Girls track and field: Naperville Central impresses again

Haylie Hinckley had a goal before the school year to qualify for state in three sports - but even she thought it more a pipe dream.

"I was thinking this is so unreachable," said Hinckley, a Wheaton Warrenville South junior. "That was my goal. I didn't think obviously that it could happen."

Hinckley made that dream a reality Thursday.

After qualifying for state diving in the fall, and becoming her school's first girls state gymnastics champion in February, she made it three-for-three in track. Hinckley soared to a career-best 5 feet, 6 inches to win the high jump at the Class 3A Metea Valley Sectional to qualify for next week's state meet in Charleston.

"It's like 'Wow, this is crazy,'" Hinckley said. "I just didn't expect it."

Meanwhile, Naperville Central, on the heels of winning the DuPage Valley Conference championship, ran away with the team championship with 117 points for its first sectional title since 2001. DeKalb (60) was second, Metea Valley (59) third and DuKane Conference champion Batavia (51) fourth.

Hinckley, a state track alternate last year, continued her rise in the high jump over a short time period Thursday.

The state floor exercise champion's career-best was 5-foot-2, until she hit 5-5 at WW South's Tiger Invitational in April. But on a perfect afternoon for jumping, with Hinckley in peak shape, she soared to the next level.

"My body didn't hurt the way it usually does. My shins are normally hurting but they felt good today," Hinckley said. "I definitely changed my approach. I'm sprinting the whole way now and using my power to just jump. Before I would definitely slow down and then speed up. That wasn't working."

Naperville Central's Brooke Sawatzky, a three-event state qualifier last year, did herself one better on Thursday.

The Redhawks' junior won the 300-meter hurdles in 46.55 seconds and the triple jump, going 11.27 seconds. She also took second in the 100 hurdles in 15.53 seconds and was part of Naperville Central's 4x200 relay that took first place in 1:45.11 when Batavia's winning team was disqualified.

Sawatzky did not make the finals at any state events last year, but she's in a different place returning to Charleston with the wind at her back.

"I wasn't as confident then. This year I'm hitting my stride right at the peak of my season," Sawatzky said. "It's really great to have so many opportunities. I'm looking forward to it. It's really motivating going into the state meet to have so many girls going."

Ironically, Sawatzky felt the best Thursday about the one event she didn't end up winning.

"I wasn't expecting to really hit that PR, and it was a big PR so it's really exciting," Sawatzky said. "I thought I would run a 16.0 and then I ran a 15.5."

Batavia's Izzy Taylor, part of medal-winning relays at state last year, will be headed back in two after an up-and-down night that ended in victory.

Taylor and Batavia's 4x200 relay were disqualified for its third exchange, and Taylor said she was told she left early.

But she came back to team up with Madison Wilson, Brooke Silbernagel and Mariah Wilson to win the 4x400 relay going away in 4:03.69.

"I sat down for a few minutes [after the 4x200 relay], had to think about it, talked to my coaches and they said that's how track is sometimes. There is nothing I can do about it," Taylor said. "I can think about it now, but I can't go back and fix it."

Still, Taylor is back to Charleston in the 4x400 and the 4x100, the team of Mariah Wilson, Elizabeth Wende, Madison Wilson and Taylor taking first in 48.45 seconds.

"That 4x4 was a great finish. I think our relay pulled through and got a good time," Taylor said. "I'm excited. I think we can place well for state I'm hoping."

West Chicago junior Kali Waller, who in 2021 became her school's first girls track state qualifier in nine years, continued to lead her program to new heights.

After qualifying for state in two events last year, she doubled it Thursday.

Waller won the long jump with an effort of 5.31 meters (17 feet, 5.25 inches) and the 100 (12.28 seconds), ran on the qualifying 4x100 relay that took third in 49.08 seconds and took second in the 200 in a PR of 25.08 seconds.

"It's very exciting and eye-opening to be able to see another event I'm able to participate in," Waller said. "I thought I was having more of a downfall in the 200 so it was good to break through in that event."

Waller enjoyed two head-to-head races with Metea Valley's Kyla Harris, who took second in the 100 but came back to beat out Waller in the 200. Harris also qualified in the 400, taking fourth, and anchored Metea's qualifying 4x100 relay.

"Definitely good competition," Waller said. "It was great to be able to show out and compete with other great runners."