Glenbard West finishes third at its Sue Pariseau Invite

GLEN ELLYN – Willowbrook senior distance standout Amelie Ojeda was not pushed real hard by the competition Saturday, yet she did just fine pushing herself around the track.

Ojeda, an all-stater in cross country, wanted to work her way out of a mini slump and to come away with a title at Glenbard West’s Sue Pariseau Invite.

She succeeded on both fronts by winning the 3,200 with a time of 11:00.07. Geneva’s Sofia Borter was second and almost a half-minute behind Ojeda.

“Overall, I felt really good. I just decided to go for it,” said Ojeda, who was fifth in the state in cross country. “I was hoping to go sub 11 today — so close. So close. Besides the wind the temperature was perfect for running today. The cooler the temperature the better us distance runners run.”

Saturday’s meet featured several strong teams — with Lake Zurich (90.5), New Trier (89) and Glenbard West (72.5) — finishing 1-2-3, but the 3,200 field was not stacked, in part because Naperville North’s talented distance runners did not compete since they were running Saturday night in Palatine. But this didn’t stop Ojeda from pushing herself hard.

“I’m working on power,” she explained. “I can run longer distances with cross country and hold higher speeds, Now I’m working on pure speed, which I kind of struggle with at times. I think for a little bit I was in a slump, but I think this last week, week and a half I’ve been coming back. So, I’m feeling a lot better.”

Saturday’s meet saw several local athletes excel. Few had a better day than Wheaton North’s Sophia Dalrymple, who won the 100 hurdles and took second in the long jump before capping her day off with a thrilling finish while winning the 200. In that 200, Dalrymple took first in 26.08, barely edging Lincoln-Way East’s Alaina Steel (26.18) and New Trier’s Emilia Smith (26.20). Wheaton North’s Autumn Gruenwald and Willowbrook’s Olivia Gwaltney took fourth and fifth, respectively, as a tight pack of five runners came across the line together.

“I thought I lost it around the curve, but I wasn’t totally sure,” said Dalrymple. “Then I just tried to relax my arms a lot, and when we were coming down the last 50, I kind of pulled away which was good.”

The Falcon speedster qualified for state last year as a freshman in both hurdle events, but she took the day off Saturday in her best event, the 300 hurdles. She won the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.70, and Geneva’s Alyssa Flotte was third in the event in 16.44.

“I finished around 11th for both hurdles [at state] but I’m hoping to make the finals this year,” Dalrymple added. “Definitely in the 300, but it would be nice to get into the finals for the 100 too.”

The host Hilltoppers won the 4x800 relay when Mackenzie Gilbert, Ella Demchinski, Alexa Novak and Maia Kaslewicz finished in 9:39.58 to top runner-up Barrington (9:43.88). In the 4x200 relay, Oak Park-River Forest won in 1:43.64 with Geneva’s Hadley Mason, Bridget Hecker, Harper Kobbeman and Flotte taking second in 1:44.40.

Novak picked up a second win for Glenbard West when she topped the 1600 field with a time of 5:08.14. Naperville North’s Chloe Piot (5:26.72) and Sennah Rashidian (5:27.92) each turned in personal bests while placing 4-5 in the mile.

Glenbard West pole vaulter Kendal Cullen took second after clearing 11-6 for the first time this spring. Barrington’s Yane Jansen Van Rensburg won with a state-best 12-3 effort, while Geneva’s Ava Mehren placed third at 11-0.

“I think I was seeded fourth so I was really happy with getting second,” Cullen said. “I haven’t been jumping super great this spring so I really wanted to clear at least 11-6, so that’s what I got.”

Cullen, who reached the finals down state last year, is hoping to climb a few notches this spring and come away with all-state honors.

“I made finals at state, but the second day was not great,” she said. “I’d like to get all-state this year. That would be great. Today was just a really good day. I was feeling good and running fast so that was good. Then I moved up to a new pole and that was exciting. It was a good day, but when I went to 12 [feet] I got antsy and kind of lost my form a little bit.”

Naperville North’s Leah Davis placed third in the long jump (16-08), and teammates Alyse Hoffman was third in the high jump (4-11.75), and Jael Badie third in the triple jump (34-06.75).

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250426/girls-track-and-field/girls-track-and-field-lake-zurich-edges-new-trier-for-glenbard-west-title/