High school girls track and field: 2018 team preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Cary-Grove

Coach: Mark Anderson (18th season).

Last year’s finish: Second in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Tabor Gleason, sr. (jumps, sprints); Cathy Franco, sr. (sprints, jumps); Libby Hansen, sr. (middle distances); Paige Schulz, sr. (middle distances); Kate Rhode, sr. (throws); Fiona Pack, sr. (throws); Katie Stadler, sr. (pole vault).

Top new athletes: Morgan Dieschbourg, fr. (distances); Delaney Blohm, fr. (distances); Ellie Miller, fr. (distances); Lola Melcher, fr. (sprints); Audrey Turner, fr. (throws); Meagan Pack, fr. (throws).

Noteworthy: Gleason will be one of the leading point-scorers in the area with her versatility. She finished third in the Class 3A high jump at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. … C-G will miss the points from thrower Paige Groves, who graduated after winning the FVC shot put and discus. She qualified for state in both events. … The Trojans’ cross country team won the FVC Meet, so they will help with the longer races. … Anderson likes the leadership and experience his team has, along with the young talent.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Brett Willhoit (third season).

Last year’s finish: Seventh in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Katelyn Smith, sr. (distances); Becca Orvis, jr. (distances); Ashley Ryan, jr. (sprints); Maddie Hollander, sr. (sprints); Therese Carlson, jr. (sprints); Kierra Hines (throws) jr.

Top new athletes: Kylie Smith, fr. (distances); Meghan Easterday, fr. (distances); Samantha Korn, fr. (sprints); Renata Peterson, fr. (sprints); Delaney Carlson, fr. (sprints); Alyssa Oetjens, jr. (throws).

Noteworthy: The strong cross country team, led by Katelyn and Kylie Smith and Orvis, will help the Tigers in the distances races. … The Tigers will lean on freshmen to help with the sprint races. … Willhoit wants to see the Tigers keep improving and developing throughout the season.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Marisa LePage (first season).

Last year’s finish: Fourth in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Kayla Ehrenhaft. sr. (long jump, middle distances); Sydney Williams, sr. (sprints); Naomi Daniels, sr. (sprints); Mackenzie Aldridge, so. (distances); Gianna Patenaude, so. (sprints); Ashley Drzewiecki, so. (long jump, triple jump).

Top new athletes: Maggie Rimer, jr. (pole vault, middle distances); Maggie Hall, so. (shot put); Natalie Haskin, fr. (triple jump, long jump, sprints); Emma Murphy, fr. (middle distances).

Noteworthy: The Gators will miss the big points from distance runner Caitlin Bruzzini, who graduated after dominating the 1,600 and 3,200 the past two years. Sprinter Cailey Ciezadlo, who won the FVC 200, also is gone. … “We will be trying very hard to fill all spots as a team and are hoping that some of our newcomers can do that and perform well,” LePage said.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Chris Hopkins-Muehl (sixth season).

Last year’s finish: Ninth in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Sylvia Waz, sr. (distances); Nikiya Coleman, so. (sprints); Tarrah Kamp, sr. (throws, long jump); Hailee Michel, sr. (high jump); Alyssa Smullin, sr. (sprints); Jasmin Sanchez, sr. (distances); Michelle Batad, sr. (distances); Maille Grant, jr. (hurdles, jumps); Nyah Tolentino, jr. (hurdles, jumps); Courtney Abraham, jr. (hurdles, jumps, pole vault); Shinah Walker, jr. (sprints); Grace Hammond, so. (sprints); Erica Sanchez, so. (sprints); Mary Florance, so. (distances); Angie Delgado, so. (distances); Ell Paniagua, so. (distances); Rose Rudd, so. (jumps, pole vault); Keri Wozniak, so. (throws).

Top new athletes: Olivia Nusbaum, sr. (sprints); Juliana Redisi, sr. (distances); Lashae Phillips, so. (sprints); Melannie Agaiton, fr. (sprints); Holly Dalgleish, fr. (sprints).

Noteworthy: D-C has 84 girls out for the team this spring, most of which are young and lack experience. … Kamp finished third in the FVC discus last year, and Waz was fourth in the 3,200. … Hopkins-Muehl wants to foster a mindset of commitment, cooperation and improvement for the program.

Huntley

Coach: Shawn Nordeen (20th season).

Last year’s finish: FVC champion.

Top returning athletes: Cassidy Lackovic, sr. (sprints); Alex Handchetz, sr. (sprints); Sabrina Krog, jr. (sprints); Ola Oladipo, jr. (sprints); Tyra Miller, sr. (hurdles); Daryn Davis, so. (hurdles, jumps); Kendall Only, so. (hurdles, jumps); McKenzie Krich, sr. (high jump); Katie Bessey, sr. (throws); Chloe Smith, sr. (distances); Mary Raclawski, jr. (distances); Lindsay Ferguson, sr. (distances); Rachael Morrison, jr. (distances); Taryn Sargent, so. (sprints).

