Girls track: Handfull of local athletes eyeing titles as state championships begin

A couple of breaks one way or the other and Kaneland’s Olivia Rohlman and Indian Creek’s Brooke Probst can be coming home from the IHSA State Track and Field Championships in Charleston as state champs.

And if things play out according to seeding, Kaneland’s Jessica Phillipp could also come back as a state champ.

Phillipp comes in seeded first in the pole vault in Class 2A, while Rohlman and Probst are second in their respective events.

“We’re actually feeling really good. Olivia Rohlman is on fire right now,” Kaneland coach Andrew Franklin said. “We’re excited about getting her downstate. She’s been coming on all year.”

In all, 19 athletes from five area schools will compete in the event, which starts with the 1A prelims Thursday. The 2A and 3A prelims are Friday and all finals for all classes are Saturday.

In addition to six Kaneland and five Indian Creek athletes, DeKalb will send a pair of relay teams, Genoa-Kingston is sending a runner and Sycamore has a pair of field athletes.

Phillipp is the only athlete seeded first. In the 2A pole vault, she has a seed distance of 3.51 meters. Right behind her is teammate Cora Heller at 3.28.

“If things go really well we can go 1-3, maybe even 1-2,” Franklin said. “There’s a lot of good vibes off the vaulters right now.”

Franklin said he’s also optimistic for Olivia Pastovich in the 300 hurdles and Olivia Yarbrough in the 200. While both are seeded low in those events, Franklin said both have usually run three other events by the time those come around. On Friday, each are only running one event so he expects a crisper time.

Also in the 2A meet, Sycamore’s Karissa Clawson is seeded fifth in the high jump at 1.6 meters, while Malerie Morey qualified in the pole vault with a seed distance of 2.97 meters. Ellie Logsdon is the long Genoa-Kingston runner to qualify, with a seed time of 26.7 in the 200.

At 3A, Sariyah Watson, Heaven Williams, Korima Gonzalez and Ilanie Castorena will run the 4x400 relay, while Watson, Williams, Castorena and Mia Adeoti will run the 4x100.

Probst enters the 1A high jump seeded second with a seed distance of 1.68 meters. Coach Jenilee Johnson said she’s aiming to boost that to 1.72 to have a shot at the state title.

“I know she definitely wants to go down there and perform her best,” Johnson said. “She’s been so close to clearing 5-8 all year, it would be a personal record and a school record. But Brooke is super determined and a hard worker. It would just kind of be the cherry on the sundae of her senior year to win state.”

Probst is seeded sixth in the triple jump with a seed distance of 10.55 meters. Reagan Gibson is seeded third in the pole vault (3.35), and freshman teammate Ellie Bend (2.74) will also compete.

Jolee Larsen is on the fringe of medal positioning with her 12:10.47 seed time in the 3,200 and will also compete in the 1,600 (5:49.74). Kaitlyn Frazier will compete in the 100 hurdles (16.91).

“I know that the girls have put in a lot of work this year,” Johnson said. “They’ve done amazing every single track meet and have PR’d consistently throughout the year. It’s just a talented group of kids.”