Girls track & field: Area athletes bring home hardware in 1A state finals

BV, Forreston-Polo, Fulton, Erie-Prophetstown all have top-five finishers in Charleston

Fulton’s Grade Dykstar grabs the baton from Annaka Hackett in the 4x200 race Saturday, May 20, 2023 during the IHSA state track and field finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

CHARLESTON – Bureau Valley senior Jillian Hulsing was just happy to get a chance to compete at the state meet in her final season with the Storm.

She never imagined she’d end up in fourth place in the high jump.

After moving into the finals as one of 14 jumpers at 1.55 meters, she matched that leap in the finals, and thanks to fewer misses, brought home the fourth-place medal.

“I was just happy to be here in the first place. I didn’t think I’d make it this far or finish this high,” Hulsing said. “I got my PR, and I just felt good. My steps felt good, and it’s a beautiful day outside, too. I was nervous, had some butterflies. But I knew I made it this far, so I might as well just try my best.”

It was one of several medals won by area 1A athletes at the IHSA State Meet at O’Brien Field on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

Forreston-Polo junior Letrese Buisker medaled for the second straight year in the high jump, finishing fifth right behind Hulsing, also at 1.55 meters. She said her experience at state in 2022 was a huge help in how she performed this year.

“Staying calm was key. Being focused, being relaxed, not getting too nervous or overanxious. It was just staying calm and knowing that I’ve done this before, this is nothing new, just muscle memory,” she said. “It’s fifth place, so that’s nice. I wish I would’ve gotten higher, but everyone wishes that.”

Forreston’s Latrese Buisker competes in the 1A high jump competion during the IHSA State Track and Field Finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

Cardinals teammate Sydni Badertscher capped a comeback season with an eighth-place finish in the shot put. She suffered an arm injury in the offseason and spent three months unable to participate in any physical activity.

Still, her toss of 11.40 meters was a personal best, and showed just how far she’s come this spring.

“This year was a lot tougher than I ever expected. There was a lot of up and down, and I think this year was more of just getting back into it after hurting myself. It’s a lot more eye-opening to be injured and come out of that and realize what you lost from it,” Badertscher said. “It’s really a realization of how much more competition there is. I’m still happy with where I placed; I think I could’ve done better on my last throw, but you always think that.

“It’ll make a ton of difference to be able to work out this offseason. Last year, when I should’ve been pounding on those weights, I couldn’t because I had to rest for 12 weeks – and that’s a lot of time to just sit and do nothing. This summer, I’ll be able to get those workouts in and keep getting stronger.”

Erie-Prophetstown senior Brianna Neumiller finished her high school career on a high note, finishing fifth in the discus with a toss of 37.21 meters. She fought through a cold to improve one spot from her sixth seed entering finals.

“I feel OK, a little bit unsatisfied. I did get a PR, but I came down with a cold last night, so it was tough. It was a good throw, but I feel like I had more in the tank, though. But I’m happy with my placement,” she said. “Coming into state I was ranked 10th, and going into finals I was ranked sixth. So I beat someone out for one more spot. I had a really good experience this year, being my last year, so it was all very fun. I finished the year at state, so that was good.”

Fulton placed sixth in a bizarre 4x200 relay final. With two teams tying for the ninth finals spot – they had matching times down to the thousandth of a second in prelims – the race was run in two heats. The Steamers ran in the second heat, and put together four solid legs to secure the medal.

“A tie is so not normal, and it was crazy that we had that. And it kind of sucks because I was just sitting there just anticipating it, waiting and watching that first heat go. But it was still fine,” anchor Miraya Pessman said. “I knew that we had a lot of the fastest girls in our heat, so I was just chasing them. It’s so fun.

“Last year, I was here with our 4x1, but we didn’t make it to the finals. So it was really cool to make it to finals this year and get to stand on the podium. It’s really awesome.”

Brooklyn Thoms led off and had Fulton in solid position, and said any thoughts about the strange circumstances disappeared when the Steamers hit the track.

