Only days before her final girls track and field state meet for Fenwick, senior Grace Cronin bought a silver necklace with a sky blue pendant.
The store owner is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where Cronin is taking her hurdling talents.
“I thought it was good luck,” Cronin said. “I normally have a necklace that I wear (while competing), but I switched out for this one.”
Maybe it helped.
In her final race at the Class 2A finals Saturday at Eastern Illinois University, Cronin comfortably won the 300-meter low hurdles in a school-record 42.91 seconds to become the Friars’ first girls state champion in the sport.
“That’s a good feeling. I love representing my school and it’s so nice to bring them a state championship for track,” Cronin said. “It just felt really good to finally get it. Not to fall short of it, but to actually get it.”
Cronin won by 1.20 seconds after earlier finishing second in the 100 high hurdles (school-record 14.15), her fourth second-place state finish over three seasons. Second last year in both 3A hurdles races to seniors, Cronin was .43 faster than Saturday’s 3A 300 hurdles champion.
Cronin has a program-best seven all-state medals. When Cronin was second to Brooks sophomore Imani Carothers (13.92) in the 100 hurdles despite a “crummy start,” she gained confidence for the 300s.
“It was my last high school race — just leave it all out there and put it all out there,” Cronin said. “I just had to make sure on that fifth hurdle (into the straightaway) I didn’t screw up.”
OPRF
Senior Norma Abdur-Rafia and her OPRF teammates continued to excel despite a season of adversity.
That included Abdur-Rafia’s temporary abstinence from junk food before her final state meet.
“Just this meet. I regularly eat what I want, but for state, I have to eat healthy,” Abdur-Rafia said.
Despite many lineup adjustments, the Huskies still feasted on the success of five all-state performances.
Abdur-Rafia was third in the 200 (lifetime-best 24.46). In pole vault seniors Chena Underhill (lifetime-best 11-9) and Chisom Nwoko (11-3) were sixth and tied for eighth, respectively.
The 800 relay of sophomore Destiny White, Underhill, freshman Melissa Sanders and Abdur-Rafia was fifth (1:43.06). The 1,600 relay of sophomore Katie Lingen, junior Mary Blankemeier, White and Abdur-Rafia was eighth (4:02.77). The Huskies were 12th (19.5 points).
“Our team’s special,” Underhill said. “We’ve had lots of people go down but we finish meets strong and we keep going regardless.”
Abdur-Rafia (Murray State), Nwoko (Illinois) and Underhill (Westmont) will compete collegiately. Abdur-Rafia finishes with a program-best nine all-state medals – three in the 200 and six for relays.
The 1,600 relay dropped the baton on the final exchange but Abdur-Rafia still beat one team.
And that was coming off her fastest open 200. Abdur-Rafia hoped to win after taking fourth behind three seniors in 2015 (25.23). She ran .67 faster Saturday.
“I felt good. The start wasn’t so great. Or the ending. I kind of died,” Abdur-Rafia said. “(I’m proud of) my 200 time dropping. That’s all I can ask for.”
Abdur-Rafia and Nwoko returned from last year’s state championship 800 relay, but Nwoko strained her right hamstring during the conference meet. She rejoined the 400 relay for the first time for Friday’s prelims but struggled and scratched from the 800 and 1,600 relays.
“My left leg was moving and my right leg couldn’t keep up,” Nwoko said.
Nwoko still shared pole vault finals with Underhill and was all-state after being a 2015 finalist but 13th (10-6). Nwoko overcame the pain and fear of runway sprints at sectionals and state with lots of compression tape.
“It was the first time I needed it. I’ve never been injured before,” Nwoko said. “It came at the worst possible time, but I was able to recover enough to get here. That’s what I’m happy about, just to have one last state meet.”
Underhill achieved her first state medals. In pole vault, she surpassed her previous best of 11-6.
“That was special to get (11-9) at state,” Underhill said. “My first state finals. I’ve waited for this for a while. Very fun, a great day. I’m super thankful.”
Helping the relays reach finals Friday were freshman Fallon Taiwo (1,600) and sophomore Jazmin Beion (800).
Trinity
As she prepares for culinary school, Trinity senior Sierra Brown again tasted success amid the heat and pressure of another state final.
Brown earned all-state honors three last times as she was second in the triple jump (school-record 39 feet-11 inches) – the highest individual finish in program history — fifth in long jump (outdoor school-record 18-0 1/2) and eighth in high jump (5-3).
Sophomore Hailey Hansen was fifth in the 3,200 (school-record 11:14.19) to become the Blazers’ third individual all-stater and first in a distance event.
Brown’s six all-state medals trail only the seven by 2015 graduate Anna Sloan, now competing at Texas Tech. Brown and Sloan contributed to last year’s second-place 400 relay.
“I’m sad that it’s the last track meet, but I’m happy because I got three medals. It’s just bittersweet,” Brown said.
Brown was beaten in triple jump by the 40-0 3/4 2A meet-record of Brooks sophomore Imani Carothers, who also won long jump (co-meet-record 19-5 3/4).
Brown’s long jump approached her all-time school-record 18-2 1/4 indoors. In high jump, Brown cleared 5-3 on her final attempt but missed 5-4, her school-record height.
Brown will attend Johnson & Wales University (Providence, R.I.), which offers 13 women’s athletic teams but not track and field.
“It was a very difficult decision because they’re a very good school. I love track,” Brown said. “I want to be like Carlo’s Bakery, Cake Boss, how they make those extravagant cakes.”
Hansen’s previous record of 11:16.43 at sectionals was the No. 5 seed. She was 12th after 1,600 meters Saturday before gradually making her move.
“That’s really our strategy. I haven’t really been doing that in outdoor, but it worked today,” Hansen said.