Photo: Bloom Township’s Hannah Morris will be one of the athletes to watch in 2018 in the field event disciplines. Morris will be one of the favorites in the Long Jump (Laura Duffy Photo)

By Michael Newman

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The 3A Field Events will go through a transition this 2018 season. All of last year’s champions have graduated including Jaimie Robinson, Courtney Morgan, and Jelena Rowe.

Exit last year’s champions.

Enter some bright fresh faces that will grace the top of the podium in Charleston this May.

Here is a look at the six events that will be contested this 2018 season.

LONG JUMP

Top Returnees

Notes – Four all-state athletes are back in this event led by second-place finisher Hannah Morris of Bloom Township. Morris had a slow start last year forced to the sidelines due to injury. She came back at the end of the year jumping 19-6 and pushing Robinson in the state meet. Morris is the only returning athlete that has gone past 19-feet. She could go beyond 20-feet if she can only stay healthy.

Area rivals Isabel Maletich of Downers Grove North and Maddie Manganiello of Downers Grove South finished sixth and seventh last year and could be in the top three this season. Lyn’Nikka Vance of Crete-Monee had a breakout sophomore season in this event with a seasonal best of 18-11.25 and finishing ninth at state. She could be a threat to Morris. Ameia Wilson of Danville and Nya Carr are known more for their speed on the track. Wilson jumped 18-9.25 last season and could get close or surpass Morris. Carr could be a surprise this spring on the runway.

Isabelle Kennedy of Lake Park and Kayla Perry of Bolingbrook both surpassed 18-feet last season. Both should contend for all-state spots this spring. Nicole Nguyen of Wheeling and Stephanie Pawlis of Hersey are some of the other athletes to keep an eye on.

TRIPLE JUMP

Top Returnees

Notes – With Jaimie Robinson graduated and now at the University of Alabama, the space is open for a new state champion. This field could be extremely tough with five 3A all-state athletes coming back. The top seven athletes coming back all went past 38-feet last season. It makes it tough to find one person as a clear favorite. That is why we put on track & field meets.

Natasha Schaffer of Prairie Ridge finished third in last year’s state meet and is the leading returnee in this event. Her jump at state of 38-10 was a personal best. Rachel Rowe of Oak Park-River Forest was less than two inches behind Schaffer in finishing fourth. Both athletes could go past 40-feet by the time we get to the state series.

Maggie Schutte of Quincy could be the one to keep an eye on in this event this spring. She returns with the leading seasonal best in this event (38-11.5) when she won the Belleville West Sectional. The following week, she jumped three feet shorter in the prelims failing the finals. Schutte is an exceptional athlete having qualified for state in three other events.

Daryn Davis of Huntley, Olivia Lewis of Machesney Park Harlem, and Ashley Samuta of Glenbard West earned all-state honors and could be among the top five in 2018. Isabel Maletich entered last year’s state meet as one of the favorites, but she fouled on all three attempts in the state prelims. She did jump 38-2.75 during the season and could find her way to the top of the podium in Charleston.

Lane Tech has a trio of athletes that could finish in the top nine with Sarah Olojo, Natasha Bernett, and Amira Hardman. Bernett earned all-state honors last year by finishing fifth in the 1A state meet for Luther North. She could be a surprise in this event. Brittany Walker of Belleville West, Isabelle Kennedy, and Tabor Gleason of Cary-Grove are some of the other athletes that could be difference makers in this event.

HIGH JUMP

Top Returnees

Notes – Jelena Rowe dominated this event last season. Her absence this year due to graduation could affect this event. At the same time, we could see a new face winning this spring. Five athletes return that earned all-state status in 2017.

Seven athletes are back that cleared 5-7 outdoors last season. Katie Mans of Alton leads this group with a seasonal best of 5-7. She tied for third at state with Cary-Grove’s Tabor Gleason. Meghan Fletcher of Grayslake Central, Alessia Olhava of Hersey, and Grace Daun of Wauconda also made the podium at state and would like to make a return trip. McKenzie Krich of Huntley and Jenna Pauly of McHenry both cleared 5-5 and should be watched for in this campaign. Emma Fink of Lyons Township and Lynette Latocha of Oak Forest both made the state finals last year. It is not unreasonable to think that one of these two athletes could end up winning the 3A title.

POLE VAULT

Top Returnees

Notes – This event is wide-open with just two 3A all-state athletes coming back. Brooke Miskounis of Bloomington finished second last year and is one of the leading returnees. She had a seasonal best of 12-0. The one athlete that could step up is Cierra Kuipers of Kaneland. The senior finished sixth last year in 2A with a seasonal best also at 12-0. She will contend for the state title now that Kaneland has moved up to 3A.

Maggie Schutte cleared 11-3 last year as well as finishing ninth at the state meet. She will push for a chance at the state championship. Jess Steepy of Palatine, Kelly Zehnder of Lake Park, and Taylor Ferguson of Belvidere North are the only athletes back that went past 11-feet outdoors last year. Sarah Stair of Wheaton North, Rose Fritz of Naperville Central, and Abigail Kuhn of West Aurora are some of the other athletes to watch.

SHOT PUT

Top Returnees

Notes – This event is also wide-open especially with three-time 3A state champion Courtney Morgan having graduated. Evangelynn Harris would have been the top returning athlete, but her school East St. Louis-Senior is now in 2A. Four athletes that earned all-state honors last year in this event return.

The two athletes that finished behind Morgan could be the biggest favorites in this event. Jasmine Mitchell of Thornwood did not make the state finals her freshman season in 2016 failing to make the finals. She finished second last year as a sophomore along with having a 43-10 seasonal best. Ellie Weltha of Bloomington was three inches behind Mitchell at state and looks to be the one athlete ready for the challenge. Weltha returns with the best returning 2017 performance (44-5).

Alexis Hutchins of Thornton and Sarah Wastek were both all-state and will look for a top three finish. Jalah Morris of Zion-Benton, Alisa Fallon of Maine West, Tonjalaya Yarbar of Wheaton-Warrenville South, and Makiyha Blackwell of Hoffman Estates are some of the athletes to watch that could challenge for some of the top spots.

DISCUS

Top Returnees

Notes – This is a field event opportunity with only two all-state athletes, Alisa Fallon and Ellie Weltha, returning. Jalah Morris did not make the finals last year but did throw 141-7 in her conference meet. She also threw over 135 feet twice last year. Weltha has the next best returning throw of 133-8.

Who could step into the top five this year? It could be Catie Daily of Machesney Park Harlem who made last year’s finals. It could also be Jasmine Stokes of Glenbard North, Sydney Andreano of Minooka, Tarrah Camp of Dundee-Crown, or Jasmine Mitchell that could make their presence known in this event.