NUIC Track Round Up

By Al Zipsie

Sophomores stole the show at the NUIC boys Conference track meet Thursday at Dakota.

Sophomore Jordan Neuschwander of Forreston/Polo Coop won all four of his events. Forreston/Polo won the meet with 158 points, 60 points ahead of second place Galena/East. F/P won 8 of the 18 events.

Hip pain kept Brady Webb from entering the sprints for Forreston. Webb a senior did win the long jump 21'11 and joined Neuschwander, Dom Christensen and Evan Kelsey in winning both the 400 relay in 43.86 and 800 Relay in 1:33.68.

With Webb out Neuschwander stepped up big time in taking both the 100-meter dash in 11.44 and the 200 in 23.26.

Other Forreston/Polo sophomores who won events was Bennett Soltow in the 110 high hurdles in 15.97, he was also second in the 300 hurdles. Cayden Shelton ran a 2:02 32 to win the 800 meters.

Other sophomores who won events included Will Kiefer of G/ED/RR in the 400 in 51.59. Jenson Block of Lena-Winslow won the high jump at 6'0. Sophomores won 6 of the 14 Individual events.

Christensen of F/P in addition to being on the sprint relay winning teams also won the pole vault at 11'0 along with a second in the 200. Other F/P champions were Ethan Phillips in the triple jump with a leap of 41'01 and Jace Coffey in the discus 153'09.

Pearl City won two events both set school records. Jayden Kempel ran a 41.02 in winning the  300 Intermediate Hurdles. He joined twin brother Jared, Andrew Loring and Lucas Peterson in 3:32.53 in the 1600 relay.

The only other double winner in Individual events besides Neuschwander was Sam Mickelson of G/ED/RR. He won the distance races, the 1600 in  4:52.14 and the 3200 in 10:03.63.

Joining Block as champs from Lena-Winslow were Isaiah Bruce in the shot put 47'08 and the 3200 relay team of Alex Daughenbaugh, Kamron Klever, Zach Fox and Colton Heun in 8:44.82.

Dakota's Nolan Lentz did not win an event but was solid in four events. He was second in the 400 and part of runner up 400 relay who pushed F/P with Cade Kloster, Kaleb Morris, and Jordan Ayres. Lentz was also third in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Girls Track Sectionals.

1A. Oregon. The host who won the Big Northern girls Conference for the first time ever last week finished in a strong second at the Sectional. Winnebago edged Oregon for the title 138 to 127.

Winnebago was led by six champions in Grace Baldwin (10'4) in the pole vault, Leigha DeRango 113'09 in the discus, Renee Rittmeyer in the high jump, Ariaana Binicewicz in the 800 meters in 2:30.54, Natalie Martino 11:58.50 in the 3200 run (and second in the 1600 behind teammate  Katie Erb who won in 5:24.61. Others who made a state berth were the 400 and 800 relay teams, Ella Maher in the pole vault, Miyah Brown in the high jump and Sophia Martino who was third but made the state qualifying time in the 3200.

Oregon produced five champions led by double winner Lydia Cermak 16'8 in the long jump and 48.03 in the 300 hurdles., Brenna Noon in the shot put 39'10.75, Cynthia Nyderek in the triple jump 35'2, Abigal Hopkins in the 100 hurdles in 16.26 (Hopkins also made it in the triple jump and low hurdles). Oregon also advanced the 400 and 800 relays, Lyndi Kenney in the pole vault, Jenae Bothe in both the shot put and discus.

Byron was led by Kendra Jackson who won four events, the 100 in 12.00, 200 in 27.10 and was on the winning 400 and 800 relay teams. The 1600 relay advance with a second. Others who advanced were Ralee Corkon in the long jump, Samantha Bitz in the pole vault, Haily Groharing in the 800.

Other stateline athletes who made state were Cali Minkie of Dakota who won the 400 in 1:02.71, ahead of runner-up Brooke Haas of Lena-Winslow. South Beloit's Jade Johnson was second to Jackson in the 200. Rockford Christian had a second from Cecily Holiday in the 1600 and the 3200 relays while Madison Fransen hit the mark to qualify with a third in the 1600. Rockford Christian Life's Rachel Kleem made state in the triple jump.

1A. Erie. From the NUIC advancing to State from Milledgeville/Eastland was double champion Olivia Sturrup in the 100 in 12.52 and 200 26.01, Karlie Krogman in the shot put, Alyivia Woodard in the long jump. And both the 400 and 800-meter relay teams.

Amboy qualified the 400, 800 and 1600 meter relay teams a long with Emma Lundquist who won the 300 hurdles in 48.37, Ashley Althaus in the 400 and

Kylie Brown long jump.

2A. Rochelle. Galena/East Dubuque/River Ridge advanced to State the trio of Breya Christopher who went 5'5 to win the high jump along with Julie Finazzo in the long jump and Riley Finn in the 400.