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DS IL 2015 Season Preview – 2A Girls Sprints and HurdlesPublished by
Cahokia athletes could make their presence known in sprint / hurdles disciplines
By Michael Newman
The Cahokia Girls Track & Field team captured their first state championship in 2014. Part of that had to do with a core group of great young sprinter / hurdle athletes headed by Mariya Hudson and Raynesha Lewis. This team could be stronger this year as this group will only get better. Both their 4x1 and 4x2 relays return all of their runners from last year’s teams.
The short sprints will give a chance for perhaps a new face to step up. Ebony McClendon and Ryan Preacely ruled a year ago but have since graduated. Chante Stonewall (University HS, Normal) will be the athlete to watch in the 300 Hurdles, but who will take command of the 100 Meter Hurdles in 2015?
Here is a look at each of the five individual events in this category. A brief look at the relays (4x1, 4x2, 4x4) will be included in this preview.
100 Meter Dash
Top Returnee from 2014 State – Tyjuana Eason – SR – Kankakee HS – 4th AA
Preview – Last year’s state champion Ryan Preacely and runner-up Ebony McClendon were in a class by themselves in 2A Girls in 2014. The gap between them and third place Anna Sloan (Trinity HS, River Forest) at the state meet was four tenths of a second. Sloan is back but will be competing in 3A this spring. The one runner that should be the favorite is Kankakee’s Tyjuana Eason. The Lady Kays have been 2A Girls relay powers the past couple of years including winning the 4x2 last season. Eason will be a factor in this event in 2015.
Dominique Lewis (Centennial HS, Champaign) has the fastest 2A time coming back (12.13) that she ran at the USATF Junior Olympics at the end of June. She was more of a presence in the 200 where she earned all-state honors. The success in the post-season could propel her to some good things in this event. Two other all-state runners are back. Nicole Sreenan (Kaneland HS, Maple Park) finished 8th last year as a freshman. She will be a threat this season. Stacia Lee (Eisenhower HS, Decatur) finished 6th last year but has a 12.20 personal best. Madison Meyer (Carterville HS) finished 4th in 1A last year with a 12.47 seasonal best. She will be an athlete that will contest for a top three finish. Sierra Thompson (Mattoon HS) missed qualifying for the finals in 2014, but she does have a wind assisted 12.15 time that she ran at the end of April. I would not count her out.
200 Meter Dash
Top Returnee from 2014 State – Mariya Hudson – SO – Cahokia HS – 3rd AA
Preview – The future of the 2A mid-sprints is Mariya Hudson. In the 2014 finals, the then freshman Hudson held her own with Ryan Preacely and Ebony McClendon before the two pulled away down the home stretch. Hudson has the fastest returning time by almost half a second.
Dominique Lewis is next in line that could challenge the Cahokia sophomore. Even though she finished 7th at state, she did run 24.78 during the season. We will watch to see if her time drops during her senior season. This an event for opportunity for some newcomers to step up into the top three in May. Amber Jones (Rich South HS, Richton Park) finished eighth at state a year ago but has the third fastest returning time. Madison Meyer finished 5th in 1A last season. She could be a force in 2A in this event.
Sharon Mainor (Champaign Central HS) finished 5th a year ago with a 25.14 seasonal best. Tyjuana Eason is a possibility in this event as she ran the same time as Mainor. The question will be is if she will be used in the three relays for Kankakee as was the case a year ago.
400 Meter Dash
Top Returnee from 2014 State – Mariya Hudson – SO – Cahokia HS – 2014 AA Champion
Preview – This could be the toughest of the sprint events as five of the nine finalists from last year are back lead by defending champion Mariya Hudson. The sophomore has the fastest returning time (55.46) by almost a second. Fellow sophomore Nicole Sreenan ran her best race of the year by more than a second at last year’s state meet when she ran 56.34 to finish second. Watch for her to run faster this season.
