CHARLESTON — The baseball, boys’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ golf teams now have company in the rafters at the Enlow Center.
For the first time in school history, the St. Anthony Bulldogs are state champions in girls’ track and field, accomplishing the feat with just two athletes qualifying for Saturday’s finals at the Class 1A Girls Track and Field State Final Meet at O’Brien Field on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. The state title will be the 13th in school history across all sports.
“I was not expecting this at all,” sophomore Reese Hoene said. “Aubrey [Denning] and I pulled through.”
“It’s pretty awesome,” said Denning, a junior on the team. “Reese is a great teammate and I think the confidence we had going into this and the hard work that we put in really paid off.”
St. Anthony tied with Maroa-Forsyth for the state championship. Both teams finished with 46 points.
Hoene accounted for 35 points. She finished third in the 100-meter dash and second in the long jump.
“I was happy with my place,” said Hoene after the 100. “Prelims were good and I was happy coming into finals. Before this year, I hadn’t had much competition, but we have two really fast freshmen that have pushed me this year, so I’m happy [about that].”
Hoene turned around and won the 400-meter dash with a personal-best time of 55.48 seconds. Henry-Senachwine’s Daniella Bumber was second at 56.63 seconds. Manlius Bureau Valley’s Elise House was third at 56.75 seconds. Seneca’s Lila Coleman was fourth at 57.86 seconds. Forreston’s Bree Schneiderman was fifth at 58.32 seconds. Winnetka North Shore Country Day’s Reese Meyers was sixth at 58.86 seconds. Mt. Olive’s Alena Graham was seventh at 59.08 seconds. Robinson’s Austyn McDowell was eighth at 59.48 seconds and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley’s Makayla Evans was ninth at 1 minute, 0.32 seconds.
She then took a quick break for a couple of events before gearing up for the 200-meter dash.
Hoene won that race in 20.40 seconds, setting a new personal record.
She smiled as she was nearing the finish line.
“Definitely on the last 100 meters,” said Hoene on when she knew she won the race. “I felt like I had a lot of energy left and I could give it my all.
“I started well and was feeling good after the first 200. I felt like I had a lot left, so that gave me some confidence.”
McDowell was second in the 200 at 24.51 seconds. Maroa-Forsyth’s Madison Yazel was third at 24.83 seconds and Teutopolis’ Bella Niebrugge was fourth at 24.87 seconds.
“I definitely thought I could have done better, but that gives me something to work towards for next year,” Niebrugge said.
Schneiderman was fifth at 25.29 seconds. Washburn-Lowpoint’s Brianna Harms was sixth at 25.21 seconds. Wilmington’s McKenna Van Tilburg was seventh at 25.67 seconds. Bumber was eighth at 25.74 seconds and Sterling Newman Central Catholic’s Elaina Allen was ninth at 26.21 seconds.
Mendon Unity’s Saylor Berry won the long jump, defeating Hoene, with a leap of 5.88 meters. Hoene jumped a season-best mark of 5.68 meters.
McDowell won the 100 with a time of 12.27 seconds. Yazel was second at 12.32 seconds. Van Tilburg was fourth at 12.44 seconds. Niebrugge was fifth at 12.48 seconds. El Paso-Gridley’s Jaida Reed was sixth at 12.60 seconds. Schneiderman was seventh at 12.62 seconds.
Newton’s Stella Schackmann was eighth at 12.67 seconds.
“I wasn’t as happy as I could have been,” Schackmann said. “My time wasn’t the best, but I made it to the finals, so I can’t complain.”
Rockford Christian’s Lucy Gargani was ninth at 12.85 seconds.
Denning finished third in the 800-meter run with a season-best time of 2:15.62. She was sixth in the 1,600-meter run with a season-best time of 5:04.01.
“I was focused on staying confident and staying relaxed,” Denning said. “Usually, I tense up in races, so I tried to stick with the front pack and keep the pace going.”
As for other area athletes, the Lady Shoes’ 4×100-meter relay team of Emma Isley, Bella Ordner, Adrienne Koester and Niebrugge finished second in 49.20 seconds.
“I think it went great,” Isley said. “We were new and everything and there’s definitely stuff we could have fixed.”
Isley starts the race.
Ordner receives the first handoff.
“I’m very proud of our team and I’m glad I got to run with this group of girls this year,” she said. “I can’t wait to run with the same group next year.”
On the turn lane, Koester grabs the baton.
“I’m super proud of how we did; second place is awesome,” she said.
Niebrugge runs the anchor leg.
“There’s stuff we can work on, but I’m super excited for next year because I know that we’re going to come back stronger and better than before,” Niebrugge said.
The Newton 4×100 team of Emma Schumacher, Mariah McVicar, Morgan Schafer and Stella Schackmann finished third with a season-best time of 49.46 seconds.
The Lady Eagles’ 4×800-meter relay team of Layna Marshall, Avery Geier, Brooke Gentry and Grace Schumacher finished ninth with a season-best time of 9:51.35.
“I’m happy with it,” said Marshall, the only senior on the relay team. “I love this group. Grace, I’ve ran with her for the last three years. She’s a beast and my idol. Avery, she’s come a long way. I saw her run her first 800 during indoor season as a freshman and it was a struggle, but she’s come so far and Brooke, she’s an amazing freshman; I’m very impressed.”
Shelbyville finished third at 9:28.55.
Leah Shoaff, of the Lady Rams, was ninth in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:13.08.
Ordner was eighth in the 100-meter hurdles at 15.70 seconds.
Tessa Bowers, of Shelbyville, finished eighth in the 1,600 with a time of 5:05.20.
The Lady Rams 4×400-meter relay team finished eighth at 4:09.76.
Chloe Taylor, of Casey-Westfield, finished fifth in the high jump with a personal-best leap of 1.64 meters.
Camdyn Burgholzer, of the Effingham Flaming Hearts, finished third in the Class 2A high jump with a leap of 1.61 meters. She advanced to the finals after jumping the qualifying standard of 1.55 meters on Friday in the Class 2A preliminaries.
Keagyn Koenig, of Effingham, finished fourth in the Class 2A shot put with a throw of 11.86 meters, which she threw on Friday in the preliminaries. The first three throws on Friday transferred to Saturday. Each individual had a total of six throws.