York junior Lainey Paul has aspirations of returning to the Class 3A girls track and field state meet as a pole vaulter.

To strengthen her approach, York head coach and pole vault coach Amy Lichon increased the sprint work in Paul’s training.

“Pole vault really comes down to speed, strength and form. [Lichon] has been helping me utilize my speed to get higher vaults,” Paul said.

Paul has improved from 10 feet to 10-9 and is past the 10-3 state-qualifying standard.

At their field house March 17, the Dukes won the indoor West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet for the first time since 2005. Besides winning pole vault at 10-9, Paul was second in the 55-meter dash (7.38) and won the 200 (25.73) in the next-to-last event. York (120 points) edged defending champion Hinsdale Central (118) by two points after the final event, the 4x40 relay.

While the Red Devils dominated the relay, York’s Brooke Berger, Maggie Owens, Margaret Maston and Morgan Navarre pulled out a second-place finish by 1.23 seconds. If not for that effort, the teams would have tied.

“The conference meet was so exciting. We knew that we were close to winning, but the outcome was not determined until the final race,” Paul said. “I was so proud to be a part of this team. None of us knew how long it had been since we won, so when we learned that fact, it became even more thrilling.”

The victory climaxed a record-setting indoor season by Paul and the Dukes. Paul’s 25.73 in the 200 was an indoor school record that improved upon her record-setting 26.59 on Feb. 23. Paul also set indoor school records in the 55 (7.37 on Feb. 17) and twice with Navarre, Ariana Fraser and Katelyn Pratt in the 4x200 relay (1:45.77 on Feb. 17 and March 10).

Navarre, a freshman, set the school’s all-time 300 mark (41.78), an event competed only indoors, in winning that event and the 400 (1:00.72) at the indoor Silver Meet. York’s previous 55 and 300 records by Lauren Lynch had stood since 1983 and 1984, respectively. Alex Harrell’s 200 record was from 2012.

“The record that I am happiest about is the 4x200 relay. Working with three teammates to make history was awesome,” Paul said.

Paul feels the turning point for her improvement came in April 2022, when York runners were invited to compete at the Oregon Relays in Eugene after the Dukes’ 2021 Class 3A girls cross country state championship. The group included seniors Bria Bennis (Vanderbilt) and Berger (Kentucky) and juniors Pratt, Owens and Katherine Klimek.

Paul then reached her first state meet in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays.

This offseason, she trained five days a week with Niko Karavolos at Ignite Fitness & Athletics in Elmhurst.

“[The Oregon Relays] inspired me to do everything I could to get to the next level. After last season, I made a decision to get better every day,” Paul said.

Tops in the state

Area athletes were among the top-rated personal-best performances this indoor season, according to Athletic.net.

Hinsdale Central’s Aden Bandukwala, Michael Skora, Grant Miller and Dan Watcke had the nation’s No. 1 4x800 relay time (7:43.82). Watcke was third nationally in the 800 (1:49.59).

York was No. 2 for Illinois in the 4x200 relay (1:30.40) with Payton Noble, Joey Valeski, Luke Mailander and Cash Langley and No. 4 in the 4x400 relay (3:28.18) with Valeski, Noble, Aidan Hill and Danny Karnatz. In the 4x800 relay, Downers Grove North’s Ryan Eddington, Caden Weber, Grant Schroder and Zach Bender (8:00.97) and Glenbard West’s Chuck Halden, Tim Meehan, Anthony Nitti and Owen Reifel (8:06.74) were Nos. 4 and 5. Fenwick senior Grayden Rill was No. 5 in the 1,600 (4:19.47).

For Class 3A girls teams, York’s Bria Bennis (10:41.46) and Lyons Township’s Catherine Sommerfeld (10:45.58) were Nos. 3 and 5 for the 3,200 and Downers North’s 4x800 relay of Ava Gilley, Sydney Hnatiuk, Sarah Paul and Lily Eddington (9:29.72) was No. 4. Hinsdale Central’s Catie McCabe was No. 4 in the 800 (2:13.90) and ran on the Red Devils’ No. 2 4x800 relay with Sarah Skora, Sarah Fischer and Mai-Jeanna Sakho (9:27.26) and No. 5 4x400 relay with Pola Dygon, Skora and Lily Hodneland (4:02.98).

Among Class 2A competitors, Montini senior Jayden Leise (13.35 meters/43 feet, 9 1/2 inches in triple jump) ranked No. 3 for boys. Benet’s Louisa Diamond (10:57.77 in 3,200) and Nazareth’s Colette Kinsella (5:05.02 in 1,600) were No. 4 for girls.

IC Catholic high jumper AJ Walsh (1.98m/6-6) was No. 2 among 1A boys.