2020 ILXCTF.com Illinois Track & Field Previews - 3A Girls Teams

By Michael Newman

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Homewood-Flossmoor dominated in last year’s state meet to win the program’s first state championship. Some think that cannot happen again especially since Terrance Terry has stepped in as the new coach. Those thinking that would be wrong. The Lady Vikings do not have the strength in the field events like they did last year, but again will be strong in the relays and the sprints to put them in contention to repeat.

Glenbard West, who finished third last year, are deeper than last year and will challenge for the title with a little help from 11-time state champion Katelynne Hart.

Here is a look of some of the teams to keep an eye on in 2020.

Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Aurora (West)

Preview – A team that could be in better shape in 2020 even after losing Dajour Miles to graduation. The Blackhawks just missed a trophy last year when they finished fourth overall at state. This 2020 team could be within another top five finish.

Victoria Spagnola was in the top five in both hurdle events at last year’s state meet. She could be among the favorites in both races when we get to Charleston. Spagnola could also play a part as one of the top athletes in the Long Jump. She has the talent to take it to the next level.

Aurora West will have two of the four runners back from the state finals team in the 400 Meter Relay. Nia Wood and Savanna Ming will lead a strong sprint group. Abbey Kuhn had a breakthrough junior season in the Pole Vault where she finished second. Kuhn has one of the top three returning performances in the event and should challenge for the state championship.

Belleville (West)

Preview – The Maroons may take a minor step back in the standings after losing their major point scorer LaQwasia Stepney to graduation. Macee Rivers finished sixth as a freshman in the 100 Meter Hurdles and could challenge for the win in the event. Their 800 Meter quartet was disqualified in the finals at state and return two runners which included Rivers and Jessica Coughlin. We could see Coughlin in the 400 Meter Dash this year as she has the second fastest returning time. Coughlin is also a possibility in the other two sprint events. Carina Chalmers could be a factor for her team in the horizontal jumps.

Chicago (Whitney Young)

Preview – If there is a “sneaky good” team in this classification, it could be the Lady Dolphins. This Chicago Public League team could find their way into the top five when we get to Charleston. Lovie Annafi could be the key athlete in their chaise. Annafi as a junior last year was all-state in the Triple Jump. She could be one of the favorites to finish among the top three this spring. She could also be a factor in the Long Jump.

Annafi was the lead off runner for Whitney Young in the 400 Meter Relay when the team finished third. The entire quartet is back searching for a win in the event. Rachel and Sydney Robinson make their sprint squad even stronger and could play a part in the individual events and relays. Alana Berry has one of the top 12 returning times in the 400 Meter Dash and could be a difference maker in the event.

Chicago Heights (Bloom Township)

Preview – A team not to discount after finishing 14th in last year’s state meet. Janea Gardner could be the key athlete for this team. She finished fifth in the 200 Meter Dash and is the top returning finisher from that event. Gardner was also a part of the 400 Meter Relay that finished second. All of last year’s team are back. The same quartet also finished third in the 800 Meter Relay. Gardner or Alysa Fryer could be factors this spring in the 100 Meter Dash.

Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East)

Preview – East will definitely miss Taylor Wright who has graduated and was a multi all-state athlete for the school. This squad has a young group of returnees that could put them in position to contend for a trophy. The Griffins tied for eighth-place a year ago.

Mariam Azeez had a great freshman that resulted in a sixth-place finish in the Long Jump. She was also a runner on their all-state 800 Meter Relay that finished sixth. Bigger things are ahead for her in 2020. Both their 800 and 1600 Meter Relays made last year’s finals returning two runners from each quartet.

Katie Sciarini did not have her best race in Charleston last May finishing sixth in the 300 Meter Hurdles. The junior does have the best returning time in the event and will be one of the favorites in the event. She was also a part of the team’s 1600 Meter Relay that finished second. She could also be a factor as well in the 100 Meter Hurdles. The Griffins do have a strong sprint squad coming back led by sophomore Sophia Barnard that could be difference makers this spring.

