Doubt started to sink in for Prairie Ridge’s Anneke Dam at the start of the 800-meter race at the Class 2A Johnsburg Girls Track and Field Sectional.

Turns out, the speedy sophomore had little to worry about Wednesday.

Dam placed first in the event for the second season in a row, and the up-and-coming Wolves took second overall, just 10 points back of champion Rockford Boylan.

Dam ran to first place in the 800 in 2:18.91 and was one of two champs for Prairie Ridge. Junior Jessie Merritt finished first in the high jump with a sectional-winning leap of 1.54 meters (5 feet, ½ inches).

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Johnsburg's Carly Duck sets a personal best in the pole vault during the IHSA Class 2A Johnsburg Girls Track and Field Sectional Meet on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Johnsburg High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver — Shaw Media)

Dam also anchored a pair of state-qualifying relays.

“At first, I wasn’t really sure about it (the 800), because I took out my (4x800) really fast,” said Dam, who placed 25th in the 800 at last year’s state meet as a freshman.

“Really, I was just running to qualify, compete and have fun. But, yeah, I still really wanted to get first.”

Prairie Ridge was second with 83 points, trailing only Boylan (93). Richmond-Burton (70) placed third, Johnsburg (57) tied for fifth, Woodstock (41) took eighth and Marengo (31) was 10th.

Marian Central (28), up from 1A to 2A this season, was 11th, Harvard (26.5) was 12th and Woodstock North (17) was 14th.

Prairie Ridge received a second-place finish from freshman Maia Lancaster in the 3,200 (11:30.92), and fellow freshman Anna Baade placed runner-up in the 400 with a personal-best time of 1:00.59.

Emmie Foster, Maggie Marchyshyn, Genevieve Torgerson and Dam finished third in the 4x800 (10:06.47) to qualify for state, and the 4x400 team of Maddie O’Reilly, Torgerson, Baade and Dam took fifth in 4:12.83 to advance.

Lancaster was feeling under the weather leading up to her first sectional.

“I was just getting over a cold so it felt really difficult, but I’m happy with how it ended,” Lancaster said. “I just wanted to get to state. I’m so happy because I knew that I could do it. I was seeded third and I just wanted to go out and not leave the girl in second, not have her get too far out of my eyesight.

“I’m really excited about the experience (of state) and going with some of my favorite people.”

Richmond-Burton freshman Sophie Nelson placed first in the long jump at 5.11 meters (16-9.25), beating teammate Sophia Komar, a senior, who jumped 5.04 meters (16-6.5) to take second.

“I was very happy when I found out I won,” Nelson said. “And I was really happy (Komar) qualified. When I first started jumping, I looked up to her and wanted to be like her. I like to be with her because she’s really helped me in learning how to jump better.”

The Rockets’ 4x800 relay of Madelyn Peterie, London Oudshoorn, Khloe Lundy and Emerson Wold finished runner-up, one spot ahead of Prairie Ridge, in 10:03.34 to advance to state.

Komar placed second in the triple jump (10.77 meters; 35-4) to qualify and junior Emily Wisniewski was third in the 100 hurdles (16.45) and 300 hurdles (48.42) to move on.

“My freshman year I fell in the race, and last year I disqualified myself by false-starting so this really means a lot,” Wisniewski said. “I’ve been going for this for the past three years.”

Johnsburg senior Carly Duck won the pole vault at 3.2 meters (10-6), breaking her own school record. Senior Hope Klosowicz finished first in the 400 (58.89 seconds) and sophomore Stori Hurckes finished second in the shot put (10.97 meters; 36-0) to qualify for state. Sophomore Clara Nicoline was fourth in the 3,200 with a personal-best time of 11:43.15.

Summer Toussaint, Kailey Delulio, Abby Lane and Klosowicz took third in the 4x400 (4:09.85) to advance.

“My goal was just to qualify for state, so breaking a record was just like a cherry on top,” Duck said. “I joined track my sophomore year. I did volleyball before that. The track coach found out I used to do gymnastics, and he wanted a girl pole vaulter because there was none. When I tried it, I liked it.

“My first year and second year, I improved a lot but I was inconsistent. This year, I finally have been more consistent and haven’t gotten anything under nine feet this whole season.”

Klosowicz said she was happiest to advance to state with her relay teammates.

“We’ve ran with that group only one other time this year, so we’re all super happy to go down to state together,” Klosowicz said.

Marian Central will send its 4x400 team of Jenna Remke, Lainey Remke, Gabriella Lee and Addie Leitzen, which took second with a season-best 4:09.43. Leitzen, a sophomore, also made it in the triple jump, taking third (10.63 meters; 34-10.5).

“We did not think we’d have a great shot (at moving on in the 4x400) until last week and came close to the time,” said Leitzen, who took 10th in the triple jump at last year’s Class 1A state meet. “It’s really cool to go to state as a relay, especially because all of them are my good friends.”

Marengo senior Olivia Walter took second in the 100 hurdles (16.42) to qualify for state, while Ava Frederick, Caelan Nolen, Walter and Mikayla Barry took fourth in the 4x400 (4:10.37) to advance to state.

“We have worked so hard all week to cut our time down. Last time we ran a 4:14, and that’s one second from state qualifying time, so we knew we had to push to really get it,” Walter said. “It was crazy and felt so good.”

Woodstock senior Mia Foss took fourth in the triple jump (10.59 meters; 34-9) to qualify; Woodstock North senior Lauren Bieszczad was runner-up in the high jump, qualifying for state with a jump of 1.49 meters (4-10.5); and Harvard senior Ella Martin made it in the 300 hurdles with a runner-up finish in 47.63 seconds.