Girls track and field: Downers Grove North grabs Silver crown

As expected, Downers Grove North senior Isabel Maletich and Glenbard West sophomore Katelynne Hart added to their record accomplishments during the West Suburban Conference Silver Division girls track and field meet Friday at York.

What really made Maletich leap was what used to be unexpected before her senior class arrived.

The Trojans scored 114 points to win arguably the state's toughest conference for the third time in four seasons, either outright or shared. From the start of the WSC Silver meet in 1973 to 2014, the Trojans previously only won twice, 1986 and 1992.

"It's something that's very exhilarating. It's something that definitely doesn't come around very often," said Maletich, also part of two indoor team titles.

"I feel that a lot of people on the team do because we've been a part of them recently. Everyone just really feeds into the energy and it just makes for a great end to the season."

Defending champion Glenbard West was third with 97, Hinsdale Central fourth with 76 and York seventh with 37.

Maletich won long jump by 9½ inches with 17-10½ and an incredibly competitive triple jump with 36-11¾, followed by 36-11¼ and 36-11.

With long jump Maletich became just the seventh athlete in Silver history to win four outdoor varsity individual titles in an event. Maletich also won three outdoor triple jump crowns.

Hart won the 1,600 in a meet-record 4:47.80, breaking her 2017 mark, after earlier winning a fresh 800 in 2:13.42. Hart also had a personal-best 57.5 anchor split to help the 1,600 relay go from last to third. Hart's 2017 individual titles were in the 3,200 and 1,600 in meet records of 10:21.62 and 4:50.26.

"I think that stuff like conference, it's mostly about getting the (team) points and running good times is great," Hart said. "Even though we finished first last year, there's so many (personal records) and so many great efforts by the team, we're all super happy with how we came away with what we did."

Downers North had finished indoors 9 points behind Lyons Township with Hinsdale Central third.

"The girls were fantastic. All I have to do is tell them, 'You guys show up in big moments,' and that's what they do," Downers North coach Matt Maletich said. "I couldn't be any more impressed with how they competed across the board."

Downers North junior Kim Brent won the 200 in a school-record 25.34 and the 100 in 12.34 to equal her 12.1 manual school record and was second in the 400.

The Trojans' 400 and 800 relays were second to Proviso West with the 400 relay posting a school-record 48.58. Fourth-place pole vaulter Carolyn-Paige Breit improved her school record to 10-6 after the sophomore cleared the 10-3 state-qualifying standard for the first time Monday.

Downers North junior Sarah Rogoz was a surprise high jump champion by clearing her personal-best 5-2 for the first time outdoors. Seniors Naomi Boyd and Lillian Janowicz were second in discus and shot put, respectively.

"I never would have expected (winning) coming in. It just happened and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way," said Rogoz, second indoors.

"Our field events scored 61 points. Definitely not winning indoor gave us that extra push that we needed. Our coaches said we had to be on the top of our game to win this and I guess we were tonight."

Like sophomore year, Glenbard West senior Lindsey Payne won the 3,200, this time in 10:50.52. Like indoor conference, she finished 1-2 with junior teammate Katie Hohe, who ran 10:54.23.

"Honestly I don't remember (winning) as a sophomore," Payne said with a laugh. "Just hard saying goodbye to my team (as a senior). You always feel like you can do more."

York junior Sarah May finished strong for second in the 1,600 in 5:08.24.

In her final home meet senior Molly Evans had two lifetime bests for second in long jump at 17-1 and fifth in triple jump at 36-2¼ - her second time beyond the 36-0 state-qualifying standard.

"If you wanted to place (top five all-conference), you had to jump state qualifying, which is crazy," Evans said. "That's insane because it's so competitive, but I'm so glad I had good competition to jump against and I'm excited to see what I do (at sectionals)."

Hinsdale Central's 3,200 relay of juniors Kayla Byrne and Gillian Filer and seniors Grace McCabe and Reilly Revord won in 9:26.18 and McCabe was second in the 800. Byrne, McCabe and Revord remain from the 2016 Class 3A championship team and McCabe and Revord from last year's state runners-up.

Hinsdale Central sophomore Dior Nicholson, the defending shot put champion, won that and discus with lifetime bests of 40-0 and 116-1.