IHSA Girls State Track & Field Championships - Class 2A Teams Preview

By Michael Newman [email protected]

We had an idea that Kankakee had an eye on the Class 2A title after their overwhelming performance at the Illinois Top Times Championships at the end of March. The Kays have continued to march on to the ultimate goal of getting to Charleston and this weekend’s IHSA State Track & Field Championship on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

Kankakee leads all teams in the 2A Preliminary Session on Friday morning with 16 qualifiers. Normal University has 14 qualifiers. Geneseo has 13 qualifiers. These two teams appear to be the top challengers to Kankakee for the state championship.

This is not like last year when we went right to a final session at state. Teams will need little to no mistakes in qualifying to Saturday’s finals.

Here is a look at some of the teams to keep an eye on in the 2A Meet this weekend.

Kankakee

Qualifiers – Total = 15 (12I, 3R – 9 Events)

Preview – The Kays were not in the strongest 2A sectional in the state last week. They dominated their own sectional winning with a whopping 176 points. Kankakee did what they needed to do to get their star athletes south to Charleston for state this weekend. I believe they would have qualified the same numbers in any of the other sectionals. They could score in all nine of the events that they advanced athletes in.

Their strength is in the short sprints where they qualified two athletes in the 100, 200, and 400 along with being dominant in the 4x1 and 4x2. Neveah Lowe had the sixth fastest qualifying time in the 100 Meter Dash out of all sectional runners. She has the seventh fastest time in the state. Lowe also qualified in the 200 Meter Dash along with Naomi Bey-Osborne who is currently ranked #4 in Class 2A. Bey-Osborne has the fastest 2A time in the state in the 400 Meter Dash and will be the favorite in that race. Teammate Aniya Lewis ran a personal best of 58.88 in finishing behind Bey-Osborne in their sectional race. They could go 1-2. Their relays are even better. The quartet in the 4x100m Relay ran the fastest 2A time in the state (47.89) in winning their sectional race. They have the fastest time in that relay by almost a second. Kankakee has the second fastest sectional time in the 4x200m Relay. Their best time of the season (1:42.09) ran at Urbana at the end of April is more than a second fastest than the rest of the field. Their quartet in the 4x400m Relay has the eighth fastest sectional time and the sixth fastest time this spring in Class 2A. The Kays should score points in that event.

Na’Kyrah Cooks jumped 19-2.75 for the win in her sectional in the Long Jump. She is almost a foot ahead of the rest of the competition. Cooks in the top five athletes in the Triple Jump and could also contend for the win. Nikkel Johnson is seeded fifth in the Shot Put and could get big points for her team. A good preliminary session could get Kankakee in contention for a state championship trophy.

Geneseo

Qualifiers – Total = 12 (9I, 3R – 11 Events)

Preview – Geneseo missed a state title last year by nine points finishing  second in Charleston. The expectations are high for the Maple Leafs this spring. They head to EIU after winning their sectional with 143 points qualifying in 11 events. Two athletes should score or be involved in the bulk of their points earned. Annie Wirth cleared a state leading 5-9.25 last week in her sectional win and should be a favorite in the High Jump. Wirth also has the second best 2A mark this season in the Long Jump and will be in contention for the state title. Wirth has the third fastest 2A time in the 300 Meter Hurdles behind teammate Ali Rapps who has run 44.93 this season. The two could finish in the top four on Saturday. Rapps also has the fourth fastest 2A time in the 100 Meter Hurdles and could get big points in that event.

Geneseo could score in three relays. Rapps anchored her team to the eighth fastest sectional time in the 4x100m Relay. Wirth last week was part of Geneseo’s 4x200m Relay that is the fourth fastest sectional time. Rapps anchored her team to the fourth fastest sectional time in the 4x400m Relay. Geneseo tends to run their best passing the baton on the Big Blue Oval. This could be one of those weekends. Oliva Marshall should also be in the mix to finish in the top five in the Discus.

Normal (University)

Qualifiers – Total = 14 (11I, 3R – 11 Events)

Previews – The Pioneers were in reach of a trophy last season scoring 38 points and finishing fifth in the state finals. Expectations are higher for U-High this weekend. They scored 125 points to win the Dunlap Sectional qualifying 14 in 11 events. This team has the balance to score in nine events which will put them in the hunt for a trophy. Anna Barr will have a busy weekend running in four events. Barr is the fifth seed in the 100 Meter Hurdles where she has the sixth fastest 2A time in the state. She will also score points in the 300 Meter Hurdles where she ran a personal best with the eighth fastest 2A time. Barr is also entered in the 100 Meter Dash where she and teammate Reese Mitchell are among the six fastest in the event. Mitchell could also score points in the 200 Meter Dash. She anchored U-High to the fourth fastest time in the 4x100m Relay where they could score some big points. The U-High 4x200m Relay has the fifth fastest 2A time in that event. Their team in the 4x400m Relay ran the fastest 2A time in their sectional win and will challenge for the win at the end of the meet.

