By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph Middle School had state medalists in both the eighth-grade and seventh-grade divisions of the IESA girls’ track and field state meet at East Side Centre, in East Peoria.
Eighth-grader Timera Blackburn-Kelley earned the fifth-place medal in the long jump (14 feet, 9 ¾ inches). She also ran ninth in the 100 meters (14.24 seconds).
The eighth-grade 400-meter relay foursome of Sophia Kasper, Karleigh Spain, Katie Ericksen and Blackburn-Kelley took ninth in 56.24 seconds.
The top eight in every state event earned medals.
The St. Joseph eighth-graders ended with 4 points and tied for 33rd place at state.
In the seventh-grade segment of the state finals, St. Joseph’s 1,600-meter relay captured the eighth-place medal.
The relay runners were Kiah Riesel, Abi Crider, Lilly Ahart and Faith King. Their combined time was 4:43.00.
The relay scored one point and allowed the school to place in a tie for 52nd at state in the seventh-grade division.
The school’s other state-meet participant was Vivian Smith, who ended 11th in the discus (56 feet, 8 inches).
