East Alton-Wood River sophomore Jayden Ulrich competes in the shot put in the Class 2A girls state track meet on Saturday in Charleston. Ulrich won the shot put and placed second in the discus.
CHARLESTON — Two years ago, Jayden Ulrich won a state championship in the shot put while she was in eighth grade at East Alton Middle School.
On Saturday, the East Alton-Wood River sophomore celebrated another state title in the shot put, this time at the high school level. Ulrich won the Class 2A shot put championship after throwing 46 feet, 9.5 inches at the state meet in Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Stadium.
Ulrich also placed second in the discus in 139-11, making her the first EA-WR girl to place in two events in the same year. She now has three all-state medals in her two-year career. She came in fourth in the shot put last year.
Ulrich also became the first EA-WR athlete to win a state track title since Travis Williams did in the Class A boys triple jump in 2002.
“It means a lot,” Ulrich said. “It means that we have a lot more talent in our school than most people think.”
Four other Riverbend athletes earned all-state honors.
Ulrich's teammate, sophomore Hannah Sechrest, placed eighth in the high jump in a personal-best 5-4, making her the second EA-WR girl to earn all-state honors.
Ulrich and Sechrest helped the Oilers place 11th in the team standings with 20 points.
Alton, which won its first Madison County large-school division title this season, had a pair of all-state medalists in seniors Bria Thurman and Jeanea Epps in the Class 3A division. Thurman finished seventh in the shot put in 41-3.5 to pick up her first all-state medal, while Epps placed ninth in the 100 in 12.25 seconds for her second all-state medal. Epps was a member of the 400-meter relay team that came in eighth in her sophomore year.
It's the sixth year in a row the Redbirds have had at least one all-state medalist.
Civic Memorial freshman Maura Niemeier finished seventh in 36-7.75 in the Class 2A triple jump, making her first athlete in CM girls track history to earn all-state honors.
Marquette Catholic junior Riley Vickrey competed in two events on Saturday in the Class 1A division and came up short of a medal in both of them, placing 10th in the 1,600 in 5:23.39 and 11th in the 3,200 in 12:14.56. She qualified for the 1,600 finals after placing seventh with a 5:22.87 in the preliminaries on Thursday.
The top nine finishers in each event earn medals.
The Riverbend area had a total of 13 individuals and five relay teams compete at the three-day state meet. Out of the area’s five all-state medalists, Sechrest, Niemeier and Thurman competed at Charleston for the first time.
With the victory in the shot put, Ulrich became the area’s first state champion since Alton’s LaJarvia Brown in 2016. Brown, who is now competing at Texas A&M University, won four state titles between ‘14 and ‘16.
O’FALLON – Alton’s girls' track team qualified four individuals and a relay team for the state meet, while Edwardsville will send two individuals and Granite City one as the IHSA Class 3A sectional meet was held Thursday at O’Fallon Township High School.
Belleville West won the meet with 101 points, followed by Belleville East, with 85 points, Alton was third with 56, Normal Community was fourth with 40.5, and Springfield was fifth with 37 points. Edwardsville tied for seventh with Danville at 34 points, and Granite was 14th with eight points.
The Redbird individuals who qualified were Jenea Epps and Renee Raglin in the 100 meters, with times of 12.23 seconds and 12.48 seconds respectively, Bria Thurman in the shot put, with a toss of 40’ 5.5” and Lauren Weiner in the pole vault, with a jump of 9’ 9”.
In addition, the 4x100-meter relay team qualified with a time of 49.20 seconds, the only team to make it to the state meet.
Abby Korak of Edwardsville qualified in the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:04.83, and Madeline Miller qualified in the 800 meters, coming in at 2:20.24.
Toni Rush will be Granite’s only representative at the state meet, as she qualified in the 100 meters with a time of 12.43 seconds.
The state track and field meets in all three classes will be held next weekend at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium in Charleston.
COLLINSVILLE – The Alton high girls track team finished in second place by a narrow margin behind champion Belleville East, while Edwardsville wound up in sixth place, and East Alton-Wood River was ninth in the Collinsville Girls Invitational meet held Friday afternoon and evening at Kahok Stadium.
The Lancers won the meet with 122 points, with the Redbirds right behind at 112 points. O’Fallon was third with 104.5, getting by Belleville West, who finished fourth with 102,5 points. DuQuoin was fifth with 100 points, the Tigers wound up sixth with 96.5 points, Triad was seventh with 63, Chatham Glenwood was eighth at 47.5 points, the Oilers were ninth at 41 points, and the host Kahoks ended up in 10th with a score of 33 points.
