Standouts and stories to follow in the Herald-News area: Girls track and field state preview

It’s time once again for the girls track and field state meet. The event will begin Thursday and conclude Saturday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. With that in mind, here are some things to keep an eye on from around the Herald-News area.

Class 3A

One could fill an airplane with the number of athletes representing the Herald-News area this weekend in Class 3A. There are 68 entries across the 3A meet representing the area, including relay teams and multiple event competitors.

There are a few spots to keep an eye on for potential winners. The Lincoln-Way Central 4x800-meter team enters state with the best qualifying time at 9:20.50, but it will be a competitive race as Glenbard West ran a 9:21.14 and will be hot on the Knights’ heels.

While the Knights’ relay team is the only first-place state qualifier, there are a few others that should compete for the top spot.

Lincoln-Way East‘s 4x400 relay enters with the second-best time at 3:52.49, just two seconds behind Prospect. Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North enters with the second-fastest time in the 1,600, while teammate Elsie Czarniewski has the third-fastest. Mia Sirois of Barrington is first, three seconds ahead of Marlie Czarniewski and seven ahead of Elsie Czarniewski.

The Plainfield North 4x200 team enters just 1.47 seconds behind Homewood-Flossmoor, while Bolingbrook is fifth – although just 0.36 seconds out of third. Alaina Steele of Lincoln-Way East enters just 0.98 seconds behind first in the 400 with Plainfield North’s Lauren Dellangelo fifth, but only 0.76 seconds behind third.

Alanah Smith of Lincoln-Way West heads to the 100 with a time of 11.90, good enough for sixth, but also only 0.53 seconds out of first. Minooka’s Natalie Nahs is second in the 800, 1.5 seconds away from the top spot. Lindsey Wenz from Plainfield North is just 0.42 seconds behind her.

Kyra Hayden from Lincoln-Way East will run the 110 hurdles, qualifying with a time of 14.41 seconds, just 0.38 seconds away from the top spot. Plainfield North’s 4x100m team has the No. 3 time and is 0.57 seconds off from the top spot.

Finally, Mckena Miglorini of Lockport enters tied for the second-best pole vault height at 3.65 meters.

It should all make for an exciting weekend.

Class 2A

There aren’t quite as many entires in the 2A level, with just 21. There also aren’t as many top contenders, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare.

Reed-Custer has two entrants, and one of them is sophomore Alyssa Wollenzien, who will compete in the 300 hurdles. She enters with the fifth-best time at 46.33, although just 0.32 seconds behind third and 0.85 seconds behind first. She’ll have a real shot to take home some hardware.

Symone Holman of Joliet Catholic should have a legit shot at medaling, as she holds the second-best qualifying time for the 100 at 11.99. With Marian Catholic’s Brooklyn Holmes only 0.11 seconds ahead, Holman has a shot of winning it all.

Sophia Burciaga, a junior, is Reed-Custer’s other entrant. She’ll be competing in the pole vault with a mark of 3.57 meters. That’s tied for the second-best height in 2A and should put her in position for a medal.

The other competitors, including ones from Morris, Peotone and Providence Catholic, will all hope to pull off some upsets.

Class 1A

The pickings are slightly slimmer in 1A with just 15 entrants. There is still a quality group to look out for, however.

Freshman McKenna Van Tilburg of Wilmington heads to state with the fourth-best 300 hurdles time among qualifiers at 46.55 seconds. That’s just 0.09 seconds out of third place and 0.58 out of second.

Dwight’s Isabella Bunting also is a contender to bring home a prize. With a shot put distance of 12.32 meters, she has the fourth-best distance among qualifiers. She’s only 0.19 out of third and 0.74 out of the top spot.

Other competitors from Dwight, Wilmington and even Seneca will be looking to hear their names called, too.