Top new athletes: Grace Allen, fr. (distances); Jenna Belonax, fr. (sprints); Elizabeth Rocks, so. (distances); Molly Sutter, fr. (sprints, jumps); Michelle Barnvos, fr. (throws).

Noteworthy: The Red Raiders are loaded and will be a decisive favorite to again win the FVC Meet, although Cary-Grove made it interesting last year. … Lackovic and Handchetz lead a strong sprint group, Miller swept the FVC hurdles races last year, with Davis behind her in the 100 highs and Only third in the 300 lows. Davis finished sixth in the Class 3A triple jump at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. … Krich is back after suffering a torn ACL in the summer and should be one of the area’s top high jumpers.

Jacobs

Coach: Lydia Lang (second season).

Last year’s finish: Fifth in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Kyra Cabusao, so. (throws, sprints); Aly Doherty, so. (distances); Cam Goll, so. (middle distances); Kylie Skepnek, sr. (sprints); Nadia Baraglia, jr. (sprints); Meghan Lemke, jr. (middle distances); Riley Kouf, so. (throws).

Top new athletes: Jade Schneider, fr. (distances); Jackie Cardenas, so. (middle distances); Alyssa Demma, so. (distances).

Noteworthy: Cabusao qualified for the Class 3A shot put in the IHSA Girls Girls Track and Field State Meet as a freshman and comes back. … Doherty was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team selection in cross country and won the 1,600 meters at the FVC Indoor Meet.

McHenry

Coach: Kyle Owens (seventh season).

Last year’s finish: Third in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Jenna Pauly, jr. (sprints, high jump, pole vault); Jamie Howie, jr. (sprints, hurdles, long jump); Holly Vogt, so. (sprints, long jump); Taylor Stebbins, so. (sprints, middle distances); Emily Bromley. sr. (distances); Ariel Pala, so. (distances); Rhyanna Oeffling, so. (distances); Mya Cermak, so. (hurdles, triple jump); Lessly Sanchez, sr. (throws).

Top new athletes: Reagan Stinger, fr. (sprints); Karsen Cox, so. (sprints, hurdles); Emma Lykins, jr. (sprints); Delia Irwin, so. (sprints, jumps).

Noteworthy: Pauly will be one of the FVC’s top athletes, competing in sprint relays, the high jump and picking up the pole vault last year. … Vogt may be the FVC’s best sprinter, she won the 100 and was runner-up in the 200 last year. She qualified in Class 3A in four events at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. … Owens likes what he has seen from Howie in the 300 hurdles and 400.

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Dave Hartl (fifth season).

Last year’s finish: Sixth in the FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Natasha Schaffer, sr. (triple jump, long jump); Chloe Gale, jr. (distances); Valerie Tarazi, sr. (throws); Madeleine Carey, jr. (hurdles); Elise Gregory, so. (high jump, sprints).

Top new athletes: Cora Collins, fr. (high jump, sprints).

Noteworthy: Schaffer finished third in the Class 3A triple jump at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet with her career-best jump of 38-10. She also swept the long and triple jumps at the McHenry County Meet and the FVC Meet. … The Wolves will miss points from pole vaulter Sam Fisher, who now is at Northern Iowa.

Kishwaukee River Conference

Harvard

Coach: Casey Seyller (13th season).

Last year’s finish: Seventh in KRC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Haily Hill, so. (sprints, jumps); Kylee Mortimer, jr. (pole vault, sprints); Maria Mercado, sr. (middle distances); Cassandra Bailey, so. (sprints, jumps); Kayla Austin, jr. (distances).

Top new athletes: Yalixa Nevarez, sr. (sprints); Reagan Witt, fr. (hurdles); Lizeth Florez-Bernal, fr. (middle distances); Piper Fiegel, fr. (pole vault, sprints); Brianne Busse, jr. (distances).

Noteworthy: The Hornets have only two seniors on the team, but Seyller feels they are more well-rounded than in recent seasons. … Mercado and Mortimer are team captains and will be the leaders.

Johnsburg

Coach: Tom Weaver (fifh season).

Last year’s finish: Fifth in KRC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Grace Schmidt, sr. (sprints); Sam Schmitt, so. (distances); Ashley Molidor, sr. (distances); Danni Nelson, jr. (long jump, triple jump, sprints); Sam Knutilla, so. (middle distances); Amanda Frazier, so. (sprints); Liz Stern, so. (sprints); Shannon Flynn, so. (sprints, triple jump).

Top new athletes: Gracie Berthoud, fr. (hurdles, sprints, pole vault); Saida Blount, fr. (sprints); Coryn Feely, fr. (sprints, long jump); Reegan Conway, fr. (pole vault, sprints).

Noteworthy: Schmitt, Molidor and Knutilla were part of the Class 1A state-qualifying cross country team. … Weaver said the loss of Kayla Stefka, who suffered a knee injury in basketball, will hurt the team. … The Skyhawks will try to improve their KRC Meet finish and send a couple of relay teams to state.

