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The girls track season is set to go outdors, as teams begin their quest toward the state finals in Charleston. Here is a preview of area teams:
DOWNERS GROVE NORTH TROJANS
Coach: Matthew Maletich
Top Athletes
Name Year Event
Isabel Maletich sr. jumps, sprints
Kimberly Brent jr. sprints
Naomi Boyd sr. throws
Celeste Bonga so. sprints
Keside Olekanma sr. sprints, hurdles
Rachel Sprague sr. sprints
Sarah Rogoz jr. high jump, sprints
McKenna Cinotte fr. jumps, sprints
Lillian Janowicz, sr. throws
CP Breit so. pole vault
Eva Bednard so. distance
Michelle Santen sr. throws
Outlook: Maletich, committed to the University of Chicago, anchors a strong roster that took second as a team at the West Suburban Silver indoor meet. Maletich is a three-time all-stater in the jumps, sixth in the long jump last year. She won the long jump and triple jump at the conference indoor meet. Brent, indoor conference champ in the 200 and 300, looks to be an all-state sprinter and conference shot put champion. Boyd, who will throw collegiately at Miami (Ohio), looks to make state in that event. Breit and Rogoz are other top athletes in the field events.
"Our sprint relays should be very competitive," coach Maletich said, "and our distance group is progressing very nicely."
DOWNERS GROVE SOUTH MUSTANGS
Coach: Nicole Sanders
Top Athletes
Name Year Event
Maddie Manganiello sr. jumps
Brenna Cohoon so. distance
Erin Reidy so. distance
Alisha Macas jr. distance
Olivia Ducas jr. distance
Allison Calek jr. distance
Kelley Hackbarth sr. sprints/distance
Outlook: The Mustangs, who finished indoor season in fine fashion by winning the West Suburban Gold indoor championship, should be very strong once again on the track. Reidy, a returning state qualifier in the 1,600, swept the 400 and 800 at indoor conference. The Mustangs also swept all the relays.
Manganiello, a returning state qualifier in the long jump, took second at conference. Another returning state qualifier, Cohoon, was also second in the 1,600 at indoor conference. Duax and Calek took the top two spots at indoor conference in the 3,200, and Macas was second in the 800 Kelley Hackbarth third in the 400.
HINSDALE CENTRAL RED DEVILS
Coach: Pat Richards
Top Athletes
Name Year Event
Grace McCabe sr. distance
Reilly Revord sr. distance
McKenna Revord so. distance
Kayla Byrne jr. distance
Bella Pisani jr. distance
Dior Nicholson so. throws
Gilley Filer jr. jumps
Outlook: The Red Devils, who took second at the West Suburban Silver indoor meet, figure to be strong again in the distance races on the track.
McCabe, a returning state qualifier and indoor conference runner-up in the 800, set a new indoor school record of 2:14.04 in the event at the Top Times meet. Pisani, third in the 800 at conference, took fifth at Top Times in 2:17.88 – also breaking the previous school record.
McKenna Record was fifth in the 3,200 at Top Times in 11:08.88, the third-fastest indoor time ever at Hinsdale Central and returning state qualifier Reilly Revord won the 1,600 at indoor conference. Nicholson took second in the shot put at conference.
HINSDALE SOUTH HORNETS
Coach: Matthew Guritz
Top Athletes
Name Year Event
Rachel Arellano sr. throws
Raquel Blumenstein sr. jumps
Outlook: The Hornets, third at the West Suburban Gold indoor conference meet, return a pair of state qualifiers in Arellano in the shot put and Blumenstein in the triple jump.
Blumenstein won the triple jump at indoor conference, going one/two with teammate Kaitlyn Hurka, and Arellano was second in the shot put. Natalie Conrad was third in the 800 at indoor conference while Nautica Kindred and Kayla Ramos were third/fourth in the 55-meter dash.
WESTMONT SENTINELS
Coach: Steve Wolf
Top Athletes
Name Year Event
Halle Nash sr. distance
Peyton Nash sr. sprints
Frankie Fabry jr. sprints
Morgan Fukar jr. jumps
Sydney Pardy sr. jumps/relays
Mona Murini sr. sprints/relays
Outlook: The Sentinels, fifth at conference and fourth in sectionals last year, return a strong group on the track and in jumps.
Fukar, returning conference champ in the high jump, was undefeated during indoor season and cleared an indoor career-best 5 feet. She also will be doing the triple jump and relays.
All four members of last year's state qualifying 3,200 relay return, but will not run that event. Fabry and Peyton Nash are doing sprints while Halle Nash is focusing on the 1,600. The Sentinels don't have a big roster, with only 17 athletes – six of them freshmen.
"But we have had small teams in the past and still finished high in the conference and sectional standings," Wolf said. "I expect no less this year."