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Here are previews of girls track and field teams from around the Times coverage area.
Ottawa
Coach: Emma Schoonover
Top returning athletes: Charley Maierhofer, sr., throws; Haley Martin, sr., mid-distance/distance; Jami Klock, sr., sprints; Maddie Towne, sr., mid-distance/distance; Sam Ruiz, sr., throws; Shaylen Quinn, sr., sprints; Emmalee Cosby, jr., hurdles; Finley Gross, jr., high jump/hurdles; Haley Solan, jr., mid-distance/distance; Isabella Markey, jr., hurdles; Josie Donahue, jr., throws; Makenzie Blazys, jr., mid-distance/distance; Laila Henning, jr., sprints; Lila Windy, jr., throws; Riley Thrush, jr., mid-distance/distance; Ailey Harstad, so., sprints/mid-distance; Alivia Butler, so., sprints; Hallee Loza, so., mid-distance/distance; Jaidyn Wallace, so., sprints; Layla Karahallos, so., sprints; Mary Rodriguez, so., sprints; Quinn Wilkinson, so., mid-distance/distance/throws; Skylee Fredrickson, so., sprints
Top new athletes: Audrey Sturner, fr., sprints; Celeste Wallace, fr., sprints; Evelyn Andree, fr., pole vault/high jump; Jazmine Adams, fr., sprints; Karsyn Moore, fr., sprints; Kelin Gross, fr., throws; Leah Ferratino, fr., mid-distance/distance; Lila Platt, fr., pole vault; Meredith Waldren, fr., sprints; Olivia Franco, fr., sprints; Savannah Markey, fr., sprints/long jump; Sophia Hart, fr., sprints/mid-distance
Worth noting: Quinn was 0.1 seconds away from advancing to state in the 400 last season, and Ruiz is expected to have a strong season in the throws. Schoonover says she’s excited to see sister sprinters Savannah and Isabella Markey in their individual events as well as the 4x200 relay with Quinn and Karsyn Moore.
“I believe [our 4x200] may be the fastest relay group we have had over the last few years, and Quinn has been putting in the work every day to shave off that last bit of time for this year’s sectional meet,” Schoonover said. “I am very excited to see the progress that this group will have this season. We have been blessed with nice weather early on, and that has allowed us to get in solid workouts to build up a good foundation. Across the board, I think these girls will witness huge improvements by the time we hit conference in May.”
Streator
Coach: Devin Doty
Top returning athletes: Leah Krohe, sr., throws; Maddie Martin, sr., throws; Sonia Proksa, sr., long jump/high jump/sprints; Kylie Simpson, sr., sprints; Michelle Hendrix, jr., sprints/jumps; Lydia Gallik, so., sprints/hurdles; Giselle Guadaramma, so., distance; Isabella Robart, so., pole vault/triple jump/long jump/sprints; Jayda Webb, so., sprints/hurdles
Top new athletes: Princess Allanah Brown, fr., sprints; Rhea Huey, fr., high jump/mid-distance; Sophia Nasvytis, fr., distance; Katherine Pierce, fr., sprints; Kinslee Sweeden, fr., throws
Worth noting: For first-year coach Doty, she says Krohe continues to improve, setting personal records during the indoor season, while Proksa continues to show state-level potential in jumps and sprints. Last season at the Illinois Central Eight Conference meet, Proksa took first place in three events (13.06 seconds in the 100-meter dash; 28.11 in the 200; 4.90 meters in the long jump), while Leah Krohe placed second in the shot put (9.15).
Marquette
Coach: Ken Carlson
Top returning athletes: Maggie Jewett, sr., sprints; Olivia Tamblyn, sr., distance/hurdles; Izzy Morris, sr., throws; Carissa Blood, so., sprints; Eliana Parker, so., sprints; Madisyn Trainor, so., sprints; Gwen Jimenez, so., throws
Top new athletes: Lilian Pollnow, so., throws; Aubrey Myers, fr., sprints; Lucy McGrath, fr., sprints
Worth noting: Jewett qualified for the state meet in the 400 last season and will working for a return trip. Trainor fought injuries last season but looks to be in great shape early this season and will be counted on as a top sprinter, while Jimenez will be a top thrower for the Crusaders.
“We are very young, but we definitely have some talent,” Carlson said. “It will be fun to watch these kids develop and grow during the season and see what we can accomplish as we get to the sectionals in mid-May.”
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Seneca
Coach: Terry Maxwell
Top returning athletes: Evelyn O’Connor, sr., distance; Natalie Misener, sr., distance; Aubrie Jackson, sr., sprints; Lainie Olson, sr., high jump; Lily Mueller, sr., distance; Lila Coleman, jr., sprints/long jump; Lilly Pfiefer, jr., hurdles; Elsa Douglas, so., sprints/hurdles; Kendall Jones, so., sprints; Franki Meyers, so., triple jump; Haiden Lavierer, so., discus; Gracie Smith, so., shot put; Julie Mueller, so., distance
Top new athletes: Avery Aldridge, fr., sprints/pole vault; Emily Aldridge, fr., sprints/pole vault; Delaney Cato, fr., sprints/jumps; Lylah Hebel, fr., sprints/discus; Tenely Yandell, fr., distance
Worth noting: The Irish boast a roster of 40, including returning state qualifiers O’Connor, Misener, Coleman and Pfiefer. O’Connor and Misener will carry the distance crew with great depth from the Mueller sisters and newcomer Tenely Yandell, who had a solid indoor start. Coleman will be one of the top sprinters and jumpers in the area and had a strong indoor season earning three medals at the Indoor Top Times. Newcomers Avery and Emily Aldrige have started off strong in pole vault this season and will look to provide much needed depth in the sprints. Maxwell says one of the big questions will be who steps up in the throws to provide much needed points come time for invites, conference and sectionals.
