Girls track and field: Glenbard East wins Upstate Eight title

When she was a freshman, Bartlett runner Kristin Farabaugh took a creative writing class, and it inspired her.

Now she’s a senior, and she plans to continue with journalism when she enrolls at Carthage College, where she’ll major in English and creative writing with a goal to become an editor and writer.

She’ll also be running track at Carthage. Farabaugh helped author a big win for her team at the Upstate Eight Conference championships.

Farabaugh, Alyssa Gregory, Emely Villafuerte and Maria Aguilar combined to win the 4x800-meter relay in 10:14.45.

And, according to the senior, the Hawks have been consistently finishing in runner-up position this season in the 4x800, so it was nice to finally get a victory — especially at conference.

“It’s been tough because we’ve been getting second place,” Farabaugh said. “So it’s really cool to finally get first. Emely and Maria both got PRs today, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”

Farabaugh added that one of the reasons she chose Carthage was that she “really connected with the coach”, and also praised their English program.

She added that she’s always been an avid reader and her favorite book is “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo.

The senior also said that competing in her final conference meet as a senior was a little bittersweet.

“I’m really going to miss this team,” she said. “My favorite memory is when, in my sophomore year, we broke the school record in the DMR (distance medley relay).”

Glenbard East won the team title with 130.5 points as Mackenzie Fodrey led the way with a win in the triple jump (10.51 meters) and a second-place finish in the pole vault.

East Aurora tallied victories in the 800 (Melany Alfaro) and the 400 (Alyssa Adeoti).

Cayden Lewis of Fenton triumphed in the high jump (1.57) and the pole vault (2.51).

“She’s a great athlete and a great kid,” Bison coach Frank Kekstadt said of the senior, who played softball early in her sporting career but switched over to track and field as a junior. “She does everything for us. She’s our best pole vaulter, our best high jumper, she does the 200 and can even do the 100. She’s very versatile.”

Kali Waller of West Chicago won the 100 and 200, while teammate Adeline Draper won the 100 hurdles and the 300 hurdles.

The Wildcats also won the 4x100 relay; South Elgin took the 4x200; while title-winning Glenbard East, behind Andie Novak, Taylor Griffith, Alexandra Van Dam and Samantha Kelly, was fastest in the 4x400.

Other field event winners included Waller of West Chicago in the long jump, Arianna Gutierrez from South Elgin in the shot put and Elissa Callender of Streamwood in the discus.

Sophia Baumert of the Sabres, a junior, won the 3,200, then came right back an hour later to take first in the 1,600.

The times were 11:09.63 in the 3,200 and 5:08.55 in the 1,600.

Usually a 1,600 runner, she said last week (at Kane County) was the first time since her freshman season that she ran the 3,200.

So now, projections for the postseason have been revised a bit.

“I loved it,” Baumer said. “And now me and my coach have changed a couple plans for sectional.

“I like both races. The 32 is very vigorous because of the distance, but I can’t say the 16 is any easier — it’s a fast race, a sprint.”

Baumer also added that the short time between the 3,200 and the 1,600 was a bit of a challenge, but also “a lot of fun.”

“I’m just very grateful to be here,” she said. “And very grateful to be able to run two races.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240501/girls-track-and-field/girls-track-and-field-glenbard-east-wins-upstate-eight-championship/