Girls track and field: Barrington edges Lake Zurich to win own invite
Dangerous winds forced the cancellation of the pole event at last year's Barrington girls track and field invite.
Friday night, at the same meet in balmy conditions, Barrington sophomore Scout Storms blew away from the field in the 1,600-meter run, clocking a first-place time of 5:05.45. Warren senior Mia Pasha finished runner-up in 5.18.21.
Storms was in awe afterward - of her retiring coach, Jody Gitelis, who is in her 36th and final season at the helm of the Fillies' track and field program.
"She's amazing," Storms said. "She's tough but fun, and that brings the team's spirit up. Everything about her as a coach is positive. There have been times when I ran a race and didn't think I did anything positive in it. But Coach Gitelis pointed out something to me that she liked about my race."
Gitelis' Fillies gave her something to adore Friday night - a championship in the final year of the Barrington invite.
It will be known as the Jody Gitelis invite beginning in 2024.
Barrington surged past Lake Zurich late in the 12-team meet, totaling 110 points to runner-up LZ's 105. New Trier took third (83), followed by Prairie Ridge (54), Plainfield North (38), Hoffman Estates (37), Conant (34), Lakes (34), Warren (27), Grant (15), Proviso East (14) and Bartlett (7).
Storms also helped Barrington take the gold in the 3200 relay (9:52.64) with Kaleigh Burns, Sydney Sukel and Sabrina Roach. The Fillies' quartet of Sophia Goluba, Addie Pokorny, Khloe Slatter and Kaley Swanson won the 800 relay in 1:45.86.
Lake Zurich's Bears - competing without 2022 3200-meter all-stater Brooke Johnston (injury) - received first-place performances from Allie DiCanio (discus, 119-07), Emilia Kubik (pole vault, 11-0), and Baelyn Zitzmann (high jump, 5-0).
LZ coach Jeremy Kaufmann will welcome Johnston back to his squad on Monday.
"It'll be like getting an All-Star at the All-Star break," Kaufmann said.
The brightest star of the meet was Prairie Ridge senior Rylee Lydon, who won three events (long jump, 19-6; 800, 2:19.62; and 200, 25.33).
Hoffman Estates senior Amaya Hendrickson emerged as a two-time winner, crossing first in the 100 high hurdles (15.76) and topping the shot put field with a toss of 38-09.75.
Conant freshman Daisha Brunson dashed quite well, zipping to first in the 100 (12.59) and helping the Cougars' 400 relay finish first (49.34, with Kimora Savoy, Dori Lee and Stella Richter).
Warren senior Madison Hecker scooted to a first-place 58.84 in the 400. None of the other entrants in the one-lap test ran under 1 minute.
New Trier Trevians earned three event championships at Barrington Community Stadium. NT senior Clare Finnegan (11:17.01) and sophomore teammate Josie Cahill (11:18.36) went 1-2 in the 3,200.
But the night belonged to Gitelis, who plans to move to Las Vegas.
"I'm going to miss the people - the kids and the coaches," she said. "What we built here is special. And the chemistry in this year's group is heartwarming. They truly care about each other."