April 29, 2024
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Girls track and field: Huntley puts a ring on its state championship season

Red Raiders won 2023 Class 3A team state championship

By Joe Stevenson
Huntley's Class 3A girls track and field state champions, showing off their state title rings: (from left) Ally Panzloff, Breanna Burak, Vicky Evtimov, Dominique Johnson, K'Leigh Saenz, Brittney Burak, Sophie Amin, Alex Johnson, Sienna Robertson, Abbie Williams and Addison Busam.

Huntley's Class 3A girls track and field state champions, showing off their state title rings: (from left) Ally Panzloff, Breanna Burak, Vicky Evtimov, Dominique Johnson, K'Leigh Saenz, Brittney Burak, Sophie Amin, Alex Johnson, Sienna Robertson, Abbie Williams and Addison Busam.

HUNTLEY – Huntley did not talk much about bringing home a team trophy from the 2022 IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet.

But for months before the 2023 season, winning a trophy was pretty much all that consumed the Red Raiders. And not just any trophy.

“We were working not just to get a trophy, we were working for greatness,” said sprinter-jumper Alex Johnson, a 2023 graduate. “We worked to win it all.”

We were working not just to get a trophy, we were working for greatness. We worked to win it all.”

—  Alex Johnson, 2023 Huntley graduate

Huntley won the Class 3A team state championship with 62 1/2 points, 10 1/2 ahead of runner-up Prospect, to join the Raiders’ 2019 softball team as the school’s only team state champions. They are the only boys or girls track team in McHenry County history to win a state title.

On Saturday evening at Red Raider Stadium, 11 of the 12 state-qualifying girls and their five coaches received their state championship rings. Sprinter Emmy Byers was unable to attend and will get her ring later.

Huntley got a taste of being close in 2022 when it finished fifth.

“We knew after last year, it was a great year, but there was a sense of disappointment,” Raiders coach Jason Monson said. “They knew coming in this year it was going to be a little different. Last year we never really talked about a state trophy, we told them they could do great things. This year we were a lot more direct, ‘This is what we’re going for. This is what the goal should be.’ "

Sprinter K’Leigh Saenz, who will be a senior, said the Raiders’ motivation showed in their work.

“It made us push the hardest we’ve ever pushed,” Saenz said. “It made us commit harder than we ever have before. It made us do everything more than we’ve ever done it before. We truly, truly devoted everything we had.”

The rings cost $375 each and every athlete was able to personalize their ring with an inscription inside.

Here is a close-up of one of Huntley's girls track and field state championship rings.

Here is a close-up of one of Huntley's girls track and field state championship rings.

Alex Johnson, who will compete at Arizona State, won the long jump for the third consecutive year, while her sophomore sister Dominique won the triple jump. Ally Panzloff, who will play volleyball at Brown, won the discus.

The Johnsons, Saenz and Vicky Evtimov took second in the 4x100 relay and third in the 4x200. Alex Johnson was triple jump runner-up and Dominique Johnson was fifth in long jump. Breanna Burak also took fifth in the 3,200 meters.

The other state qualifiers who received their rings were Sophie Amin, Brittney Burak, Addison Busam, Sienna Robertson and Abbie Williams. Monson’s assistant coaches are Jennifer Garza, Zack Borring, Brad Gallaugher and Tim Essig.

The Raiders have gotten together a few times since state, usually with the state championship trophy, which is nicknamed “Baby” in tow.

Huntley's Class 3A Girls Track and Field Meet state championship trophy, affectionately referred to by the team as "Baby."

Huntley's Class 3A Girls Track and Field Meet state championship trophy, affectionately referred to by the team as "Baby."

“It’s crazy. I love my entire team so much,” Dominique Johnson said. “The fact that we came together and did this was amazing. Every time we come together it’s like celebrated and it feels better.”

The offseason workouts started with open gyms in early November, during which the Raiders lifted weights and worked on running mechanics and acceleration.

“It was awesome,” Brittney Burak said. “It was a crazy experience. Having teammates this supportive and goal-oriented was nice.”