2022 Northwest Herald girls track and field preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Burlington Central

Coach: Vince Neil (16th season)

Last year’s finish: FVC champion

Top returning athletes: Paige Greenhagel, jr. (sprints, HJ, LJ); Izzy Solomon, sr. (sprints); Brooke Reynolds, sr. (sprints, hurdles); Nina Tomko, jr. (sprints, hurdles); Tia Brennan, jr. (sprints, PV); Corryn Kester, so. (distances); Kenzie Andersen, so. (sprints); Amanda Melton, sr. (throws); Tiana Foreman, jr. (throws)

Top new athletes: Abby Burke, fr. (distances); Alyssa Bognetti, so. (hurdles, jumps)

Worth noting: Brooke Backocy won the Class 2A 300-meter low hurdles, joining Carissa Wallace (Class A, 1996, 1997) as the only individual state champs in school history. Barkocy graduated and now runs at NCAA Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State. Carolina Hintz, who also graduated, was state runner-up in discus. … But the Rockets return plenty of athletes with state experience. Andersen ran on the fourth-place 4x400 team, and Greenhagel was with the 4x200 team that took ninth in state. Solomon and Reynolds also were state qualifiers in sprint relays, and Kester qualified with the Rockets’ 4x800 team. … Brennan was FVC pole vault champion. … “We have a very young team that will improve week by week,” Neil said. “I am expecting some special things down the competitive stretch of the IHSA season.”

Cary-Grove

Coach: Mark Anderson (22nd season)

Last year’s finish: Fourth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Tori Logan, sr. (sprints); Lindsey Kownick, jr. (sprints); Maggie Groos, jr. (throws); Jocelyn Onstot, jr. (distances); Juliana Ferrara, jr. (sprints); Mya Bajramovic, sr. (hurdles); Lauren Goldberg, sr. (sprints)

Top new athletes: Savannah Morgan, sr. (sprints); Sophie Vongsiri, jr. (sprints); Annika Nordin, jr. (throws)

Worth noting: Anderson feels like the Trojans have better balance than last year’s team and will score both on the track and in the field events. … Onstot had a breakout season in cross country and was a Northwest Herald All-Area first-team selection.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Brett Willhoit (seventh season)

Last year’s finish: 10th in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Riley Root, sr. (sprints); Avery Munn, sr. (jumps); Emma Macke, so. (distances)

Top new athletes: Annie Ferrero, jr., (distances); Brynn Matthei, fr. (distances); Abbey Zalatel, so. (sprints, jumps)

Worth noting: The Tigers are young, and Willhoit is in the process of finding events for them to find personal and team success. … “We are looking forward to a more normal season this year, focusing on competing and trying to set personal records,” Willhoit said.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Matt Dunker (11th season)

Last year’s finish: Seventh in the FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Ashley Ciezadlo, sr. (jumps, sprints); Jacky Buehler, sr. (distances); Addie Frisch, sr. (distances); Bella Gonzalez, jr. (distances); Abby Machesky, so. (distances); Ava Freund, so. (throws); Divine Arellano, sr. (jumps)

Top new athletes: Maggie Mueller, sr. (throws); Gracelyn Gabel, sr. (sprints)

Worth noting: The Gators’ strength will be in distance events with the top runners from the cross country team that finished second in the Class 2A Cross Country State Meet. Gonzalez led South, taking ninth place. She and Machesky were Northwest Herald All-Area first-team picks, and Frisch made second team. … Gonzalez won the FVC 3,200 last year, while Ciezadlo (TJ) and Machesky (800) were FVC runners-up.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Christine Hopkins-Muehl (10th season)

Last year’s finish: Eighth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Emily Valencia, sr. (sprints, jumps); Gabriella Myslo, sr. (distances); Pundit Tetteh, sr. (distances); Tealyn Kamp, sr. (throws); Jayleen Cordero, sr. (jumps, throws); Paulina Tinajero, jr. (sprints, jumps); Perla Vargas, jr. (sprints); Daisy Guzman, jr. (sprints); Kaylee Brodie, jr. (distances); Lydia Anderson (sprints); Itzel Gerardo, jr. (sprints, jumps, throws); Valerie Ortega, so. (sprints); Grace Bourbon, so. (PV); Yvonne Castro, so. (distances); Sarah Bernstein, so. (hurdles)

Top new athletes: Marisa Klaas, fr. (jumps, hurdles, PV); Oliwia Drozdz, fr. (sprints); Morriah Jenkins, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Kamp finished third in the FVC discus and sixth in the shot put last season and qualified for state in discus. … Tinajero was third in the FVC triple jump and has the D-C school record. … “We are hoping to make gradual improvements each and every meet,” Hopkins-Muehl said. “We are trying to foster a mindset of commitment, cooperation and improvement.”

