Illinois High School Track & Field Weekend Highlights - February 24, 2025

Sirois runs personal best in Boston; performances improve in third weekend in the IHSA season

By Michael Newman

It was not a surprise that most performances in this busy weekend of meets throughout Illinois. There were a considerable number of Girls Meet that took center stage in the first real weekend of invitational meets.

Mia Sirois of Barrington ran in her second major invitational already of the season this time at The Circuit – Boston held at The Track at New Balance. She competed in the High1 Mile Run this race dropping down a distance. Sirios positioned herself in the top five throughout the first half of the race passing the first four laps in 2:24.52. She moved up to fourth place at that point running her final two laps in 70 seconds and her final 200 in 34 seconds. Her 4:49.24 time placed her fourth overall with a new personal best and gave her the top time in the state at that distance.

Barrington’s team was active Friday night at York Girls Invitational inside the Joe Newton Fieldhouse. Sophia Galiano-Sanchez and Morgan Navarre of York set the standard in the first section of the 600 Meter Dash. Galiano-Sanchez ran 1:41.53 (IL #5) to win three sections ahead of Navarre (1:44.70, IL #7) who had earlier won the 300 Meter Dash (42.48, IL #10). Scout Storms and Abby Lewis of Barrington had a time to chase after. The two push each other for the first two laps passing 400 meters in 65 seconds. Storms pushed the final lap finishing in 1:40.65 (IL #3) with Lewis placing second (1:41.31, IL #4).

There were several great solo efforts in three other distance races in this meet. Delilah Helenhouse of Benet Academy almost lapped the field in running a state leading 10:55.34 to win the 3200 Meter Run. Lola Satre-Morales of Naperville Central led from the start of the 1600 Meter Run and held on for the win her time being 5:08.96 (IL #9). Lily Baibak of Waubonsie Valley (5:11.99) and Keira Jenke of Benet Academy (5:16.19) finished second and third. York’s quartet of Sofia Stoddard, Karlin Janowski, Gianna Hill, and Maggie Quinn ran 9:59.34 (IL #2) to win the 4x800 Meter Relay ahead of Naperville Central (10:23.29). Quinn anchored her team with the fastest split of the four running 2:25. This might be her final meet of the season. She has played soccer for the Dukes the past two spring seasons and could repeat that again.

Jillian Booth of York set a new fieldhouse record of 7.17 (IL #3) to win the 55 Meter Dash. Booth came back to run 26.35 to win the 200 Meter Dash.

Here are highlights of some of the meets that took place over the weekend. The North Central College Boys Invitational from last Thursday was also noteworthy. You can look at race videos and a recap of the meet here.

Hononegah Girls Indoor Classic (2/22) – Defending Class 3A State champion Prospect in their first major invitational showed some that they will be the team to chase after this spring. The Knight won this 14-team invitational scoring 181 points finishing ahead of St. Charles North (94 points) and Lake Zurich (91 points). Anna Niebrugge led Prospect with wins in the sprints. Niebrugge ran 7.74 to win the 60 Meter Dash where four runners were under eight seconds. Niebrugge came back to run 24.95 (IL #2) to win the 200 Meter Dash. It is the fastest time run on a flat track in the state. Her sister Nikki ran 25.45 (IL #9) finished second. Meg Peterson of Prospect won over a good field in the 800 Meter Run. Peterson had a time of 2:16.43 (IL #2) winning ahead of Gwen Hobson (2:19.09, IL #4) and Julia Rodney (2:19.29, IL #6) of St. Charles North, and Polina Krupsky of Lake Zurich (2:19.68 (IL #8).

Veronica Znajda of Prospect came off an impressive race last week at Wheaton with a strong race in this meet. Znajda ran 5:06.23 (IL #7) to win ahead of teammate Ireland Wildhart (5:14.79). Rodney ran 5:21.05 off a great double while Hobson was close (5:22.40 placing fourth.

Hampshire ran 10:07.76 (IL #6) to win the 4x800 Meter Relay. Prospect ran 4:15.63 (IL #7) in winning the 4x400 Meter Relay. Natassja Bowman of Rockford Guilford had a 37-11.25 season’s best (IL #6) to win the Shot Put. Jaeda Benford of Rockford Auburn cleared 5-3 (IL #9) to win the High Jump. Kendall Flournay of Lake Zurich jumped 17-11.5 (IL #7) to win the Long Jump. Alyssa Garcia of Hampshire ran 59.02 (IL #3) in winning the 400 Meter Dash.

