IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet: Huntley sends 6 entries to Class 3A finals

Huntley’s Dominique Johnson is virtually guaranteed a repeat as Class 3A triple jump state champion.

The Red Raiders junior went 12.25 meters (40 feet, 2 1/4 inches) on her second attempt in Friday’s preliminaries at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet.

Johnson also sits in third place in the long jump at 5.62 (18-5 1/4), less than 3 inches out of first, going into Saturday’s finals at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium.

Neuqua Valley’s Gabi Karvelis went 11.80 (38-8.75) and sits in second in the 3A triple jump. Her personal-best jump is 39-2 1/2.

Johnson, hurdler-sprinter Sophie Amin and sprinter Vicky Evtimov lead the Raiders’ charge as they try to repeat at team state champions, as well.

Huntley also sent Amin (100 high hurdles); Sienna Robertson (discus); the 4x100 team of Amin, Emmy Byers, K’Leigh Saenz and Evtimov; and the 4x200 team of Johnson, Byers, Saenz and Evtimov to the finals.

In Class 2A, Johnsburg’s Caitlyn Casella qualified in the 100 and 200, while the Skyhawks’ Lila Duck made it in the long jump.

Prairie Ridge’s Katie Jewell (100) and the 4x800 team (Olivia McPherson, Lila Stewart, Brenna Benjamin and Faith Wilder) will compete in the finals.

Woodstock North’s Ashley Janeczko advanced in both throws.

Woodstock’s Hallie Steponaitis will be going for her third state high jump medal. The Blue Streaks’ Amina Idris made the 300 low hurdles finals and Anna Crenshaw qualified in shot put.

Richmond-Burton’s Sahanna Doherty advanced in the triple jump.

Huntley’s Amin tied for the second-fastest qualifying time in the 100 high hurdles with a 14.36, just off her best time of 14.34 in last week’s Huntley Sectional. Conant’s Daisha Brunson (14.12) had the fastest time, and Palatine’s Aisha Kazeem was tied with Amin.

Robertson is in fifth place at 38.48 (126-3). Robertson has the best throw in the state this season, but fouled twice in the prelims.

Evtimov ran her career-best 24.66 in the 200, but missed the finals by one spot in 10th.

The Raiders 4x100 team had the second-fastest qualifying time at 46.95. The 4x200 team qualified in 1:39.16, the fastest time in the prelims.

Johnson was runner-up to her sister Alex in triple as a freshman, then switched places with her last season.

“I was going in confident for triple, I know what I can do and know where everyone else has been,” she said. “I want to come out and get a good mark early tomorrow. I want to hit 42 (feet).

“If I can hit 19 in long jump, I can win. I want to get a (personal record) and I’ll be in the race. (The state team race) is stressful, but exciting.”

Casella has had a brilliant senior season after missing the 100 finals by one spot as a junior. Duck sits in fourth place in the long jump at 5.06 (16-7 1/4).

“It went pretty well,” Casella said. “The time in the 100 (12.25) wasn’t the best, but the air was very heavy and foggy. My 200 time was a PR by two-tenths of a second. What pushed me was the girl in my sectional (North Chicago’s Rege Cooper-Smith). We were really close (at the sectional) and she was in the lane outside of me. I ran against her and knew how she ran. We were fighting in seciontal and wanted to get ahead of her.”

Janeczko unleashed her career-best shot put at 11.74 (38-6 1/4) and is in third place going into the finals. She got the final spot in the 12-competitor discus finals.

“(The shot put) was a big jump from my last (personal record),” said Janeczko, who took ninth last season. “I just was saying, ‘I have to throw far, just took a breath and gave it my all.’ As soon as I released knew it was going to be. a good one. I’m super grateful and excited about tomorrow.”

Janeczko sweated it out in the discus until she learned she was in.

“It wasn’t my best throw, but my first was a scratch,” she said. “We were watching it very close on the phone to see if I would make it.”