2025 Track & Field State Previews: 3A Girls

Well folks, we are finally here. This week will mark the end of the girls season with the IHSA State meet, so of course we have to break down all the action. In this article, we will go over all three classes and look at which teams have the strongest chance at a state title this year. We also go into full detail for each event, so you can see which individuals are the favorite for an individual state title. Look for your favorite teams and athletes and let us know who you think is going to have a crazy day at the state meet! 

Before you read though, you should know that this is just one person’s carefully crafted opinion. We can predict and calculate as much as we want, but there is a reason we run the race. Every year crazy stuff happens when you get to the state meet and someone ALWAYS ruins our predictions. One of the few certainties in track and field is the uncertainties, which is what keeps us all on our toes. We could be way off on our prediction. Our knowledge can only take us so far, at the end of the day it’s down to the athletes to decide who wins. That being said, we will do our best to pick the favorites, that’s why you're reading anyways right? Enjoy the girls state preview, and of course, good luck to all girls competing this weekend. 

Team Previews

After some brain melting results on Thursday, we have calculated where points will go based on season bests. It took many hours of adding, but the math is staggeringly in support of a two way race for the state title. You probably have an idea of who those two teams are, but without spoiling the fun we’ll let you read on to find out. Here are your final 3A team rankings.

#1 Homewood-Flossmoor

Putting HF before teams like Prospect and Plainfield North would’ve been a very hard decision, but that was before the sectional meet. HF has managed to qualify a 4x2 and 4x4 with top ten times in 3A, without the help of their star sprinter. The depth here is off the charts and they will prove it with outstanding relays at state. Mariyah Robinson is the Viking Queen, she leads HF in all 3 events with blistering PRs of 11.46, 23.95 and 53.55. She could feasibly place first or second in every single one of those events, which is solid 25-30 points for HF. She will also run on HF’s 4x1, which has a shot at winning the state title as well. HF has other key sprinters that have chances at making a final, like Aniya Mullens and London Willingham. If either one of these girls can score a point or two, HF is going to be in a great spot to take home a team title here. They have Diaymond Childress in the hurdles who will be looking to clean up 4-5 points as well. Their sprint squad by itself would be in contention for a trophy, and we haven’t even gotten to the field yet. Jaloni Wiley was one of the strongest throwers in the state indoors, and she is still in contention for a state title. She threw a season best 41’ 0” at sectionals which puts her at 3A #4. Her real season best from indoors was a terrifying 46’ 0” which she threw at the Christopher Whitfeld Invitational in late March. A 46 foot toss would put her almost 3 feet ahead of the next best thrower, we’ll see if she can throw a bomb like that at the state meet. She has a chance at scoring in discus as well, with a season best mark of 134’ 10”. Her PR sits at a wicked 144 feet which is second only to Sienna Robertson of Huntley. I would expect her to make finals in both throws and likely take home 10-15 points. Their final piece to the puzzle will be London Jarrett, who should score big in the long jump. Jarrett is one of 6 girls in 3A to hit the 19 foot mark this season, she currently sits at 3A #5. She has the opportunity to score a solid 5 more points for the Vikings, which are 5 points they will need to beat the next best team. This team does not lack firepower, they are an explosive, top heavy team and they have a very good chance at a state title. 

#2 Prospect

Depth plays an important role in a team's strength, and no one does depth better than Prospect. There are about 8 sprinters that could be named off who would be willing and capable of stepping up and scoring points for Prospect. Amina Hadziahmetovic will be huge for Prospect, she will be running in multiple relays as well as the 300mH. She was the runner up in the 300mH last year with a PR of 43.41 and she has a good chance at scoring big in that event. The Niebrugge sisters, Anna and Nikki, will be two more big sprinters to look out for. Anna has an 11.73 and 24.04 and is one of the top girls who will look to chase Angelena Bullocks of Whitney Young and Mariyah Robinson of Homewood Flossmoor. Nikki has a shot at placing in the 200 with her shiny new PR of 24.44. Both sisters will run crucial legs for Prospect’s 4x1 and 4x2 as well. Their season bests of 46.36 and 1:39.03 are both top 3 times in 3A and they could very well take the win in both. Their 4x4 is possibly their best event, they ran 3:50.17 at sectionals which is a new 3A #1. Dajana Skolimowska, who probably could’ve qualified in the open 400 had she run it, ran a massive anchor leg of 56.39 for the Knights. They have a few distance runners, like Mary Laba and Meg Peterson, who can hop in and split a great time as well. They also have Samantha Skowronski, who qualified in the open 400 and has a PR of 57.13. If she can lower that time a little bit more, she could be looking at a spot in the finals, which would be huge points. This squad of 4 will be strong contenders for the 4x4 state title, it will come down to them and Plainfield North. What also helps their case is the strength of their distance program. Meg Peterson and Mary Laba are helpful in the 4x4 for a reason, it’s due to their incredible 800 prowess. Peterson ran an unbelievable 2:12.61 at the Tiger Invitational which has her at 3A #3. Laba’s 2:14 from Distance Night in Palatine has her on the all state border at 3A #8. Both girls will likely run on Prospects 4x8, which will be a team in search of a state title. Veronica Znajda and Ireland Whildhart will likely hop in as well, this team has the potential to run under 9:00. Znajda will be an all-state contender in the open mile as well, with a season best of 4:58. She was sixth last year in the mile, she will likely place higher than that this year. Prospect has a multitude of girls they could swap in and out of their relays in both sprints and distance, which is a luxury other teams don’t have. This makes me think they will be the most fresh team out here, which is one of the biggest factors in winning a state title. This is one of the toughest teams out here, it will be hard to deny them a title.

