Girls Track Athlete of the Year Katie Mans of Alton

Greg Shashack The Telegraph

 Published 7:07 am CDT, Sunday, July 29, 2018

Photo:

Billy Hurst / For The Telegraph

IMAGE 1 OF 3

Alton’s Katie Mans earned a state medal in the high jump as a senior to become the Redbirds’ first four-year medalist and earn 2018 Telegraph Girls Track Athlete of the Year honors. The Illinois recruit

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GODFREY – Some of the middle-school memories may be fleeting, but at least one remains vivid for Katie Mans.

“I can still remember the first day I tried to do high jump,” she said. “No one on the team could do it and we needed someone in the event. So I just did it.”

Her first jump came in seventh grade. By eighth grade at Alton Middle School, Katie Mans was a state champion in the high jump. From there, she would go on to make girls track history at Alton High. Destiny by default.

“It’s crazy how things happen and are meant to be,” Mans said. “No one would have ever thought. I always thought I was a runner, which I still kind of am. But I would have never thought it would be high jump getting me to where I am today.”

In May, she became the only girl in Redbirds track history to earn state medals in all four years at AHS. In August, she will become a high jumper at the University of Illinois. Today, Mans is the 2018 Telegraph Girls Track Athlete of the Year.

“Incredible, actually,” Mans said of her place in Alton track lore. “I’m speechless. I always wanted to make a name for myself, to do something other people haven’t, to put my stamp on something that no one else has done is exciting. I’m stoked about it.”

Mans is a four-time Southwestern Conference champion in the high jump. A four-time Madison County champ, three time Class 3A sectional champ and Redbirds record-holder in the event, Mans saved her most meaningful leaps for the state meet in Charleston.

She went 5-foot-4 to make the medal stand in eighth place as a freshman. She cleared 5-6 – her career-best at state – to place seventh as a sophomore and continued her climb up the podium as a junior in third place at 5-5.

The perfect script would written Mans on the top step at Eastern Illinois’ O’Brien Stadium as a senior state champion. But the 5-5 that proved to be her ceiling as a senior would leave Mans in fifth place in her farewell state performance as a Redbird.

It was not a bad memory for Mans. It was her best.

“When you go over the bar and you know you secured another state medal,” she said, “it’s speechless. That’s what you go there to do. And I was the first ever to do that. It’s amazing.”

The first four-year medalist ever for Alton girls track ranks only behind nine-time state medalist and four-time state champion LaJarvia Brown. Both Brown, now a standout at Texas A&M, and Mans are certain to be quick AHS Hall of Famers when eligible.

Brown remains the program’s lone state champion, but Mans treasures the effort, dedication and sacrifices her four medals represent.

“It means, to me, that I put in enough work to get there,” Mans said. “I did the best that I could. Having someone like LaJarvia to look up to, it was amazing what we both accomplished in our four years at Alton. And when she was gone, I knew I had to leave a name for myself. Knowing I could be a four-time, that was what I wanted to achieve.”

Mans won the high jump in five major meets in a cold and wet spring as a senior by clearing 5-4 or less. She was unable to replicate the jumps of 5-7 that set county and school records in both her sophomore and junior seasons, but Mans is without regret.

“It was a horrible weather season, so just being able to get out and go practice was a challenge,” Mans said. “So with all the conditions and not really having a coach and doing it all myself, I thought I did OK. I was happy with it.”

With no jumps coach in the program, Mans was a self-taught high jumper. She learned by watching the boys and YouTube. Her ability to accept her best effort as a victory in itself came from within.

“Just the fact that I did my best was all that I could hope for,” Mans said of her fifth-place state finish as a senior. “My college coach was there watching me for the first time, so to be able to do well was important to me. Of course, winning is always the goal, but to do the best that I can is always good enough, too.”

With a coach specializing in her specialty waiting in Champaign, Mans cherishes the opportunity to train and compete in the Big Ten with Illinois.

