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The girls track and field season is underway. Here are previews of teams from the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.
Batavia
Coach: Justin Allison
Top athletes: Lily Bednarek, sr., distance; Meghann Hartmann, sr., jumps; Bridget Kosky, sr., hurdles, jumps; Skylar Sandoval, jr., sprints; Brooke Silbernagel, sr., sprints, middle distance; Izzy Taylor, jr., sprints; Madison Wilson, jr., sprints, jumps; Mariah Wilson, jr., sprints.
Worth noting: The Bulldogs captured the girls track Triple Crown last spring with team triumphs at Kane County, the DuKane Conference and the Class 3A Lake Park Sectional en route to their third-highest state finish – a 12th-place tie – in program history. “I am hoping to do that again – and do even better at state,” Allison said of the Bulldogs’ undefeated regular season last year. Batavia had the top-ranked collection of relays in the state last year as its three sprint relays between 4x100 and 4x400 meters all finished sixth in Charleston. Taylor, Sandoval and the Wilson twins return as multiple-event all-staters to power the Bulldogs this spring.
Burlington Central
Coach: Vince Neil
Top athletes: Tia Brennan, sr., sprints, pole vault; Abby Burke, so., middle distance, distance; Tiana Foreman, sr., throws; Paige Greenhagel, sr., sprints, jumps; Maddie Mucci, jr., sprints, jumps.
Worth noting: Greenhagel unquestionably will be the face of the Rockets’ program this spring as the Liberty University-bound senior is one of the finest returning high and long jumpers in Class 2A. “On the individual side, [Greenhagel] is top-ranked in the long jump [with an indoor mark of 18 feet, 6 inches],” Neil said. “It will be interesting to see what she could do [this spring].” Greenhagel was fourth in the high jump last year and ran the anchor leg – with fellow returnees Kenzie Andersen, Danica Wiegel and Izzy Solomon – on the Rockets’ all-state 800 quartet.
Geneva
Coach: Peter Raak
Top athletes: Sophia Borter, fr., distance; Kayla Eichstaedt, sr., sprints; Bridget Hecker, so., sprints; Kyra Kopec, sr., sprints, jumps; Ava Kruse, sr., sprints, throws; Brooke Lussnig, jr., sprints, jumps; Mckenna Mertes, sr., distance; Annie Zimny, jr., sprints.
Worth noting: Hecker had a dramatic second half of the season last year to emerge as one of the better quarter-milers in the area. “Last year was a nice, pleasant surprise,” Raak said of his sophomore standout. The Vikings will look to better their sixth-place DuKane Conference indoor finish this outdoor season. Juniors Lussnig and Zimny bear watching in the sprints for Geneva.
Kaneland
Coach: Andrew Franklin
Top athletes: Lindsey Andrae, sr., sprints; Amari Eddington, jr., sprints, jumps; Cora Heller, jr., pole vault; Olivia Pastovich, jr., sprints; Jessica Phillipp, sr., sprints, jumps, pole vault; Linda Ray, jr., sprints; Kennedi Reed, so., sprints; Taylor Skeen, so., sprints.
Worth noting: Phillipp is a multi-event athlete who ranks among the leading contenders for a state title in the pole vault. The Knights returned to Class 2A competition last spring and the versatile senior finished third at Eastern Illinois University in her specialty event. Heller gives Kaneland a potent one-two punch in the pole vault. The Knights should vie for an Interstate 8 Conference championship this spring.
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Rosary
Coach: Vic Meade
Top athletes: Lillian Feinberg, so., sprints; Olivia Kunio, jr., middle distance, jumps; Grace Loy, sr., jumps; Libby Saloga, sr., sprints, pole vault; Peyton Saltijeral, fr., sprints, jumps; Chiaro Surtz, so., middle distance, distance; Amelia Whitacre, fr., sprints, middle distance; Vivian Wyller, jr., distance.
Worth noting: Saloga was a key figure in the Royals’ third-place Class 2A state finish two years ago with her runner-up performance in the pole vault. The senior will seek a third consecutive all-state medal in the event after placing fourth last May. Rosary also has its core members from its Class 1A state-hardware-winning cross country team transitioning to track. The Royals are seemingly always a threat in the 4x800 relay at the state level. This spring should be no different in the first of the four relays.
St. Charles East
Coach: Brad Kaplan
Top athletes: Marley Andelman, jr., middle distance, distance; Eleanor Clark, sr., distance; Lauren Lewison, sr., sprints, middle distance; Anna Price, sr., sprints; Morgan Sandlund, sr., middle distance, distance; Addison Schilb, fr., sprints, jumps; Claire Vanlue, sr., sprints, middle distance; Brooklyn Walker, sr., distance.
Worth noting: Andelman is the lone returning state qualifier for St. Charles East. The junior anchored the Saints’ all-state 4x800 relay to inaugurate the Class 3A finals last year. “Our distance group is our strength this year,” said Kaplan, who noted the Saints’ current 4x800 unit has better indoor times than its 2022 predecessor. “Our sprints are getting better.” Sandlund and Walker are veteran cross country and track athletes looking to cap their final prep campaigns.
St. Charles North
Coach: Mike Ivlow
Top athletes: Gianna Gennarelli, sr., throws; Jocelyn Kane, sr., throws; Ava Miedema, so., sprints; Tosin Oshin, so., throws; Camille Sabau, jr., middle distance, distance; Jennifer Todd, sr., sprints; Hannah Wallace, sr., hurdles, jumps, pole vault.
Worth noting: In his first year as coach, Ivlow has one paramount aim for the untested North Stars. “We would like to finish top four in the [DuKane] Conference,” Ivlow said. “That’s our main goal.” Much will be expected of Wallace. The senior is the North Stars’ most complete athlete. Ivlow has high expectations in the shot put and discus behind the Gennarelli, Kane and Oshin triumvirate. Miedema is the North Stars’ most logical breakout athlete in the sprints.
St. Francis
Coach: Mike Prizy
Top athletes: Margaret Andrezjewski, fr., middle distance, distance; Laila Donato, fr., sprints; Cate Earl, so., middle distance; Alyssa Falco, sr., middle distance, distance; Becca Heffron, so., sprints; Leann Ringsrud, sr., middle distance; Abbie Sheldon, jr., throws; Kasey Tai, so., sprints.
Worth noting: Prizy will rely heavily on his athletes in the longer races this spring. “The girls team is a distance-dominant crew with seniors Falco and Ringsrud leading the way,” Prizy said. “[We have a] very small team.” Andrezjewski is St. Francis’ acknowledged top newcomer. The freshman finished all-state at the Class 2A state cross country meet last fall. Prizy has an eager but green sprint contingent. Sheldon has high hopes moving outside with the inclusion of the discus.