

Munson won the first Benet state track and field championship in seven years by clearing 12 feet, 6 inches on her first attempt.

The Naperville resident went over 12-9 for good measure; the Class 3A champion was 6 inches shy of that height.

"I just came here to do the best I could, and that ended up being winning the title," Munson said. "I just felt like I was on top of the world."

Courtney Morgan can certainly relate.

The Metea Valley junior won a shot-put state title two years, only to struggle with injuries as a sophomore.

But Morgan improved her first-day lead in the shot put by more than a foot to win with ease at 45-11¾.

Morgan, though, fell from first to third in the discus after the finals were finished.

"I came back stronger than ever," Morgan said of issues revolving around a herniated disc. "It feels great."

Holly Julifs won the discus for Metea Valley a year ago.

"To continue the (Metea Valley) tradition of great throwers feels great," Morgan said.

Jaida Green is virtually a novice to track and field.

But the Penn State basketball recruit had her senior year at Downers North end in style.

Green cleared 5-7 in the high jump for a third local championship in the field.

"I have only been in track for two years," Green said. "To come down in only my second year and win a title is pretty exciting."

Allison Wahrman could not sustain her first-day lead in the triple jump.

An 11-time state qualifier for Glenbard North, the Iowa recruit had to settle for second place after defending champion LaJarvia Brown of Alton became the first athlete in history to exceed 42 feet.

The winning jump was not considered a record due to excessive wind.

"(Having the overnight lead) felt good, but I knew the weather was going to be better today," Wahrman said. "It was going to give the other girls a better chance to jump better."

Wahrman was also eighth in the long jump.

"I scratched a lot (in the long jump), but I'm still happy. I have never medaled in the long jump."

Michaela Smith was runner-up to Julifs last year in the discus, but the Lake Park senior slid to third this year after Cary-Grove senior Nikki Freeman passed both Morgan and Smith on Saturday.

Benet finished 12th overall in Class 2A after Emma Jones, who also placed in the 100 hurdles, and Lucy Zimmerman medaled in the long and triple jump, respectively.