2026 IHSA Track and Field Girls State: 3A Preview

We have finally made it to the end of the season, and the girls state meet is just around the corner. With 1A prelims tomorrow, we have gone event by event and broken down all of the action that you will see this weekend!

100m

The 100m is always a marquee event at the state meet, one that can throw a wrench into predictions given how little margin for error exists in such a short race. That said, this year's field has a clear and heavy favorite in Rayna Raglin of Alton, who has been undefeated in both the 60m and 100m this season. Raglin finished 3rd in this event last year and owns a PR of 11.27 (+2.7). If she gets favorable wind conditions, she could challenge Angelina Bullock's All-Class State Record of 11.35, set last year. She has proven herself in big moments already this season, most notably at the Illinois Indoor Championships where she claimed victory in both the 60m and 200m. Behind Raglin, the battle for 2nd figures to be competitive. Nina Brown of Champaign Centennial ran extremely well at Sectionals with an 11.66 (+4.1) and will be a strong contender. She narrowly edged out Hannah Safranek of Normal University, who ran 11.70 and will also be in the mix. The Homewood-Flossmoor duo of Aniya Mullins and London Willingham went 1-2 at their sectional, running 11.74 (+2.4) and 11.86 (+2.4) respectively. A strong combined performance will be key to an H-F trophy. Mullins, who finished 7th in this event last year, and Willingham should both contend for a top-5 finish. Don't overlook Maliyah Miller of St. Ignatius either. The 2025 sixth-place finisher has been on fire lately, clocking 11.90 on two separate occasions and looking very capable of breaking into the top 3.

200m

The 200m is one of the best events at the state meet, as it incorporates acceleration with top-end speed, and a runner in last after the curve can come out of nowhere to finish the race a champion. This year, defending champion Mariyah Robinson was injured during the 200m Sectional and didn't advance, but that doesn't mean the event will be sub-par by any means. Rayna Raglin of Alton is the fastest 100/200 sprinter in the state and may double back to win both events at state. She is IL#1 and US#15 with her 23.18, has run some incredibly fast times all season, and has yet to lose a 200m race in 2026. As a previous state qualifier and 5th-place finisher last year, there is no doubt she can return to Charleston and break the All-Class State Record of 23.32 under the right conditions. Daisha Brunson of Conant is another heavy contender for the title, with a season-best of 23.86 (+3.7) that ranks her IL#3. She has competed at numerous out-of-state meets, including USATF Junior Olympics where she placed 5th in the 200m last year, and she qualified for NBNI in the 200m this indoor season. As a top-5 finisher in 2025, she knows exactly what it takes to make the finals. Maliyah Miller of St. Ignatius will also be in the mix for a finals spot and podium finish, with a season-best of 24.01 ranking her 5th in the state. Miller finished 3rd in the 200m last year running into a headwind (-1.1), so with a good tailwind she has a real chance to break 24 seconds for the first time in her career. Joanna Anoke, the Edwardsville sophomore, has been electric lately, most recently PRing at Sectionals with a 24.04 (+2.3). She won Top Times earlier this season and has only gotten faster since. London Willingham of Homewood-Flossmoor is another athlete capable of a top-5 finish. She narrowly missed the finals last year with a 10th-place finish and has continued to improve, now owning a PR of 24.16 (+3.7). The 200m looks to be Raglin's race to lose, but the 2nd and 3rd spots are wide open.

400m

The girls 400m looks to be one of the most exciting sprint events of the day, with electric times expected across the board. Mariyah Robinson of Homewood-Flossmoor is the returning state champion in this event, owning a blazing PR of 53.55. She was unfortunately injured at her Sectional during the 200m, and her status heading into the state meet remains unclear. If healthy, expect her to be fully competitive in this field. If not, the door is wide open for Abigail Jackson of Normal University, who owns the top time in 3A this year with a 54.96 PR set at her Sectional. Jackson beat both Lyric Jones of Belleville West and Rayna Raglin of Alton at that meet, two of the next best runners in this event. Jones ran 55.12 for second and Raglin ran 55.62 for third, and both should be in contention for a state title as well. Don't overlook Alaina Steele of Lincoln Way East, the second-best returner from last year's state meet. She owns a blazing PR of 54.53 from last spring, though she will need to improve significantly on her season-best to contend for the podium. It would be hard to forget her anchor leg on the 4x400m relay last year, where she split an incredible 53.7. Brie Noel of Evanston and Kayla Riepe of Whitney Young have both broken 56 seconds this season and will be fighting for their spots on the all-state podium as well.

