McCoy sparks C-G to sectional title

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ROCKTON – Cary-Grove senior Kelly McCoy did not feel she had performed at her highest level before Thursday’s IHSA Class 3A Hononegah Track and Field Sectional Meet.

She does now. McCoy was ecstatic after her 100-meter high hurdles race at Kelsey Field in which she took second place in 15.19 seconds. That, along with second-place finish in the long jump, means McCoy is going to state in two events. She also played a major role in the Trojans securing their second consecutive sectional title with 97 points.

Lindsay Young won the 800 meters for C-G’s only sectional championship in an event, but the Trojans took six second places to finish 13 points ahead of Harlem. Huntley’s Amy Fanella, who qualified in three events, led the Red Raiders to third place with 67 points.

Qualifiers advance to the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet on May 21 at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium.

McCoy was third in the 100 high hurdles at last week’s Fox Valley Conference Meet, her best finish in that meet.

“I was so nervous because I wasn’t running as fast as last year,” McCoy said. “I’m so excited to be going in the long jump and hurdles.”

McCoy ran her personal-best 15.19 in the 100 hurdles, taking second to Harlem’s Jenna Combs (14.93). With McHenry’s Alex Friske and Fanella also in that race, McCoy knew she had little margin for error.

“My coach [Mark Anderson] wants me to really concentrate on getting to the first hurdle,” McCoy said. “That momentum really seems to carry me through. Most of the time I see other girls in the lanes next to me, but this time I didn’t. It was kind of tunnel vision.”

C-G capped the night with its 4x400 relay team nipping Hononegah for second place in the final race. Hononegah’s runner momentarily passed C-G’s anchor, Carly Loeffel, who found another burst at the end to qualify.

“It was a good night,” C-G coach Mark Anderson said. “Kind of typical Cary-Grove track, we won one event. I’m just really sad about (Jessica) Warnecke [in the 300 hurdles]. She was going to hit the time and tripped on that last hurdle. She’s the heart and soul of this team.”

Crystal Lake South’s Kristina Aubert qualified in the 3,200 meters and with the Gators’ 4x800 relay team and will be making her fourth trip to state. South’s Marianne Collard anchored that relay and also ran away with first in the 1,600.

McHenry’s Ashley Conway won the high jump (5 feet,
5 inches) and the long jump (17-4) and advanced in the two events in which she medaled last year.

Fanella missed in the 100 high hurdles, but won the triple jump, took second in the 300 low hurdles and also qualified with the Red Raiders’ winning 4x400 relay team, with Marilyn McDougall, Abbey Shaw and Antonia Moore.

“I wasn’t at all disappointed in the high hurdles,” Fanella said. “Now, I can do triple [at state], then do the 300s and the 4x400 and it will be less hectic. The 4x400 is undefeated this year and we’ve worked so hard on that.”

McHenry’s Abi Weisenberger cleared 9-6 for the second consecutive week to win the pole vault and earn a return trip to state. When she finished, she found out South sophomore Lexi Dahl had taken second and hugged her in celebration.

“I tried to have patience and wait for the wind to die down,” Weisenberger said. “I was a little nervous, but it was good. Now I’ll miss graduation Thursday night because we’re going down that day.”