The Oak Park and River Forest High School girls track and field team won the IHSA Class 3A St. Ignatius Sectional on May 11 with 140 points, qualifying one relay and 11 individuals for the state meet, which takes place May 18-20 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Senior Reese Garland won two events, the shot put (12.43 meters/40 feet, 9 inches) and the discus (43.93m/144-2). Other individual winners for the Huskies were sophomore Julia Brown in the 400 meters (personal-best 1:00.99); freshman Alexis Henderson and sophomore Bella Brauc in the high jump — both part of a three-way tie for first (1.57m/5-2); and junior Hannah Franke in the pole vault (3.28m/10-9).
OPRF’s other individual qualifiers were Brauc in the 200 meters (2nd, 1:01.24); senior Natalie Quinn in the 1,600 (3rd, 5:07.15); senior Avery Minnis in the 3,200 (2nd, personal-best 11.28.63); junior Katherine Johnston in the pole vault (2nd, 2.70m/8-10); and junior Taylor Smith in the triple jump (2nd, 11.18m/36-8).
The Huskies’ 800 relay of Rhea Richards, Maisie Hoerster, Chloe Kozick and Amelia Hammersley qualified with a second-place time of 1:47.87.
Fenwick
At the IHSA Class 2A Ridgewood Sectional on May 10, Fenwick High School finished 11th with 19 points.
The Friars qualified two individuals for the state meet. Sophomore Mia Menendez won the 800 meters in a time of 2:16.78, while senior Bella Daley finished fourth in the 3,200 (11:41).
Trinity
Trinity High School came in 12th at the Ridgewood Sectional with 13 points. The Blazers’ 3,200 relay of Jasmine Arzuaga, Amanda McGreal, Jade Moreli and Myla Roy qualified for the state meet with a second-place time of 10:12.91.
“If you asked me three days before the sectional [if we would qualify], I’d have said probably not,” said Trinity coach Johann Gonzalez. “But I told the girls if they executed, they’d have a shot. It’s most certainly a pleasant surprise.”
Gonzalez said this is the first time in program history the 3,200 relay has run under the qualifying standard before the state meet.
“The mentality right now is that we’re not just happy being there,” he said. “We want to make the most of this opportunity and give ourselves the best chance to do well at Charleston.”