800m

The girls 3A 800m might be the deepest event in the entire state this year, with a loaded field and a strong chance to see a ton of sub-2:10 marks. On paper, the favorite is Kara Glenn of St. Charles North. Glenn ran the #1 time in the state at her Sectional with a 2:09.97, and she negatively split that race with a 67-second opening lap and a 62-second closing lap, which clearly shows she has plenty left in the tank. The one question mark surrounding her is race schedule, as she is currently planning to run the 4x800m, 3200m, 800m, and 1600m in an effort to put St. Charles North in the trophy conversation. On tired legs, Glenn could get sniped by a number of elite athletes. One of those athletes is Mia Forystek of Lincoln Way Central, who holds the #2 mark in the state this year with a 2:10 from DNIP. Forystek could potentially move to the 1600m, but if she chooses to run the 800m, she will be gunning for the win. Polina Krupsky of Lake Zurich is another serious contender. The third-place finisher at last year's 3A state meet has set her season-best at 2:11 and has only lost one 800m this season, that coming at DNIP where both Forystek and Natalie Nahs of Minooka got the better of her. Nahs is firmly in the win conversation as well, having set her all-time PR at DNIP in a major statement that she belongs among the best in the state. Lily Hodneland of Hinsdale Central is yet another 2:11 athlete with her sights set on the win. She has competed against this group extensively, with victories over both Nahs and Glenn, whom she beat at IIC. Hodneland has also proven she can handle the grind of back-to-back races, running 2:15 and 2:16 on the same weekend during the indoor season as a state meet simulation. Finally, don't sleep on Emily Stecky of DePaul Prep and Annika Swan of St. Ignatius, both returning state champions with something to prove. Stecky won the 2A 800m last year with a PR of 2:09, while Swan is the defending 3A champion with a winning mark of 2:10. Both have trailed some big names this season and will be coming in hungry, which should make for some fast times from two of the most experienced competitors in the field.

1600m

Just like the 800m, the 1600m field is incredibly deep, and we should see some great marks across the board. The two favorites in this event are Kara Glenn of St. Charles North and Mia Sirois of Barrington. Glenn currently holds the IL#2 spot and the #1 mark in 3A with a 4:46.80, but she will be tackling a massive event load this weekend, running the 3200m, 1600m, 800m, and 4x800m. This leaves the door open for Sirois, who doubled in 4:46 at her Sectional meet and will need to grind this race from the front and run the kick out of the field. Defending state champion Annika Swan of St. Ignatius will also be in the mix. Swan returns with the fastest PR in the field at 4:42, though her season-best currently sits at 4:50.66 from the Arcadia Invitational. She also won the 1600m at IIC this past winter and will be ready to defend her title. State newcomer Lennox Szymonik of Jacobs could make a massive statement in her debut. The freshman has had a phenomenal first campaign, highlighted by her 4:52.91 PR at Distance Night in Palatine, where she took down both Glenn and Swan to win the main event mile section. If she can replicate that performance, she could shock the field. Mia Forystek of Lincoln Way Central will also be in the field, doubling back from the 800m earlier in the day. Like Szymonik, Forystek owns a 4:52 PR, and her 800m speed should serve her well in this race. Two other experienced contenders are Ali Londrigan of Chatham Glenwood and Alexa Novak of Glenbard West. Londrigan finished 4th in this event last year, running 4:57 in the finals after dropping a PR of 4:52.49 in the prelims. Novak narrowly missed all-state honors last year with a 10th-place finish in 5:00.54, but has since PRed across all of her events, including a 4:57.49 victory at the Wheaton-Warrenville South Sectional. Coming off that momentum, she will arrive at state ready to drop something big.