#3 Plainfield North

When it comes down to who has the best team in the state of Illinois, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Does the team have the star power to score at the state level? Does the team have the depth to run multiple relays at the state level? Does the team have a history of winning throughout the regular season? Plainfield North crosses all of those boxes off. They have a star up front in Lauren Dellangelo, who will be a big name to watch in the 400. She ran 55.86 at their sectional meet to take the win and is 3A #4 in the 400. They also have Taylor McClain in the 100m and 200m who has a solid shot at making the final and scooping up a few points. However, their relays are where they truly shine, with state contending times in all three sprint relays. Aniya Poindexter and Kaiya Bradshaw round out the Plainfield North squad beautifully, allowing the Tigers to run 46.76 and 1:38.26 in the 4x1 and 4x2. The 4x4 includes a couple distance runners who are able to step down and run a brilliant time, their 3:50.78 is only bested by Prospect. Their distance is equally as powerful, with Marlie Czarnewski and Lindsey Wenz in scoring positions in their respective events. Czarnewski ran 4:57 at sectionals which has her at 3A #6*, she has an opportunity to score individual points for the Tigers. Wenz will be running the 800 where she is 3A #6 as well. Both will come together to run the 4x8 as well, which is an even bigger scoring opportunity for PN. Tessa Russo and Elsie Czarnewski will be the other two legs. Both of them were a part of PN’s all-state squad last year, with Russo anchoring home in 2:17. This team isn’t quite as strong as the previously mentioned teams, mainly due to their lack of field event performers. That being said, if things go their way, they could upset either Prospect or HF. PN is insanely dominant in the running events, be excited for what’s to come. 

*(Meg Peterson from Prospect has a 4:52 but will not be running the mile, so Czarnewski moves up from #7 to #6)

#4 Whitney Young

In terms of scoring, Whitney Young has one of the best star-centered teams I’ve ever seen. Angelena Bullocks is in a world of her own in the 100 and 200, it’s going to be very hard for anyone to unseat her there. It’s almost a guaranteed 18-20 points for WY, with the possible exception of a Mariyah Robinson upset. But WY is not done there, they also have Layla Bonilla who could pull off a triple play in the jumps. Her best event is triple where she sits at 3A #3 with a mark of 38’ 11”. She could also hold it down in high jump fairly well, she is one of 6 girls in 3A to have cleared 5’ 6” this season. She sits right outside the top 9 with a mark of 18’ 8.5”, but she could sneak into the finals on a good day. Simone Bernard will be the last big factor, her 14.24 100mH is a scary time to go up against. She sits at 3A #4 with that time and she could very easily find her way into the top 3. These three are the reason Whitney Young is in the state race and it will be crucial for them to get their jobs done if they want the Dolphins to walk away with a trophy. Courtney Burt is sitting right outside of scoring potential right now, she will need to step up if she wants to contribute to a trophy. She has a mark of 38’ 3.5” in the triple jump which sit at 3A #10. It would be great for the Dolphins if she could put herself into the finals. WY also has a hopeful relay in the 4x1 which could finish somewhere in the top 5. They are one of 5 teams to have hit 46 seconds this season, and they have the strongest second leg in the entire state with Bullocks. It’s highly possible they snag the title, as the 4x1 is one of the most finicky events in the state. Their season best of 46.69 is 3A #3 right now and is definitely in the range of HF and Prospect. Now, their 4x2 also has the potential to be in a top 5 position, but Anglena Bullocks qualified in the long jump instead. If WY wants to load that relay, Bullocks will have to scratch an event and the long jump will be the first to go for her. Her 18’ 6” mark is respectable, but not far enough to get her into a valuable scoring position. The 4x2 with Bullocks, however, could be anywhere in the range of 1:39, maybe even 1:38 if they have a really good day. The Dolphins will need to control big swing points in the relays and the 100mH if they want to trophy, but it is certainly a possibility.

