IHSA Girls State Track & Field Championships - Class 1A Teams Preview

By Michael Newman [email protected]

Winnebago missed the 2021 1A State Championship by one point last season finishing second. It is a different scene for the Indians compared to last year. There is a drive to bring home a championship. It shows with the number of qualifiers that they will bring to Charleston.

Tuscola will depend on Alyssa Williams and Lia Patterson to bring home the bulk of their points. There is not much room for error when they step on the track for the preliminary session on Thursday. If they do what they are expected to do, Tuscola could be tough to beat.

Here is a look at some of the top 1A teams in this year’s IHSA Girls State Track & Field Championship.

Winnebago

Qualifiers – Total = 16 (13I, 3R – 12 Events)

Preview – Winnebago is in position to win a state championship in track and field. The Indians missed the state title last year by one point finishing second. The Indians are in position for a state championship this season after winning their own sectional with 156 points. Winnebago could score in 11 of the 12 events they are entered in.

Grace Erb enters this meet tied for the fastest 1A time in the state in the 800 Meter Run. She will be one of the favorites in the race. Her sister Katherine also qualified at that distance and could also get points. Kaylee Woolery and Marissa Roggensack finished 1-2 in their sectional and are ranked in the top 10 in the 1600 Meter Run. Both could pick up points in that race. All four runners were part of the 1A leading time of 9:51.60 that they ran a week ago in their conference 4x800m Relay. They should be the favorite in that race. This quartet also has the fastest time by two seconds in the 4x400m Relay and could win that event.

Renee Rittmeyer will be a part of the 4x4 and is ranked sixth in the 300 Meter Hurdles. Rittmeyer could also score points in the High Jump. Hannah Logan has the third best 1A performance in the Shot Put and could score some big points in that event. Ryleigh Warden could be in the mix to score in the Pole Vault. Campbell Schrank qualified in both hurdle races and could score points in both.

Tuscola

Qualifiers – Total = 8 (6I, 2R – 7 Events)

Preview – The success for this team rely on two athletes that will score the bulk of the teams points this weekend. Tuscola second in the Shelbyville Sectional qualifying eight to the prelims on Thursday. Alyssa Williams is back to defend her titles in the 100 Meter Dash, 200 Meter Dash, and Long Jump. Williams has the top time in Class 1A in both the 100 and 200. She only has the ninth best sectional mark in the Long Jump and sixth longest in 1A this season. The addition of Lia Patterson has put Tuscola in position to win a state trophy. The freshman has the third fastest time this season in the 100 Meter Hurdles and second in the 300 Meter Hurdles. She currently has the second fastest time in Class 1A behind Williams in the 200 Meter Dash. Both Williams and Patterson are part of their 4x200m Relay quartet that is ranked third in section and overall 1A times. This group could be in contention for the win in that event.

Seneca

Qualifiers – Total = 14 (10I, 4R – 13 Events)

Preview – The Irish finished sixth last year in the 1A finals and will look to improve on that finish. Seneca won their own sectional with 171 points and qualified 14 to Charleston. They could score in nine of the 13 events that they advanced in. Angela Bruno had the fourth longest sectional mark and is ranked #3 in Class 1A. Caitlyn O’Boyle qualified in the Triple Jump and could score in that event. O’Boyle also qualified in the 100 Meter Hurdles and could give her team points there. Seneca qualified all of their relays and could score in each of those races if they make the finals. The Irish has the #5 1A time in the 4x800m Relay, #7 1A time in the 4x100m Relay, #8 in the 4x200m Relay, and the tenth fastest sectional time in the 4x400m Relay. Faith Deering has the fastest 1A throw in the Discus this season and fourth longest in sectional competition. She could be state champion on Saturday. Teegan Johnson is also a possibility to score points in the Pole Vault.