3200m

While the 3200m field is incredibly deep this year, one athlete emerges as the clear favorite for the state title: Mia Sirois of Barrington. Sirois comes in as the two-time defending 3A state champion and record holder in this event, and is having a fantastic season highlighted by her 9:59.36 US#2 two-mile at Distance Night in Palatine. At state, she will also be contesting the 1600m and possibly the 4x800m in addition to the 3200m. A sub-10 performance and a new state meet record will absolutely be on the table. Behind Sirois, the race for second is wide open. Barrington has a chance to go 1-2 with Victoria Tarara, who has made huge strides this season and ran a PR of 10:21 at Sectionals. If she can replicate that performance, she will be a strong contender for second. Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North is another athlete capable of a big race. She has not contested the two-mile at state since her freshman year, when she ran 11:02 for 18th place, but has since lowered her PR to 10:23 and claimed the indoor state title in this event at IIC. Karlin Janowski of York will also be in the mix after a strong track season, running 10:27 and 4:57 this year. She possesses a lethal kick that could help her snag a podium spot if the race comes down to a pack finish. Several athletes in this field are doubling back from other events, adding another layer of intrigue. Kara Glenn of St. Charles North has remarkable range, ranking in the top 10 in four different events: the 400m, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. She will run out of the slower heat to conserve energy for her other races, but is absolutely capable of running an all-state time on her own. The question is whether she can secure second place from the slow section. Sofia Borter of Geneva, Lennox Szymonik of Jacobs, and Ali Londrigan of Chatham (Glenwood) will all be doubling back from the 1600m. Londrigan finished 5th in this event last year with a PR of 10:40, while Borter is coming off a massive PR of 10:36 that puts her firmly in podium contention. Szymonik, in the midst of a standout freshman season, ran a solo 10:33 at the Palatine Relays and could have a massive breakout race with quality competition around her. Finally, Macy Ermitage of Downers Grove North will be looking to defend her 3rd-place finish from last year, when she ran 10:32 to earn a spot on the podium.

100mH

The all-class state record in the 100 m hurdles has stood for 25 years, since Dawn Harper set it at 13.54 back in 2001. That record could finally fall here in a matchup between two goliaths. Sophie Shapiro of Edwardsville ran 13.47 (+2.5) at her sectional last week, a wind-aided mark that will not count toward the record but proves she is absolutely capable of breaking it under legal conditions. This was the third time this season she has broken 14 seconds for the athlete who finished fourth in this event last year. To win, however, she will have to go through the defending three-time state champion, Daisha Brunson of Conant. Brunson ran 13.60 as a sophomore and is one of the most decorated 100 m hurdles athletes in state history. She has always delivered at the state meet, and there is no reason to expect anything different this year. Notably, both athletes have been undefeated in the event all season, setting up what should be an incredible showdown. Hannah Safranek of Normal University makes the jump to the 3A classification after finishing third in 2A in 2025. She broke 14 seconds for the first time at sectionals with a 13.99 (+2.5) and will be fighting for a top-three finish in the bigger classification. Amyjia Robinson of Belleville West finished right behind her at the sectional with a 14.00 (+2.5). Robinson was the last athlete cut from the finals in 2025 and will be looking to crack the top three and break the 14-second barrier in 2026. Diaymond Childress of Homewood-Flossmoor will be counted on heavily to score for the Vikings, particularly after their top hurdler, Kaiya Collier, failed to qualify for the state meet. Childress responded at sectionals by winning with a 14.06 (+1.5) and will need to finish in the top five to give HF a strong return.

