Girls track and field: Prospect's primed for state after impressive sectional performance

When Prospect junior Charlotte Deines said the Knights qualified a ton of athletes into next weekend's Class 3A girls track and field state finals, she was not wrong.

At the Glenbrook South sectional on Wednesday the defending 3A third-place squad qualified in 14 of 18 events, double-scored in three and won seven. Prospect won all four relays, from 400 meters to 3200 meters.

Deines won the 100-meter dash, the 200, ran with Samantha Patterson, Anna Neibrugge and sister Nikki Niebrugge on a winning 400 relay, and placed second in long jump.

"I think this just gives us a lot of confidence," Deines said. "I know that we're sending a really big group down to state, a ton of qualifiers today, so I think this is giving us a ton of excitement for next meet at state."

Throw a discus in Glenview's John Davis Stadium and you'd hit a Knights qualifier, from 800-meter first- and second-place finishers Meg Peterson - a freshman - and Lily Ginsberg to, well, discus thrower Adeline Wind.

The Knights have run within 3 seconds of Wheaton Warrenville South's state record in the 3,200 relay, but on Wednesday Prospect coach Peter Wintermute entered Sophie Fransen, Samantha Peterson, Kaitlin Skelton and Cameron Kalaway in the event, only Kalaway having run on their personal-best effort.

Prospect still won the relay, joining Hersey, New Trier and Loyola in qualifying.

"We came in here making a lineup that we felt was going to give us the best opportunity to make some noise next weekend," Wintermute said. "We put some kids who may be alternates some weeks in a place to see what they could do so we could give other kids a chance to rest. Run a little bit fresher race and make sure that they have an opportunity to qualify. And those kids stepped up big-time."

Several Knights qualified in both relays and open events, like Samantha Patterson in the 400 and both Kalaway and Hailey Erickson in the 1600. That event sent the most athletes to Charleston, seven of them, with multiple track and cross country all-stater Anne Harden of Hersey winning her second event of the day following the 3200.

Down the stretch Harden kicked past Erickson, who had led from the get-go.

"Hailey took it out really fast, really set the pace, it was a bold move for her. Not many racers can do that, it was an awesome race for her," Harden said. "Then with 100 meters left I said, it's not over until you hit that line. At Distance Night in Palatine I feel I let up a little bit. I just wanted to not do that today and see if I could do it."

She did, and will gauge if she's up for the distance double at the 3A meet.

"For sure the mile at state, probably double, but we'll see what the conditions are like, what the competition is like, and make the decision down there," Harden said.

Hersey junior Catherine Henry and Wheeling senior Brenda Torres, swarmed by teammates when the results were released, also qualified in the 800.

Maine West had a pair of two-event qualifiers, Amelie Mach in the 100 and 300 hurdles, and Jacklyn Riedl in shot put and discus.

Fifth in shot put and eighth in discus last year in 3A, Riedl went to an old pal for her discus qualification.

"I changed discs," she said. "I trusted my other disc. We have this old disc called 'Woody.' He's old, he's been through it, I just trust it. He saved the day."

Prospect's 165 points more than doubled the total of second-place team finisher New Trier, with 76. Hersey (59.5), Evanston (50) and Maine West (49) rounded out the top five teams.