Glenbard East second to West Aurora at Upstate Eight girls meet

The Upstate Eight Conference girls track and field meet at West Chicago Thursday night gathered together for the first time under their new 14-team configuration with the return of West Aurora along with UEC newcomers Ridgewood, Elmwood Park, and Riverside-Brookfield.

When it was all wrapped up at West Chicago’s Memorial Field it would be the new and former member Blackhawks taking top team honors with 132 points to nab their first league crown since their last year in the UEC back in 2019.

Four-time reigning Upstate Eight champ Glenbard East (98 points) came in second, followed by Bartlett (74 points), South Elgin (72.3 points) and East Aurora (63 points) to round out the top five.

“Our girls this year are very good,” West Aurora coach Rapher Ryan said. “It is a change coming from the SPC (Southwest Prairie Conference). The girls are just phenomenal. They’re working hard (and) getting after it. There’s a lot of great competition (and) they are putting on a great show.”

Junior Dedra Taite helped pave the way for West as she took the top spot in the 100 (15.99) and 300 hurdles (48.56). She was also a member of the winning 4x100 (50.09) and the 4x200 (1:46.19) relay units.

She spoke of entering a distraction-free mental zone as a way of countering temperatures that dropped into the low 40s as the evening progressed.

“Honestly, I feel like the weather doesn’t really affect me because I’ve gotten used to running (in) the cold,” Taite said with a laugh.

“So today I was like you know what, it felt great.”

The Blackhawks also got wins from juniors Itzel Figueroa (2:24.48) in the 800 and Samantha Zaragoza (4-11.75) in the high jump plus a victory in the night’s final event, the 4x400 relay (4.18.20).

Senior Mackenzie Fodrey took top honors in both the pole vault (10 feet) and the long jump (17-5.5) to lead the Rams as the Southern Illinois signee stayed true to her formula of staying focused.

“When I’m on the runway, I don’t see my parents, I don’t see my friends, I see me (and) what I need to do and I see my coach,” Fodrey said.

“Really, you need to practice like you want to perform.”

Bartlett senior Esther Sangobowale triumphed in both the discus (99-9) and the shot put (34-8.5).

In her repeat win in the 3,200 (11:09.53), Streamwood senior Sophia Baumert credited her ability to power through windy track conditions.

“I was really focused (not) burning through a bar of energy,” said Baumert, an Illinois State recruit.

“Then (on) the second straightaway I was really focused on accelerating and using the wind to my advantage. It feels really nice.”

Her bid for a three-peat in the 1,600 fell short as she was passed by South Elgin freshman Caitlin Wennerstrom (5:15.25) in the final lap.

East Aurora senior Alyssa Adeoti also triple-triumphed with wins in the 100 (12.86), 200 (26.54), and 400 (1:00.94).

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250508/girls-track-and-field/girls-track-and-field-west-aurora-makes-triumphant-return-to-upstate-eight/