300mH

The 300m hurdles looks to be a highly anticipated matchup between two of the top athletes in state history in the event. Sophie Shapiro of Edwardsville has already run 41.96 in her first meet of the season, an IL#4 all-time mark. She finished 4th in this event last year and will be looking to potentially claim both hurdle titles if she gets past Daisha Brunson earlier in the day. Kennedy Ruff of Hinsdale South made a huge statement at the Illinois Indoor Championships, winning the 400m in 55.72 and running 9.00 in the 60m hurdles. She has remained largely unchallenged for most of her outdoor season and has proven she elevates at big meets, finishing 2nd at last year's state meet in 42.96. The University of Arizona commit also ran 1:00.90 in the 400m hurdles the following summer. Amyjia Robinson of Belleville West is a top returner as the 3rd place finisher from last year's race, and her 43.41 this season puts her in contention for another podium finish. Ameena Ross of Rock Island has also been impressive this season, running 43.28 at her sectional for second place and positioning herself as another top 3 threat. Brisline Lankah of Plainfield East, who beat Ross at that same Sectional, is perhaps the most intriguing name in the field. In her very first year hurdling, the sophomore has already run 43.26 and looks to be a rising star in the event. Kamdyn Redway of Kenwood is another first year hurdler to watch, she is only a freshman. She ran 43.76 at the Homewood Flossmoor Girls Invitational and will be looking to crack the top 5 in her debut state appearance.

4x100m

This year's 3A 4x100m looks to have a clear favorite, though an upset is certainly not out of the question. The defending champions and state record holders, Homewood-Flossmoor, return all athletes except for the question mark surrounding Mariyah Robinson. While they still boast top sprinters like Aniya Mullins and London Willingham, Robinson's potential absence could leave them vulnerable to a team like Edwardsville swooping in to take the title. The Tigers have looked great in recent weeks with a season’s best of 46.18 at the Sectional. The battle for third should be tight among several contenders. Kankakee returns three of their four runners from last year's 4th place team and ran 46.62 back in April. Close behind is Belleville East, who also returns three of four runners from their 5th place finish in 2025 and has run 46.96 this season, giving them a strong case to challenge for third. Plainfield East has been the other team to crack the 47 second barrier this year with a 46.98 and will be right in the mix as well. Finally, Prospect is worth keeping an eye on. While they have not broken 47 seconds this year as some of the other teams have, they return half of their 2nd place relay from last year and could be dangerous if they put a complete race together.

4x200m 

Much like the 4x100m, the 4x200m looks to have a similar pecking order at the top. Homewood-Flossmoor is the favorite to win again, having run 1:36.94 and carrying a realistic shot at besting the 3A state record held by Lincoln Way East. With all four runners returning from last year and the form they have shown this year, clean exchanges should be enough to get the win. That said, execution will be everything. This same team dropped the baton in last year's prelims without Robinson and cannot afford to let that happen again. Edwardsville is the next team in the conversation, having run 1:38.85 this season. They will need to execute a clean race to secure 2nd place, however, as Kankakee returns three of four runners from their runner up performance last year and will be pushing hard for that spot. From there, the battle for the remaining places shapes up to be an incredibly tight affair among Rock Island (1:40.13), Plainfield East (1:40.26), St. Charles East (1:40.41), Belleville East (1:40.64), and Prospect (1:40.77). With all five teams separated by less than a second, there could be massive swings in the final standings depending on who executes on the day.