DuQuoin

Qualifiers – Total = 16 (12I, 4R – 14 Events)

Preview – The Indians did what they needed to do in their sectional meet to be again in position to contend for a trophy. They tied with Seneca for sixth in last year’s state finals. They easily won their sectional with 193 points qualifying 16 for Charleston on Thursday. Olivia Phillips again will lead this team qualifying in four events. Phillips is tied for the fastest time in Class 1A in the 800 Meter Run. Phillips also qualified for state in the 1600 Meter Run where it could be a bonus for her to make it to Saturday’s finals. Phillips will anchor both their 4x8 and 4x4 relays. DuQuoin currently has the #3 time in both relays and could win both. Grace Alongi will also be doing some relay work. She also could be among the top runners in the 400 Meter Dash. Alongi and Love Dunklin both qualified in the Triple Jump and could earn all-state honors. Ellee Green and Sophie Hill both qualified in the High Jump and could be a bonus if either of them score in this 33 athlete field.

Catlin (Salt Fork)

Qualifiers – Total = 11 (11I, 0R – 10 Events)

Preview – Salt Fork will look to repeat on the podium as one of the top three teams in Class 1A like they did in 2021. The Storm finished second in their own sectional last week. They do have 11 athletes that qualified in ten events ready for the challenge. Their emphasis will be on the field events with seven qualifiers. Brynlee Keeran enters the state meet with the highest 1A clearance in the Pole Vault. She will be one of the favorites in the event. Keeran also has the second longest effort in the Triple Jump where she was a sectional winner. Shelby McGee is currently fourth in the event. She could give her team some big points. McGee is also in the 100m Hurdles where she could make Saturday’s finals. Olivia Birge is ranked in the top five in the Shot Put and could pick up big points. She could also earn all-state honors in the Discus.

Newark

Qualifiers – Total = 12 (10I, 2R – 10 Events)

Preview – The Norsemen could be a surprise to challenge for a team trophy. Newark finished second behind Seneca in their sectional meet but still advanced 12 to Charleston. Kiara Wesseh has one of the top five times in the 100 Meter Dash and could be among the top finishers in the event. Wesseh is one of the favorites in the High Jump where she won the sectional with a 5-7 personal best. Megan Williams will be the team’s other big scorer at state. The senior is ranked sixth in the 100 Meter Hurdles. She could score in this event along with Wesseh who is in the top 10 in Class 1A. Williams has the longest mark in the Triple Jump this season by more than two feet and could leave Charleston with a state championship. She is also fourth in Class 1A in the Long Jump. Watch out for her if she makes Saturday’s finals. Newark, with Williams and Wesseh on their quartet, are in the top five in the 4x200m Relay and are one of five teams that could be the state champion.

Eureka

Qualifiers – Total = 11 (7I, 4R – 10 Events)

Preview – The move down to Class 1A should benefit the Hornets this weekend. Eureka scored 159 points to win at El Paso-Gridley qualifying 11 in the process. Anna Perry qualified in all three distance events. She will be one of the favorites in the 3200 Meter Run. Perry also has the ninth fastest 1A time in the 1600 Meter and could earn All-State honors in her final high school race. Eureka qualified all four relays where they can score in both the 4x4 and 4x8. Laurel Munson, who anchored her team to a win in the sectional for the 4x4, finished second in the Long Jump in that sectional will be in the mix for big points in the event.

Rockford Christian

Qualifiers – Total = 8 (5I, 3R – 7 Events)

Preview – The Royal Lions did not have any qualifiers in the field events but do have power in the relays which could get them at least into the top five and perhaps in trophy contention. Rockford Christian ran the fastest 1A time in their conference meet. They are one of three teams currently under 50 seconds and could contend for the state championship. They hold the sixth fastest seasonal time in the 4x200m Relay where they could earn a top four finish. Rockford Christian finished second behind Winnebago in the 4x400m Relay and are ranked fourth in Class 1A. Don’t count them out in this race. Avery Demo won her sectional race in the 400 Meter Dash and put up the second fastest time in Class 1A. She should be one of the favorites in the event. Her teammate Giavanna Buscema finished third in that sectional race and is one of the top 10 qualifiers in that race. She could finish in the top five. Mandy Nelson qualified in the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash. Do not be surprised if she advances to Saturday’s finals in one of those two events. Kelly Giardina came close to going under 12-minutes in the 3200 Meter Run last month in Palatine. Her final high school race could result in a time in the 11’s.