Hampshire

Coach: Joe Watzlawick (second season)

Last year’s finish: Ninth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Karolina Ryzka, sr. (HJ, sprints); Naomi Jones, sr. (sprints); Grace Harris, jr. (sprints); Vivienne Hughes, sr. (LJ, PV); Ashley Herzing, so. (sprints)

Top new athletes: Hailey Caraway, fr. (HJ); Julia Vonic, so. (hurdles); Hudson Szymonik, fr. (distances); Charity Hartsfield, fr. (LJ)

Worth noting: Jones took fourth in the FVC 400 last season. … “We have a good group of young athletes this year, so the future looks bright,” Watzlawick said.

Huntley

Coach: Jason Monson (third season)

Last year’s finish: Second in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Alex Johnson, jr. (sprints, LJ, TJ); Melissa Aninagyei-Bonsu, sr. (sprints, TJ, LJ); Breanna Burak, jr. (distances); Sophie Amin, so. (hurdles, sprints); Vicky Evtimov, so. (sprints); Jessie Ozzauto, jr. (sprints); Sammi Campanelli, jr. (sprints); Brittney Burak, jr. (distances); Paige Tenuto, sr. (HJ): Molly Allen, jr. (distances); Genevieve Collatz, sr. (distances); Taylor Casey, so. (hurdles); Gabby Whitfield, jr. (PV); Gianna Dehart, so. (HJ)

Top new athletes: Dominique Johnson, fr. (sprints, LJ, TJ); Emmy Byers, fr. (sprints); Anna Campanelli, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Alex Johnson won the Class 3A long jump last year at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet with her career-best jump of 19-5. She also took sixth in the 100. … She’s back, and her little sister Dominique is right there with her in the LJ and TJ. They have some of the top indoor performances in the state. … Sammi Campanelli, Evtimov, Amin and Ozzauto were state qualifiers who return for the Red Raiders, who look to regain the FVC title they held three years previous to last season. … “We have some elite talent at the top of the leaderboards and the depth on our team will be a real strength,” Monson said. “This is a team with high aspirations for getting multiple athletes and relays to the state meet and putting multiple athletes on the medal stand.”

Jacobs

Coach: Kala Penev (first season)

Last year’s finish: Sixth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Kelly Carpenter, sr. (distances); Elisabeth Kania, sr. (distances); Addie Gorman, jr. (distances); Avery Mason, sr. (distances); Danielle Pouska, sr. (HJ, sprints); Amanda Schaffer, sr. (throws); Sarah Marrs, sr. (hurdles); Baylle Fee, jr. (jumps, sprints); Sabrina Macatangay, jr. (jumps, sprints); Natalia Maciorowski, jr. (jumps, sprints); Marissa Pautz, jr. (sprints); Ella Tamburrino, sr. (distances).

Top new athletes: Bailey Schwartz, fr. (distances); Madeline Osmanski, so. (distances); Kathleen Kania, fr. (distances); Skyler Herrmann, so. (jumps, hurdles); Jackie Then, fr. (jumps, sprints); Emily Orave, fr. (sprints); Chloe Bandurski, so. (jumps, sprints).

Worth noting: The Golden Eagles return all of their state-qualifying 4x800 team of Carpenter, Gorman, Kania and Mason. Schwartz was one of Jacobs’ top runner in cross country and gives the Eagles another strong distance athlete. … Jacobs was third in the FVC Indoor Meet. … “We have a lot of young talent and our veterans are strong leaders paving the way,” Penev said.

McHenry

Coach: Kyle Owens (11th season)

Last year’s finish: Fifth place in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Paige Bogenski, jr. (HJ, PV); Molara Fashola, so. (sprints); Kelly Huerta, so. (sprints); Danielle Jensen, so. (distances); Breanna Kelley, sr. (sprints); Alyssa Moore, jr. (distances); Payton Stinger, jr. (sprints, distances); Mackenzie Sloan, so. (sprints); Alexandria Spencer, sr. (throws); Lydia Zancho, sr. (distances)

Top new athletes: Lauren Blake, fr. (distances); Gabi Grasser, fr. (LJ, sprints); Avery Stinger, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Owens thinks the sprint group will be a strength of the team with Fashola, Sloan and Huerta returning as three-quarters of a state-qualifying 4x200 team as freshmen. … Moore won the FVC 800 and was part of a 4x800 team that cracked 10 minutes indoors. … “We are still a young but well-rounded squad this year,” Owens said. “A point of emphasis this season is improving our field event groups to pick up some more points at the conference meet. We are hoping for a top-three finish in conference.”

