CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) - Meghan Marias won the 100-meter dash Saturday and was part of two relay wins helping Lincoln-Way East repeat as the Illinois High School Association Class 3A girls state track and field champion.
The Griffins racked up 72 points to easily outscore runner-up West Aurora’s 39 and third-place St. Charles East’s 38 at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field.
“We had a lot of 5 a.m. practices, but on a day like today it is worth it,” Marias said.
This marked the second straight year Lincoln-Way East had the top two places in the 100 while also winning the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
With former sprint star Aaliyah Brown now at Texas A&M, Marias stepped in to win 100 in 11.87 seconds while teammate Alexis Hyshaw was second for the second straight year.
“Last year was the first time for Lincoln-Way East to win the state championship,” said Marias, a Michigan recruit. “To come back and win two in a row, I feel very fortunate to be a part of it. We couldn’t have done it without the contributions of everyone in the relays and our field events.”
Lincoln-Way East also got a second place from pole vaulter Julia Junkroski.
“They did what they’re supposed to do,” Lincoln-Way East coach Wendy Hegerty said. “They are seasoned performers.”
Emma Spagnola won the 100-meter high hurdles in 14.10 seconds and 300 lows in 42.45, placed third in the long jump and anchored a third-place 4x400 relay leading Aurora West to its runner-up finish.
Cahokia won its first girls’ state track title by outscoring second-place Normal University 61-54 in Class 2A.
Freshman Mariah Hudson won the 400 dash in 55.65 seconds, was second in the 200 and added a seventh in the long jump for the Comanches, who also got second places from senior Daisha Townsend in the shot put and discus.
“Nothing ever goes as planned but the final result went as planned for a state championship,” Cahokia coach Roscoe Dowell said.
The Cahokia girls join their boys who have won the 2A state titles the past three years.
“We’re hoping to do like the boys team and get a couple more,” Dowell said, “but we also have to do like the boys and put in the work.”
Ryan Preacely set a Class 2A 100 dash record of 11.68 and also won the 200 in 24.34 leading Chicago Noble Street Charter to third place with 54 points
In Class 1A, Natasha Brown won the 200 dash in 25.37 seconds and anchored second-place 4x100 and 4x200 relays for Aurora West, which outscored runner-up Tremont 49-45.
Tremond’s Amelia Glueck repeated as champion in the long jump going 18 feet, 7 inches and the 100 dash in 12.29.
Sullivan-Okaw Valley, led by Amanda McClain who won the 400 in 56.19 and anchored a 4x200 relay victory, took third in 1A just a point behind Tremont
Please read our comment policy before commenting.