#5 Barrington

This is where we start to see a gap form between the top contending teams and teams who are hopeful for that final top 5 spot. Barrington is here on this list due to their unbelievable distance program. The Fillies have a household-name star in Mia Sirois who will be looking to shatter all hopes and dreams in the 3200. Her PR of 10:02 is far ahead of anyone else in 3A, she will capture an easy 10 points for Barrington here. She will join her teammate, Scout Storms, in the mile, in search for more points. Sirois has a PR of 4:45 which she ran indoors. She has an outdoor season best of 4:54 which she ran at sectionals after a solo 10:08 earlier in the day. She could have a B+ day and still walk away with 15-20 points, she will be a huge contributor to Barrington. Scout Storms will also look to score in the mile. She sits at 3A #5 with a season best of 4:56 from Distance Night in Palatine. She has a PR of 4:49 from her sophomore year and she has been an absolute force for all four years of her career at Barrington. Whatever time she lays down in the mile, it’s bound to be fast and it’s bound to score big points. The Barrington 4x8 also has the potential to score within the top 5. Abby Lewis, Scout Storms and Madison Miles are all capable of running 2:15 on a split right now, all they need is a four. Sirois has done the 4x8-3200-1600 triple before, but I find it highly unlikely that Barrington will make her do this at state. That leaves Angelica Hill to step in, and with a 2:23, she should be more than capable of lending her talents to an all-state caliber team. The only non-distance asset the Fillies have is Yane Jansen Van Rensburg in the pole vault, who is currently 3A #2 in that event. Her mark of 12’ 3” is very solid, but girls like Eva Bach of Lake Park and Mckena Miglorini of Lockport both have higher PRs than her. I would still expect Van Rensburg to be in the top 5, but it’s going to be hard for her to crack the top 3. Barrington is one of the few teams here who will get by on mostly distance runners, and, holistically, distance is a little more predictable than sprints. Given that, I think this is a very safe pick for number 5, I don’t see a lot of wiggle room in the points they could score. They won’t necessarily compete on the level that PN and WY are on, but they will certainly hold their own against the rest of the teams on this list. 

#6 Edwardsville

With the improvement of one thrower in particular, we will see the emergence of Edwardsville finally come into full effect. The returning state champ, Joi Story, is one of the main reasons the Tigers are in this race. Her PR from last year stands at a massive 141’ 5” which would put her at 3A #1. Last year, when she won the state title in the disc, she only needed a mark of 139’ 1” to get the job done. This year, I would expect it to be a bit tougher, as there are so many girls over 135 that you can’t just lightly toss a state title. I would bank on Story being top 3, but where she’s a little under the radar is actually the shot put. Story threw a colossal 42 feet indoors, which would put her at 3A #3. It’s important to note that Jaloni Wiley of Homewood Flossmoor also had a huge mark during indoors, so if we count that as a season best as well, Story moves down to #4. Even given that, Story is still a serious threat in both throws. Story is not alone in the discus though; her teammate, Jayla Gathing, has made serious improvement and is now in all-state contention. Gathing threw an incredible 136’ 10” at the Southwestern Conference meet to take the win over Story. She is currently 3A #6 with that mark and she will be a key scorer for the Tigers. Sophia Shapiro is the other athlete who will make a difference for Edwardsville. She has exploded onto the hurdling scene this season, with season bests of 14.04 and 42.83. She is 3A #1 in the 300mH and #2 in the 100mH behind Daisha Brunson of Conant. She will likely score 18-20 points on her own, she will be a huge contributor to this team. She also helped lead the 4x1 to a 3A #6 47.17, which has a shot at making the final and scoring points. There are teams where you have 1 or 2 girls who can just rack up insane points by themselves, Edwardsville definitely fits into that category. Either way, the tigers will find themselves in a great scoring position this year. 