“That’s what I’m so excited about,” she said. “To actually have a coach to guide me rather than figure things out on my own. That’s exciting. I want to excel, past the 6-foot mark.”

And Katie Man’s high jump dreams still reach far higher than a bar 72 inches off the ground.

“I’m still looking at Tokyo 2020,” she said of the next summer Olympics. “Always have a goal.”

Expand

photos by Bill Roseberry

Ulrich and Mans

Alton senior Katie Mans and East Alton-Wood River freshman Jayden Ulrich accomplished history on May 19 at the IHSA state girls track meet in Charleston.

Mans became the first Alton athlete to earn all-state honors all four years after finishing fifth in the high jump in Class 3A, while Ulrich became the first EA-WR athlete to receive all-state notice after placing fourth in the shot put in Class 2A. They were the only athletes from the Riverbend to place at state.

Mans tied Hersey’s Alessia Olhava for fifth with a leap of 5 feet, 5 inches in the high jump. She said she was thrilled to end her high school career with an all-state medal.

“It’s always good to get a medal,” Mans said. “I don’t know how I felt. I didn’t have words to describe it.”

Ulrich finished with a personal-best throw of 41 feet, 4.75 inches to become the only freshman to place in the shot put.

“It was really cool and it was kind of amazing,” Ulrich said. “It was fun and I’m glad I went to state and placed as high as I did.”

Mans, who plans to continue her track career at the University of Illinois next year, had five first-place finishes in the high jump this spring. She qualified for state by placing second in the Class 3A Danville Sectional.

Before joining the AHS track program in her freshman year, Mans won an IESA state championship in her eighth-grade year at Alton Middle School, placing first in the high jump.

Mans enjoyed an outstanding four-year track career at Alton High, winning the high jump 23 times and earning four all-state medals in the event.

Mans became the first Alton athlete to place at state in the high jump after finishing eighth as a freshman. She placed seventh as a sophomore and third as a junior.

The Alton senior said she enjoyed competing at state all four years.

“Going out there was fun,” she said. “I love going to Charleston because that’s when I actually have competition. Just competing with a lot of girls is fun.”

Like Mans, Ulrich also won an IESA state championship. She placed first in the shot put in her eighth-grade year at East Alton Middle School last spring. The EA-WR freshman said the title gave her a boost of confidence for her first season with the Oilers.

“It made me think that I can actually do something,” Ulrich said.

Ulrich had four first-place finishes in the shot put this spring. She won the shot put, discus, 100 and 200 at the Prairie State Conference championship meet and she qualified for state by placing second in the Class 2A Lanphier Sectional.

“I credit a lot of people, mainly my coach (Russ Colona) because he’s always keeping me positive, especially going into state,” Ulrich said. “I was really nervous and I was doubting myself, but he has helped me.”

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Belleville West's La'Qwasia Stepney finished third in the 100-meter hurdles during the girls IHSA State Track and Field Championships at O'Brien Field on Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Charleston, Ill. Paul Halfacre | STLhighschoolsports.com

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Belleville West's La'Qwasia Stepney leaps over the hurdles in the 300-meter hurdles during the girls IHSA State Track and Field Championships at O'Brien Field on Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Charleston, Ill. Paul Halfacre | STLhighschoolsports.com

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Belleville West's La"Qwasia Stepney leaps over the hurdles during the 12th Annual Belleville West Lady Maroon Invitational at the Belleville West High School on Friday, March 30, 2018 in Belleville, Ill. Paul Halfacre | STLhighschoolsports.com

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Belleville West's La'Qwasia Stepney leaps over the hurdles during the 2018 O'Fallon Girls Invitational at O'Fallon High School on Friday, April 13, 2018 in O'Fallon, Ill. Paul Halfacre | STLhighschoolsports.com

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Maroon hair braided down her back, La'Qwasia Stepney climbed atop the podium and made a promise to herself.