4x400m

This year's 3A 4x400m is shaping up to be an extremely tight battle at the front. The slight favorite is Belleville East, who return their full roster from their 3rd place finish at last year's state meet and have run 3:51.51 at the O'Fallon Sectional this season. Close behind is Evanston with a 3:52.02 at the Deerfield Sectional, a mark that came in subpar conditions with temperatures in the 40s. Prospect finished with a 3:56.38 at that same meet after leading for the first 800m. Prospect finished 4th at last year's state meet, and Samantha Skowronski and Dajana Skolimowska both return this year. Nikki Niebrugge, who won the 100m and 200m and ran on the 4x100m, posted a 56.83 in the 400m back in mid April but did not appear in Prospect's sectional 4x400m lineup. If she substitutes in, Prospect will be a serious threat for a top 3 finish. Homewood-Flossmoor enters as something of a question mark. Their season best of 3:52.34 comes from Texas Relays back in early April, and at Sectionals they subbed out half their relay, including their best runner, Mariyah Robinson. St. Charles East, last year's 9th place finishers, returns their full roster and ran a strong 3:54.62 at the Hoffman Estates sectional, making them a legitimate top 3 contender. Edwardsville finished behind Belleville East at sectionals with a 3:57.69, but their season best comes from the O'Fallon Lady Panther Invitational in early April with that same squad, meaning that if they put it all together, they could be a big factor. Normal University is the biggest mystery heading into the state meet. They ran a 4:00.89 at the O'Fallon Sectional, which is a surprising step back from their 3:56.77 earlier this season. Lincoln Way East, last year's runner up, has two of four athletes returning and ran a 3:56.36 at the Chicago Heights Sectional. Nora Keane and Alaina Steele will be looking to go one better than their 2nd place finish from a year ago and bring home the title.

4x800m

The 3A 4x800 is one of the deepest fields of the weekend. Saint Charles North is the likely favorite, but only if they run Kara Glenn in this event. Glenn has a heavy event load waiting for her, but if SCN stacks their 4x8, the all-class state record of 8:59.03 set by Wheaton Warrenville South in 2012 could be in serious danger. If they don’t run her, SCN still has a serious shot at the title with Gwen Hobson and Julia Rodney, who are both sub 2:15 performers in the 800. If Glenn ends up sitting this one out, this event becomes wide open for a bunch of other teams, one of which being Glenbard West, who returns all four legs from their 6th place relay. Their quartet just set IL #1 at sectionals, running a blazing 9:12 to take the win, proving to be serious contenders for the state title. Right behind them will be the 5 time defending state champions in Prospect. Even though they only return Meg Peterson, they still set IL #2 in 9:16 at the Deerfield Sectional, proving that they have fully reloaded once again. Another team with a great chance at a podium finish is Lincoln-Way Central. They currently hold IL #3 and return their entire 3rd place team from last year, including one of the top 800 contenders in Mia Forystek. Barrington will be returning 3 runners from their 4th place relay last year: Madison Miles, Abby Lewis, and Angelica Hil. They currently hold IL #8 and will be looking to finish top 3 again this year. Wheaton Warrenville South dropped a huge season’s best of 9:20 to capture a second place finish at their sectional and take the #4 spot. They have the potential to make a huge statement this weekend and finish within the top 5. Lane Tech is another team looking to make a statement this weekend, seeing as they haven’t run a fully loaded 4x8 since Mustang Relays during indoor. They return all four runners from their 8th place relay team, and 6 girls in total have dipped under 2:20 this season. In April, they captured IL #1 at the Arcadia Invite in 9:24, but have since then dropped to #6. If they completely stack the team at state, they could end up with a top 5 finish. Finally, Lake Zurich is a team with the potential to finish top 5. They’ve run 9:24 this season, and with strong 800m runners in Polina Krupsky and Celia Blaylock, they could have a great outing.

Shot Put

The Girls 3A shot put is full of talent and multiple all-state throwers from last year's state meet, so it will be a very competitive and interesting event to look out for. The heavy favorite is Jaloni Wiley of Homewood Flossmoor, and she is undefeated against Illinois athletes this season, as well as having the #1 mark in 3A this year. Wiley has a lot of experience at the state meet, with her winning in 2024 and getting 3rd in 2025, so she will hopefully show out this weekend. Another strong contender is Joi Story of Edwardsville, and she has the #2 mark in 3A this year and has had a wonderful season, where she has had some fantastic marks. Also, Story is another returner from the 2025 state meet, where she got 5th. In addition to Story is Arisa Bisofa of Lake Zurich, who also medaled at state last year. She has had an impressive season, so hopefully, she can carry this momentum into the state meet. The first returner that was not in finals last year is Carly Uehlein of Jacobs, but don't let that fool you, she is a very strong contender to be in the top five and maybe steal a spot from one of the other girls. Another athlete who can mix things up is Klara Volkova of Lake Park, and she is another returner from last year, where she got 6th in 3A, but she has shown big improvement and can definitely steal a higher place. Another medalist from last year is  Lejla Maljevic of Evanston, and she has thrown some great marks this year and will hopefully medal again this weekend and compete with the others. The girls' shot put is a very competitive event with all of the athletes in the top ten in the state. Hopefully, some very impressive marks will come out of this on Friday and Saturday.

