Girls track and field: St. Francis sets state record in winning 3,200 relay

To say that the start of track events in the final day of the IHSA girls track and field state championships was explosive would be an understatement.

In a heated battle for the title in the Class 2A 4x800-meter relay, St. Francis anchor Erin Hinsdale held off Morton anchor Taygen Beyer to secure the state title and the class state record after crossing the line in 9 minutes, 12.80 seconds Saturday at Eastern Illinois University.

With a team of three freshmen – Hinsdale, Allie Sheldon and Elena Mamminga – and one sophomore – Margaret Andrzejewski – the team said they hadn’t really thought about winning state until around two weeks ago.

“I was just like ‘Wait, we can win state,’” Andrzejewski said.

Hinsdale, who ran a 2:15 final leg in the win, said that when she got the baton at the same time as Beyer, she just wanted to do what was needed to win.

“I wasn’t even thinking about my 800 race,” Hinsdale said. “I’m just so excited because it’s my first year and these girls are just the most amazing people to run with.”

Hinsdale later added another all-state medal to her first-year collection after taking second in the 800 in 2:14.83. St. Francis’ Abigael Sheldon also had an all-state performance in the discus throw after finishing sixth with a throw of 36.36 meters (116 feet, 6 inches).

In Class 3A, Prospect edged Huntley for the title, 53-50, taking the lead by finishing fourth in the final event, the 4x400 relay.

Neuqua Valley scored 36 points to take fifth, Naperville Central was right behind with 35 in sixth. Naperville North scored 12 points to finish 23rd.

Neuqua Valley’s won the 200 in 23.71 and finished fourth in the 100 in 12.00.

Naperville North’s Emma Berres was fourth in the 800 in 2:12.92 while Naperville Central’s was fifth in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200; Naperville North’s Julie Piot was fourth.

West Chicago’s Adeline Draper (14.47) was fourth in the 100 hurdles.

In the long jump, Brooke Sawatzky from Naperville Central won at 5.69m, and Olivia Dalson from Neuqua Valley was second at 5.66m. Sawatzky also took second in the triple jump and Neuqua Valley’s Gabi Karvelis was fourth.

Just missing out on a win in the Class 3A 4x800 was Downers Grove North, who finished with a second place finish in 9:02.66. Lily Eddington, who anchored the Trojans in the race, said that she was a little nervous getting the baton with both Prospect and Barrington right there with her, but knew that she had a job to do in the end.

“If I just kept chasing the person in front of me, that the rest of the race would catch up to me,” Eddington said. “And I knew I had to give it my all since it was the final leg.”

Eddington added a second all-state medal in the 1,600 after finishing seventh in a personal-best time of 5:00.85. After she realized that she was on the bubble of all-state, she said she knew she needed to make a surge.

“Going into it I knew I was going to hang out with the pack, and I knew that I was drifting out,” Eddington said. “But I knew I needed to surge halfway through, and as people kept falling back, I kept pushing.”

The Trojans had two other all-staters, with Ava Gilley (800, 2:12.44) and Audrey Casten (3,200, 11:01.52) each posting a ninth-place finish in their respective events.

York finished the day with four all-state performances. Leading the Dukes was Lainey Paul, who cleared 3.70 meters (12 feet, 1.50 inches) in the pole vault.

“I feel over the moon,” Paul said. “My goal the entire season was to clear 12 feet, and it was my coach’s goal as well. I’m just happy and I’m happy that my York teammates are also doing a great job today.”

The Dukes’ 4x100 (47.51) and 4x800 (9:13.69) both recorded season-best times on their ways to a fifth-place finish, and Anna McGrail added a sixth-place effort in the 3,200 after crossing the line in 10:54.20.

Montini finished the day with three all-state finishers, including two in the 3,200 after Sydney Gertsen finished fifth (10:54.74) and Ashlynn Lindt finished eighth (11:27.93).

Gertsen, who ran the majority of the race in no-man’s land between two packs, said that the heat and the lack of runners around her almost got to her, but she fought through for the personal-best time.

“It was the last three laps that really got to me,” Gertsen said. “But I kept telling myself not to give up and that there were girls behind me that wanted it just as bad and that I needed to give it all I got.”

The girls’ 4x100 relay also got onto the podium with an eighth-place finish in the finals in 49.47.

Benet’s Delilah Helenhouse secured third place in the 3,200 after finishing the race in 10:47.93. With the first two finishers racing ahead for the entirety of the race, Helenhouse decided to run her race alongside Naperville North’s Julie Piot before making her move with 400 left to secure third.

“(Piot) is really talented and I’ve ran with her before,” Helenhouse said. “I was going to let her go before because I felt kind of tired, but then I found a second wind, and I had to see what I could do.”

Westmont sophomore Kyla Babb finished with a new personal-best in the 3,200 after crossing the line in 11:04.78. Despite not getting all-state in the 1,600 after finishing 10th in 5:28.35, Babb is still happy with her results.

“Honestly it feels great, but it wasn’t something I really expected. I didn’t see it coming,” Babb said. “But I’m not disappointed that I didn’t do well in the mile though. I did my best, and that’s what matters.”

Glenbard West’s 4x800 relay took the Hilltoppers’ only all-state after posting a season-best time of 9:12.84 for fourth place.

Hinsdale South had one athlete reach the podium during the second day, with Kennedy Ruff getting seventh place in the 300 hurdles after posting a time of 44.97.