“I'm not going to cry.”

It wasn't an easy promise to keep. The view in that moment was better than she imagined. All eyes in the stadium were on her as she was announced as a state champion for the first time.

It won't be the last.

A junior jumper and hurdler for the Belleville West girls track and field team, Stepney is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro girls track and field athlete of the year.

Stepney, 18, is the first track athlete from West to earn the distinction. Had life not thrown her family a curveball, she wouldn't even have been at West. A standout at Cahokia as a freshman and sophomore, Stepney had to move last year. Her mother, Angela Horton, was given notice that the house they were renting in Cahokia had been sold. They had 30 days to pack up, clear out and find somewhere else to live.

“It was stressful,” Horton said.

The 5-foot-4 Stepney wasn't keen on moving. She'd established herself as a track standout for one of the premier programs in Illinois. She was successful and happy. Moving would throw all that out of whack.

“She was kind of scared that she was No. 1 in Cahokia and it wouldn't follow her,” Horton said. “At one point she did talk about going back to Cahokia. It all worked out. It was a blessing in disguise.”

Stepney's personality smoothed her transition at West. Outgoing, friendly and quick to crack a smile, she ingratiated herself at her new school.

“She's well-liked. She gets along with lots of kids. She makes new friends,” West coach Sally Stephens said. “She fit in right away.”

Stepney took that same approach with her new track team. Stephens pulls no punches at practice. The workouts are grueling. Even when it was bitter cold the Maroons were outside getting it in.

“At Cahokia we didn't train like that,” Stepney said. “I was up for the challenge and went with the flow.”

No matter what Stephens and West assistant coach David Searcy threw at Stepney, she never blinked. She just kept working.

“We train hard. We train a very long time. We start early and we go the whole time and we train in a way to peak at the right time,” Stephens said. “She wasn't really used to that, but she jumped in with both feet and never complained, never missed practice, never dogged a workout. She just took all of it and ran with it.”

Stepney was open to whatever Stephens and Searcy could do to help her improve.

With six all-state finishes on her resume, including consecutive fourth-place finishes in the 300 hurdles, it would have been easy for Stepney to retreat to what worked before. Instead she made the adjustments Searcy suggested.

“The easiest part was her working with me and being able to accept the transition,” Searcy said. “Sometimes when you get hurdlers that have been doing it for years they have a tendency to be stuck in their ways. I know what I'm doing, absorb it, let it sink in and you'll see the changes later. That's what she did.”

The small changes brought big rewards. Stepney became the Maroons' first field event state champion when she won the Class 3A long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 4.25 inches, the best by an area athlete this season. She was the runner-up in the 300 hurdles in 44.67 seconds and took third in the 100 hurdles (14.16) by a tenth of a second. It was her best showing at the state track meet and helped the Maroons score 39 points to finish third in the team standings. It was West's highest finish since it was the runner-up in 2012.

Stepney kept the momentum of her first season at West rolling. She competed for Team Illinois at the Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico last week and long jumped 20 feet, 3.25 inches. The distance left Stepney's jaw hanging open.

“I never thought I could hit a 20. I was surprised myself,” she said. “When I jump I don't feel like I'm jumping far, but then I hear the number and I'm like, 'I just jumped that?' ”

By hitting that personal best, Stepney qualified to compete at the United States of America Track and Field Junior Outdoor Championships next week at Indiana University's Haugh Complex in Bloomington, Ind. A good showing could land Stepney on the youth national team as it travels to the Junior World Championships from July 10-15 in Tampere, Finland.

Stepney never imagined track could give her a chance to travel the world. She didn't think it could help pay for college, but it can. Stephens said Stepney's performance at the state meet has caught eyes, turned heads and put her on the radar.

“It was just something to do for fun because I liked running,” Stepney said.

Stepney still has a hard time wrapping her head around her accomplishments. Should she make the trip to Finland, she would be the first West track athlete to represent her country in international competition. It almost doesn't seem real.