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Sarah Long (fifth season)

Last year’s finish: Third in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Rylee Lydon, jr. (sprints, HJ, LJ, hurdles); Bridget Jewell, sr. (sprints, distances); Rachel Soukup, jr. (distances); Haylee Yelle, sr. (sprints, LJ, PV); Molly Willis, jr. (sprints, TJ); Beata Helland, jr. (throws); Olivia McPherson, so. (distances); Anna Borg, so. (sprints, LJ)

Top new athletes: Kaitlyn Harmke, fr (sprints, LJ); Katie Jewell, fr. (sprints, TJ)

Worth noting: Lydon won the Class 3A 400 meters at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet, the school’s first state title in the sport for either girls or boys. She almost won the high jump title as well. She also may try the long jump and hurdles this year. … Soukup and McPherson were half of the Wolves’ FVC 4x800 champion team. Soukup also was FVC 1,600 runner-up and finished 12th in state in that race. She was seventh in the Class 2A Cross Country State Meet in the fall. … “We’re so excited to have a normally scheduled season this year,” Long said. “The team came out swinging so far with a first-place finish at the Grayslake Central [Indoor] Invite. We’re hopeful that’s an indicator of good things to come for the outdoor season.”

Kishwaukee River Conference

Harvard

Coach: Casey Seyller (17th season)

Last year’s finish: Second in KRC Meet

Top returning athletes: Nicole Garcia, sr. (throws); Abby Perkins, sr. (PV); Julia Chupich, sr. (sprints, TJ); Grace Latterell, so. (sprints, PV); Brenna Uppleger, jr. (sprints, LJ); Christina Koleno, jr. (sprints); Anahi Jimenez, jr. (sprints); Asha Billstrand, jr. (sprints, HJ); Natalie Gutierrez, jr. (sprints, PV); Jaclyn McMillan, jr. (hurdles, HJ)

Top new athletes: Madison Butts, jr. (sprints, LJ): Katelyn Duber, jr. (hurdles, TJ)

Worth noting: The Hornets return multiple state qualifiers off a team that took second in the KRC Meet. Perkins (PV) and Uppleger (LJ) won KRC titles and were Class 2A state qualifiers. … Koleno ran on KRC champion 4x800 and 4x400 relay teams. Jimenez and McMillan were on the 4x800 team, while Chupich and Billstrand were on the 4x400, which also went to state. … Latterell also was a state qualifier in pole vault with Perkins. … “We have more depth than in the past and hope to continue with another strong state-qualifying group,” Seyller said. “We took down three outdoor school records last year and have five indoor records already this year. It will be fun seeing what we can accomplish.”

Johnsburg

Coach: Tom Weaver (10th season)

Last year’s finish: Third in KRC Meet

Top returning athletes: Chloe Benz, sr. (throws); Jill Meyer, so. (hurdles); Caitlyn Casella, so. (sprints); Anna Elfering, so. (throws); Rylee Harderson, so. (HJ, TJ); Myah Alvarez, so. (sprints)

Top new athletes: Emmy Wizceb, jr. (sprints, TJ); Jolene Cashmore, jr. (distances); Josie Barrett, fr. (hurdles, HJ); Kimmy Jablonski, fr. (sprints); Giada Miraldi, fr. (distances); Danielle Vallone, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Meyer won a Class 2A sectional title in the 100 high hurdles, and Casella won the KRC 200 and was runner-up in the 100. … Benz has looked strong in the shot put during the indoor season. … Weaver looks forward to the addition of some of Johnsburg’s Class 1A state cheerleading championship team to help the Skyhawks improve. “This is a very talented group of girls that could surprise some people,” Weaver said.

Marengo

Coach: Bob Fecarotta (eighth season)

Last year’s finish: Fourth in KRC Meet

Top returning athletes: Lauren Snelgrove, sr. (distances); Ruby Escorza, sr. (distances); Gianna Almeida, jr. (sprints, jumps); Michaela Almeida, jr. (sprints, jumps); Alexa Calbow, jr. (sprints)

Top new athletes: Amanda Harris, so. (sprints); Nikole Czepczynski, fr. (distances)

Worth noting: Michaela Almeida cleared 5-3 for second in the KRC high jump and qualified for Class 2A state. … Escorza was the KRC 3,200 champion. … More than half of the team are freshmen or sophomores. “We’re excited about the future and the challenges it brings,” Fecarotta said.