Greg Foster Boys Invitational (2/22) – One of the top performances at this meet came in the 3200 Meter Run. Thomas Jochum of Glenbard South ran a 9:19.69 solo (IL #3) to win by 19 seconds ahead of Jack Krusinski of Reavis (9:38.67). Jochum came back to run 4:27.54 to win the 1600 Meter Run with Evan Parker of Niles North running 4:31.48 to finish second. It was a close race in the 400 Meter Dash as Troy McLean of Belleville West ran 51.02 (IL #6) to edge Dallas Amos of Evanston Township (51.03, IL #7) by one hundredth of a second. St. Laurence had the top two places in the 60 Meter Dash with Monroe Thompson running 6.94 to finish ahead of teammate Harley Rizzs (7.01). Arion Hill of Centralia ran 8.15 to win the 60 Meter Hurdles with Jalyn Cole of Belleville West running 8.19 (IL #4) placing second. Braden Missey of Belleville West achieved the longest mark in the state in the Long Jump as he jumped 23-2 to win the event. Joshua Hill of Crete-Monee jumped 22-7.75 (IL #4) to finish second. Three of the top 10 jumps in the state occurred in this meet in the Triple Jump. Hill came back from the Long Jump with a state best of 47-9 to win the event ahead of Shamond McLain of East St. Louis (46-9, IL #2) and PJ Anderson of Lake Park (44-7, IL #7).

Empower HER - The Clash (2/22) – This meet at Lakes Community produced some impressive performances. St. Ignatius College Prep led the charge. The Wolfpack ran the state’s fastest time in the 4x800 Meter Relay. The quartet of Gretta Sheaffer, Aly Shutler, Lizeth Montes, and Elle Sheaffer ran 9:43.80 winning by 38 seconds. Shutler, who ran a 2:18 split on her second leg opening the race wide open. She came back to run 4:58.04 (IL #2) to win the 1600 Meter Run with teammate Greta Sheaffer finishing second (5:23.74). St. Ignatius took the top two spots in the 800 Meter Run as Elle Sheaffer running 2:25.92 ahead of teammate Gabriella Duque (2:26.18). Hazel Nedal was a double winner in the sprints running 1:00.01 (IL #6) to win the 400 Meter Dash. She came back to run 26.39 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Katherine Jewell of Prairie Ridge, who ran 1:00.43 to finish second in the 400, ran 7.76 to win the 60 Meter Dash. Kaylee Meyer of Schaumburg cleared a state leading 5-8 to win the High Jump. Nora De Maria cleared 11-6 (IL #5) to win the Pole Vault. Dominique Johnson of Huntley competed only in the Triple Jump as she won with a 40-7.25 mark. Her teammate Addison Busam jumped 17-6.5 to win the Long Jump

CPS Select Challenge Meet (2/19) – This midweek meet last Wednesday at Gately Park gave some of the top Chicago athletes to shine in this venue. Angela Bullocks of Whitney Young had a great meet sweeping the Girls sprints. Bullocks ran 7.56 to win the 60 Meter Dash ahead of teammates Simone Bernard (7.93) and Ella Sweatt (7.95). Bullocks came back to run a state leading 24.55 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Kee’Lani Whitlock of Kenwood was the closest to Bullocks running 25.14 (IL #4) to finish second. Layla Bonilla of Whitney Young jumped 39-5.25 (IL #2) to win the Triple Jump.

Kenwood teammates Parrish Hartley Jr and Armond Boulware switched spots in the two sprint races in the Boys portion of the meet. Hartley ran 7.06 to win the 60 Meter Dash finishing ahead of Boulware (7.15). Boulware came back to run 22.11 (IL #2) to win the 200 Meter Dash as Hartley ran 22.29 (IL #4) to finish second. Preston Ellis of Payton Prep fastest time in the state in the 800 Meter Run winning with a 1:56.70. Two days later at Midway Miles #3 at the University of Chicago, Tra’Monti Williams of Payton Prep ran 1:58.02 (IL #2) to win the 800 Meter Run at that meet. Vaughn Collier ran 4:29.15 to win the 1600 Meter Run finishing ahead of Amilo Rajandram from Whitney Young (4:31.92) and Ellis (4:35.05). Whitney Young ran 1:31.81 (IL #2) in the 4x200 Meter Relay. Payton Prep ran 3:26.82(IL #2) to win the 4x400 Meter Relay with Whitney Young finishing second (3:30.06, IL #5).

