High school girls track: Elizabeth Hagstrom, Jeanette Morley shine for York at indoor conference meet

HILLSIDE – Since the 2015 outdoor track and field season, York junior high jumper Jeanette Morley has gone from being unable to clear 5 feet to breaking the 25-year-old indoor school record.

She worked offseason with the Jump High Athletic Club and renowned coach Bob Cervenka to reach new heights.

“Sophomore year, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just knew that I tried it in middle school and really liked it,” Morley said of the event. “I’ve definitely made some huge improvements so far.”

Morley was third in high jump (5-foot-2), and senior Elizabeth Hagstrom was third in the 3,200-meter run (personal-best time of 11:08.57) and sixth in the 1,600 (5:18.09) at the West Suburban Silver indoor meet at Proviso West on March 18.

York scored 15 points and was seventh as a team.

At York on March 5, Morley cleared 5-4 for the first time and soon after recorded an indoor school-record height of 5-6 – heights that could contend for top-nine, all-state honors at the outdoor state meet in May.

“I’ve been keeping that [record] in the back of my head the whole time,” Morley said at the WSS indoor.

Junior Julie Biggins (2:29.23 in the 800) and the 4x800 relay of juniors Jackie Biggins and Amy Bowles, senior Emily Fjeldstad and Julie Biggins were sixth in (10:20.93).

York coach Annette Schulte, who is retiring after 23 seasons, kept all underclassmen on the sophomore level.

“We have a really talented group of freshmen and sophomores and very mature juniors and seniors, so it’s really a pleasure to coach them,” Schulte said.

Hagstrom improved her 3,200 best by 10 seconds and led halfway through with a time of 5:22.

At outdoor state last year, Hagstrom was 38th in the 1,600 (5:26.02) and part of the 4x800 relay (28th, 9:51.01). She may try to qualify for state in the 3,200 and 1,600 after her strong cross country season, including 38th at state.

“I definitely think I can do it with the training and improvements I’ve made over the past year,” Hagstrom said.