By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph-Ogden’s girls’ track and field team had placers in eight of 15 events on Friday (March 25) in the unofficial Class 1A state track and field indoor meet, The Top Times Invitational, at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center.
The Spartans had top-five finishers in three events, including a third-place finish by the school’ 3,200-meter relay. The foursome of Helene Jones, Chloe Burkhalter, Ava Knap and Savanna Franzen was timed in 10 minutes, 5.70 seconds.
Sophomore Payton Carter captured fourth in the pole vault (10 feet, 9 inches) and freshman Franzen ran fifth in the 1,600 meters (5:21.78).
SJ-O had two other athletes placed in the 1,600. Ava Knap was eighth (5:31.32) and sophomore Burkhalter was 12th (5:38.92).
The Spartans also had another pole vaulter finish among the state’s best. Senior Grace Schmitz was seventh (10 feet, 5 inches).
Two other SJ-O relays also fared well.
The 1,600-meter unit of Kailyn Ingram, Jones, Ashlyn Lannert and Hope Rajlich ended in sixth (4:24.35).
The 800-meter grouping of Rajlich, Carter, Lannert and Schmitz ran 11th (1:53.15).
Individually, Rajlich placed in two events. The senior was ninth in the 200 meters (27.51 seconds) and 20th in the 60 meters (8.37 seconds).
The other SJ-O placer was senior Addie Allen, who finished 13th in the 3,200 meters (12:59.19).
No team scores were tabulated.