“It was confusing, but we fought through it. It went pretty well,” Thoms said. “It was super windy, but we just had to stay relaxed and keep running hard throughout the whole thing, just finish strong. It was not our best time, but we PR’d on Thursday for prelims, so that was exciting.”

Grace Dykstra also ran the third leg into the wind, and said it was because of her teammates that she gave it everything she had.

“The whole time I kept thinking, ‘Do not let me give up on these girls, finish strong.’ I knew I was running into the wind, but I told myself, ‘Just keep pushing, pretend the wind isn’t there.’ I strived to do my best,” Dykstra said. “That 200 felt really hard, one of the hardest ones we’ve ever done, but I’m happy to get through it and get a medal.

“I feel very, very honored. I came down my freshman year, and my sophomore year I broke my ankle in basketball and it put me out my whole sophomore season in track. So I’ve wanted to come down here again for two years and I wanted this so bad, and I’m so thankful we go here and we got to the finals. It’s so rewarding.”

Annaka Hackett ran the second leg for Fulton; she was the lone runner returning from last year’s 4x200 medalists. She said even being able to compete at state after losing three-fourths of the relay to graduation last year made the experience a memorable one.

“Last year, we had a great time, and I was expecting not to come back because we lost so much. But now, with our time this year, it was really good,” Hackett said. “I was so excited when we had a good relay team this year. And coming back here and even placing, it was so exciting. I feel like our season went really well, and I know next year, we’re all returning, so I feel like we’ll do even better.”

West Carroll sophomore Emma Randecker was also a returning competitor, after she qualified for state as a freshman last season. She ran both the 100 and 200 in prelims, but made it through to finals only in the 200; she missed the 100 by the slimmest of margins. She also ran on the Thunder’s 4x400 relay on Thursday.

Her 200 time of 25.73 was good for sixth place, and tied her personal best – and it made her even hungrier to get back to Charleston again next year.

“It was easier this year, and I knew a lot more people this time around, so it was a lot more comfortable. Last year I was scared and nervous before everything. But it was fun,” Randecker said. “I think I tied my PR, pretty sure I tied it to the exact hundredth of a second from Thursday. It wasn’t my best race, but I’m all right with the results.

“Next year, I really want to get here in the 100 and 200 again. I didn’t get the 100 finals this year – I was .04 seconds off – but next year I’m hoping to come here for the open 400, too. I didn’t do that in sectionals because of the 4x4, but I’m hoping to come in the 100, 200, 400 and maybe the 4x4 again next year.”

Riverdale junior Makenna Bode was also thrilled to be a finalist, as she ran a 1:01.23 to place ninth in the 400. After missing out on the finals last spring, she loved being back out on the track Saturday.

“It was super fun. Last year I didn’t make finals, so it was fun this year to actually stay the whole weekend, run on Saturday, and in perfect weather. It’s just great running weather, not too hot, not too cold, it’s been beautiful. I’m just happy to get the chance to run twice,” she said. “It went OK today. I didn’t expect there to be as much wind on the backstretch; I had kind of been inside all day and I didn’t realize it was there. It’s not too windy, but it was definitely more of a breeze than I thought. I think that I started out fast, probably could’ve held a little faster pace midway through the race, but I finished strong.”

Three other local athletes competed in the finals, but did not earn medals.

Erie-Prophetstown junior Kennedy Buck finished 11th in the shot put with a toss of 10.84 meters, and Fulton freshman Paige Cramer was 11th in the long jump with a leap of 5.00 meters. Oregon sophomore Sonya Plescia did not clear opening height in the pole vault finals.

Fulton’s Paige Cramer lands her jump in the 1A long jump Saturday, May 20, 2023 during the IHSA state track and field finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Ty Reynolds

Ty Reynolds

Ty is the Sports Editor at Sauk Valley Media, and has covered sports in the Sauk Valley for more than two decades.