2006 IHSA State Girls AA Preliminary Report

The 2006 state preliminaries opened up as it usually does at state- controversy and unpredictability. First, several teams….

-Field-

Long jump key qualifiers: Jackie Coleman (Neuqua Valley) 18-3, Rochelle Muskeyvalley (Rock Island), Kathryn Gevitz (Oak Park-River Forest) 17-10.50, Jonkea Stewart-Butler (Evanston) 17-7.50, Pinnick 17-3.

Synopsis: Coleman set the standard despite a bad ankle and jumping into a strong tail wind.

Pole vault key qualifiers: Brittney Bernardoni (Batavia), Melissa Gergal (Marian Catholic), Jennifer Smothers (Morton), Taylor Troemel (Normal Community), Rachel Secrest (Wheaton North).

Synopsis: it was a draw as 13 girls qualified for the final. All of the key qualifiers made it in.

Shot put key qualifiers: Bailey Wagner (Grant) 43-6.25, Aja Evans (Morgan Park) 41-7.50, Jenise Sterling (Palatine) 39-6.75, Jewel Sanders (Peoria Richwoods) 38-9.

Synopsis: Wagner and teammate Cora Caulfield got themselves into the final with solid efforts.

Triple jump key qualifiers: Mikeya Nicholson (Belleville East) 39-3.50, Gevitz 37-9, Coleman 37-3.50.

Synopsis: Nicholson headlines the field.

Discus throw key qualifiers: Sanders 144-4, Caulfield 142-7, Wagner 138-4, Stephanie Smith (Belleville West) 128-6.

Synopsis: all key qualifiers in.

-Track-

800 medley relay key qualifiers: Hononegah, E. St. Louis Sr, Thornwood, Palatine, Barrington.

Synopsis: South Holland Thornwood produced the top mark out of heat 2 (1:46.14) with Sequoia McKinney splitting 56.2 on the anchor leg.

4x800m relay key qualifiers: Edwardsville 9:22.09, Naperville North 9:23.64, Palatine 9:23.65, Wheaton North 9:22.89, Bloomington 9:19.67, Barrington 9:23.59.

Synopsis: WN got things started with solid legs of 2:20.5, 2:18.9, 2:19.7, and 2:23.2. The Falcons were up by 6-7 seconds in the opening heat before cruising the last 400m. Bloomington used a smooth 2:13.9 leg from Ashley Verplank to garner the top mark for Saturday’s final.

4x100m relay key qualifiers: Evanston 47.10, Barrington 48.11, Homewood-Flossmoor 48.17, Thornton 48.06, E. St. Louis 48.84.

Synopsis: Evanston proved it could very fast without ace Shalina Clarke. The Wildkits got the jump on the field almost immediately because leadoff leg Demeca Hill broke stagger on the field at the first exchange. It was a wrap up by the end of the leg as anchor Jonkea Stewart-Butler held a 1.4-second advantage over second place Hoffman Estates Conant. Barrington and Homewood-Flossmoor won their heats respectively.

100HH key qualifiers: Shalina Clarke (Evanston) 14.17, Egle Staisiunaite (Downers Grove South) 14.89, Clarissa Rice (Thornton) 14.66, Neferteri Williams (Proviso West) 14.81, Katie Darraugh (Lake Forest).

Synopsis: Clarke made her ’06 debut with a convincing statement against an overall quality field. It appears that Saturday’s final will be a piece of cake. Staisiunaite and Rice will be the best of the rest.

100m key qualifiers: Clarke 11.87, Demeca Hill (Evanston) 12.33, Kiara Clark-Lewis (Rantoul), Yolanda Suggs (Belleville West) 12.32.

Synopsis: Clarke and Hill won their respective heats and head into Saturday’s final looking strong. Suggs is just a freshman but proved very strong in her IHSA state meet debut by finishing well and qualifying for the Saturday final.

800m key qualifiers: Ashley Verplank (Bloomington) 2:12.55, Samantha Learch (Barrington) 2:12.44, Amanda Glow (Lake Zurich) 2:13.04, Casey Short (Naperville Central) 2:12.58, Shakeia Pinnick (Waubonsie Valley) 2:14.83.

Synopsis: very fast time ruled here with the last qualifier getting into the final with a solid 2:17.123. In fact, that was the last qualifying mark to get in. Verplank won her heat barely over Short in what could appear to be a forecast for the final on Saturday. Learch was mired in a battle with Emily Anderson of Glenbrook South throughout the race before holding her off for the heat win.

4x200 key qualifiers: Evanston 1:38.95, Thornton 1:41.02, Barrington 1:40.92, E. St. Louis 1:40.93, Homewood-Flossmoor 1:41.96, Bolingbrook 1:42.14.

Synopsis: Evanston blitzed a great overall field without Shalina Clarke. Thornton proved a second chance paid dividends by winning their heat in an outstanding time. This year’s prelim was the fastest ever as it took sub 1:42.50 to get into the final.

400m key qualifiers: Sophia Ponce (Hononegah) 56.38, Coryn Marzejon (Huntley) 56.78, Katlin Millin (Palatine) 57.17, Juliet Alrich (Dundee-Crown) 56.87.

Synopsis: Ponce showed why she is the favorite by winning her heat in convincing fashion. Marejon and Millin also won their heats.

300LH key qualifiers: Caitlin Finnegan (Lockport) 44.08, Nefeteri Williams (Proviso West) 44.06, Shakeia Pinnick (Waubonsie Valley) 43.89, Jenna Urbanski (Hinsdale Central) 44.64, Clarke 41.47.

Synopsis: Heat one winner Finnegan set a solid standard for qualifying that Williams bettered. Pinnick dropped even further and finally Clarke smashed.

1600m key qualifiers: Nicole Benson (Limestone) 5:03.37, Lizzy Hynes (St. Charles East) 5:03.60, Kalli Dalton (Conant) 5:01.51, Haley Staples (Crystal Lake Central), Amy Laskowske (Palatine) 5:03.46. 5:01.74, Shannon Phelan (Naperville North) 5:04.14.

Synopsis: Dalton set the standard by besting Phelan and a few other solid girls. Hynes also performed well.

200m key qualifiers:

Olivia Allen (Lake Zurich) 24.03, Coryn Marzejon (Huntley) 24.90, Clarke 23.93, Kiara Clarke-Lewis (Rantoul), Hill 24.59.

Synopsis: Clarke clocked the only sub 24 second effort. Hill backed her team with an impressive effort in heat 5.

4x400 relay key qualifiers: Edwardsville 3:55.32, ESL 3:54.59, Palatine 3:58.84, Evanston 3:54.83, Barrington 3:54.28, Homewood-Flossmoor 3:57.05.

Synopsis: perhaps the fastest overall qualifying effort here as it actually took sub 4:00 effort to qualify for the final. ESL and Evanston will headline this race along with Edwardsville for the final.