Keira Jenke’s big night helps Benet to 2nd in Naperville North’s Gus Scott Invitational

NAPERVILLE –It’s Keira Jenke’s time now at Benet and she’s taking full advantage.

The junior runner is no longer buried in the shadows of Redwings distance star Deliah Helenhouse, a cross country and track star headed to Northwestern. Jenke is now leading the Redwings squad in the open 800 and mile and the mile relay and she was at her best Thursday night while claiming the Girls MVP honors at Naperville North’s Gus Scott Invitational.

First, she won the 1,600 and 800 double in impressive fashion, then capped off the night by giving Benet a come-from-from title in the 4x400 relay after she passed Naperville North’s anchor runner to lead her team to a winning time of 4:11.13 to edge Naperville North’s time of 4:11.70. Cary-Grove was third at 4:22.18.

Benet’s foursome of Gabrielle Brown, Abigail Morrissey, Maddie McGarry and Jenke pulled out the title and moved the team into second place in the team standings behind the Huskies, who topped the 8-team field with 162 points. The Redwings finished at 154 and Waubonsie Valley placed third at 130.

“I don’t know I just felt like I still had something left in me, so I really tried to push it,” Jenke said of her impressive closing stretch in the mile relay. “I wanted to go three races and three wins tonight. I got it done.”

“A lot of it is just confidence. When you get that, and for Kiera it was the Indoor Prep Times where she won state [in the 800]. Really that was a springboard for her confidence,” Benet coach Dan Billish said. “She won that and bounced back and took second in the 1,600; ran 5 flat. It’s just crazy how things work. I thought the training was there but once she’s owned it, and now she’s owned it. She knows like, now when I get in this race it’s not Deliah, it’s me. I’m the one that has to make the race. I’m the one who has to set the standard. It’s amazing how quickly that transformation has taken place.”

Helenhouse did win the 3,200 on Thursday in 11:07.23 with Waubonsie Valley’s Lily Baibak second in 11:11.28.

The Huskies had their share of big efforts including a winning time of 9:52.35 turned in in the 4x800 by Eve Rowe, Chloe Piot, Sennah Rashidian and Kathyrn Rohr.

Warrior thrower Kennedi Johnson won the discus with a personal best 35.98 meters and took second in the shot. The senior was happy to reach the state cut distance in the discus with her big throw.

“I definitely had high hopes. I know my goal was to qualify for state in one of my events, so I am happy,” said Johnson, who bested her previous best mark by more than 3 meters. “I’m throwing it in sectionals so I’m excited.”

Naperville North’s boys also claimed top honors in the meet with a score 166, which held off runner-up Wheaton Warrenville South (142) and third-place Jacobs (139).

The Huskies won both hurdle events with Boys MVP Edward Mumford taking first in the 110 high hurdles (15.08) and Nico Gall winning the 300 hurdles in 40.95. Benet Academy’s Will Yacullo was second in the high hurdles and third in the low hurdles.

“Tons of contributions from the team from a lot of different athletes. That’s what our goal was, to do our best and compete in everything,” Naperville North boys coach Chris Arthurs said. “We talked coming into this meet, whatever your job was doing it the best and that is what we did as a program. I’m very proud of the team.”

In the final race of the night, Jacobs won the 4x400 in 3:29.60 as Khristos Oludimu, Lukman Onibudo, Isaac Cartwright and Matt Scardina edged out Naperville North (3:31.79).