Proviso West Boys Quad #3 (2/21) – Downers Grove North distance squad made their first appearance on a 200-meter track resulting in some great performances. The 1600 Meter Run might have been the showcase race in this meet with the top seven runners all under 4:30. Grant Schroder led the Trojans running 4:21.50 (IL #3) to win with Phillip Cupial at 4:25.34 (IL #6) and John Courtney at 4:26.18 (IL #7). Those three along with Will Surratt came back to run 3:29.92 (IL #4) in winning the 4x400 Meter Relay. Parish Hartley two days after the CPS Meet came to Proviso West to jump 22-9.25 (IL #3) to win the Long Jump. William Landwer of New Trier was a double winner timed in 6.91 (IL #5_ while Dominic Tresslar of Hinsdale Central ran 7.01 (IL #9) to finish second. Landwer came back to run 22.97 to win the 200 Meter Dash ahead of Tresslar’s 23.11 time.

WWS Girls Invitational #2 (2/22) – Emma Berres of Naperville North and Elizabeth Hall of Neuqua Valley pushed each other through the first half of the 1600 Meter Run. Berres pulled away to run 5:05.95 (IL #6) to win the 1600 Meter Run ahead of teammate Kathryn Rohr (5:15.30) and Hall (5:17.50). Eva Bach of Lake Park cleared 12-0 (IL #2) to win the Pole Vault. Gabi Karvelis of Neuqua Valley had a great morning at this meet in the horizontal jumps. The senior jumped 18-10 (IL #3) in winning the Long Jump. She came back to jump 38-0.75 (IL #3) to also win the Triple Jump.

Clinton Early Bird Meet (2/22) – Defending Girls Class 2A State Champions Normal University opened their season Saturday inside the Shirk Center. Zoe Carter led the Pioneers with two individual wins in the distance events. Carter started her meet running 11:10.81 to win the 3200 Meter Run and 25 seconds ahead of Paityn Brady of Sacred Heart-Griffin (11:35.89). The race was closer for Carter in the 1600 Meter Run as she ran 5:15.01 for the win. The top four runners were within three seconds as Reese Warren of Normal West finished second (5:17.10) ahead of Meghan Zopel of Peoria Notre Dame (5:17.87) and Annabelle LaFary of Delavan (5:18.91). Belleville East ran 1:47.89 (IL #5) to win the 4x200 Meter Relay ahead of Normal University (1:49.13, IL #8) and Sacred Heart-Griffin (1:49.96). Claudia Ifft of Bloomington cleared 11-5, Kyla Motley of Shepard jumped 17-11.5 (IL #8) to win the Long Jump with teammate Rajae Stevenson jumping 17-11 (IL #9) placing second. The order changed in the Triple Jump as Stevenson jumped 35-2.5 for the win with Motley jumping 34-7.5 to finish second. The two Shepard athletes also finished 1-2 with Motley running 9.17 (IL #9) for the win.

Grayslake Central Thrower Showcase IV (2/22) – It is nice to see individualized meets like this one taking place at Grayslake Central. Two of the top three marks in the state happened in the Shot Put with D’Angelo Clapper of Franklin WI winning with a 58-9.5 put. Defending Class 1A champion Graham Meister of Dwight had a state leading 56-10 mark to finish second. Jonathan Sibley-Diggs of Oak Park-River Forest had a 55-4.75 best (IL #3) to place second.

Plainfield South Boys Invitational (2/22) – Host school Plainfield South dominated the three distance events on this 178-meter track. Dylan Maloney set a new fieldhouse record of 9:25.68 (IL #5) to win the 3200 Meter Run by 51 seconds. Dylan Buturusis ran 1:59.69 in winning the 800 Meter Run. Austin Cory made it a South sweep running 4:27.70 to win the 1600 Meter Run.