Girls Track and Field: Jenelle Rogers, Oswego go back-to-back as SPC champions

PLAINFIELD – The best news Wednesday afternoon was that it didn't rain as Plainfield North hosted the Southwest Prairie Conference girls track and field meet.

In fact, the sun appeared.

Oswego didn't disappoint, either.

The Panthers, the clear favorites coming into the meet, met those expectations. Oswego's 131 points outdistanced runner-up Plainfield North's 95 as the Panthers won their second straight outdoor conference championship.

Minooka finished third (93), with Oswego East fourth (88).

"It's awesome to win this conference because it's so tough," Oswego coach Jaime Bechina said. "We've been talking about this for a couple of weeks and it's part of the process. We had some great performances and then some things didn't go the way we thought, but the team pulled together and did what was needed."

Oswego won the first running event, the 3,200-meter relay in 9:47.27 and never looked back. The Panthers claimed five individual titles and also won the final event, the 1,600 relay, in 4:08.15.

Conference champions were Claire Barenie in the pole vault (11 feet), Ella Hale in the 800 (2:21.48), Isabelle Christiansen in the 3,200 (10:51) with Jenelle Rogers winning the high jump (5-7) and the 400 dash (60.81).

Rogers had to come from about five meters down in the final straightaway to grab the victory in the 400.

"Before the race my coach told me that know matter how you run you're still going to feel the same when it's over," Rogers said. "So that last straight I just went for it, because it was a win for our team. We came in wanting to win the coference team championship and we did. It's about all of us working together and coming together as a team."

Oswego East received wins from Jayna Dias in the triple jump (37-3) and the 400 relay (50.18)

Plainfield North received victories from Aja Bradshaw in the long jump (17'-5 1/2") and Savanna Santore in the 100 hurdles (15.21).

"This year I really have the confidence in myself and my ability," Santore said. "I have worked a lot with our hurdles coach, Jon Singleton, since the end of last season and he has really helped me get to where I'm at right now. Next week is big and I'm really look forward to the sectional meet and qualifying for state."

Minooka's Vivian Van Eck and Plainfield North's Juliana Stodsdill made the 1,600 meters one of the most exciting races of the evening. Van Eck made a move with just over a lap remaining and stretched that lead on the backstretch. But with 200 meters left, Stogsdill made a big move and caught Van Eck with 100 meters left as the two ran side-by-side down the final straight until Van Eck won in 5:09.35, with Stogsdill at 5:10.23.

"I wanted another conference title really bad," Van Eck said. "I felt really good in that race after getting second in the 3,200 meters. I'm really happy with that race."