Jayme Redmond wins DeKalb’s 1st DVC track title, Barbs 6th at conference meet

DeKALB – In the first DuPage Valley Conference Girls Track and Field Championship in three years, DeKalb sophomore Jayme Redmond made some school history.

The thrower for the Barbs won the shot put with a toss of 9.05 meters, becoming the first DVC track champion for the school.

“It feels pretty good ’cause I’m only a sophomore,” Redmond said. “I couldn’t feel my fingers. I was freezing, it was raining and wet. It’s kind of the end of the season, so I wanted to give everything I got on that last throw.”

Redmond’s win was the only victory for the Barbs, who finished sixth in their first DVC tournament. Naperville North won the meet with 184 points, well ahead of Naperville Central with 126 points and Neuqua Valley’s 123 points. Metea Valley (54) was fourth and Waubonsie Valley (40) took fifth, ahead of DeKalb (31).

The event wasn’t held in 2020 – which would have been DeKalb’s first year in the conference - due to COVID-19 wiping out spring sports altogether, and rain canceled the 2019 version.

DeKalb coach Tywon Green said it was a learning experience for his young team. There are only two seniors on a roster that’s loaded with sophomores and freshmen.

“It’s definitely growing up for us to see this,” Green said. “I’m excited to be part of the DVC, and I’m excited my girls could have their first outdoor conference meet. We’ve got a long way to go as a group. We’ve got a very young team.”

The only other top-three finish for the Barbs came in the 4x400-meter relay. Paige Walk, Isabella Dlabal, Ilanie Castorena and Sariyah Watson took third in 4:17.61.

The meet had a few multiple conference champions. Neuqua Valley’s Riley Ammenhauser, who has the top triple jump in the country this year, won that event with a leap of 9.3 meters, and went 5.66 to win the long jump. Waubonsie Valley’s Itzel Garcia won the 100 (12.35) and the 200 (25.51).

Naperville North’s Audrey Mendrys was on the winning 4x4 relay team (4:08.57) and also won the 800 in 2:23.67. Campbell Petersen was on the 4x4 relay team with Mendrys and also won the 1,600 (5:11.13). Madeline Andelbradt also was on the winning 4x4 relay and also won the 300 hurdles (48.85) and high jump (1.55 meters), as the only three-time champ.

Naperville North coach Dan Iverson said the Huskies got points from many different spots to power the win. He said it was their third in a row.

He said he was glad to have the meet back for the first time since 2018.

“We haven’t had the chance to have a championship meet experience in a long time,” Iverson said. “It was a good time. I was pleased walking away doing as good as we did tonight.”

With the postseason heating up next week with sectionals and then state the week after, Redmond said she’s hoping to keep working hard and let the chips fall where they may with a state trip.

“I just know I need to train hard in order to get that,” Redmond said. “But if I don’t get it, I’m just a sophomore, so it’s OK. But it would be nice to, and I’m going to have the same mindset, to put my all into it.”

Green said he’s been impressed with how Redmond has done so far.

“She was a little upset, ‘Well, I didn’t PR,’ ” Green said. “I’m like you won. You’re the conference champion, and she was like ‘eh ...’ but to see her ambition to be better in certain things is awesome. I’m proud of her and can’t wait to see what she does moving forward.”

An earlier version of this story misspelled Jayme Redmond’s name, and has since been corrected. The Daily Chronicle regrets the error.