Who's at state? Peoria-area girls track athletes competing at the IHSA state finals

Journal Star
·7 min read

The Illinois High School Association girls track and field sectionals were last week across the state. From each, the top two placers and qualifying performances advanced to the state finals set over three days next weekend at Eastern Illinois University.

Below, we take a look at each of the Peoria-area athletes who earned a spot in the finals — which are May 19-21 at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston — listed by sectional.

Class 2A

At Dunlap

East Peoria's Kerrigan Vandel, right, and Olympia's Anna Bieber make it close at the finish line for second and third place respectively in the 800-meter run during the Class 2A Girls Dunlap Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at Dunlap High School.
East Peoria's Kerrigan Vandel, right, and Olympia's Anna Bieber make it close at the finish line for second and third place respectively in the 800-meter run during the Class 2A Girls Dunlap Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at Dunlap High School.

100 meters: Lena Jackson, fr., Richwoods (12.22); Camiya Williams, jr., Manual (12.48); Brenna Huff, fr., Richwoods (12.56); Josilyn Ballor, sr., Morton (12.57).

200 meters: Lena Jackson, fr., Richwoods (25.33)

400 meters: Brooklyn Marshall, sr., Metamora (1:00.32)

800 meters: Kerrigan Vandel, so., East Peoria (2:21.44); Anna Bieber, jr., Olympia (2:21.68)

1600 meters: Emma Skinner, sr., Morton (5:20.38)

3200 meters: Emma Skinner, sr., Morton (11:45.79)

Coverage: How this Richwoods freshman became of the state's best sprinters

100 hurdles: Mia Jackson, jr., Richwoods (15.43); Kaitlyn Baumann, sr., Morton (15.89)

300 hurdles: Alyvia Fager, jr., Illinois Valley Central (47.55).

4x100 meters: Richwoods (Mariah Cade, jr.; Brenna Huff, fr.; Olivia Skibinski, jr.; Lena Jackson, fr.)

4x200 meters: Richwoods (A'yiana Maxwell, fr.; Olivia Skibinski, jr.; Brenna Huff, fr.; Lena Jackson, fr.) 1:43.63

4x400 meters: Notre Dame (Aliza Welker, sr.; Mya Wardle, so.; Molly Rickey, sr.; Gillian McDaniel, sr.) 4:05.49

4x800 meters: Notre Dame (Mary Breitbach, jr.; Corrina Fassino, fr.; Julia Mingus, fr.; Teagan Cover, sr.) 9:56.62; Dunlap (Abby Tudeen, fr.; Maggie Diefenthaler, so.; Dakota Rousseau, fr.; Saniya Mathew, jr.) 10:06.47

Shot put: Paige Chapin, sr., Morton (11.21 meters); Lizzy Short, so., Illinois Valley Central (10.67)

Discus: Paige Chapin, sr., Morton (35.19)

High jump: Harper Smith, sr, Dunlap (1.54); Karlee Zumstein, jr, Canton (1.54)

Pole vault: Chelsea Wetzel, so., Dunlap (3.12); Kailani Egli, jr., Metamora (2.97)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

Morton's Adeline Smith, facing, goes in to hug teammate Stephanie Rosenthal after they and teammates Sophie Krueger and Taygen Beyer won the 4X800-meter relay during the Class 2A Girls Dunlap Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at Dunlap High School.
Morton's Adeline Smith, facing, goes in to hug teammate Stephanie Rosenthal after they and teammates Sophie Krueger and Taygen Beyer won the 4X800-meter relay during the Class 2A Girls Dunlap Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at Dunlap High School.

At Geneseo

200 meters: Syriah Boyd, so., Galesburg (26.12); Kaylee Allen, sr., Galesburg (26.14)

400 meters: Ava Morales, sr., Galesburg (59.71)

4x100 meters: Galesburg (Kaylee Allen, sr.; Syriah Boyd, so.; Emma Wilson, jr.; Ava Morales, sr.) 49.95

4x200 meters: Galesburg (Kaylee Allen, sr.; Syriah Boyd, so.; Ava Morales, sr.; Taylor Raska, jr.) 1:44.83

4x400 meters: Galesburg (Brianna Admire, jr.; Kaylee Allen, sr.; Syriah Boyd, so.; Ava Morales, sr.) 4:13.62

Shot put: Carmyn Huston, so., Monmouth-Roseville (11.55)

Discus: Carmyn Huston, so., Monmouth-Roseville (35.20)

High jump: Larissa Meyer, jr., Kewanee (1.49)

Triple jump: Emily Strehl, sr., LaSalle-Peru (10.18)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

Class 3A

At Danville

High jump: Emma Grashoff, sr., Pekin (1.60 meters).

