Girls track and field: Burlington Central's Barkocy has memorable state performance
CHARLESTON - Burlington Central senior Brooke Barkocy kept changing her expressions throughout Friday's Class 2A state girls track meet.
But Barkocy managed to make each post-race moment a memorable one, which matched her stunning performance at O'Brien Field at Eastern Illinois University.
Barkocy sparked the Rockets with a first-place medal in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 44.69 seconds at the state meet. The Rockets finished with 32 points to place sixth in the one-day meet, the program's best-ever finish. Rosary compiled 46 points to earn third place for its second state trophy in program history.
After winning against a talented field in the 300 hurdles, Barkocy immediately put her hands on her face in shock. When she placed third in the 100 hurdles in a time of 14.93, Barkocy turned around upon crossing the finish line and raised her arms up in the air when noticing her top-three placing on the scoreboard.
Barkocy, a Grand Valley State recruit, finished her busy afternoon by guiding the Rockets to a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 relay (4:07.87). This time, instead of celebrating, Barkocy crossed the finish line in a haze of fatigue and happiness, choosing to congratulate a few other runners.
Barkocy's first-place medal in the 300 hurdles made program history, becoming the program's first individual state champion since Carissa Wallace in 1996-97 - also in the 300 hurdles.
"I didn't ever expect to finish that high in state," Barkocy said. "My freshman and sophomore years were both messed up races at state. I'm not used to seeing my name that high on the (state) scoreboard.
"I wasn't super nervous coming into state. I knew what I had to do, was doing super solid last couple of meets and just had to improve on them and I did. I'm very, very happy."
In the discus, Burlington Central senior Carolina Hintz finished her career on a high note by establishing a new personal record toss of 43.26 meters for a second-place medal.
St. Viator junior Mary Grace Hegberg added to her rapidly growing reputation in track by placing second in the 3,200 (10:36.99) and third in the 1,600 (5:03.03) in her first state experience. Hegberg said she focused on travel soccer and lacrosse early in her career before deciding to run track this spring.
"I was definitely a little disappointed in my (1,600) because I knew I had a lot more in me, but I was happy with my 3,200," Hegberg said. "It was different running with someone next to me in the two-mile since I've been running mostly by myself most of the year. It was so fun running the two-mile. I just tried to match the energy of the other runners.
"It was such a great opportunity to run track this year. I was a no-name at state. The pressure was so much way off. Most people thought I was a freshman. I shocked myself by doing so well this year because I was more of a 400 or 800 runner."
St. Viator sophomore Emmi Scales made big strides in her first state meet by notching eighth in the 200 (25.95) and 13th in the 100 (12.66).
Rosary senior Ann Molenhouse, an Oklahoma State recruit, was a driving force behind the Royals' first state trophy since finishing second in 1985. Molenhouse's awe-inspiring performances included a second-place medal in the 300 hurdles with a time of 45.92, a sixth place in the triple jump (10.81 meters), eighth in the 100 hurdles (15.47) and running the anchor leg in Rosary's second-place 1,600 relay (4:03.71).
"This is huge, especially after taking the year off last year," Rosary coach Jeff Fearday said. "We thought we had a chance the past two years, so to come together and get a trophy at the end of this year is special."
Carmel senior Grace Hartzer placed 15th in the 3,200 with a time of 12:26.47. Carmel's 800-meter relay of Jordan Landry, Nora Christensen, Sophie Puszynski and Anna Kegel finished 14th (1:48.75).