“She's just so humble. I don't think she realizes all the time what her capabilities are,” Stephens said. “I think it helps her be successful. She doesn't get in her head. She's very humble about what she does and she works very hard to achieve the things that she does.”

All-Metro First Team

Athlete of the Year: La'Qwasia Stepney, junior, Belleville West

Won the Class 3A long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 4.25 inches, the best long jump in the area in the spring season. Finished second in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.67 seconds and took third in the 100 hurdles (14.16).

Newcomer of the Year: Sydney Juszczyk, freshman, Trinity

Won Class 3 javelin state title with throw of 142 feet, 3 inches. Had the fourth-longest javelin throw in the nation this spring when she posted a 161-8 at Ladue’s Brusca/Strohbach Invitational on April 21. Second at state in the 100 hurdles in 14.93 and sixth in triple jump (35-4). Anchored Trinity’s 800 relay to a runner-up finish.

Sprints: Jada Moore, junior, Pattonville

The Class 5 100-meter dash champion in 11.93 seconds, the third-fastest time in the state this season. Finished second in the 200 (24.23) and fifth in the 400 (56.97). Anchored Pattonville’s 1,600 relay to a runner-up finish.

Middle: Courtney Williams, sophomore, Nerinx Hall

Young speedster claimed the Class 5 400-meter title with a thrilling victory in 55.43 seconds. Took second in state in the 100 (12.09) and third in the 200 (24.57). Posted the fastest 100 in the

GIRLS PREP TRACK: Area athletes claim state medals

Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com

Published 6:51 pm, Saturday, May 19, 2018

CHARLESTON — Alton high jumper Katie Mans came through with her fourth state medal Saturday, but she wasn’t the only among Telegraph-area state medalist.

Mans was part of an area contingent at the three-class state meet that included East Alton-Wood River’s Jayden Ulrich, who placed fourth in the Class 2A shot put; Carlinville’s Emma Smith, who grabbed finished third in the Class 1A pole vault; Staunton freshman Lydia Roller, who was sixth in the Class 2A 1600-meter run and Edwardsville’s Lorie Cashdollar, who was sixth in the Class 3A 800-meter run.

Mans grabbed a fifth-place finish at Saturday’s finals of the IHSA Girls Class 3A State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field, capping a four-year prep career that will land her next year at the University of Illinois.

Mans’ jump of 5 feet, 5 inches was good for a tie with Alessia Olhava of Arlington Heights Hersey for fifth place.

Mans was the lone Alton High finals qualifier. Three others had advanced to Friday’s prelims, including junior Jeanea Epps in the 100-meter dash, junior Laila McNeal in the long jump and the Redbirds’ 4x100 relay team of sophomore Rashia Johnson, McNeal, Epps and sophomore Alleyah Tuggle.

Edwardsville’s Cashdollar surpassed her prelim time in the 800, posting a time of 2 minutes, 15.19 seconds and breaking the Edwardsville school record of 2:15.94 she set Friday. A senior, she is a DePaul University recruit.

Naperville won the Class 3A state championships with 53 points, with Homewood-Flossmoor second at 47 and Belleville West third with 39. In Class 2A, Dunlap easily bested runner-up East St. Louis 102-51 for the team title. Urbana was third in 2A. St. Joe-Ogden won the Class 1A team title with 43 points, with Farmington second at 36 and Decatur St. Teresa third with 35.

GIRLS PREP TRACK: Area athletes claim state medals

Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com

Published 6:51 pm, Saturday, May 19, 2018

CHARLESTON — Alton high jumper Katie Mans came through with her fourth state medal Saturday, but she wasn’t the only among Telegraph-area state medalist.

