May 15, 2025
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Sandwich’s Sunny Weber sweeps 3,200 and 1,600 title at sectionals, leads area state qualifiers

Sandwich sophomore Molly Russelburg records 2A‘s best pole vault

By Joshua Welge
Sandwich’s Sundara Weber scorches the field in the 3200 run Wednesday, May 14, 2025, during Sectionals at Sterling High School.

Sandwich’s Sundara Weber scorches the field in the 3200 run Wednesday, May 14, 2025, during Sectionals at Sterling High School. (Alex T. Paschal)

Class 2A Sterling Sectional

Sandwich junior Sunny Weber swept the 3,200-meter run in 10:47.13 and the 1,600 in 5:07.24 to lead area qualifiers at the Class 2A Sterling Sectional.

Sandwich (53) was fifth at the meet won by Sterling (97.5).

Weber, defending state champion in the 3,200, said it felt good to be back at this point.

“I feel like I made a lot of progress from last year with confidence and being able to go out and compete,” she said. “I’m happy with what I did and I’m just looking forward to state.”

Sandwich sophomore Molly Russelburg won the pole vault with a PR of 3.67 meters, just over 12 feet for one of the top leaps in the state this season and the best in Class 2A.

She said she’s cleared 12 feet once before but had not PR’d since March.

She said the PR came down to trusting her coach, Michael Engelhardt.

“I just have been trying to believe that I can do it, and then try to get to the point where everything started coming back together," Russelburg said.

Sandwich’s 4x800 relay of Joanna Rivera, Erin Lissman, Emily Urbanski, Kayla Kressin took second in 10:07.31 to qualify for state.

Plano’s Kaylee Klatt qualified in the 100 hurdles, taking fifth in 16.50. The 4x200 relay of Corrine Kostelaz, Luniah Gilford, Jayda Burau took second in 1:47.07 to qualify.

Class 3A Rock Island Sectional

Yorkville, with 75 points, took fourth behind Minooka (102), Rock Island (85) and Kankakee (81) at the Rock Island Sectional.

Yorkville’s 4x400 relay team of Niah Kallan, Janae Stewart, Aaliyah Stewart and Julia Hosu set a school record of 3:58.13 to take second and qualify for state.

Yorkville’s Courtney Clabough was sectional champion in the the shot put (12.35 meters) and discus (41.53 meters), the 4x800 relay of Jayda Stewart, Liliana Camargo, Annabelle Reeder and Athena Triner was sectional champion and state qualifier in 9:33.47, Athena Triner qualified in the 800 and Aaliyah Stewart in the 300 hurdles.

-- Drake Lansman contributed to this story.