The Alton High School girls track and field team had a very successful showing at the Collinsville Girls Invitational meet held Friday afternoon and evening, as the Redbirds placed second in the team standings with 112 points, 10 points behind champion Belleville East, who had 122.
In the sprints, Alton’s tandem of Jenea Epps and Renee Raglin had a good day, finishing one-two in the 100 meters, with Epps’ winning time being 12.47 seconds, and Raglin coming in at 12.66 seconds. Epps and Raglin finished fourth and fifth respectively in the 200 meters, with times of 26.81 seconds and 26.83 seconds. In the middle distances, Jessica Markell took the 400 meters at 58.43 seconds, while Kellie Mans was sixth at 1:02.11.
In the hurdles, Stahlschmidt was third in the 300-meter hurdles, coming in at 48.91 seconds, with McMurray fifth at 50.32 seconds, and in the 100-meter hurdles, McMurray and Stahlschmidt were fifth and sixth, with only two-one-hundredths of second, McMurray’s time being 17.06 seconds, with Stahlschmidt right behind at 17.08 seconds.
In the relays, the 4x100-meter team of Rashia Johnson, Sienna Stahlschmidt, Epps and Raglin were second with a time of 50.02 seconds, the 4x200-meter team of Johnson, Taylor Arnold, Epps and Raglin wound up fourth with a time of 1:48.85, and in the 4x400-meter tram of Markell, Arnold, Johnson and Mans placed third at 4:10.39.
In the underclass relays, the 4x400-meter team of Janiyah Alexander, Cheyenne Wilson, Savannah McMurray and Judy Morgan were second at 4:32.90.
Over at the field events, Lauren Weiner won the pole vault, jumping 9’ 7”, Laila McNeal was third in the long jump with a distance of 16’ 11”, McMurray was fifth in the triple jump at 33’ 11”, and Bria Thurman was second in the shot put with a throw of 37’ 8.25”.
PREP TRACK & FIELD: Alton Girls capture MadCo title - The Telegraph - 4/24/2019
Updated on 06/10/2022
PREP TRACK & FIELD: Alton girls capture MadCo title
Redbirds girlswin, boys fourth
The Telegraph
Published
Photo:
Scott Marion | For The Telegraph
IMAGE 1 OF 5
Alton’s Renee Raglin (left) and Jeanea Epps head down the stretch in the girls’ 100-meter dash at Tuesday’s Madison County Large School Track Meet at Triad. Epps finished first in a time of 12.34 seconds
TROY — The Alton High girls rode a solid performance that included nine first-place finishes and captured the team title at the Madison County Large-School Track Meet Tuesday at Triad. Edwardsville won the boys county title.
Alton’s girls got past second-place Edwardsville 167-145 in the team race. Host Triad was third with 110 points, followed by Highland with 63, Granite City 46 and Collinsville 23.
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Alton girls track coach Jada Moore had plenty of praise to pass around for her team, some of it going to unexpected recipients.
“We had some unexpected first-place finishes and those are always exciting,” Moore said. “My long jumpers, Laila McNeal and Taylor Arnold, got first and second. Taylor is a freshman and she was also on our 4x100 (relay), which took first place today as well.
“Lay’Lhandy Davis, who is a freshman, got a personal record and won the discus and Lauren Weiner won the pole vault with a personal record.”
In the boys meet, Edwardsville’s 137.16 points were enough to topple Collinsville which had 116.5 points. Triad was third with 107, Alton fourth with 91.33, Granite City fifth with 71 and Highland sixth with 29 points.
GIRLS
Alton posted a host of first-place finishes.
Alton junior Sierra Stahlschmidt was the winner of the 300-meter hurdles in a time of 49.40. Teammate Savannah McMurray was third in 50.25. Edwardsville’s Kymel Belle was second in 49.41.
Jessica Markel of Alton won the 400-meter run in a time of 59 seconds flat, followed by teammate Kellie Mans, who was second in 1:01.76.
Markel, Arnold, Johnson and Mans combined to win the 4 x 400 relay for Alton. They finished with a time of 4:12.64.
Jeanea Epps and Renee Raglin finished one-two in the 100-meter dash. Epps was first in 12.34, followed by Raglin in 12.54.
Epps also won the 200 in a time of 25.95. Raglin was second in 26.92. Breonno Bacon of Collinsville finished second in 26.37.