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Ryan Carlson (sixth season)

Last year’s finish: Fifth in KRC Meet

Top returning athletes: Lilly Alberts, sr. (sprints); Angelina Gersch, jr. (hurdles, HJ); Emily Farmer, sr. (sprints, LJ); Amanda Allport, sr. (distances); Joni Jindra, sr. (throws)

Top new athletes: Angelina Hartman, fr. (hurdles, LJ); Lillian Woods, fr. (hurdles, sprints); Anika Frable (sprints, hurdles); Elissa Furlan, fr. (sprints, LJ); Maggie Uhwat, so. (TJ, HJ); Sahanna Doherty, so. (sprints, LJ); Alexia Spatz, fr. (distances)

Worth noting: Alberts, Allport and Farmer will anchor the Rockets team. Alberts was a state qualifier as a freshman. … “Richmond-Burton has been working hard to develop multiple-sport athletes and the track team has benefited from these young athletes trying a new sport,” Carlson said. “We’ve already experienced some early success in the indoor season.”

Woodstock

Coach: Jon Brown (third season)

Last year’s finish: KRC champion

Top returning athletes: Emily Albrecht, sr. (sprints, jumps); Kierstin Carey, so. (hurdles, sprints); Olivia Dozier, sr. (throws); Ireland Dunnett, sr. (distances); Amelia Ferrarini, sr. (sprints); Betsy Gessert, sr. (hurdles, sprints); Cayla Hertzog, sr. (throws); Ava Primus, sr. (throws); Sophia Raymond, sr. (sprints, throws); Aby Smith, jr. (distances); Hallie Steponaitis, so. (HJ, sprints); Adriana Bowers, jr. (PV); Jackie Castaneda, sr. (jumps); Ella White, so. (sprints, jumps)

Top new athletes: Kiera Bogott, fr. (distances); Corrine Burres, fr. (distances); Savannah Griffin, fr. (jumps, hurdles); Kendell Carey, fr. (distances); Lilly Starkey, jr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Steponaitis finished fourth in the Class 2A high jump and was the KRC champion. … Hertzog won the KRC discus and shot put and qualified for state in both events. … Steponaitis, Albrecht, Ferrarini and White, who won the KRC 4x200 relay, all return. … The Streaks lost sophomore Maggie Adams to a knee injury. She would have been their top distance runner. … “The girls have worked extremely hard and smart all offseason,” Brown said. “I am looking forward to watching them progress throughout the spring.”

Woodstock North

Coach: Cas Creighton (10th season)

Last year’s finish: Sixth in KRC Meet

Top returning athletes: Lexi Hansen, so. (HJ, sprints); Dani Hansen, so. (HJ, TJ, PV, sprints); Bella Borta, so. (hurdles, sprints); Hailey Drach, so. (distances); Alejandra Diaz, sr. (sprints, SP)

Top new athletes: Jadyn Grismer, fr. (hurdles, sprints); Ashley Janeczko, so. (throws); Brenna McConnell, so. (throws)

Worth noting: Lexi Hansen qualified for state in the Class 2A high jump and was third in the KRC. … The low number of athletes will make it tough for the Thunder to thrive as a team but will look more for individual accomplishments. … “We have some returning individuals as well as new athletes who have shown lots of potential,” Creighton said. “We are looking forward to watching our young team grow this season.”

East Suburban Catholic Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Steve Thomas (first season)

Last year’s finish: Third in ESCC Meet

Top returning athletes: Bella Zecchin, jr. (sprints, jumps); Lily Bures, jr. (sprints, jumps); Mia Reiche, so. (sprints, jumps); Maddie Miller, sr. (sprints, jumps); Emma Weber, so. (hurdles); Lily Plomero, sr. (distances); Selia McManus, sr. (distances)

Top new athletes: Kaitlyn Remke, fr (distances); Gianna Stahl, fr. (distances); Monika Sands, fr. (sprints, jumps)

Worth noting: The Hurricanes have had a long run of strong sprinters and jumpers. Zecchin, Bures and Reiche were state qualifiers. Zecchin ran on the the Hurricanes’ 4x100 and 4x200 relays, which both took medals in the Class 2A state meet. Bures also ran on the 4x200 team. … Dominique Thomas, the new coach’s daughter, now runs at NCAA Division I Milwaukee after winning four medals at state last year. … “We are hoping some of our underclassmen [Stahl and Remke] and [Miller] can give us more depth at middle distance and distance races,” Thomas said. “That will be what we need to compete at the highest levels again. I’m excited to see who steps up as our leader this year with the loss of key seniors.”

Northeastern Athletic Conference

Alden-Hebron

Coach: Miguel Gil-Reyes (second season)

Last year’s finish: No conference meet last season

Top returning athletes: Cindy Carbajal, sr. (LJ, sprints); Sandra Valdez, sr. (LJ,sprints); Evelyn Heber, so. (LJ, sprints)

Top new athletes: Rileigh Gaddini, fr. (throws, sprints)