Panthers qualify for IESA Class 3A girls’ track and field state meet
By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph had state-qualifiers from its seventh- and eighth-grade teams for the IESA Class 3A girls’ track and field state meet based on sectional results from Saturday (May 13) at Newton.
Two seventh-graders advanced in the 800-meter race as Avarie Dietiker ran second (personal-best 2 minutes, 39.86 seconds) and Tessa Walker placed third (personal-best 2:40.14), both bettering the pre-determined state qualifying standard.
In the discus, Vivian Smith sent the discus a personal-best 95 feet, 1 inch to win the event and clinch her berth at state.
Besides the three state-qualifiers, three teammates who wound up among the top 10 in individual events at sectional also achieved their personal best.
In the 1,600 meters, St. Joseph’s Kennedi Dean was third (5:57.57) and Mia Miller ran eighth (6:25.11).
Dean notched a second personal-best in the pole vault, clearing 6 feet and finishing in fifth place.
Other individual standouts at the sectional were Olivia Edington (tied for second in the pole vault at 6 feet, 6 inches) and Smith (third in the shot put at 24 feet, 9 ½ inches).
All three of the Panthers’ relay entries placed among the top nine, led by the runner-up 1,600-meter foursome of Dean, Tabby Brown, Dietiker and Walker. Their combined time was 4:41.29.
Featured runners on the sixth-place 800-meter relay were Edington, Avery Haley, Candice Wright and Ainsley Freeman. They were timed in 2:07.15.
The school’s 400-meter relay unit of Addison Knight, Sophia Chahine, Charlee Christians and Brooklyn Stevens ran ninth in 1:01.90.
The seventh-grade sectional champion in the 13-school meet was Shelbyville (97 points), followed by Teutopolis (56 points). St. Joseph took third with 54 points.
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St. Joseph’s eighth-grade girls’ squad will be represented at state by its 1,600-meter relay foursome, which finished in second place at the sectional.
Sharing the baton were Kiah Riesel, Faith Jackson, Lilly Ahart and Abi Crider. Their cumulative time was 4 minutes, 33.69 seconds.
Three of the same runners joined forces on the 800-meter relay, which was timed in 1:58.06 and finished second, narrowly missing a state berth.
Those runners were Riesel, Iris Davis, Ahart and Crider.
Three eighth-graders who wound up among the top 10 established their personal-best at the sectional: Hayden Dahl (fourth in the shot put at 25 feet, 10 inches), Tabby Brown (sixth in the 800 meters in 2:42.23) and Davis (seventh in the 200 meters in 30.24).
Also nabbing top 10 finishes were Sophie Schmitz (tied for third in the pole vault at 6 feet, 6 inches), Mia Jones (fifth in the pole vault at 6 feet) and Dahl (seventh in the discus at 69 feet, 7 inches).
Sectional team honors were claimed by Tolono Unity (102 points), followed by Robinson (56 points). St. Joseph was seventh with 28 points.
The two-day state meet will start on Friday (May 19) at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria. The Parade of Athletes will begin at 10:15 a.m. on Friday, with competition beginning at 11 o’clock. Saturday’s events start at 9 a.m.