Discus

The girls' discus is one of the tightest events this weekend, with many of the top athletes being within less than a foot of each other. However, the defending state champion, Arisa Bisofa of Lake Zurich, is competing and will hopefully throw well to claim another state title for herself. Another athlete to look out for is Klara Volkova of Roselle (Lake Park), who has had some very impressive marks this season, as well as being a returning medalist from last year's state meet. Two athletes who may be shooting for that top spot as well are Joi Story of Edwardsville and 

Carly Uehlein of Jacobs, who got 2nd and 3rd at the state meet last year and has some of the top marks in the state this season, so any small error from these four girls could be the decision maker. An uncommon matchup will happen due to last year's 2A state champ getting moved up classes, so we will have two state champs face off, with Isabella Thurston of Normal(University) being a strong contender for a medal as well. The first athlete that is not a returning medalist is Jayla Gathing of Edwardsville, and she has had an exceptional season with a lot of growth, so hopefully she can carry that momentum into the weekend. Another athlete that is doubling is  Jaloni Wiley of Flossmoor (Homewood-F), who has some impressive marks this season and got 5th place last year, so hopefully she can mix things up with the other girls. Lastly, Alice Kotelnikova of Lake Zurich is another medalist from last year's meet, where she placed 4th, so hopefully she can shoot for a top-three spot this weekend. The girls' discus is a very close event and will hopefully produce some very entertaining competition as these athletes try to win or medal this weekend.

High Jump

The high jump for 3A this year could be anyone’s event, there’s no one truly at the top and it is looking like 5 athletes could all walk away champions. However, the current IL#1 jump is owned by Jaeda Benford of Auburn who is only less than an inch above the next 2 athletes with her SB of 5’ 7.75”. Benford was the runner up to Samantha Yeh due to scratches as they both ended at 5’ 8.75”. Her indoor season wasn’t what the hopes had been as she only jumped once, however her outdoor season has been going strong as she almost tied her PR. As mentioned previously, there is no true #1 as Benford actually tied for second at her sectional with Ryleigh Mazzacano and both were runner ups to Jordan Dimke. Dimke of Honenegah has had a great start to her outdoor season as she has yet to lose in the high jump; she is, so far, a conference and sectional champion with a SB of 5’7 (IL#3). She has the capability and drive to take this pattern of winning down to the state meet. Dimke was the bronze medalist in 2025 at states and was most recently the IIC champion. Mazzacano from Crystal Lake central is another returning state finalist and the IL#11 mark of 5’ 5.75” Mentioned before was Mazzacano’s 2nd place finish at sectionals and although she didn’t win, that 2nd place finish gives her a preview of the state meet as multiple athletes from that sectional could be in the finals. Now, the defending champion Samantha Yeh from Dunlap is off to an electric start (IL#4); although she hasn’t broken her PR she's won every meet in high jump in 2026 including her sectional and in indoor season, Illinois Top Times. The senior has yet to reach her peak but it will be interesting to see what she and Benford can continue to do down in Charleston. Finally, an athlete who was not talked about much this outdoor season: Zariah Burnett of Guilford. Had one of the best indoor seasons finishing IL#1 in a 5’9 jump. Her outdoor season has yet to reflect these performances, but as the 2025 7th-place finisher we know she can come up huge when it's needed the most. If Burnett can finish the outdoor season how her indoor one started, we may be in for one of the most exciting, back and forth, events of the weekend.