Mans was part of an area contingent at the three-class state meet that included East Alton-Wood River’s Jayden Ulrich, who placed fourth in the Class 2A shot put; Carlinville’s Emma Smith, who grabbed finished third in the Class 1A pole vault; Staunton freshman Lydia Roller, who was sixth in the Class 2A 1600-meter run and Edwardsville’s Lorie Cashdollar, who was sixth in the Class 3A 800-meter run.

Mans grabbed a fifth-place finish at Saturday’s finals of the IHSA Girls Class 3A State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field, capping a four-year prep career that will land her next year at the University of Illinois.

Mans’ jump of 5 feet, 5 inches was good for a tie with Alessia Olhava of Arlington Heights Hersey for fifth place.

Mans was the lone Alton High finals qualifier. Three others had advanced to Friday’s prelims, including junior Jeanea Epps in the 100-meter dash, junior Laila McNeal in the long jump and the Redbirds’ 4x100 relay team of sophomore Rashia Johnson, McNeal, Epps and sophomore Alleyah Tuggle.

Edwardsville’s Cashdollar surpassed her prelim time in the 800, posting a time of 2 minutes, 15.19 seconds and breaking the Edwardsville school record of 2:15.94 she set Friday. A senior, she is a DePaul University recruit.

Naperville won the Class 3A state championships with 53 points, with Homewood-Flossmoor second at 47 and Belleville West third with 39. In Class 2A, Dunlap easily bested runner-up East St. Louis 102-51 for the team title. Urbana was third in 2A. St. Joe-Ogden won the Class 1A team title with 43 points, with Farmington second at 36 and Decatur St. Teresa third with 35.

GIRLS PREP TRACK: Area athletes claim state medals

Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com

Published 6:51 pm, Saturday, May 19, 2018

CHARLESTON — Alton high jumper Katie Mans came through with her fourth state medal Saturday, but she wasn’t the only among Telegraph-area state medalist.

Mans was part of an area contingent at the three-class state meet that included East Alton-Wood River’s Jayden Ulrich, who placed fourth in the Class 2A shot put; Carlinville’s Emma Smith, who grabbed finished third in the Class 1A pole vault; Staunton freshman Lydia Roller, who was sixth in the Class 2A 1600-meter run and Edwardsville’s Lorie Cashdollar, who was sixth in the Class 3A 800-meter run.

Mans grabbed a fifth-place finish at Saturday’s finals of the IHSA Girls Class 3A State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field, capping a four-year prep career that will land her next year at the University of Illinois.

Mans’ jump of 5 feet, 5 inches was good for a tie with Alessia Olhava of Arlington Heights Hersey for fifth place.

Mans was the lone Alton High finals qualifier. Three others had advanced to Friday’s prelims, including junior Jeanea Epps in the 100-meter dash, junior Laila McNeal in the long jump and the Redbirds’ 4x100 relay team of sophomore Rashia Johnson, McNeal, Epps and sophomore Alleyah Tuggle.

Edwardsville’s Cashdollar surpassed her prelim time in the 800, posting a time of 2 minutes, 15.19 seconds and breaking the Edwardsville school record of 2:15.94 she set Friday. A senior, she is a DePaul University recruit.

Naperville won the Class 3A state championships with 53 points, with Homewood-Flossmoor second at 47 and Belleville West third with 39. In Class 2A, Dunlap easily bested runner-up East St. Louis 102-51 for the team title. Urbana was third in 2A. St. Joe-Ogden won the Class 1A team title with 43 points, with Farmington second at 36 and Decatur St. Teresa third with 35.

GIRLS PREP TRACK: Area athletes claim state medals

Pete Hayes, phayes@thetelegraph.com

Published 6:51 pm, Saturday, May 19, 2018

CHARLESTON — Alton high jumper Katie Mans came through with her fourth state medal Saturday, but she wasn’t the only among Telegraph-area state medalist.