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

Class 1A

At Bloomington Central Catholic

200 meters: Jennifer Bonnett, jr., Havana (27.46)

1600 meters: Kaitlyn Burge, so., Deer Creek-Mackinaw (5:41.06)

300 hurdles: Jasmine Ishmael, sr., Havana (50.67)

4x100 relay: Deer Creek-Mackinaw (Gracie Bontemps, fr.; Madyson Salisbury, jr.; Wendy Paddock, sr.; Addi Swadinsky, jr.) 51.10

4x200 relay: Deer Creek-Mackinaw (Gracie Bontemps, fr.; Madyson Salisbury, jr.; Wendy Paddock, sr.; Addi Swadinsky, jr.) 1:50.90

4x800 relay: Deer Creek-Mackinaw (Abby Sauder, so.; Libby Medlin, fr.; Cora Wheat, fr.; Kaitlyn Burge, so.) 10:39.46

Long jump: Jennifer Bonnett, jr., Havana (5.13 meters); Addi Swadinsky, jr., Deer Creek-Mackinaw (5.11 meters)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

At Manlius

100 meters: Madison Rusk, sr., Annawan/Wethersfield (12.78); Anna Lopez, jr., St. Bede (12.95)

800 meters: Kennady Anderson, so., Annawan/Wethersfield (2:23.21)

1600 meters: Kennady Anderson, so., Annawan/Wethersfield (5:36.25)

3200 meters: Kennady Anderson, so., Annawan/Wethersfield (11:55.67)

300 hurdles: Kaylee Celus, so., Annawan/Wethersfield (50.66)

4x100 relay: Annawan/Wethersfield (Ally Celus, sr.; Bella VanOpdorp, fr.; Madison Rusk, sr.; Kaylee Celus, so.) 50.90

4x200 relay: Annawan/Wethersfield (Ally Celus, sr.; Olivia Goodley, so.; Bella VanOpdorp, fr.; Madison Rusk, sr.) 1:51.80

4x400 relay: Annawan/Wethersfield (Kaylee Celus, so.; Olivia Goodley, so.; Danielle Johnson, jr.; Kennady Anderson, so.) 4:17.46

Shot put: Cassidy Miller, sr., Annawan/Wethersfield (11.25 meters)

Discus: Brody Garcia, sr., Annawan/Wethersfield (32.62 meters)

Long jump: Anna Lopez, jr., St. Bede (4.99 meters)

Triple jump: Anna Lopez, jr., St. Bede (10.93 meters)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

Richwoods' Mia Jackson, left, races neck-and-neck with Normal U-High's Anna Barr in the 100-meter hurdles during the Class 2A Girls Dunlap Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at Dunlap High School.
Richwoods' Mia Jackson, left, races neck-and-neck with Normal U-High's Anna Barr in the 100-meter hurdles during the Class 2A Girls Dunlap Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at Dunlap High School.

At El Paso-Gridley

100 meters: Nakeita Kessling, sr., Henry/Midland (12.83); Jaela Pierson, jr., Peoria Heights (12.99)

200 meters: Cambria Geyer, jr., Tremont (26.11); Jaela Pierson, jr., Peoria Heights (27.32)

400 meters: Nakeita Kessling, sr., Henry/Midland (58.34); Sophie Kaufman, sr., Eureka (1:02.75)

800 meters: Anna Perry, sr., Eureka (2:27.84); Meika Bender, fr., Eureka (2:34.23)

1600 meters: Anna Perry, sr., Eureka (5:22.59); Nellie Melick, fr., El Paso-Gridley (5:40.49)

3200 meters: Anna Perry, sr., Eureka (11:33.57); Nellie Melick, fr., El Paso-Gridley (12:58.12)

100 hurdles: Cambria Geyer, jr., Tremont (15.21); Shelby Logan, jr., Eureka (17.66)

