Photo: Arielle Summitt looks to capture her third straight title in the 1A 800 Meter Run (Laura Duffy Photo)

By Michael Newman

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The same question was asked last fall: Who would step into the top spot now that Anna Sophia Keller has graduated?

The answer is kind simple for track. Arielle Summitt of Urbana University was in the shadows of Keller during the track season. Yet, she still was dominant in the 800 Meter Run winning back-to-back state championships at that distance. Summitt goes for the three-peat this May.

There are a number of runners that are ready to step t the top of the podium in the three individual events. Maybe it’s Marianne Mihas of Latin School. Perhaps its another freshman Frankie Chaidez of IC Catholic Prep who finished third last fall at Detweiller Park. Ailey Mitchell of Shelbyville finished second last fall just ahead of Chaidez last November. We will see if that success carries over onto the track for these two runners.

Here is a look at the three individual events. A preview for the 3200 Meter Relay is also included.

3200 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – Keller dominated this event for the past three years. Also missing due to graduation is Claudia Magnussen and Daly Galloway. Four runners are back led by fourth-place finisher Haley Weidner of Bureau Valley. Nygia Pollard of Harvest Christian Academy, Anna Heffren of Lewistown, and Katelyn Robbins of Liberty all finished in the top nine last year. All these runners have hope of finishing in the top five at this distance. Caroline Jachino of Pleasant Plains just missed all-state by one spot last year. Her sixth-place finish at Detweiller in November shows that she could take home the top prize in Charleston.

It is hard to see where freshmen fit in this event. Frankie Chaidez, Karlie Hey of Sterling Newman Catholic, and Natalie Martino of Winnebago all finished in the top ten last cross-country season. We will have to wait and see how their seasons progress. Ailey Mitchell ran 11:42 for this distance last year. We will see how her cross-country success rubs off this track season.

800 METER RUN

Top returnees

Notes – I would not say Arielle Summitt is a dead lock to win her third straight state title at 800-meters. She is the odds-on favorite having the fastest returning time ahead of the rest of 1A runners by five seconds.

Five other runners that finished in the top nine are back making this a deep event. Katie Springer, who also earned all-state honors in the 300 Meter Hurdles, finished third last year and should be one of the runners to push Summitt. Marguerite Hendrickson of St. Thomas More finished right behind Springer and will also be a threat in the front.

Lexy Henriksen of Williamsville, Gabrielle Alongi of DuQuoin, and Delanie Dykes of Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley all made the podium last spring and will look again this year to repeat that feat. Rachel Olroyd of Carlinville, Sarah Carr of St. Anthony, and Maddy Eck of Springfield Lutheran are some of the athletes to also watch in this event.

1600 METER RUN

Top Returnees

Notes – With Keller controlling this distance for the past four years, we will have a new winner in 2018. Four runners that finished in the top nine are back led by Arielle Summitt. In her senior season, the Urbana University senior should see a chance at the state championship within her grasp.

The one runner to watch to challenge Summitt is Latin School freshman Marianne Mihas. As an eighth-grade runner last June, Mihas ran 5:03.85 for a full mile in winning the High School race at Magis Miles. She finished 18^th in the 2A race at Detweiller Park last November. She could go under five-minutes along with Summitt some time this season.

Lewistown’s Anna Hefferen and Mackenzie Goldring both earned all-state honors last year. Both should challenge for a finish in the top five. Madison Franseen of Rockford Christian, who finished eighth last spring, is another runner to keep an eye on.

Fran Hendricksen of St. Thomas More and Laura Katunas of Latin School are some of the runners that could garner all-state honors. Six runners under 5:10 in the finals could be a possibility.

4x800 METER RELAY

Top 2017 Times

Notes – St. Joseph-Ogden was in contention with Deer Creek-Mackinaw for the state title last May when Faith Houston fell entering the final lap. Three runners are back from that team, including Houston, making the Spartans one of the favorites in the event. Deer Creek-Mackinaw will reload with half of their quartet returning.

The one team that should challenge St. Joseph-Ogden is St. Thomas More. They return their entire team that finished fourth last year. The Sabers won the indoor relay at Illinois Top Times last March. The talent is there to win the state title led by sisters Marguerite and Fran Hendricksen.

Springfield Lutheran, Teutopolis, Okawville, Tremont, and Warsaw return the majority of their teams and should be factors in this event. Kewanee-Wethersfield and Elmwood-Brimfield are some of the other teams to keep an eye on this spring