Panthers to send five athletes to IESA State track and field meet
By Fred Kroner
Competing at the Maroa-Forsyth Class 3A IESA girls’ track and field sectional on Saturday (May 14), St. Joseph Middle School produced state-qualifiers in three eighth-grade events as well as in two seventh-grade events.
The eighth-grade standouts were Timera Blackburn-Kelley and the 400-meter sprint relay.
Blackburn-Kelley was a two-event state-qualifier. She won the sectional crown in the 100 meters in 13.32 seconds and placed second in the long jump with a leap of 15 feet, 11 ¾ inches.
Teaming up to help the 400-meter relay to victory were Sophia Kasper, Karleigh Spain, Katie Ericksen and Blackburn-Kelley. Their combined time was 55.05 seconds.
The St. Joseph seventh-grade state-qualifiers were discus thrower Vivian Smith along with the school’s 1,600-meter relay.
Smith’s top toss was 61 feet, 7 and was the best at the sectional.
The relay runners were Kiah Riesel, Abi Crider, Lily Ahart and Faith King. They combined for a winning time of 4:47.30.
St. Joseph runners grabbed three top-eight finishes in the seventh-grade portion of the meet while field-event contestants were among the top 10 in four events.
King ran second in the 400 meters (1:10.20) and teammates Ava Gallo and Avarie Dietiker finished next to each other in the 1,600 meters.
Gallo was timed in 6:16.37 and ended in seventh. Dietiker’s eighth-place time was 6:26.58.
Sophia Schmitz finished third in the pole vault (6 feet). Smith took fifth in the shot put (22 feet, 7 inches). Lucie Hernandez was eighth in the shot put (20 feet, 11 ½ inches). Riesel ended 10th in the long jump (13 feet).
The top seventh-grade relay was the 400-meter grouping of Riesel, Crider, Ahart and Abigail Bello. They captured third place in a time of 2:01.37.
The St. Joseph eighth-graders had athletes among the top eight at sectional in four events in addition to the state qualifiers.
Ericksen was the runner-up in the 200 meters (28.62 seconds).
Hannah Mock garnered a fifth-place finish in the 400 meters (1:09.80) to go with a sixth-place finish in the 800 meters (2:57.96).
Kasper ran seventh in the 400 meters (1:10.04).
The IESA state meet will be held on Friday (May 20) and Saturday (May 21) at the East Side Centre in East Peoria.
