By Fred Kroner
Three St. Joseph-Ogden relays and individuals in four other events qualified for the girls’ Class 1A state track and field meet during the Salt Fork sectional on Friday (May 13) in Catlin.
Their efforts, along with those of their teammates who made sure SJ-O scored points in all events, led the school to a narrow team win.
The sectional championship for SJ-O was the 10th in the last 10 seasons that the IHSA has staged a postseason series. There was no sectional in 2020.
The Spartans totaled 118 points. Host Salt Fork ended with 111 points and third-place Urbana Uni High had 104 points.
Hope Rajlich will be the busiest Spartan at state. She advanced in three events. Individually, she placed second in the 200 meters (27.07 seconds).
She ran the anchor leg on qualifying 800-meter and 1,600-meter relays, each of which finished as sectional runners-up.
Joining her on the 800 foursome were Payton Carter, Grace Schmitz and Emily Elsbrend. Their combined time was 1:50.96.
The 1,600-meter relay also featured Ashlyn Lannert, Kailyn Ingram and Helene Jones. Their time was 4:22.23.
SJ-O’s third qualifying relay advanced as sectional champions.
Ingram, Jones, Savanna Franzen and Ava Knap shared the baton for the 3,200-meter relay, which stopped the clock in 10:30.81.
Franzen and Knap also advanced individually after placing second and third, respectively, in the 1,600 meters. Franzen was timed in 5:22.59. Knap crossed in 5:31.97.
The Spartans had two qualifiers in the pole vault. Carter was second (10 feet, 5 ½ inches) and Schmitz was fourth (9 feet, 11 ¾ inches).
The other SJ-O state-qualifier is high jumper Abby Behrens, who cleared 4 feet, 11 ¾ inches and took second.
The Class 1A state prelims will be on Thursday (May 19) at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston.
SJ-O’s depth was in evidence in events where the school did not produce state-qualifiers.
The school ended with two top-10 finishers in each of the eight individual running races.
Alexis Wirth was fifth in the 100 meters (13.96 seconds) and ninth in the 200 meters (29.52 seconds).
Kaytlyn Baker captured third in the 100-meter hurdles (17.61 seconds) and sixth in the 300-meter hurdles (52.55 seconds).
Lauren Lannert was fourth in the 400 meters (1:05.80) and sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (19.05 seconds).
Other top 10 runners for the Spartans were Ashlyn Lannert (third in the 300-meter hurdles in 49.40 seconds), Addie Allen (third in the 3,200 meters in 13:13.59), Taryn Sexton (fourth in the 3,200 meters in 13:21.29), Chloe Burkhalter (fourth in the 800 meters in 2:32.25), Malorie Sarnecki (sixth in the 800 meters in 2:47.300, Madison Clampitt (sixth in the 400 meters in 1:07.91) and Behrens (eighth in the 100 meters in 14.45 seconds).
SJ-O’s 400-meter relay wound up in fifth place. The team was built around Rajlich, Elsbrend, Ashyn Lannert and Carter. Their time was 54.87 seconds.
In the field events, the Spartans received points from four other athletes, including Ashley Eldridge (third in the shot put at 33 feet, 9 inches and sixth in the discus at 85 feet, 5 inches) and Elsbrend (fourth in the long jump at 16 feet, 2 inches and fourth in the triple jump at 31 feet, 8 inches).
Macy Reed-Thompson was eighth in the high jump (4 feet, 6 ½ inches) and Joselyn Frerichs was eighth in the triple jump (29 feet, 10 inches).
Some Spartans will return to action on Monday (May 16) at The News-Gazette Honor Roll Meet at Urbana.
