Ashlynn Weber, Ruby Acker take different paths to victory for Princeton

PRINCETON – Senior Ashlynn Weber and sophomore Ruby Acker took different paths to victory for the Princeton girls in Thursday’s Howard-Monier Invite at Bryant Field.

Weber got to the track early after school to get warmed up for the meet. Acker, meanwhile, had to race from a two-hour soccer practice at the Little Siberia field to run the 1,600 meters.

Weber won both events she entered, winning the long jump at 4.69 meters (15 feet, 4¾ inches) and triple jump at 10.06 (33-0¼), while Acker made off with the top time of 6:04.2 in the 1,600.

Their efforts helped the Tigresses place second with 158 points behind Annawan-Wethersfield (185) in a meet running without sprints ace Camryn Driscoll, who was ill. Hall (95) was third and Peoria Christian (87) fourth in the four-team field.

“I get there early, get a good warmup in, and do some run-throughs until I’m perfect on the board,” she said. “I always have a goal in mind before I start jumping, and that’s usually to get into the 10s [meters] for triple jump. I met that goal today on my very last jump, which felt really good.

“I moved onto long jump after that. I was in the second flight, so the first flight already jumped, and coach [Andy] Puck told me the jump I had to beat, which was a 4.55. My goal for long jump was to beat that.

“First few jumps I didn’t even touch the board and I was in the low 4s, coach Puck gave me a few words of advice and one of my last jumps I jumped a winning 4.69. Felt really good to get first in both of my events especially at my home track.”

Acker missed out running the 3,200 but made up for lost time by winning the 1,600 after making a quick entrance from soccer practice four blocks away.

“It was very spontaneous. I didn’t get a lot of warming up,” Acker said. “I just drove over here real quick. Parked, got out, changed, jogged and then got to the start line.

“I just want to come out and be with my team. That’s what gets me through it, especially when I’m really tired from soccer. Be with them. Run with them. That makes it all better.”

Princeton's Annie Thompson prepares for lift-off in the pole vault in Thursday's Howard-Monier Invite. (Mike Vaughn)

Other winners for Princeton were Jocelyn Strouss in the 400 (1:08.45) and Payton Frueh in the 3,200 (13:02.15). They each also gained seconds with Strouss in the 800 and Frueh in the 1,600, as did Alexandra Waca in the 3,200.

PHS coach Pat Hodge believes Driscoll would have made the difference for the Tigresses had she been healthy, likely scoring 30 points in sprints.

Hall made off with the 4x100 relay on the legs of Natalia Zamora, Sophie Simpson, Amanda Manzanares and Bella Templeton with a time of 55.73 seconds.

Taking seconds for Hall for Bella Templeton (high jump), Sophie Simpson (100, 200) and Zamora in both hurdles.

The Howard-Monier boys invite will be Tuesday with the Ferris invite to follow April 21.

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