300 hurdles: Cambria Geyer, jr., Tremont (45.90)

4x100 relay: Eureka (Grace Wegner, so.; Kayleigh Tharp, fr.; Sophie Kaufman, jr.; Laurel Munson, jr.) 51.18; El Paso-Gridley (Aubrey Phillips, fr.; Sofia Lindenberg, jr.; Abriel Smith, fr.; Reese Deckard, fr.) 52.85

4x200 relay: Eureka (Grace Wegner, so.; Kayleigh Tharp, fr.; Callie Schumacher, so.; Laurel Munson, jr.) 1:49.58; El Paso-Gridley (Reese Deckard, fr.; Aubrey Phillips, fr.; Abriel Smith, fr.; Sofia Lindenberg, jr.) 1:52.16.

4x400 relay: Eureka (Grace Wegner, so.; Sophie Kaufman, jr.; Callie Schumacher, so.; Laurel Munson, jr.) 4:13.38; Lowpoint-Washburn/Roanoke-Benson (McKinze Kearfott, sr.; Riley Beer, sr.; Brooklyn Getz, so.; Jaden Randall, sr.) 4:27.64

4x800 relay: Eureka (Elle Knapp, sr.; Grace Wegner, so.; Callie Schumacher, so.; Meika Bender, fr.) 10:50.29; Lowpoint-Washburn/Roanoke-Benson (Abi Hodel, fr.; Brooklyn Getz, so.; McKinze Kearfott, sr.; Riley Beer, sr.) 11:01.16

Shot put: Aubrey Brinkman, sr., Illini Bluffs (10.81 meters); Laney Lester, jr., Henry/Midland (10.34 meters)

Discus: Aubrey Brinkman, sr., Illini Bluffs (38.10 meters); Laney Lester, jr., Henry/Midland (37.01 meters); Anna Webel, jr., Farmington (34.38 meters)

High jump: Aubrey Phillips, fr., El Paso-Gridley (1.52 meters); Marley Leman, jr., Lowpoint-Washburn/Roanoke-Benson (1.42 meters)

Pole vault: Sophia Sumer, sr., Tremont (3.49 meters); Miranda Hursey, sr., Farmington (3.34 meters); Lizzie Uphoff, so., El Paso-Gridley (2.89 meters)

Long jump: Nakeita Kessling, sr., Henry/Midland (5.96 meters); Laurel Munson, jr., Eureka (5.52 meters)

Triple jump: Tori Brown, fr., Illini Bluffs (10.11 meters); Alana Robertson, sr., Illini Bluffs (9.99 meters)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

At Aledo Mercer County

200 meters: Chloe Howerton, fr., Elmwood (26.92); Jesenia Horton-Meza, sr., Princeville (27.39)

400 meters: Lindley Johnston, jr., Stark County (1:01.43)

800 meters: Josie Bryan, so., Illini West (2:27.27); Ashley Orrick, sr., Stark County (2:28.58)

300 hurdles: Mya Strahm, fr., Elmwood (48.35); Elynn Peterson, sr., Elmwood (48.70)

4x100 relay: Elmwood (Anastasia Couri, sr.; Chloe Howerton, fr.; Ainsley Faulkner, jr.; Emma May, so.) 51.64

4x400 relay: Knoxville (Mackenzie Rader, sr.; Kailee Shreeves, sr.; Lauren King, so.; Kynlee Stearns, sr.) 4:13.88

4x800 relay: Knoxville (Mackenzie Rader, sr.; Addi McKee, so.; Kynlee Stearns, sr.; Kailee Shreeves, sr.) 10:19.22

Shot put: Etta Wagner, so., Elmwood (10.85 meters)

High jump: Reagan Reed, fr., Illini West (1.52 meters)

Pole vault: Mya Strahm, fr., Elmwood (3.20)

Long jump: Kallie Roberson, sr., Abingdon-Avon (4.88 meters); Emma May, so., Elmwood (4.82 meters)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

At Beardstown

800 meters: Meg Simmons, jr., South Fulton (2:30.37)

Pole vault: Alexa Hayes, sr., Rushville-Industry (2.90 meters); Ashley Strode, sr., South Fulton (2.75 meters)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete event results

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA track and field: Peoria girls advance from sectionals to state