Delaney Fitzgerald is in her first year of running track and could come away with two all-state medals. The senior has the fourth fastest 2A time this season in the 3200 Meter Run and will be one of the favorites in the event. Zoe Carter has one of the top 10 2A times this season in the 3200 and should also get the team some points. Both Fitzgerald and Carter qualified in the 1600 Meter Run. Both could score points in that event. Sydnee Scott is among the top three athletes this spring in the Pole Vault and will contend for the state title in what could be a wide-open event.

Arlington Heights (St. Viator)

Qualifiers – Total = 6 (5I, 1R – 6 Events)

Preview – The Lions do not have the high number of qualifiers that the above three teams have. They do have the quality in all six events that they are in to challenge for a state trophy. St. Viator only finished fourth in the Carmel Sectional. Emmi Scales is one of two athletes on this team that will pick up big points. Scales has the second fastest time in the 100 Meter Hurdles and will challenge for the state title in that event. The junior has the fastest time in 2A 300 Meter Hurdles and will be the favorite in that race. Scales is tied for third with the fastest 2A time in the 100 Meter Dash. She will pick up big points there. Mary Grace Hegberg could lay a factor in both distance events. She will be one of the favorites in the 3200 Meter Run where she has the fourth fastest 2A time in the event in this field. Hegberg will also be in the 1600 Meter Run where she has the fastest sectional time. Hegberg will also be a part of the team’s 4x400m Relay quartet that could also pick up points. Scales is on the relay card and could also run if the Lions make the Saturday finals.

Chicago (Latin School)

Qualifiers – Total = 11 (11I, 0R – 9 Events)

Preview – The 2A defending state champions qualified 11 in winning their own sectional. They have the strength to finish in the top five in the team standings. If everything works out as planned, maybe the top three. Ava Parekh will not defend her title in the 3200 Meter Run but will run in the other two distance events. Parekh enters as the third seed in the 800 Meter Run where she finished fourth a year ago. She will also be in the 1600 Meter Run where she has the third fastest 2A time in the state. Mia Cotler should also provide the Romans points in distance events. The freshman should be among the leaders in the both the 3200 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run. Another freshman, Ellie Anderson, could also finish in the top nine in the 3200 Meter Run. Alice Mihas has the top throw in Class 2A this season in the Discus and will be someone to watch in that event.

Lake Villa (Lakes)

Qualifiers – Total = 11 (8I, 3R – 10 Events)

Preview – Do not be surprised if the Eagles are in contention for a top three finish by the time we get to the 4x400m Relay. Lakes scored 116 points at Carmel to win that sectional qualifying 11 in 10 events. There is a possibility that they can score in eight of those events. Their time of 9:51.05 is the fastest sectional time and second fastest in Class 2A. They have the third fastest time in the 4x400m Relay to end the meet. They should also get good points in that relay. Lakes should also score in between.

Josie Gates cleared 11-9 in her conference and has the highest mark Class 2A in the Pole Vault. Jocelyn Crum could finish in the top five in the 100 Meter Hurdles. Paige-Elicia Caruth has one of the top five sectional times and could score in the 3200 Meter Run. Their 4x200m Relay currently has the seventh fastest 2A time and will be in the hunt for points in that event. Becca Runyan is among the top 10 2A athletes in the 400 Meter Dash. Madison Perez is seeded 11th in the 800 Meter Run. Both Lakes athletes could finish in the top nine on Finals Saturday.

Peoria (Richwoods)

Qualifiers – Total = 9 (7I, 2R – 7 Events)

Preview – Richwoods finished second at Dunlap qualifying in seven events. Lena Jackson ran the fastest sectional time in the 100 Meter Dash and has the second fastest 2A state time. She will be one of the favorites in that event and the 200 Meter Dash where she also has the top sectional time. Mia Jackson has the fifth fastest time in the 100 Meter Hurdles and will contend for a top finish. Richwoods has top two times in the 4x100m Relay and 4x200m Relay and should contend for the win in both events. Mariah Cade and Larissa Sager both qualified in the Triple Jump. One or both of these athletes could score in that field event.

Mt. Zion

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

Preview – The Braves will be among the teams that could see finishing in the top five. They qualified eight in seven events winning the Tolono Unity Sectional. Mt. Zion has the second fastest sectional time (fourth overall in 2A) in the 4x800m Relay. They won indoor at Illinois Top Times in March. They should be one of the favorites in that event. Ashleigh Anderson could be part of that relay if they make the finals. She could also contend for a top five finish in the 800 Meter Run. Sofia Munoz will also be in that relay as well as the 1600 Meter Run where she could finish in the top nine. Both will also be in the 4x400m Relay where they hope to reach the finals. Brooklyn Kondritz and Alexa Weter could be among the top nine in the Pole Vault. Rhiannon Marshall qualified in the High Jump and could be among the top nine in the finals on Saturday.