Mans was part of an area contingent at the three-class state meet that included East Alton-Wood River’s Jayden Ulrich, who placed fourth in the Class 2A shot put; Carlinville’s Emma Smith, who grabbed finished third in the Class 1A pole vault; Staunton freshman Lydia Roller, who was sixth in the Class 2A 1600-meter run and Edwardsville’s Lorie Cashdollar, who was sixth in the Class 3A 800-meter run.

Mans grabbed a fifth-place finish at Saturday’s finals of the IHSA Girls Class 3A State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field, capping a four-year prep career that will land her next year at the University of Illinois.

Mans’ jump of 5 feet, 5 inches was good for a tie with Alessia Olhava of Arlington Heights Hersey for fifth place.

Mans was the lone Alton High finals qualifier. Three others had advanced to Friday’s prelims, including junior Jeanea Epps in the 100-meter dash, junior Laila McNeal in the long jump and the Redbirds’ 4x100 relay team of sophomore Rashia Johnson, McNeal, Epps and sophomore Alleyah Tuggle.

Edwardsville’s Cashdollar surpassed her prelim time in the 800, posting a time of 2 minutes, 15.19 seconds and breaking the Edwardsville school record of 2:15.94 she set Friday. A senior, she is a DePaul University recruit.

Naperville won the Class 3A state championships with 53 points, with Homewood-Flossmoor second at 47 and Belleville West third with 39. In Class 2A, Dunlap easily bested runner-up East St. Louis 102-51 for the team title. Urbana was third in 2A. St. Joe-Ogden won the Class 1A team title with 43 points, with Farmington second at 36 and Decatur St. Teresa third with 35.

No Mans, but Alton girls impress at Southwestern Illinois Relays
Edwardsville boys edge East Side for boys title
Greg Shashack, gshashack@thetelegraph.com Updated 8:56 pm, Friday, March 23, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Alton’s Katie Mans, shown clearing 5 feet, 4 inches to win the Southwestern Illinois Relays last season, was unable to defend her meet title Friday because of illness. But the Redbirds still put up a big day to finish third in the event’s girls division at the Winston Brown Track and Field Complex in Edwardsville. Photo: Billy Hurst / Telegraph File Photo
Photo:
Billy Hurst / Telegraph File Photo

Alton’s Katie Mans, shown clearing 5 feet, 4 inches to win the Southwestern Illinois Relays last season, was unable to defend her meet title Friday because of illness. But the Redbirds still put up a big day to finish third in the event’s girls division at the Winston Brown Track and Field Complex in Edwardsville.

EDWARDSVILLE – Alton Redbirds girls track got the first-place finish that was expected in the high jump on a soggy Friday at the Winston Brown Track and Field Complex.

But the source of those 10 points were a surprise.

Junior Laila McNeal cleared 4-feet, 10 inches without a miss to beat two other jumpers making that height to help the Redbirds to a third-place finish at the Southwestern Illinois Relays. O’Fallon scored 108 points to win the girls division, with Belleville West second with 101 points, Alton third with 96, Edwardsville fourth with 94 and Belleville East fifth with 91.

Alton’s Katie Mans, the meet’s defending champ in the high jump and the 2017 Telegraph Athlete of the year, woke up ill Friday morning and was unable to compete in the first major outdoor event of her senior season. “Killed me to miss this meet,” Mans wrote in a text.

The eight additional points that likely would have been produced with Mans, a three-time state medalist, jumping in Edwardsville kept the Redbirds from a runner-up finish. But it remained a promising outing for Alton after scoring 69 points and placing sixth here last season.

McNeal also won the long jump with a leap of 17-6.75, while Redbirds junior Jeanea Epps won the 100 meters in 12.68 seconds. Pole vaulter Lauren Weiner placed second with a vault of 7-6.

Alton’s 800 sprint-medley relay unit of Rashia Johnson, Daysha Lacey, Epps and Kellie Mans finished first in 1:53.58. The Redbirds also posted a top-three finish in the 4x100 with Epps, Lacey, Alleyah Tuggle and Johnson getting third in 50.57.

