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Girls track and field: Huntley takes title at WW South

Huntley is on a mission.

"We have never won a (state) plaque before," said Alex Johnson, the Raiders' four-event champion Friday night at Wheaton Warrenville South.

But Huntley has been recently anointed as the top-rated Class 3A girls track and field team in the state by milesplit.com, and Johnson and her freshman sister Dominique are central ingredients to the Raiders' undeniable recipe for success.

Alex Johnson, the defending state champion in the long jump, has the finest mark in the state this outdoor season as the junior soared 19 feet, 4 inches to deny highly regarded Naperville North senior Denise Hernandez by six inches.

"I have been trying to get it for so long," Alex said of what she terms "the magical barrier in the long jump" - the 20-foot barrier.

Alex Johnson later dusted the field at the Tiger Invitational to win the 100-meter dash in 12.31 seconds.

The junior, with able support from Melissa Aningayei-Bonsue, Vicky Evtimov, Jessie Ozzauto and her freshman sibling also captured sprint-relay titles at 400 and 800 meters.

Dominique Johnson, with Aninagyei-Bonsue finishing runner-up, then captured the triple jump at 39-7, an astounding distance for a freshman newcomer.

The Raiders would need every point they could muster in turning back defending state champion and third-ranked Lincoln-Way East 91-89.2.

Naperville North was close behind for third in 86.5.

Naperville Central, WW South, York and Oswego were in a close pack for fourth but considerably behind the three state powers.

On the track, Glenbard West do-it-all senior Audrey Allman anchored the Hilltoppers' 3,200 relay to the fastest time in the state - by more than 10 seconds - with their collective 9:26.99.

Naperville Central sophomore Liv Phillips was the unquestionable queen in the open 3,200 run with her runaway win in 11:11.25.

Sophia McNerney made a statement as the Tulane-bound senior for Downers Grove South, hobbled by injuries throughout the indoor and early part of the outdoor season, rose to the challenge with a scintillating 3:14.23 clocking in the 800 run.

York team-cross-country champion Brooke Berger was right on her heels at 2:15.43, with Naperville North freshman breakout performer Emma Berres in third at 2:16.37.

Naperville North quarter-miler Christina Gu had two brilliant 400 leafs to earn a pair of gold medals at the 20-team invitational.

Gu turned back Allman to win the open 400 in 59.03 before harnessing all her energy for a fantastic anchor leg in the meet-closing 1,600 relay to give Naperville North a come-from-behind win in 4:05.38.

In the open metric-mile, Hinsdale Central junior Catie McCabe, fourth last year in the fastest 1,600 run in girls state track history, came home in 4:05.38 to secure first place.

  Naperville North's Denise Hernandez in the long jump at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Metea Valley's Anastasia Murphy in the high jump at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville Central's Abby Mogg takes the baton for the third leg of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Glenbard West's Audrey Allman finishes the anchor leg of the of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Huntley's Victoria Evtimov hands the baton to teammate Alex Johnson in the 400-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Glenbard West's Ally Stortz competes in the long jump. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Wheaton Warrenville South's Piper Lindsay yells to teammate Store Novak after handing her the baton in the 400-meter relay. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville Central's Liv Phillips takes a commanding lead over the pack on her way to a win in the 3,200-meter run at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville North's Ellie Coderre celebrates her send-place finish in the 3,200-meter run at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville North's Maggie O'Neill competes in heat six of the 100-meter hurdles at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Wheaton Warrenville South's Shea Voegtle at the start of the 100-meter dash at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  York's Katelyn Pratt at the start of the 100-meter dash at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Downers Grove South's Elise D'Aquila leads heat four of the 100-meter hurdles at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville North's Macy Fleury starts the 100-meter dash at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational Friday in Wheaton. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  York Margaret Owens runs the second leg of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Glenbard West's Carlin Hass hands the baton off as she finishes the third leg of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville Central's Adeline O'Neill at the start of the 100-meter dash at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Huntley's Alex Johnson in the long jump at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Glenbard West's Anna Nickoley runs the second leg of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Naperville Central's Addison George runs the second leg of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Wheaton Warrenville South's Jenna Bachara takes the baton for the anchor leg of the 800-meter relay at the Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Wheaton Warrenville South girls track invitational in Wheaton on Friday, April 29, 2022. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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