Girls track & field: Burlington Central wins title; Sandwich, Plano also advance state qualifiers from Class 2A Sterling Sectional

STERLING – Burlington Central won the team title by 30 points with 112, and Plano tied Sandwich for fourth with 39 at the 14-team Class 2A Sterling Sectional at DuWayne Dietz Track at Roscoe Eades Stadium in Sterling on Thursday.

Sandwich freshman Sunny Weber was a sectional champion in the 1,600 meters (5:04.01) and the 3,200 meters (10:39.72). Her 3,200 time was more than a minute faster than Rock Falls sophomore and second-place finisher Ariel Hernandez (11:42.18). Her 1,600 time was more than 23 seconds faster than Rockford Boylan sophomore and second-place finisher Reese Kohnle (5:27.74). The Indians’ Claire Allen qualified in the shot put with a second-place throw of 12.42 meters.

“I’m really happy about it and excited, and I’m really looking forward to state,” Weber said. “I was hoping for the 3,200, I would get below 11 minutes, and then I was hoping for the mile, that I was gonna get around five minutes or less.”

Burlington Central’s Kenzie Anderson, Corryn Kester, Mia Estrada and Paige Greenhagel won the sectional title in the 4x400 relay, clocking a 4:09.67; Greenhagel also won sectional titles in the 400 meters (57.72 seconds) and the long jump (5.67 meters), and Tia Brennan was a sectional champ in the pole vault, clearing 3.36 meters.

Madelyn Mucci, Keira Heindl, Sia Patel and Anderson qualified in the 4x200 relay, running a 1:49.42 for second; Mucci also qualified in the triple jump with a third-place leap of 10.68 meters.

Plano’s Favour Amakari, Alexa Sobieszczyk, Eloina Montesinos and Armoney Clay won the 4x100 relay sectional title in 49.46 seconds. Clay also won a sectional title in the 100 meters (12.39 seconds) and had a runner-up finish in the 200 meters (26.05 seconds).

The Reapers’ Sasha Helfgott-Waters qualified in the pole vault, tying Sycamore’s Malerie Morey for second with 3.13 meters.