“With the conditions and with the season being so early, I’m already having girls hitting the state-qualifying marks and that’s always exciting to see in the first big outdoor meet of the season,” Alton coach Jaida Moore said.

Edwardsville’s girls had a big day in the relays, along with senior Kaitlyn Singh’s victory in the 1,600 in 5:31.22 ahead of teammate Hannah Stuart, who was third in 5:44.77. The Tigers went 2-3 in the shot put with Quianna Johnson and Haley Sparks both throwing 35-1, and Allysa Johnson was third in the discus at 99-11.

Edwardsville won three relays. Jaydi Swanson, Lorie Cashdollar, Elise Krone and Rachel Kubicek won the 4x400 in 4:15.55. Kaitlyn Loyet, Cashdollar, Melissa Spencer and Abby Korak won the 4x800 in 9:48.23. Spencer, Haley Allard, Loyet, and Abby Schrobilgen won the 4,000 distance-medley in 13:40.44.

The Tigers ran second in the 4x200 with Alexis Boykin, Swanson, Kubicek and Quierra Love circling the track twice in in 1:52.23.

BOYS DIVISION

Southwestern Conference powers Edwardsville and East St. Louis hooked up for the first time this season and the Tigers defended their Southwestern Illinois Relays title by edging the Flyers.

Edwardsville, the defending Class 3A state champion, scored 97 points. East Side put up 95, with Rockwood (Mo.) Summit (88), O’Fallon (86) and Belleville West (55) rounding out the top five in an 11-team field. Alton tied Collinsville for sixth with 44 points.

The SWIL title was the fourth in five years for the Tigers, who got first-place performances from junior Max Hartmann (4:43.23) in the 1,600 meters, senior Cameron Kirkpatrick (132-7) in the discus and the 4x800 relay.

Franky Romano, Roland Prenzler, Zach Walters and Jack Pifer covered the 3,200 meters in 8:20.43 to finish first. Walters, Prenzler, Rodney Smith and Pifer ran second in the 4,000-meter distance medley.

The Tigers got a runner-up in the long jump with Kenyon Johnson going 21-5.5. Mascoutah’s Treshun Buckingham broke the meet record with a winning jump of 24-0. Edwardsville’s Blake Williams was third in the shot put with a toss of 44-9.5.

Alton got 18 points from senior Jaquez Roberson, who won the shot put with a throw of 46-11 and was second in the discus at 132-7. The Redbirds added a third-place effort in the 4x100 with Earlie Brown, Terry Walker, Johnathan Bumpers and Deonte McGoy circling the track in 44.19 to finish behind West and East Side.

TRACK AND FIELD: AHS, EHS girls shine at Jersey Indoor Thaw
by AdVantage News March 12, 2018
      RSSPrint
track logo.jpg
The Alton Redbirds and the Edwardsville Tigers each won three events at the Jersey Indoor Thaw at Principia College on Saturday.

The Redbirds won the high jump, long jump and the 60-meter dash and the Tigers placed first in the 800 and the 1,600 and 3,200-meter relays.

Katie Mans placed first in the high jump in 5 feet, 4 inches, Daysha Lacey won the long jump in 16 feet, 1.5 inches and Jeanea Epps came out on top in the 60 in 7.93 seconds.

Lorie Cashdollar, who is planning to compete in track and cross country at DePaul next year, won the 800 in 2:22.62 and helped the 4x4 team – which also included Jaydi Swanson, Kalie Bertels, Elise Krone – win in 4:16.18. The 4x8 squad of Krone, Jaycie Hudson, Haley Allard and Kaitlyn Loyet won in 10:26.50.

Also, East Alton-Wood River freshman Jayden Ulrich turned in a sparkling high school track debut, winning the shot put with a throw of 39 feet, 6 inches. She won the event by almost four feet.

A year ago, Ulrich won an IESA state championship in the shot put while competing with the East Alton Middle School track team