Out of all three sprint events, the 400 could be the best for Madison Meyer. She ran 57.50 in the 1A finals to finish third. She has the fourth fastest returning time and will be a threat in this event. Metamora duo of Alexis Grieves and Gillian Urycki are among the top 10 runners coming back time wise. They could end up in the top five. Dasia Evans (Rich South HS, Richton Park) and Charde Golliday (Mt. Vernon HS) made the finals last year. They have the ability to be towards the front this season. Also watch out for Karina Liz (Aurora Central Catholic HS). The 2014 800 champion has doubled in the 800 / 400 all of her career. However, she did not make the finals last year missing by one position. She has run 58.36 and could be a difference in this event.
100 Meter Hurdles
Top Returnee from 2014 State – Chante Stonewall – JR – Normal University HS – 4th AA
Preview – This event is wide open with only three all state athletes back. It opens up a little more with last year’s runner up Grace Cronin (Fenwick HS, Oak Park) competing in 3A this spring. Chante Stonewall is the highest returning returnee but does not have the fastest returning time. That belongs to Raynesa Lewis (14.94). The Cahokia junior did not run her best race at state finishing ninth. She will be one of the favorites to hurdle her way to the championship this year.
Bryce Weinrich (Central HS, Burlington) ran 15.00 last year and will be a challenger for the championship. Hannah Vanderheyden (Geneseo HS) was a finalist last year and will be pushing for a top finish. Also watch for Takya Buford (Cahokia HS) and Olivia Ness (Monticello HS) to be in the mix of the top athletes in this event.
300 Meter Hurdles
Top Returnee from 2014 State - Chante Stonewall – JR – Normal University HS – 2014 2A Champion
Preview – The first four finishers in last year’s final were only separated by fifteen hundredths of a second with Chante Stonewall stumbling across the line as the champion. She is back and will be the big favorite in this event. Taylor Smith (Mattoon HS) has the next fastest time (45.89) but is almost two seconds behind that of Stonewall. Smith finished ninth at last year’s state meet.
Hailey Widder (Washington HS) and Gianna Salzbrunn (Montini Catholic HS, Lombard) also made last year’s finals and could push for a top three finish. Emma Hopkins (Sacred Heart-Griffin HS, Springfield), Jasmine Castillo (Central HS, Burlington), Lundeen Henry (Southeast HS, Springfield), and Takyra Buford are also threats to finish in the front.
4 x 100 Meter Relay
2014 State Champion – Chicago Noble Street Charter / Johnson Prep – 48.05
Preview – This event could come down to Cahokia and Kankakee as the favorites. Cahokia is deep. In last year’s finals, they finished fourth with Mariya Hudson or Raynesa Lewis not among the quartet. They return everyone from that team led by anchor Earlicia Shaw. Kankakee will be tough. They finished just ahead of Cahokia a year ago. Three are back from that team led by Tyjuana Eason.
There are some talented teams back that could challenge Cahokia and Kankakee. Keep an eye on Kaneland, Glenbard South, Decatur MacArthur, Springfield Southeast, and Galesburg to challenge for the event championship.
4 x 200 Meter Relay
2014 State Champion – Kankakee – 1:41.66
Preview – Defending champion Kankakee is projected to be the team to beat. They will have their core of their team back but will need to replace lead off runner Kenyae Collins. Their closest competition could come from Springfield Southeast who also has three runners back but will have to replace anchor Shirley Jones.
Kaneland and Galesburg return all of their quartet and will be a threat to the top. Morgan Park, Clinton, and Freeport would be other teams that I would keep an eye on this season.
4 x 400 Meter Relay
2014 State Champion – Springfield – 3:56.13
Preview – With defending champion Springfield moved back up into 3A, this event could come down to Springfield’s area rival Springfield Southeast. They have three runners back from last year’s second place team led by talented juniors Alexis Henry and Lunden Henry. Metamora will also be tough as they are led by a talented junior duo of their own in Gillian Urycki and Lexi Grieves.
Cahokia returns all four runners from their sixth place team and will be closer to Southeast this spring. Kaneland, Hampshire, DeLaSalle, and Clinton all return the core of their quartets and will be among the top teams in this event in 2015. More news |
