Girls Track
Amy Fanella had a dominant track and field season as a junior last spring at Huntley.
NILES – Elise and Kayla Beattie finished first and second, respectively, Saturday at the 36th annual Pat Savage Cross Country Invitational, leading Woodstock to a second-place finish with 61 points.
When the Big 12 Conference and Collegiate Baseball magazine took notice of outfielder Nick Martini’s impressive freshman season at Kansas State, the Prairie Ridge graduate was not too surprised.
Ashley Conway sped down the runway at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium and hit the long jump board perfectly.
Northwest Herald
Cary-Grove girls track and field coach Mark Anderson sensed it before the season.
Two notable former local athletes will take over as girls track and field coaches next year.
Athletes of the week
CHARLESTON – Crystal Lake Central’s Stephanie Peisker finished her high school career Saturday at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet but has not run her last race at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium.
CHARLESTON – Something transpired Saturday that likely never was seen before, and might not be seen again.
CHARLESTON – McHenry sophomore Ashley Conway made it all look so effortless, so clean, so matter-of-fact.
CHARLESTON – Fate smiled on Crystal Lake Central’s Taylor Cordes in the Class 2A 300-meter low hurdles.
CHARLESTON – Huntley junior Amy Fanella shed a few tears late Friday afternoon, the most disappointing day in what had been a terrific track and field season.
Athletes of the week
Alden-Hebron senior Tina Finley competed in the Class 1A 100- and 200-meter dashes Thursday at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet in Charleston.
Sarah and Tina Finley felt the exhilaration of state qualifying for slightly different reasons Friday.
HUNTLEY – Cary-Grove senior Molly MacInnes has waited four years to reach the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals, and now she’s getting her wish.
GRAYSLAKE – The meet was over, and Crystal Lake Central’s Heather Niziolek still was trying to comprehend what she and her teammates had accomplished.
Northwest Herald Girls Track and Field Honor Roll
BURLINGTON – Burlington Central winning the Big Northern Conference Girls Track and Field Meet on Thursday seemed a foregone conclusion, but second place was very much up for grabs.
CARY – Cary-Grove junior Kelly McCoy didn’t lean across the finish line at the 100-meter high hurdles – she sprawled over it.
Boys Athlete
CRYSTAL LAKE – The Huntley girls soccer team came into Thursday’s Fox Valley Conference Fox Division match against Prairie Ridge looking to clinch its third consecutive division title.
The tight team finish at the McHenry County Girls Track and Field Meet two weeks ago drove home a point coaches often try to impress upon their athletes – every point matters.
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD HONOR ROLL
GRAYSLAKE – In a game in which both starting pitchers brought their best stuff to the circle Monday, Johnsburg’s Amanda Daly prevailed with a 3-0 Fox Valley Conference Fox Division win against Grayslake North.
HUNTLEY – Zach Liebman continued his undefeated season for Huntley on Saturday with a complete-game victory against Burlington Central.
Athlete of the week
CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South’s girls soccer team found all the right offensive combinations Tuesday against McHenry in a 4-0 Fox Valley Conference Valley Division win against the Warriors.
GRAYSLAKE – Johnsburg senior pitcher Amanda Daly dominated the Grayslake Central lineup Monday in the Skyhawks’ 5-1 Fox Valley Conference Fox Division softball victory.
CARY – Second place never looked better for Cary-Grove as sophomore Carly Loeffel crossed the finish line in the 4x400-meter relay.
Boys Athlete
CRYSTAL LAKE – People around the world celebrated Earth Day on Wednesday.
The rest of the area’s top 300-meter low hurdlers are happy Crystal Lake South graduate Kellie Schuh now competes for Illinois-Chicago.
WINNEBAGO – Mattie McGuire pitched a no-hitter for the Marengo softball team Monday, and the Indians beat Winnebago, 6-0, in a Big Northern Conference crossover.
ELGIN – Marengo’s softball team continued its strong start to the season Saturday at the St. Edward Tournament, winning all three of its games, including a 2-1 victory against Illiana Christian to win the title.
Crystal Lake Central saw firsthand why Quincy University wanted Crystal Lake South senior Gavin Meyer to patrol the outfield for the next four years.
Boys Athlete
HUNTLEY – Crystal Lake South’s softball team used the long ball Wednesday in its 4-1 Fox Valley Conference crossover win against Huntley.
JOHNSBURG – Thirty-four runs were scored between Johnsburg and Wauconda on Wednesday.
CARY – To grasp the magnitude of Huntley junior Marcus Popenfoose’s winning discus throw, consider this: Cary-Grove’s Ryan Psenka almost threw an IHSA Class 3A state-qualifying standard and finished second by 40 feet.
BUFFALO GROVE – Sophomore Carly Loeffel jumped her high school career-best 5 feet, 8 inches to win the high jump and help Cary-Grove to the team title at the Buffalo Grove Invitational Saturday.
JOHNSBURG – Amanda Daly earned her first win of the season with authority Thursday, recording 16 strikeouts as Johnsburg beat Hampshire.
CARY – Cary-Grove junior shortstop Chris Waylock homered and drove in three runs as the Trojans rolled past Buffalo Grove, 17-1, in their non-conference baseball game Wednesday.
Kristina Aubert
Fox Valley Conference
Track and field takes on a much different look this spring in Illinois with the expansion from two to three classes.