Individual Events Preview

100m

This looks to be a battle of the titans with already 11 athletes with PRs under the 12 second barrier. That is the most ever entering a State Meet. Angelena Bullocks of Chicago Whitney Young has been on fire all year as she has been undefeated in the 60m and 100m on Illinois Soil this season. She enters the meet with a 11.33 (+4.9) PR in the 100m. It feels like her and Mariyah Robinson of Homewood-Flossmoor have crossed paths a few times this year but never ended up in the same races with one another. Their only encounter of the season was a Bullocks win at the HF ABC Invite in the 60m. Robinson is an amazing athlete as well of course with her 11.46 seasons best that she ran at the Sectional. It will likely be one of these two crossing the line first. They could challenge the IHSA All-Class State Meet Record if the wind holds. The record is held by both Morolake Akinosun of Waubonsie Valley (2012) and Alexandria Anderson of Chicago Morgan Park (2004) which is 11.41. We have so many excellent athletes as this looks to be the fastest 100m final in State Meet History! Rayna Raglin of Alton ran 11.58 in the 100m this past week at the Bloomington Sectional. What's crazy is that is the 15th fastest time ever run in State History and she is not in the state title conversation as of this moment. That doesn’t mean that she can’t pull a massive upset and win though. Anna Niebrugge of Prospect has been undefeated in the 100m this year and has 2 different sub 12 second marks this season. The Knights will need Niebrugge to pick up some big points here in the 100m for their team race. She can sneak into the top 3 potentially if she has a great day. Maliyah Miller of Chicago St. Ignatius took 2nd at the St. Ignatius Sectional running a blazing new PR of 11.77 in the 100m. She has been rapidly improving and will look to grab her first career all-state medal in this race. 

200m

Once again, Angelena Bullocks of Whitney Young is the girl to watch. She leads the state with her time of 23.65 and she has replicated a 23 several times. She has been nothing short of dominant throughout this season, as she has yet to lose on Illinois soil. The IHSA All-Class state record could be in danger here. It currently stands at 23.32 set by Alexandria Anderson of Morgan Park in 2005. If conditions prevail, Bullocks could very well break that time. It will take the performance of a lifetime for someone to knock her off her pedestal, Bullocks is truly in a class of her own. There is only one potential contender to Bullocks, and that will be Mariyah Robinson of Homewood Flossmoor. Robinson had one of the greatest triples I have ever seen at a sectional meet, running 11.46, 23.91 and 53.55 all in one day! In terms of versatility, there is no athlete in the state, boy or girl, who is on Robinson’s level. She has been chasing Bullocks for quite some time now, maybe this weekend is the time for her to push ahead. After these two powerhouses, you will see a large group of third place contenders. Anna Niebrugge of Prospect has the next best PR, with a 24.04 (+3.2), she narrowly leads Rayna Raglin of Alton in 24.09 and Daisha Brunson of Conant in 24.16 (+3.2). Brunson and Niebrugge faced off at the MSL Championships, and Niebrugge got the best of their race there. However, Raglin has run 24.09 without any wind aid, so it could be possible for her to slip by both of them for third. 

400m

Ali Ince has had a monopoly on the middle distance events over the last few years. With her out of the way, it makes room for real sprinters to shine in this event. We haven’t seen a girl running in the 53s in over ten years, so it is certainly refreshing to see Mariyah Robinson of Homewood Flossmoor break that barrier again. She ran a heartstopping 53.55 at the Lockport Sectional in a huge statement win over Alaina Steele of Lincoln Way East. She is at a higher plane than anyone else right now and I would be surprised if she lost this race. Alaina Steele has the unfortunate job of chasing Robinson, she’s done it many times this season and she will have to do it again. Steele ran a huge PR of 54.53 at the Lockport sectional for a 3A #2 time. She has only lost to two girls this season, Robinson and Naomi Bey Osborne of Kankakee. Bey-Osborne is another girl who could surprise you in the race for a state title. She doesn’t race quite as often as the rest of her competition, so her undefeated record doesn’t hold as much weight as Robinson’s. However, she did take out Steele at indoor champs where she ran 55.11, which is her current PR. Don’t be surprised if Bey-Osborne puts herself in title contention, she is one heck of an athlete. Julia Brown of OPRF and Lauren Dellangelo of PN are the last two girls who have broken the 56 border in this field. Brown is just ahead of Dellangelo with a 55.58 over a 55.86. Dellangelo has a team to help support, so she will be racing for more than just an individual medal. That being said, she will have to improve upon her time if she wants to crack the top 3. 

800m

It's weird to not be writing about Ali Ince here as she dominated the 800m at the state meet over the last 4 years. This is the most wide open distance event at the state meet this year in 3A. There is no clear favorite which leaves many athletes with the potential to walk out of Charleston with the win. Annika Swan of Chicago St. Ignatius has the fastest time in the field based on season's best with her 2:11.06 that she ran at Distance Night In Palatine. Swan has been so narrowly close to winning a state title now on multiple occasions. If Swan does not make this a tactical sit and kick race and tries opening up on the field early then she can walk away with her first ever state title here. Swan was the State Runner-Up in this event in 2023. There are some great kickers in the field if Swan chooses to take this out slow. Lola Satre-Morales of Naperville Central is one of those kickers with phenomenal 400 speed of 58.59. She just missed the state finals in this event last year with her 13th place finish. Expect her to not make it close this year. Meg Peterson of Prospect is another one of those “kickers” with a shot. Peterson may be the scariest name in the field with the resume she has obtained over the years. She has yet to lose an open 800m all year, but will be coming off the 4x800m here. She was 3rd in this event in 2023. Keira Jenke of Benet Academy finished 2nd to Satre-Morales at the Sectional but had a phenomenal indoor season that saw her run 2:12.78. If she can recreate that performance here then she will be in the running for the win. We cannot forget to mention Mia Forsytek of Lincoln-Way Central who is a sneaky name in this race. Nobody is talking about the 2024 State Runner-Up in the 800m and they should be. She had a massive day at the State Meet last year to place 2nd and we could see that happen again this year. 