Marengo

Coach: Kenny Johnson (second season).

Last year’s finish: Fourth in KRC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Lillie Simons, so. (sprints, jumps); Jordan Parker, so. (jumps, sprints); Bailey Bertrand, so. (throws); Hannah Secor, sr. (middle distances).

Top new athlete: Morgan Shines, jr. (sprints).

Noteworthy: Simons scored 34 points in the KRC Meet for the Indians by winning the 200 and taking seconds in the 100, long and triple jumps. She had the rarity of going to state in two sports in the same season, qualifying for the Class 2A 100 and also joining the Indians’ Class 3A state champion softball team as a pinch runner. She ran and scored a run in the 2-0 win over East Peoria for the state title. … Bertrand was KRC runner-up in the shot put and discus.

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Ryan Carlson (third season).

Last year’s finish: Third in KRC Meet.

Top new athletes: Rachel Myland, sr. (hurdles, long jump); Kasia Szumlinski, sr. (sprints); Melanie Wagner, jr. (throws, triple jump); Sierra Satkiewicz, so. (hurdles); Mia Zupec, so (sprints).

Top new athletes: Maggie Boro, so. (sprints); Catherine Miller, fr. (sprints); Jane Wisniewski, fr. (distances).

Noteworthy: The graduation of K.C. Davids and Megan Curran leaves big voids. Davids won the KRC long and triple jumps and scored 30 points. Curran won the KRC shot put and discus and qualified in Class 2A for state in both. … Myland placed in the long and triple jumps at the KRC Meet and was third in the 300 low hurdles. … “With the addition of some new middle distance runners, we should be in good shape to continue to compete for the conference championship,” Carlson said.

Woodstock

Coach: Meghan Brown (first season).

Last year’s finish: Second in KRC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Syd Heidtke, jr. (hurdles); Kylie Hagmann, jr. (distances); Shannon Koscinski, so. (distances); Caitlin Kaufmann, so. (sprints, long jump); Katie Steponaitis, so. (sprints).

Top new athletes: Theresa Presisto, fr. (sprints, long jump, triple jump); Jerelyn Jones, jr. (sprints); Audrey Baker, fr. (sprints, triple jump).

Noteworthy: The Blue Streaks have a small team in numbers, but have two athletes who can put up big points in Heidtke and Hagmann. Heidtke won the KRC 100 high and 300 low hurdles; Hagmann was second in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600. Hagmann has twice been a Class 2A All-Stater in cross country. … Brown takes over a program that Steve Erwin coached for 33 years, the longest current stint for any local boys or girls team until last year.

Woodstock North

Coach: Cas Creighton (sixth season).

Last year’s finish: Sixth in KRC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Amanda Valdes, sr. (distances); Mikayla Deering, so. (sprints, hurdles); Maddie Miller, so. (middle distances); Jennifer Garcia, jr. (throws); Claudia Alanis, jr. (throws); Amber Elliott, so. (hurdles, jumps, sprints); Paiton Wood, so. (sprints); Payton Saldana, so. (sprints).

Top new athletes: Emma Mergl, fr. (distances, jumps); Meghan McCann, fr. (distances); Shelby Wellwerts, fr. (distances); Michelle Velasco, fr. (distances); Kyla Walsh, fr. (distances).

Noteworthy: The Thunder will get some help from the best girls cross country team in school history. “In the past, we have lacked depth and talent on the distance side,” Creighton said. “This year the tables have turned and our freshmen distance runners have come in strong.” … Garcia placed in both throws at the KRC Meet last year.

East Suburban Catholic Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Andrea Radcliffe (second season).

Top returning athletes: Eve Meintz, sr. (high jump, pole vault); Shelby Truckenbrod, sr. (distances); Regan Dineen, jr. (middle distances, long jump); Allyson McNulty, sr. (hurdles, long jump); Andrea Sanchez, jr. (shot put).

Top new athletes: Dominique Thomas, fr.; Lauren McNulty, fr.; Katherine Strode, fr.; Jane Walsdord, fr.; Kelly Henderson, fr.; Nora Kelly, so.

Noteworthy: Meintz took sixth in the Class 2A high jump at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet and also qualified in the pole vault. … Truckenbrod will be the Hurricanes’ top distance runner. … “We worked more on our field events this winter than in the past and feel we have more athletes who can excel in these areas,” Radcliffe said. “We want to get more athletes to the state meet.”

Northeastern Athletic Conference

Alden-Hebron

Coach: Andrew Jandron (first season).

Top returning athletes: Eden Wanderer, jr. (long jump, sprints); Stephanie Reiter, jr. (throws); Loriann Bowdish, so. (jumps, sprints).

Top new athletes: Leigha Erckfritz, jr. (throws); Tomi Mor, jr. (throws, sprints).