Prairie Ridge's Anneke Dam (800 run) and Jessie Merritt (high jump), Jacobs' Lennox Szymonik (1,600) and Johnsburg's Hope Klosowicz all qualified Friday for Saturday's state finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The IHSA girls track and field state championships run Thursday-Saturday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Here is the full list of state qualifiers from the Northwest Herald area.

Sycamore, Kaneland, Genoa-Kingston, Sandwich, St. Viator, Plano, Crystal Lake South, Dixon, Rochelle, and Carmel are among the teams that took part in the Class 2A girls track sectional Friday at Genoa-kingston High School.

Huntley finished first in four events and won the IHSA Class 3A Belvidere North girls track sectional title. It's the fifth straight title for the Red Raiders. Hampshire, Jacobs, Cary-Grove, Burlington Central, McHenry and Crystal Lake Central all qualified events for state.

Up-and-coming Prairie Ridge had two individual champs and finished runner-up to Boylan, while Richmond-Burton, Johnsburg, Woodstock, Marengo, Marian Central, Harvard and Woodstock North each advanced individuals from the Class 2A Johnsburg Girls Track and Field Sectional.

Local athletes compete the IHSA Class 2A Johnsburg Girls Track and Field Sectional Meet on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Johnsburg High School.

Here are the IHSA sectional assignments for McHenry County-area girls track and field teams.

The Fox Valley Conference girls track and field championship will remain with Huntley. The Red Raiders claimed eight event victories and scored 153 points to earn their fifth straight conference title Thursday evening.

Local athletes compete in the Fox Valley Conference Girls Track and Field Meet on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Huntley High School.

Richmond-Burton, after losing last year's meet in the final race, held off Johnsburg to win the Kishwaukee River Conference Girls Track and Field championship on Tuesday.

Area athletes compete in the Kishwaukee River Conference Girls Track and Field Meet on Tuesday, May 5, 2025, at Woodstock High School.

Johnsburg's Hope Klosowicz stood out in a loaded McHenry County Girls Track and Field Meet field and was named Girls Athlete of the Meet, winning the 200 and 400 and placing runner-up in the 100. Klosowicz is the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

Oswego East won its third consecutive boys title at the Palatine Relays while Hersey fended off York to win the girls crown in a tightly contested battle.

Huntley paced the field with 98 team points, placing first in the overall competition at the 48th annual Tiger Invitational at Wheaton Warrenville South on Friday evening.

Area athletes compete in the McHenry County Track and Field Meet on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at McCracken Field in McHenry.

Margaret Andrzejewski won the 1,600 and Abby Yarusso the 3,200, and St. Francis also won the 4x800 and 4x400 relays to take fourth place at the Schaumburg Invitational. Dundee-Crown sophomore Clara Meier took the title in the discus

The Naperville North girls came from behind to win its own Gus Scott Invite, while Cary-Grove placed second and Waubonsie Valley and Wheaton Warrenville South tied for third.

The girls track and field season starts this week. Here are five athletes to watch this season in the Northwest Herald area.