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The IHSA girls track and field state meet is this weekend on the campus of Eastern Illinois in Charleston. Class 2A and Class 3A prelims Friday, with the finals set for Saturday.
Here are five storylines to watch for Kane County-area athletes this weekend:
Will regular season success translate to state title run for St. Charles North?
It’s been a memorable turnaround season for St. Charles North.
Over the past three weeks, the North Stars have made program history by winning their first Kane County meet, DuKane Conference and sectional titles.
With 12 athletes heading to Charleston to represent the school, now the focus turns to potentially making a run for their first Class 3A state title.
As of right now, no North Stars are slated in the top nine positions, which are All-State positions, heading into the meet, with senior Tosin Oshin posting the 10th furthest shot put throw at sectionals being their highest seeding.
But coach Anthony Enright said that if anything it’s helpful for the team because it puts less stress on his athletes to out-do their seeding.
It wouldn’t be the first time that it happened, with Oshin and the 4x800, which included then-freshmen Gwen Hobson and Julia Rodney and sophomore Reese Thomas, both rising from 16th to an All-State position last season.
Can Batavia’s youth come through?
The Kane County area has had some young talent come forward this season. One of those programs has been Batavia, and it’s shown heading into the state meet.
Sophomore Abby Wirth holds the best seed for the Bulldogs, posting the fifth-best triple jump in Class 3A at sectionals. She’ll look to earn her first All-State honors after missing the final cut by one position in the event last season.
There’s also sophomore Avery Hacker, who finds herself in the middle of a stacked 3,200-meter field after running the eighth-fastest sectional time. She’ll look to improve on her 12th place finish in the event.
Macee Olson rounds out the sophomore trio with the 14th seed in the pole vault. The sophomore posted a jump of 3.35 meters at sectionals, but has a personal-best of 3.51 meters, which would put her at eighth based on the seed heights.
There’s also junior Elizabeth Wende, who’s the only returning member from the All-State winning relay teams last season. She’ll be in the 4x100 and 4x400, while also racing as an individual in the 100 and 400.
Two laps of fun
If you’re looking for an event with the best chance of seeing multiple Kane County girls on the podium, than look no further than the Class 2A 800.
St. Francis junior Margaret Andrzejewski, sophomore Erin Hinsdale and Aurora Central Catholic junior Cecilia Hilby each posted top five sectional times in the event.
Andrzejewski currently holds the top seed of the three, posting a 2:13.40, a full second behind Manteno freshman Klarke Goranson.
Hinsdale, who’s seeded fourth, was the runner-up in the event last season while Hilby, seeded fifth, took fifth last season for her second All-State honor in the event.
An early leg up
Two Kane County athletes are heading into the state meet as the top seed in their respective events, with both of them coming in Class 2A field competitions.
Rosary junior Katie Kostro had the best finish in the high jump at sectionals, being the only athlete in Class 2A to clear 1.69 meters at sectionals. She even managed to out-jump Mendota sophomore Mariyah Elam, who won the state title in the event last season and cleared 1.64 meters at the same meet.
There’s also Aurora Central Catholic sophomore pole vaulter Molly Russelburg, who cleared a personal-best 3.67 meters at sectionals for the top marks in the event. The next highest jump behind her was 3.57 meters, which was done by two other athletes.
Will a relay team make it to Saturday?
In 2024, six different relay teams ended up reaching the finals and earned all state honors. Batavia had all three of their sprint relays make the podium while St. Francis, St. Charles North and Rosary each having a team earn All-State honors in the 4x800.
But this season, there isn’t a single team currently seeded to make it into the final day of competition.
So can a team rise up the ranks?
The best chance likely comes from the Class 3A 4x400 relay, where St. Charles East ran a 3:58.55 and St. Charles North finished in 3:58.80 for the 13th and 14th fastest times in the state. Naperville Central is seeded in the ninth and final All-State position, running a 3:57.37 at sectionals. Geneva also has teams in all three sprint relays, being the only team to do so.
There’s also St. Francis in the Class 2A 4x800. Despite running a 10:18.52 for the 25th-fastest finish in the state, the Spartans only had one of their four state record-setting legs (sophomore Alicen Sheldon) running in the relay, with the other three listed as alternatives. There is a chance that the Spartans break out the record-breaking relay at the state meet, but it might be tough with Hinsdale, Andrzejewski and sophomore Elena Mamminga each focusing on different events.