Lauren Weiner of Alton won the pole vault with a height of 9 feet. Triad’s Morgan Noyes was second at 8-6.
Laila McNeal and Taylor Arnold of Alton finished one-two in the long jump. McNeal won it with a leap of 18 feet-1.25 inches and Arnold was second at 16’-3”.
In the discus, Lay’Lhany Davis of Alton was first with a distance of 101 feet, 11 inches. She beat Highland’s Josie Hapack, whose best toss was 101’-5”.
Alton won the 4 x 100 meter relay. Epps, Stahlschmidt, Taylor Arnold and Renee Raglin won in 49.78.
In the 4 x 800 relay, Alton’s Alexander, Holloway, Rashia Johnson and Schwabb were fourth in 11:31.66.
Savannah McMurray of Alton was second in the triple jump with a leap of 33-1.75. Denise D’Antonio of Triad won with a 34-5.5. Alton’s Koran Mason-El was fourth at 32-3.
In the 100-meter hurdles, the Alton duo of Stahlschmidt and McMurray finished two-three. Stahlschmidt had a time of 16.50 and McMurray finished in 16.98. Kymel Bell of Edwardsville won in 15.84.
The Alton team of Janiyah Alexander, Tyana Hollway, Rashia Johnson and Eva Schwabb finished fourth in the 4 x 800 relay in 11:31.66. Triad was first in a time of 10:05.16
Epps, Taylor Arnold, Koran Mason-El and Raglin of Alton were third in the 4 x 200 relay in a time of 1:49.56. Triad was first in 1:48.70.
BOYS
Alton boys track coach Jeff White said his team’s results in the jumping events were key.
“We had a good day in the jumping events with Ju’Qui Womack and Trey Miller, who both did very well in the long jump and triple jump,” White said. “Trey had some nice PRs and Ju’Qui has been great all year.”
Joe Morrissey of Alton and teammate Kavontay Samelton-Dander ran one-two in the 300 hurdles. Morrissey won it in a time of 40.19, followed by Samelton-Dander in 41.40 Edwardsville’s Brennan Tolle was third in 41.49.
Deonte McGoy of Alton won the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.74 seconds, edging Collinsville’s Jermarrion Stewart, who finished in 10.77.
Alton’s Juqui Womack finished second in the long jump at 20-11, while teammate Trey Miller was third at 20-6.5. Collinsville’s Kyle Crone was the winner at 20-11.5.
Cassius Havis of Alton was second in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:58.51. Andrew O’Keefe of Granite City finished first in 1:55.86.
Havis was also third in the 300-meter run in 52.11. Edwardsville’s Brandon Battle was first in 51.04 and Jawuan Ford of Collinsville was second in 51.91. Havis was also third in the 400 meter run in 52.11.
In the 4 x 200 meter relay, Alton’s Tim Johnson, Jaden Singleton, Kegan Bratton and Dasani Stewart finished in a time of 1:33.50. Triad finished first in 1:31.07 and Collinsville was second in 1:31.43.
Alton was fourth in the 4 x 400 relay. Bratton, Havis, Johnson and Morrissey ran it in a time of 3:30.54. Triad won in 3:29.87.
Kavontay Samelton-Danser of Alton finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 16.39. Xavier McKenney of Edwardsville was first in 16.20, followed by Collinsville’s Chris Chi in 16.22 and Darron Smith of Granite City in 16.37.
“Deonte McGoy had a really good battle with (Collinsville’s) Jermarrion Stewart in the 100 meters,” White said, “and Cassius Havis had his season-best time in the 800 meters.”
Edwardsville got first-place finishes from Zach Walters in the 3200, Xavier McKenney in the 110 hurdles, Brandon Battle in the 400 and Roland Prenzler in the 1600.
Redbirds' Renee Raglin Enjoys Experience with Her Team, Looks to Statewide Success - Riverbender.com - 4/20/2019
ALTON – Alton freshman track sprinter Renee Raglin is off to a great start as a Redbird team member.
Raglin performed very well in her first varsity meet, the Southwestern Illinois Relays, held Mar. 22 at the Winston Brown Track and Field Center in Edwardsville, helping the Redbirds finish third as a team.
In that meet, Raglin finished sixth in the 100 meters with a time of 12.92 seconds and was on a pair of relay teams that did well. The 4x100-meter team would up in third, coming in at 49.86 seconds, while the 4x200-meter team was second at 1:47.08.
