By Randy Sharer | rsharer@pantagraph.com
NORMAL — In a 20-team field loaded with girls track squads capable of cracking the state’s top 10, Bloomington High School proved to be the heavyweight Friday in the 23rd BHS Invitational.
“All of these teams you’ll see next May (in the state meet),” said BHS coach Roland Brent, whose squad scored 55 points to edge Danville by two.
Galesburg, fifth in last year’s Class 2A state meet, finished third (49) followed by Eureka (39).
“We had some girls step up today,” Brent said. “It was a team performance. They all chipped in and did their thing.”
The wind that frustrated runners most of the night didn’t do discus thrower Kirstin Thompson any favors either.
The right-handed Normal West star would have preferred that the howling gale come out of the east instead of the west, but she still posted a meet-record toss of 137 feet, 0 inches.
That made her one of eight Pantagraph area winners in a meet that was moved to Normal Community High School because of construction at BHS’ Fred Carlton Field.
The area’s lone double winner was Central Catholic’s Kelly Curran in the 800- and 1,600-meter events.
“The wind wasn’t the greatest tonight,” said Thompson, the 2009 Class 3A state runner-up. “If you throw it too high, it’s going to lift it and bring it straight down. If you throw it too low, it’s going to push it right down. I guess I tried to get somewhere in the middle.
“I want to pretty soon be throwing consistently in the 140s and I want to get up into the 150s this year. I’m working on driving my first step to the center of the ring so I’m using the whole ring.”
The pole vault had a whole lot of excitement as four girls, all from the Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club, cleared 11-6. Only reigning 2A state champion Emily Clay of University High and Pontiac’s Emily Grove made it over 12-0 with Clay winning based on misses. Grove tied her school record.
Clay, who recently tied the Pantagraph area record of 12-6, almost made that height on her second attempt. School records went to Central Catholic freshman Sarah Bell in third (11-6) and Normal West’s Taylor Kirby in fourth (11-6).
“Our (Corn Belt) conference is by far the hardest competition in the state (in the pole vault),” Clay said.
Another Corn Belt star, Curran, lowered her Central Catholic record in the 800 to 2:16.02 and came back in the 1,600 to run 5:07.87. She took the lead early in the last lap of the 800 and grabbed control of the 1,600 with 400 left.
“I was ready to react to whatever was happening,” said the Notre Dame recruit, who has never been this fast this early in the season.
Missouri-recruit Marie O’Leary of NCHS won the 3,200 in 11:26.93.
“I felt relaxed and good,” said O’Leary, who later placed third in the 1,600 (5:15.63).
Illinois State volleyball recruit Kelsey Holman of Eureka wasn’t seeded to win the high jump, but did by clearing 5-6. Springfield star Sarah Maxson came in with a best of 5-9, but had to settle for third at 5-2, a height also cleared by runner-up Kelly Steffen of BHS.
“That’s what I thrive off of, adrenalin from the competition and having someone to push me along,” said Holman, who made both 5-4 and 5-6 on her third attempt before going out at 5-7.
Steffen, an Indiana State recruit, won the triple jump at 37-2, a distance only she and three others in area history have exceeded.
Steffen also took second in the 100 hurdles (15.16) and 300 hurdles (46.86) behind state title favorite Ayanna Scott of Springfield Lanphier. Courtney Egts took third in the triple jump with an NCHS record 35-7.
Condia Smith of BHS broke out of a slump to win the shot put at 37-2.
“I really haven’t been fast enough and then slowing down when I get to (the power position),” Smith said. “It’s something I’ve been working on. I want to hit 40 at least.”
Pontiac hit the gas in the 1,600 relay to win in 4:09.60. Toting the baton were Grove (62.1), Skylar Alford (62.5), Ashley Johnson (65.2) and Loni Mackinson (59.8).
Normal West won the 3,200 relay in 9:54.20 thanks to Emily Brelsfoard (2:28.2), Karen Black (2:32.2), Hannah Magnuson (2:27.6) and Bailey Kerschieter (2:26.0).
Recent Comments