1600m

This year's 1600m is looking to be quite an intriguing race on the distance side, as it's going to be an interesting battle of the best distance athletes in the state. At the top of the list is Annika Swan of St. Ignatius. She enters the state meet with the fastest PR in the field, holding a 4:44 to her name from the Arcadia Invitational. Her smooth, even split running will make it quite difficult to complete if the race becomes a fast, honest effort. Keep in mind that Swan is quite the 800m athlete as well and could use that speed to her advantage. Mia Sirois of Barrington is a massive threat with her outstanding performances all season long. She had a great sectional with a 10:08 and 4:54 double, though she is a primarily 3200m athlete, she still shows impressive talent across the 1600m distance and will be on the watch. Allison Shutler of St. Ignatius will also be in this conversation, as she is only just a freshman and already has a widespread talent across all distance events. She shows some impressive 800m abilities and could be a factor in the bell lap. Ali Londrigan of Chatham Glenwood has shown that she can be there if the race is set in an honest tempo from the gun and definitely shouldn't be overlooked. Don't sleep on Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North, she has been consistent all season and could be considered a dark horse to break into the top three. It'll be interesting to see how this race unfolds, as most of these athletes are doubling. 

3200m

The 3200m this year is looking pretty cut and dry upfront. Mia Sirois of Barrington is the headliner athlete coming in, and for good reason. Not only is she the defending champ but she has been ridiculously dominant over this distance this season. My guess is that she will set a hot tempo from the gun and grind all the way to tape as she has in a lot of her races as of recently. The current IHSA state record of 10:12.96 by Katelynne Hart (2018) will be on watch as Mia has run faster than that in many solo efforts. It's gonna be a solid battle for second between Allison Shutler of St. Ignatius and Maya Ledesma of Minooka as they have both run in the 10:20s for the distance. In my opinion, Shutler has the edge, but Ledesma will be close behind. And to round out this loaded field with Macy Ermitage of Downers North and Ali Londrigan of Chatham Glenwood, who both have PR’s in the 10:40s. This race is shaping up to be a one to remember. 

100H

The Hurdles are always some of the most entertaining and high-stakes events on the track due to the combination of flat speed, coordination, and technique needed to be successful. The 100mh hurdles are looking loaded this year as we have the defending state champ and two other all-staters returning. Daisha Brunson comes in as the slight favorite as she is the defending state champ, has the leading time in 3A of 14.01 (4.8), and has some incredible flat speed with her 11.92 (+5.5). If Brunson can return to her form from last season, it will be incredibly hard to beat her. Very close behind Brunson is Sophia Shapiro with her time of 14.04. Shapiro has been putting down sub-15 performances and showing a type of form that could snag a state title. Amy Carhee brings some serious firepower as well, she ran 14.10 (+4.8) in the same race at Brunson and should not be overlooked. Simone Bernard also belongs in the conversation because she is an all-state returner as she placed 8th in last year's final. This for her to upgrade her medal in her senior year. Speaking of all-state returners, Diaymond Childress also is on the lookout. She placed 9th in the final last year and has a solid chance to sneak into the top three taking into account wind readings. 

300H 

The 300m hurdles is all about who can hold their form and composure when lactics hits, and this year's field is stacked with athletes who know how to finish strong. It's gonna be an exciting battle upfront with the current 3A leader Sophia Shapiro and the defending champion, Aisha Kazeem. As the returning 1 and 2 from last year's state final they have done some great things so far.They both have dipped under the 43 second barrier and will have quite the lead on the field. Can Kazeem defend her title? NeVeah Bryant, a returning all-stater, will have the opportunity to improve on her 5th place finish last year. Another key returning all-stater, Kennedy Ruff recently went on a tear and had a fantastic performance at sectionals after a mediocre conference meet with a 43.89 and has propelled herself into the top 3 conversation. Rounding out the group is Amina Hadziahmetovic, who has been consistently improving this season and could have a breakout performance at the state meet. With so many athletes in this field with strong 400m abilities anything can happen at any single point in this race. 

