ILXCTF.com 2022 IHSA Girls Track & Field Previews - 1A Field Events

By Michael Newman [email protected]

The six field events in Class 1A in 2022 have a sense of adventure. Half of the events have returning state champions. There are 34 all-state athletes in those six events that all are scheduled to return.

Let the fun begin.

Olivia Campbell of Pittsfield is the defending state champion in the Discus. She should be the favorite in that event. Campbell will be in the mix to contend for the title in the Shot Put. When all is said and done, Campbell could end up as the top Girls weight athlete in the state regardless of classification.

We talked about Alyssa Williams of Tuscola in the sprint events. The three-time state champion from last year claimed a title in the field events winning the Long Jump. Williams should be the favorite but will have athletes like Grace Nelson of Altamont and Kate McCann of Wilmington chasing after her.

Lindley Johnston of Stark County surprised some last June in winning the High Jump. The junior will be challenged for the state title this spring. This is perhaps the most competitive of the six field events in this classification.

Here is a look at each of the six field events in Class 1A.

Long Jump

Notes – Alyssa Williams took the Long Jump by storm in last year’s final as she took the lead in the second round and never looked back. The senior will look to repeat her state title in May but could be challenged if Grace Nelson of Altamont chooses to compete in state in this event. Nelson jumped what is to be believed a wind-aided 18-11 in an early season quad meet. Her next best was 18-0.5 at her conference meet in May. She could challenge for the state title if she chooses this as her fourth event.

Three all-state athletes return in this event led by fourth-place finisher Nakieta Kessling of Henry-Senachwine who ended last season with a 17-7 best. Anna Bruno of Seneca and Kate McCann of Wilmington are the other state athletes to watch for. All though McClain finished ninth in last year’s finals, she does return with the third longest returning mark (17-11.25).

Brynlee Keeran of Salt Fork and Elly Jones of Amboy finished in the top 12 and should contend for all state spots. Teagan Johnson of Seneca and Leah Adlaf of Maroa-Forsyth are some of the athletes that will challenge for top nine finishes in Charleston.

Triple Jump

Notes – This is an event looking for a new state champion with four returning all-state athletes looking to achieve that. Top place and performance returner Brynlee Keeran of Salt Fork leads the way. The senior finished second in last year’s final having a best of 36-1.75. Elly Jones of Amboy made her presence known last year as a freshman earning all-state honors in three events. She finished eighth in this discipline in Charleston. Jones does return for sophomore season with the second longest returning jump (35-4.5).

Grace Alongi of DuQuoin and Kelsey Hutchins of Sherrard were all-state in this event and are good enough to challenge for the state title in 2022. Four athletes in Shelby McGee of Salt Fork, Yoanny Espinoza of Illini West, Trinity Wade of Shelbyville, and Alexa Miller of Arthur Lovington are some of the athletes to also watch for in the Hop, Skip, and Jump.

High Jump

Notes – This is the deepest and the closest in talent in the six field events. Lindley Johnston claimed the title as a sophomore last year. After missing on her first attempt at 5-4.25 in the heat of Charleston, she cleared on her second attempt along with freshman Kiara Wesseh of Newark. Johnston won the state title on fewer misses in the competition. Mia Harris of Okaw Valley, Brooke Oakley of Warrensburg-Latham, and Brooke Probst of Indian Creek all finished in the top five at state. Probst and Julie Evenson of Pecatonica have the top returning clearance in this event from 2021 (5-6.25).

Kylie Periman of New Berlin, Carly Guinn of Litchfield, Belle Kelly of Illini Central, and Renee Rittmeyer of Winnebago all were all-state athletes in last year’s state meet. Any of these athletes could leave Charleston this May as a state champion. It will be interesting to see if one athletes separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

Pole Vault

Notes – No defending champion in the Pole Vault. There are six all-state athletes aiming to claim the state title in this event as their own. Sophia Sumer of Tremont enters this season with the highest returning clearance (12-0) at the Windy City Pole Vault Summit last May. She did not have a great state meet but still was all-state finishing ninth.

Isabelle Hemmen of Teutopolis and Brynlee Keeran of Salt Fork finished second and third at state and are two of the athletes to watch for as the competition field starts to narrow. Reagan Gibson of Indian Creek, Teagan Johnson of Seneca, and Livia Binder of Maroa-Forsyth all were all-state and are ready to better their finishes. St. Joseph Ogden’s Grace Schmitz and Payton Carter, Karlie Stauder of Okaw Valley, Allison Geen of St. Anthony, and Jalynn Wood of DuQuoin all have visions of taking the next step  to an all-state finish in Charleston.

Shot Put

Notes – Olivia Campbell of Pittsfield leads four other all-state athletes back in an event looking for a new state champion. Campbell has the highest returning put (40-4.25) along with the highest returning state finish placing fourth. Four athletes are back that had bests past 38 feet last season. Keep an eye on Jenae Bothe of Oregon, Cassidy Miller of Kewanee Wethersfield, Cassidy Clark of Mt. Pulaski, and Kayla Braun of Sparta. Bothe, Miller, and Braun were all-state. All could challenge for a finish in the top three.

Olivia Birge of Salt Fork was also all-state and will be one of the Salt Fork athletes that help challenge for a state team title. Hannah Logan of Winnebago, Emily Schoen of Gillespie, and Reiss Frye of Okaw Valley are some of the athletes that will challenge for all-state spots.

Discus

Notes – The Discus may be the better of the two weight disciplines for Pittsfield’s Olivia Campbell. The defending state champion in this event was undefeated last season against 1A competition. Her only loss is when she finished second behind 2A State Champion Jayden Ulrich two weeks before the state meet. Campbell may be tough to beat in this event. She went past 140 feet twice last year. No other 1A athlete did that even once in 2021.

This will not be an easy event. The talent is good with five all-state athletes coming back. Charlotte Frere of Sherrard was within three feet of Campbell in the state finals and could push for the win. Cassidy Clark of Mt. Pulaski was in the 137-foot range last year and will be an athlete to keep an eye on. Olivia Birge of Salt Fork, Jolie Foreman of Riverton, and Jenae Bothe of Oregon were all-state last year. All three will look to better last year’s performance.

Laney Lester of Henry-Senachwine, Faith Deering of Seneca, Ashley Leman of Eureka, Kayla Braun of Sparta, and Hannah Logan of Winnebago were all over 118 feet in 2021. We could see big improvement from these athletes in this 2022 campaign.