Girls track and field: Glenbard West's Hart, others miss out on more success
It came to this - arguably Illinois' best female high school distance runner ever, running a time trial on a nearly empty track in a wide-open field with no spectators.
On May 1 Glenbard West senior Katelynne Hart ran 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 42 seconds "for myself" at Wheaton Academy, which owns the rare track that is not fenced-in.
With the COVID-19 pandemic ending the girls track season all training is now personal. Headed to the University of Michigan, Hart has to stay sharp.
The senior sought to be the first girl in Illinois to win the "triple crown" - titles in cross country and both the 1,600 and 3,200 - all four years.
"Yeah, definitely disappointing. Again, though, safety is definitely the biggest priority," Hart said.
Consider that the top six finishers in the 2019 Class 3A 800-meter finals - Hart, Lakes' Olivia Schmitt, Downers Grove South's Erin Riedy, Glenbard West's Audrey Allman, Hoffman Estates' Janae Dean, Oswego's Ella Hale - were returning.
So were the top five from the 1,600 finals - Hart, Hinsdale Central's Emma Watcke, Barrington's Alyssa Norris, Lakes' Brooke Stromsland, Wheaton Warrenville South's Sam Poglitsch. In the 3,200, Stromsland trailed only Hart.
"It's definitely a bummer and I think that's kind of why I've done some time trials, to at least get some closure for myself. But I definitely would have liked to get to race against them," Hart said.
There's senior success denied everywhere you look.
Aurora Christian's Alyssa Busker was the defending champion in the Class 1A 100- and 200-meter dashes.
Top returners from last year's Class 3A state finals included Antioch 100-meter sprinter Ayanna Tommy, Hinsdale Central shot putter Dior Nicholson and West Aurora pole vaulter Abbey Kuhn.
Hersey senior discus thrower Janine Boyan, too. She took fourth place in Class 3A at 129-9 last season. She'll throw at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.
"It's disappointing because I worked so hard for three and a half years and now I don't get to do it. But I understand why. It's lucky for me that I have college to look forward to, because I know some senior athletes are not as lucky to be continuing their sport in the fall," Boyan said.
"I was very frustrated when they canceled everything. At first it was just going to be two weeks with no sports, then school gets canceled and graduation gets postponed. The seniors especially are struggling because it's their last two months of high school and now we don't have it. It's hard to deal with but everyone's trying do stuff virtually and keep connected with everyone. I guess that's good."
Barrington coach Jody Gitelis has sent many emails. One must have been painful to receive, about collecting uniforms on May 11.
"At least track and field got to wear them four times (indoors)," Gitelis said.
From a fourth-place Class 3A 3,200 relay she returned Molly Fitzpatrick, Kathleen Baker, Anne Berquist and the Illinois-bound Norris. Gitelis was looking forward to Cary-Grove transfer Allison Drage adding to the distance mix before she runs at Brown.
Gitelis, whose 33rd year as Barrington's coach just petered out, brought up a good point.
"Everybody was like, the seniors, the seniors, the seniors," she said. "Yeah, I get it, but what about the juniors?"
They also trained. Hard.
The junior spring of Neuqua Valley's Riley Ammenhauser had historic ramifications. After winning the Class 3A triple jump her freshman and sophomore years, then recording the nation's third-longest indoor jump this winter - 41 feet, 3¾ inches on Feb. 28 at Plainfield North - she was aiming to become the state's first four-time triple jump champion, female or male.
"I can't really do anything about what's happening, so I'm trying to stay optimistic about everything, still trying to stay active and trying to get all my school work done since it's online," said Ammenhauser, a Division I recruit hoping to compete in the Illinois Meet of Champions in June and the New Balance Nationals in July in North Carolina. If they're held.
"Since I won't be a four-time champion anymore, I am in my head," she said. "I think positive, since I did have the highest (Illinois) ranking at the end of the season. Since I couldn't win it, my goal is to be a three-time (champ), I guess."