Lakes captures Carmel Sectional title, while St. Viator's Scales gets 3 firsts in girls track
It was a running day for Lakes.
The Eagles flew to the Carmel Sectional title Wednesday in Mundelein with 116 points. Northside Prep was second with 73 points, Carmel third with 64, followed by St. Viator with 62 and Johnsburg with 51 points.
It was first sectional title for Lakes since 2013, which will be send 11 girls to the state finals May 13 and 14 at Eastern Illinois University.
"It is beyond exciting," Lakes coach Christine Zucker said. "The girls have been working hard and the enthusiasm, you can feel it."
Lakes won the 4x800 with Madison Twarling, Paige Caruth, Madison Perez and Becca Runyan in 9:51.05, beating their best time by 9 seconds.
Perez won the 800-meter run in 2:23.49, while Runyan won the 400-meter in 59.29 seconds.
"I knew at the start of the day I had to hydrate because it was going to be hot," Perez said. "I kept staying hydrated and in high spirits. Not only we were hot, but the weather was hot."
Perez, Amelia Plohg, Shelby Stall and Runyan were part of the wining 4x400 relay team. Runyan helped the Eagles to the title with a superb stretch run.
"With 200 meters left I felt it in me," Runyan said. "I won the other events and I wanted to go home with three. I didn't feel good. But I prepared myself that it was going to hurt. But I went for it anyway."
Lakes made it a clean sweep in the pole vault. Josie Gates won it at 11 feet 3 inches, while Joycelyn Crum also qualified.
The Eagles also will send Jillian Ellenwood (triple jump) and Caruth (3,200) downstate.
While Lakes had the best day as team, no one had a better day than St. Viator's Emmi Scales.
The junior won three individual events with personal bests in each. Scales also led off the 4x400 team that finished second and qualified for state.
Scales won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.41. She then came back five minutes later to post a convincing win the 100-meter dash in 12.32. Scales finished her triple with a first in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.21.
"It is really hard going back to back," she said. "I seem to manage it pretty well. It is definitely easier thanks to the weather. That five minutes between events really goes fast."
The Lions also got a big day from Mary Grace Hegberg. The senior won the 1,600 win a sizzling 4:50.44 and qualified in the 3,200.
Carmel's Theresa Flor won the discuss with a throw of 33.63 meters. The Corsairs also finished second in the 4x100 relay in 50.86.
Johnsburg had a solid day. The Skyhawks' Chloe Benz won the shot put with a throw of 11.24 meters. Benz also qualified for state in the discus.
Benz will be joined by Caitlyn Casella, who won the 200 in 26.25 and qualified in the 100-meter dash. Jolene Cashmore also qualified for the Skyhawks in the 3,200.
Woodstock North, which finished with 36 points, had Lexi Hansen qualify in the high jump and Bella Borta qualify in the 300-meter hurdles.
Woodstock had 35 points and Hallie Steponatis won the high jump in 1.54 meters for the Blue Streaks.
Marian Central's Bella Zecchin won the long jump at 5.26 meters, while Richmond-Burton's Lily Alberts qualified in the 400-and 200-meter runs.