4x100m

Last year, we saw a record breaking number of teams under 47, with four teams getting under the elusive border. This year, we have 5 teams under 47, and we haven’t even had the state meet yet! Homewood Flossmoor and Prospect are on the hunt for a state record, as they lead this field with some blistering times. HF ran an incredible 46.29 at the Texas relays in late March, and they have since been consistently under 47 seconds. Prospect ran 46.36 at their sectional meet last week, and will be highly competitive with Flossmoor. These two teams are the main figures in the overall team race, and this will be a big event for swing points between the two. Whitney Young, Plainfield North and Kankakee are the other 3 teams who have run under 47. Whitney Young leads the chasers in 46.69, Plainfield North will follow in 46.76 and then Kankakee is behind that in 46.84. You might see an appearance from teams like Alton and Belleville East as well. Alton has run a solid 47.19 for 3A #7, which could potentially be improved upon here at the state meet. Belleville East has a wicked fast 4x2, but their 100m speed in the open is very strong. I think they could be a team to crack the 47 border as well, maybe even finish in the top 5. 

4x200m

You might be noticing a pattern, as the same three teams that are leading the team race are also dominating the sprint relays. Homewood Flossmoor is chasing after the state record in this event, which was set by Lincoln Way East in 2013 at 1:36.86. HF ran an incredible 1:37.27 at the Texas Relays in March and it still stands at 3A #1. They ran 1:37.9, without Mariyah Robinson at sectionals, so even if they don’t stack the relay, they will still likely win the title. Plainfield North and Prospect will be hot on their heels. PN ran 1:38.26 at the Hunt invite for 3A #2, they could get past HF if the Vikings don’t put Robinson on the relay. Prospect is about a second back from PN, with a 1:39.03 from their sectional meet. They have a lot of work to do if they want to beat either of the teams ahead of them, but it’s not entirely out of the question. After them, you’ll see teams like Belleville East, Kankakee and Whitney Young pursue all-state spots. BE has a 1:39.75, which sits at 3A #4, however they ran it without Kamryn Durrah. Durrah is a member of their 47.58 4x1 and 3:53 4x4, she will be a valuable addition to this 4x2. Kankakee has been running fast relays all year and the 4x2 is one of their best scoring opportunities, so they will be a team to watch for. WY ran 1:41 indoors, but we haven’t seen them stack it since then. They ran 1:42.29 at sectionals without Angelena Bullocks, and now that she’s been added to the relay card, it’s likely they will take their place on the podium.

4x400m

An epic showdown between the returning state champs and some elite sprint programs will certainly produce a fun race. Prospect and Plainfield North have both been racing at an elite level this season, with season bests of 3:50 apiece. Prospect has much greater depth than anyone else in this competition, they could make 8 different lineups and still probably end up top 3. If they run their fastest possible runners, I could see them breaking the 3:50 barrier. Plainfield North is in a similar scenario, the only difference is they won’t have enough girls to swap in and out. Lauren Dellangelo is the big hitter for PN, her 55.86 will be huge for them. They have Lindsey Wenz, Aniya Poindexter and Tessa Russo rounding out their squad, this team can definitely contend with Prospect. The defending champs, Lincoln Way East, won this race last year with a time of 3:50. They have been mostly under the radar this season, until last week when they ran 3:52 to win their sectional. They have seen great improvement in Alaina Steele, who just recently ran 54.53, also at their sectional meet. With an incredible anchor leg like that, it will be hard to deny them a win. Homewood Flossmoor could be a team that takes you by surprise here. I find it hard to see them running Mariyah Robinson, but if they do, they will definitely contend for a state title. They ran 3:54 at their sectional meet without Robinson, and if you replace one of those legs with a 53.55, you get something like 3:49. That would launch the Vikings into contention with Prospect and PN so be on the watch to see how they structure their relay. Belleville East and Kankakee are two more teams that will be near the front of this race. BE ran 3:53 at the Bloomington sectional, they will likely stack this relay in hopes to capture a spot in the top 5. Kankakee ran 3:53 indoors, but they have an outdoor best of 3:55. With someone like Naomi Bey-Osborne anchoring your squad, I would be surprised if they don’t beat a 3:55 at state. 