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Sandwich
Coach: Michael Lee
Top returning athletes: Sunny Weber, jr., distance; Erin Lissman, sr., distance; Joanna Rivera, sr., distance; Londyn Scott, sr., throws; Scarlett Paul, jr., throws; Alayla Harris, so., sprints; Tegan Stryszyk, so., sprints; Kayla Kressin, so., distance; Hannah Treptow, sr., jumps
Top new athletes: Shelby Webles, fr., jumps/sprints; Callie Kesseling, fr., jumps/sprints
Worth noting: Weber continues to scale greater heights. The Class 2A champion in the 3,200 and runner-up in the 1,600 last spring is coming off a cross country season in which she won the state championship and set a 3-mile school record. She ran a career-best 10:10.07 3,200 and ran a 4:50 1,600 at the Illinois Indoor Championships at Chicago’s Gately Stadium last weekend. “Going into this outdoor season, her determination to set new records and return to the state meet is evident,” Lee said. Sandwich’s varsity took fifth at conference last year, but its JV was conference champion, showing that its underclass athletes have a lot to offer over the next couple of seasons.
“This season, we look to improve on our success from last year and more. With all the incoming freshmen filling in spots where numbers were low and a great middle/upper class that already have their events down, there is no reason this season shouldn’t be any better than the last,” Lee said. “We are a well-rounded group of athletes, with talent all across the distance, sprints, and throws events. The girls and coaches are eager to leverage this talent as we enter the outdoor competition season.”
Fieldcrest
Coaches: Michael Hamer and David Vasquez
Top returning athletes: Macy Gochanour jr., hurdles/sprints; Pru Mangan, jr., throws
Worth noting: Gochanour qualified for state in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles last season. She won the 300 hurdles at the Class 1A El Paso-Gridley Sectional, turning in the area’s second-best time last spring at 48.83. Mangan also qualified for state last year in the discus with a runner-up finish at sectionals with a toss of 32.07 meters.
Earlville-Serena co-op
Coaches: Brennan Sweeney and Alyssa Allison
Top returners: Bailey Miller, jr., distance/throws; Alexa McNally, so., sprints; Sage Mahler, so., distance; Madelynne Domin, so., jumps; Elizabeth Vazquez, so., distance
Top newcomers: Rylee Collins, fr., distance; Madilyn Sterchi, fr., throws; Annabelle Miller, fr., throws; Finely Jobst, so., distance
Worth noting: The Red Raiders have a young team, but one that has a lot of potential and talent, the coaching staff said. With a solid roster, the co-op is looking forward to having athletes in the majority of the events.
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Newark
Coach: Nina Sittler
Top returning athletes: Tess Carlson, sr., pole vault/relays; Addison Ness, sr., triple jump/relays; Bella Creps, sr., relays; Olivia Smith, sr., high jump/mid-distance
Top new athletes: Kyla Wesseh, fr., long jump/hurdles/relays
Worth noting: Two-time state high jump champion Kiara Wesseh, who finished her prep career with an eye-popping 15 state medals, has graduated and is now a freshman at Baylor. But Newark still has a great deal of talent back. Carlson last year placed seventh in the pole vault at state, and Ness was 10th in the triple jump. Carlson tied for third in the pole vault, and Ness was seventh in the triple jump at the Illinois Top Times meet in the indoor season. They both ran on Newark’s 4x200 relay that placed fifth at state last year. Creps was on the state-qualifying 4x100 relay. Sittler said this group hopes to bring the Little Ten Conference title to Newark.
“Although we lost a strong group of seniors to graduation last year, this year’s seniors are stepping into their leadership roles with confidence,” Sittler said. “Throughout preseason these girls have brought experience and drive which will propel them to the top throughout this year’s season.”
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Somonauk
Coach: Sarah Ness
Top returning athletes: Alexis Punsalan, so., pole vault; Emma Rominski, so., mid-distance
Top new athletes: Salena Norris, fr., throws
Worth noting: Punsalan finished third in the pole vault at the Seneca Sectional to become a Class 1A state qualifier and finished 11th at the state meet last season. She also advanced to state in the 200. At the recent Indoor Top Times meet she won the pole vault, soaring over 3.61 meters.
“Punsalan has also been working in the offseason at pole vault and is reaching new heights,” Ness said. “We are excited to see what this motivated group of hardworking, competitive kids will do this spring.”
Flanagan-Cornell
Coach: Luke Mays
Top returning athletes: Kaylee Delheimer, jr., hurdles
Top new athletes: Abbi Armstrong, fr., long jump
Worth noting: At the Indoor Top Times meet, Armstrong finished third in the long jump (5.33), and Kaylee Delheimer was 12th in the 60 hurdles (10.16).