Abby Korak's first sectional track meet was a successful one on Friday.
The Edwardsville freshman finished first in the 1,600 and helped the 3,200-meter relay team pull off a come from behind win at the Class 3A Belleville West Sectional. Korak finished with a time of 5:15.53 in the 1,600 and anchored the 4x800 to a 9:39.4.
The Tigers placed seventh out of 17 teams with 43 points. They also qualified for state in the 4x100 and the 3,200.
Also, the Alton Redbirds finished in a tie for 10th with Chatham Glenwood with 18 points and the Granite City Warriors placed 14th with 12 points.
The Redbirds qualified for state in five events – high jump, discus, 100, 4x100, 4x200.
Junior Katie Mans won the sectional title in the high jump for the third year in a row, clearing 5 feet, 5 inches to clinch her third straight state berth. She's now looking to earn an all-state medal for the third straight year. She placed eighth in the high jump as a freshman and seventh as a sophomore at the state meet.
The 4x100 team of Jeanea Epps, TyRiss Holloway, Daysha Lacey and Alleyah Tuggle finished seventh with a state-qualifying time of 48.63 seconds. The four athletes also competed in the 4x200 team that finished eighth with a state-qualifying time of 1:44.46.
Epps also qualified for state in the 100, finishing 12th in a state-qualifying time of 12.61 seconds. Freshman Rayn Tally advanced to state in the discus after finishing fifth with a state-qualifying mark of 116-11.
Also for Alton, Jessica Markel finished fourth in the 800 in 2:27.41, Kellie Mans placed sixth in the 400 in 1:00.98 and the 4x400 team of Katie Mans, Kellie Mans, Jessica Markel and Rashia Johnson placed sixth in 4:09.88.
Granite City qualified in the 4x100, 4x200, 100 and 200.
Seniors Robyn Pointer and Niya Wilson and sophomores TyKiaza Jones and Toni Rush competed in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. The 4x100 finished second in 47.94 seconds and the 4x200 placed fifth in a state-qualifying mark of 1:43.23.
Rush and Wilson qualified in the 100. Wilson placed ninth in 12.57 seconds and Rush came in 10th in 12.61.
Pointer qualified in the 200 after placing sixth in 25.96 seconds.
Granite City qualified for state in the 4x100 and 4x200 for the second year in a row. Before last year, the Warriors hadn't had any relay team advance to Charleston since 2001.
Also for the Warriors, junior Alyssa Comer finished sixth in 2:31.50.
Edwardsville's 4x800 won a sectional title for the third year in a row. Besides Korak, the team also included Victoria Vegher, Maddie Miller and Elise Krone.
The Tigers' 4x100 team of Alexis Boykin, Rachel Kubicek, Kymel Bell and Quierra Love placed eighth in a state-qualifying mark of 48.82 seconds. Jaycie Hudson placed second in the 3,200 in 11:34.70.
Melissa Spencer placed third in the 1,600 in 5:22.42, Abby Schrobilgen came in third in the 3,200 in 11:44.61, Savannah Maloney was sixth in 114-3 and the 4x400 team of Vegher, Lorie Cashdollar, Jaydi Swanson and Kubicek placed fifth in 4:06.53.
In the 4x400, Edwardsville was interfered with by Rock Island during the exchange on the third leg. Rock Island was disqualified.
The Tigers' relay team was allowed to run again and came within two seconds of qualifying for state.
Korak, Vegher, Miller, Hudson and Love will compete in their second state event in the '16-'17 school year. Six months ago, Korak, Vegher, Miller and Hudson helped the Edwardsville girls cross country team qualify for the Class 3A state meet in Peoria. Love was a member of the Edwardsville girls basketball team that finished second in the Class 4A state tournament in March.