Pole Vault

Pole vault is one of the most entertaining events and with how things are looking it will definitely be that way at state this weekend. The heavy favorite is Claudia Ifft of Bloomington and she placed 5th at state last year but after a huge amount of growth this year so she is looking to win it. Two athletes that may compete for the top spots are Yane Van Rensburg of Barrington and Kylie Koehler of New Lenox(Lincoln-Way Central) who both tied for 6th place last year and will hopefully mix things up in the top five. Another top contender is Alexis Lally of Bartlett with a big breakout season and this will be her first appearance at the state meet. Two other notable contenders are Marina Biscotakis of Glenview (Glenbrook South) and Patrycja Lewicki of Rolling Meadows who have both had very impressive seasons and can hopefully shoot for a medal at state this weekend. Also both Biscotakis and Lewicki tied for 17th last year and missed finals so hopefully they can medal this weekend.The girls pole vault is heating up and will definitely be an event to look out for as many athletes try to claim their first state medals.

Long Jump

Unlike many of the other events at state this year none of the top girls long jumpers this year medaled in the long jump at last year's state meet so the field will be wide open. However the athlete with #1 mark in 3A is Jordyn Clark of Lansing(Thornton Fractional South) and she is undefeated in long jump this season so hopefully she can carry that momentum into the state meet. Another top contender is London Jarrett of Flosmoor(Homewood-F.) who has had a wonderful season and will hopefully compete for that win against the other girls this weekend.Two more very notable athletes are Courtney Burt of Chicago(Whitney Young) and

Olivia Brown of Deerfield who have both had some very impressive seasons. Both Brown and Burt will both be strong contenders for the state title or top three so that will be fun to watch. Another jumper who may win is Taya Rice of Chicago(Agricultural) who has had a great season so far and as one of the only state medalists with her 4th place in last year's 2A state she has the experience. Lastly Rajae Stevenson of Palos Heights(Shepard) jumped at state last year but has heavily improved this season and is looking like a dark horse to win or place highly this weekend. With very few medalists and some newcomers to the state meet the girls long jump will be very entertaining as we watch all of these girls compete for their first state title.

Triple Jump

The girls triple jump is going to be a hotly contested event at the 3A state meet this year. It’s not often that we get to see multiple athletes over 40 feet face off for a state title, so soak this one in because it’s going to be a great event. It's going to be extremely tight between Karen Boakye of Downers Grove South and Courtney Burt of Whitney Young. Boakye and Burt have both cleared 40 feet in the triple jump this season, Boakye sits at 40’ 4” while Burt is at 40’ 3”. Boakye was the IIC champion during the indoor season, and has cleared 40 twice so far over Burt’s one time. However, because both PRs are within an inch of each other, it’s impossible to declare either one the favorite. Taya Rice of Chicago Agricultural Science is moving up from 2A where she won the state title last year, her PR of 39’ 5” would compete for the win here. Rice has a season best of 38’ 6”, so she’ll need to see significant improvement on that here. Alexandria Richmond of Neuqua Valley had a huge PR at her sectional meet, hitting 39’ 8” to take second to Boakye. Her mark is third in 3A, so watch out for her to sneak into the top 5 here. LaRiaya Cunningham-Duncan of Burlington Central is a returning all-stater who has been pretty solid, her mark of 38’ 5” is currently 9th in 3A. She was second in the Top Times triple jump, and it’s pretty likely that she shows up when it matters. Nadeea Pritchard of Palos Heights Shepard beat Cunningham-Duncan at Top Times and has a higher PR of 38’ 6”, so she could waltz out of Charleston with a medal around her neck too. Anna Iwuagwu of Warren Township should also be an all-state contender, she’s been on a hot streak the last three weeks. Iwuagwu hit her huge PR of 39’ 0” at an NSC quad meet, and she’s been riding the momentum of that by jumping over 38 feet at every meet since. If she’s over 38 feet here, she should find herself on the podium with no issue.