Emma Barnard did make it to state last year in the Pole Vault but did not advance past the prelims. She has one of the top performances coming back making her one of the favorites in the event.

Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West)

Preview – The Lady Hilltoppers made it back to the podium finishing third in 2019. This will be Katelynne Hart’s final tour of the big blue oval this May. A team championship could be in their future. At this time last year, we did not think that the now 11- time state individual champion would accomplish the distance triple in last year’s meet. She was part of Glenbard West’s team championship as a freshman. She could go out in her high school career as another team champion.

Hart is the three time defending champion in both the 1600 Meter Run and the 3200 Meter Run. She will be the favorite in both events. Does she need to do the distance triple again? I don’t believe so. Glenbard West should have strong quartets in both the 3200 Meter Relay and the 1600 Meter Relay with Hart playing a key role in both. It’s only February. It is too hard to tell which direction she will go in what events she competes in.

Audrey Allman had a great freshman season as part of her team’s 3200 Meter Relay that finished eighth and then finishing fourth in the 800 Meter Run. She will be a huge factor in both events as well as the 1600 Meter Relay. Aaliyah Collier is one of the top 10 athletes back in the 400 Meter Dash. She could be all-state in that event as well as a part of their 1600 Meter Relay. Ashley Samuta showed improvement in the Triple Jump last year. Do not be surprised if she finishes among the top nine in Charleston.

Hinsdale (Central)

Preview – The Red Devillettes had a great fall during cross country finishing third at Detweiller Park. That distance presence on the track could push them up in the standings this spring. Dior Nicholson could get them started in the weight events. Nicholson is the top returning athlete in the Shot Put finishing sixth last year. She will be one of the favorites. She also returns with the third best performance in the Discus.

Emma Watcke made her first track season in Illinois a success as she finished second in the 1600 Meter Run. She could be one of the top 3A distance runners on the track. The same holds true for McKenna Revord who just missed breaking five-minutes for 1600-meters and has one of the top eight returning times in the 3200 Meter Run. Keep an eye on Revord in her senior season. Taylor Wagner, Sarah Fischer, and Catie McCabe gives Central depth in the distance events.

Homewood-Flossmoor

Preview – It could be a different look for the defending 3A state champions. Terrance Terry steps in as the new coach. This team is not as deep as it was in 2019. The new atmosphere could make them a better team.

The Lady Vikings are led by a pair of state champions. Ashanti Denton won the 400 Meter Dash last year and has the fastest returning time by close to three seconds. She will also lead a quartet that will defend their state championship in the 1600 Meter Relay. Kaylah McCall won the 100 Meter Hurdles as a sophomore. She finished second in the event last year. She again will be the favorite in that event.

The depth for Homewood-Flossmoor is incredible in the sprints. Akela White, Alicia Adams, Alexandria Edison, and Amaiya Barnes lead the group. Any of these athletes could score in one of the three sprint events. Their entire quartet that won the 1600 Meter Relay is back. Their 400 and 800 Meter Relays have there of the four runners back but have a line waiting to get on the quartet.

Ayah Mustafa and Jasmyn Hunter give this team strength in the 300 Hurdles and will also contribute in the relays. This team lost some quality athletes in the field events. Anya Okorafor could step up in the High Jump. Katy Boykins could be a surprise in the Shot Put.

Oswego

Preview – It would not be a surprise if the Panthers find their way among the first five teams especially with the talent they have returning. Oswego finished 25th in last year’s state meet. Jenelle Rogers finished second in the High Jump last season and returns as the top placer and best returning performance.  She could also score points in the 400 Meter Dash as well as the 1600 Meter Relay. Her sister Jennah Rogers will help in the relays and could also score in the 100 Meter Hurdles.

Oswego will miss Isabelle Christiansen who graduated and is now at the University of Missouri. Ella Hale was all-state in the 800 Meter Run and will lead a young distance group. Freshman Audra Soderlund had a promising fall season and should surprise people on the track with Rebecca Corbett also being a factor.