Girls track and field: York runs away with Lake Park sectional crown
Friday’s Class 3A Lake Park girls track and field sectional provided much sunnier and drier conditions than what the clouds and rain that hit Roselle the day before.
York separated itself from most of the pack early on and soon found itself battling with Oak Park-River Forest for the sectional championship. At that point, the best the remaining schools could hope for was qualifying individual team members for the state meet.
York came away with the title after Kathrine Klimek and Margaret Owens put the meet out of reach with respective finishes of first (5 minutes, 8.39 seconds) and second (5:08.56) in the 1,600-meter run. The Dukes ultimately had a final score of 124, and the Huskies were a distant second at 83.
“It’s really exciting,” Klimek said. “And I’m really proud of the rest of the people on my team. We qualified in lots of different events.”
York earned its first victory in the 4x100-meter relay in 47.83 seconds. That was followed by Anna McGrail taking the 3,200 in 10:56.93 with teammate Sofia Stoddard placing third in 11:10.41. Later, Morgan Navarre took the 400 in 57.60, and Lainey Paul won the 200 in 25.06 with the Dukes already on their way to the title.
The Dukes were second in the 4x200 relay (1:43.19). Sophia Galiano-Sanchez placed second in the 800 (2:16.75), as did Paul in the pole vault (11-0). Leila Arzon was fourth in the high jump by clearing 1.57 meters, and the 4x400 relay also had that showing with a time of 4:04.22.
“These girls put in so much effort, so much heart,” said Dukes coach Amy Lichon. “They have such great attitudes, and this is the result that we tell them you’ll get. You do the right things, and good things will come your way.”
Annastasia Murphy was Metea Valley’s lone winner after clearing 1.67 in the high jump. Syndi Ellison-Muse was second in the shot put at 10.97, and Kyla Harris placed second in the 400 (58.54). The Mustangs also qualified their 4x100 and 4x800 relay teams for state as well as Arainna Hammons in both hurdles events.
Batavia won the 4x200 relay in 1:41.22 and placed second in the 4x100 in 48.03. Elizabeth Wende was second in the 100 with a 12.56, and Avery Hacker had the same showing in the 3, 200 at 10:59.66.
Adeline Draper of West Chicago and Sophia Dalrymple of Wheaton North traded wins and second-place finishes in the two hurdles events. Draper won the 100 in 14.75, and Dalrymple took the 300 in 44.65.
Glenbard West earned a pair of victories from Mackenize Gilbert in the 800 (2:16.06) and Kendal Cullen in the pole vault (11-6). Alexa Novak and Moira Ahern placed third (5:09.01) and fourth (5:10.98), respectively, in the 1,600.
Other winners were Lake Park’s Julia Kelly in the triple jump (11.58) and West Chicago’s Kali Waller in the 100 (12.46). Waller also was second in the 200 with a 25.68.