4x800m

With some of the times that we saw indoors, this event has the potential to be the best event of the weekend. Prospect has not lost this event since 2019, and it looks like the streak will be kept alive this weekend. There are currently 5 teams in the United States who have run under 9 minutes, Prospect will most likely join them. If they do join them, they will have earned a state record as well, which was set by Glenbard West in 2012 with an 8:59.03. Meg Peterson and Mary Laba have looked strong in the open 800 this season, and their times match up with how they’ve been racing. Veronica Znajda has been stuck in the 1600, but she has still managed to run 2:14 this season. All their 4 will have to do is stay under 2:18, and they will be home safe with a sub 9 and a state title in their hands. Unfortunately for everyone else, that means a rough race for the chasers. Plainfield North is the next best team who is equipped to take down Prospect. They have Lindsey Wenz and Marlie Czarnewski as a strong 1-2, and then Elsie Czarnewski and Tessa Russo as strong supporting legs. Barrington also has the potential to run up with Plainfield North. Madison Miles and Scout Storms both have season bests at 2:16. Storms has a PR split of 2:13.8 from last year at state, it would be a game changer if she could drop down to that time again. Abby Lewis could also make a difference on this squad, her PR of 2:15 would really help this team keep up with PN. They could go to Mia Sirois at 4, but seeing as she’s already running 3200 and 1600, I highly doubt that will happen. Instead, it will likely be Angelica Hill at the 4, who has a solid PR of 2:23. These two squads could be under 9:10 given the right conditions, but I just don’t see them hanging with Prospect. Lincoln Way Central and Glenbard West are the current 3A leaders, they will look to make some noise as well. LWC has the returning 800 runner up in Mia Forystek, who has a split PR of 2:12. Her supporting cast includes Ana Dal Ponte, Jillian Davis, and Kiera Faxel, who are all running in the low 2:20s right now. Glenbard West has Alexa Novak and MacKenzie Gilbert up front, both girls will put the Hilltoppers out towards the front. After them they have Lauren Bennett and Addie Nordman, who both ran big PRs at their sectional meet. Both of these teams have more in the tank, they will compete for 4 and 5. 

High Jump

Like always, the girls high jump will be determined by a matter of inches, this year feels especially close. Kaylee Meyer of Schaumburg is the most qualified high jumper here. She was the New Balance Nationals champion in this event and her PR is a skyscraping 5’ 9”. She has not lost this season, but her outdoor season best leaves a little to be desired. She is currently 3A #3, and there are girls creeping up on her. Defending state champ, Zairah Burnett of Guildford, leads the state with a mark of 5’ 8” and she is poised to compete for another title. She is tied with Sherrie Emmons of Rich Township, also at 5’ 8”. Emmons is in her first ever year of track and the rookie sensation has been unstoppable this season. She’s a dual threat in both the high jump and the long jump, she’s a state contender in both events. She will be a name to watch here. Jaea Benford of Rockford Auburn was one spot behind Meyer at state last year, and she’s seen a big jump in her PR this season. She currently sits at 5’ 7”, tied with Meyer at 3A #3. Jordan Dimke of Hononegah is another name to watch, she was the runner up last year and she has a PR of 5’ 8”. She’s a wait-til-the-last-minute-to-PR type of girl, so definitely keep your eyes on her. Samantha Yeh of Dunlap is the last girl here who has a shot at the title. She cleared 5’ 8” last year and she was also 5th at the state meet. She has cleared 5’ 6.5” so far this season and she will put herself in the mix for a spot on the podium.

Long Jump

Huntley’s superstar, Dominique Johnson, is used to being at the top. She has a monstrous PR of 20’ 3” which sits at 3A #1. She has hit in the high 19s several times this year in several different locations, so I would expect her to still get the win. But this isn’t the triple jump where she can coast through, she actually has competition here. Sherrie Emmons of Rich Township and Kyla Motley of Shepherd will be gunning for Dom as well as the state title. Emmons hit a tremendous 20’ 1.5” at the Bill O’Donovan Eagle Classic and has since then hit 19 feet numerous times. Motley recently joined the 20 foot club at the SSC Red conference meet, she sits at 20’ 0.5”. Both are incredible athletes and could walk away with a win if they get lucky. Zariah Burnett of Guildford is the only other athlete in their dimension, she hit 19’ 6” at the Huntley Sectional to take second behind Johnson. She is currently 3A #4 with that mark, she could be up with the leaders.

Triple Jump

Dominique Johnson has raised the bar in this event, and she will look to cap off her terrific season with a state record. Her PR of 43’ 3” is about half a foot over the record, but she will need to pull it off on the day in order to break it. She has been strikingly consistent at 42 feet, so it’s very likely that she pulls it off on the day. After her, you’ll see a huge gap to second, but it will likely be Layla Bonilla of Whitney Young. Bonilla hit a treacherous 39’ 5” indoors, and she is currently 3A #3 with a mark of 38’ 11”. As one of the more consistent triple jumpers in the state, I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes second in this event. Her teammate, Courtney Burt, is another member of the 39 club, when she hit 39’ 6” last season. She grazed the 39 foot mark indoors as well, she will need to be up by that number if she wants to score big points for her team. Gabi Karvelis of Neuqua Valley was 39’ 2” indoors and is currently 38’ 8”. She was third at state last year, she will be gunning for that top 3 spot again. Kee’lani Whitlock of Kenwood was 39 feet during outdoor and is currently 3A #4 with a mark of 38’ 10”. She will need to crack the top 5 if Kenwood has any hope of scoring well as a team. 

Pole Vault

We might see the 3A record fall in the pole vault this weekend. The record mark of 13’ 3” was set by Sarah Landau of Geneva in 2004, and we have two girls who might challenge that bar. Eva Bach of Lake Park was stunning indoors, where she cleared 13’ 0.25” to win the 3A top times championships. She has only lost one time this season, and it was at a height of 10’ 6”. Bach only needs 3 more inches if she wants to snag the record, and she will need every inch she can get. She is closely followed by Mckena Miglorini of Lockport, who was 12’ 11.75” indoors. She has a season best of 12 feet, which is tied with Bach. Both of these girls will be gunning for the state record, they should be well ahead of the competition. Kailee Rodeck of Downers South is your current state leader in this event, she enters the competition at 12’ 5.5”. Her PR mark is bigger than most others here, it will be a daunting task to get around her. Yane Jansen Van Rensburg of Barrington is the only other girl who has more than 12 feet on the board, with a mark of 12’ 3”. She is 3A #2 right now and has not lost since late March, she’s another tough competitor to watch out for. Your returning state champ, Reese Wolfe of Chatham Glenwood, could still be in this competition. She has been out of competition for about a month, but she returned to action at her sectional meet, where she hit the qualifying standard of 10’ 6”. She was a respectable 11’ 9” indoors, and her PR sits at 13 feet flat. We have no idea what kind of shape she’s in, but it would be an incredible statement if she came back from a hiatus and won a state title. She’s still an incredible athlete, don’t be surprised if she’s a factor in this event.

Shot Put

If we had this event indoors, we would have a very clear favorite. However, as outdoor has dragged on, we’re seeing that it’s closer than we originally thought. Jaloni Wiley of Homewood Flossmoor was unstoppable indoors, where she threw 40 bomb after 40 bomb until peaking at a craterous 46’ 3”. She hasn’t lost in the shot put since last year, but she also doesn’t have the top marks anymore. Marco Reynolds of Normal Community has been tearing it up, with a PR of 43’ 6” and multiple tosses of 41 or higher. She is currently leading the state by about a foot, and it will be very difficult for Wiley to top her. Natassja Bowman of Guildford is the other girl to stand up to these two. She has taken several steps forward in the shot put this season, she has thrown a colossal 42’ 6” for 3A #2. She is also a threat in the disc, and her versatility is going to be super helpful in the team scoring for Guildford. She has the best shot out of anyone at cracking the top 3, watch for a huge toss from her. Joi Story of Edwardsville was 42 feet during the indoor season as well, she will look to match that mark here. Leijla Maljevic of Evanston is another name who could surprise you for a spot in the top 3. Her mark of 41’ 8” is hard to compete against, and she’s extremely consistent at 40 feet or higher. By PR alone, she has what it takes to match up with some of the previously mentioned athletes, watch out for her on the podium. 

Discus

The discus has gotten a lot stronger this year. Last year, a mark of 130’ was top 5 in the state, this year, you can’t hit the top 5 without 139’. This is exciting and also unfortunate, because there are a lot of powerful athletes who won’t get their recognition. Sienna Robertson of Huntley has the biggest PR in the field with a cataclysmic toss of 148’ 2”. She is currently leading the state with a mark of 140’ 11”, she enters the competition as the girl to beat. Arisa Bisofa of Lake Zurich is right behind her with a throw of 140’ 7”. The freshman is strikingly consistent at 140, she has hit the mark 3 times this season. All she has to do is throw 140 one more time and she’s home with a state medal. Natassja Bowman of Guildford is the last athlete over 140’ this season, she sits at 3A #3 with a throw of 140’ 1”. She was third at the Huntley sectional, where she lost to both Sienna Robertson and Carly Uehlein of Jacobs. Uehlein has been coming on strong this season, with a huge PR of 136’ 7” that she threw at sectionals. To think that she was only 114’ last year and is now in contention for a top 3 spot is crazy, you can’t help but root for her. Klara Volkova of Lake Park, similarly, has made great strides in her discus this year. She is throwing 139’ 1”, which is a far cry from her 120’ from last year. With the history in throwing that Lake Park has, it’s not surprising that she’s turned into such a threat, she will seek out her place on the podium this weekend as well. You also can’t forget about the defending champ, Joi Story of Edwardsville. Story won the 3A title last year with a toss of 139’ 1”, she will look to go back to back. Her teammate, Jayla Gathing, will be another girl in the mix here. She has thrown 136’ 10” this season and will likely find herself on the podium this year. Jaloni Wiley of Homewood Flossmoor has a wicked PR of 144’ 8”, she could find herself in a top 3 spot on a good day as well.