Raglin had an outstanding day at the O’Fallon Invitational on Apr. 12. Raglin finished third in the 100 meters with a time of 12.73 seconds, was seventh in the 200 meters at 26.83 seconds, anchored the 4x100-meter relay team that finished fourth, coming in at 49.69 seconds, and also anchored the 4x200-meter team that finished fourth as well, the time being 1:48.38.
Raglin enjoys running and felt very good about her experience so far for Alton.
“I like track,” Raglin said, “and I love running for my team. I like cooperating with everybody, and I think we could do way better going on into the season.”
It’s early on, of course, and Raglin in feeling confident about her chances of possibly qualifying for the IHSA state meet in May up in Charleston.
“I believe that I could go to state as a freshman," Raglin said.
Raglin will specialize in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes for the Redbirds this season. She’s got a simple, yet very ambitious goal for the season.
“To become a state champ,” Raglin said with a smile.
And her own running style? It can be summarized in one line.
“Keep my knees up and beat the person in front of me,” Raglin said with a smile.
Alton Sprinter Jeanea Epps Serves As Redbirds Captain, Sets The Tone for Team - Riverbender.com - 3/24/2019
EDWARDSVILLE – Alton senior track sprinter Jeanea Epps enjoyed some good performances in her races during an informal triangular meet with O’Fallon and Southwestern Illinois Relays at the Winston Brown Track and Field Center, and she feels ready to go for the new season.
“I felt very good,” Epps said about her performances in a post-meet interview. “I knew it was going to be a cold meet, and I knew it was our first outdoor meet of the season, so we had to come out strong. I’m just looking to set a good example for our underclassmen, being a senior this year. And I felt like I did that today.”
As a captain, it’s up to Epps to set the table for the other members of the team, and it’s a job she takes seriously.
“I want to make sure that once I leave, everyone is prepared, and they feel like that they can become leaders for the next groups to come,” Epps said.
Epps is a short sprinter, running both the 100 and 200-meter dashes, along with being a key component of the Redbirds’ 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams.
“We have to make sure we get our good handoffs, our good block starts,” Epps said, “to make sure we can compete with everyone else.”
Epps feels very optimistic about enjoying success for herself and her teammates in the 2019 season.
“Yes, sir, I am,” Epps said very enthusiastically. “We have very big goals set for this season. I want to see us in Charleston (for the IHSA state meet) taking some medals and trophies home.”
And doing well at the state meet this May at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium is very important to Epps, who has some great ambitions for the team.
“This season, I want to be on the podium for every event,” Epps said, “I want to see Alton on the map, for sure.”
Area athletes post strong performances at Jersey Indoor Thaw Track Meet - Riverbender.com - 3/10/2019
ELSAH – Area track athletes turned in some good performances during Saturday’s Jersey Indoor Thaw track meet, hosted by Jersey Community High and held at Principia College in Elsah.
Both boys and girls teams participated in the event, one of the last indoor track meets before the outdoor season is slated to begin later this month.
Alton results included Sierra Stahlschmidt getting a third in the 60 meter hurdles at 10.35, with Savannah McMurray finishing fifth at 10.48 seconds, Renee Raglin placing third in the 60 meter dash, coming in at 8.05 seconds, with Jeanea Epps coming in sixth at 8.14 seconds, Jessica Markel and Kellie Mans second and third in the 400 meters with times of 1:03.40 and 1:04.77 respectively, and Taylor Arnold placing sixth in the 200 meters with a time of 28.28 seconds.
Stahlschmidt finished seventh in the high jump with a leap of 4’ 7”, Lauren Weiner was in a three-way tie for third in the pole vault, coming in at eight feet even, Laila McNeal was second in the long jump at 15 feet, four-and-a-half inches, Koran Mason-El was third in the triple jump at 31’ 10”, and Bria Thurman was second in the shot put with a toss of 38’ 6”.
The 4x200 relay team of Epps, Raglin, Daysha Lacey and Arnold was second with a time of 1:50.76, while the team of Mans, Markel, Stahlschmidt and Eva Schwabb ended up second in the 4x400 relay with a time of 4:25.22.
Maura Niemeier of Civic Memorial won two events, the triple jump with a jump of 35 feet, four inches, and the long jump with a leap of 17 feet even. Tristan Fraley of Marquette Catholic was third in the long jump at 15 feet, one-and-a-quarter inches, and East Alton-Wood River’s Jayden Ulrich took the shot put with a toss of 41’ 5”. LeighAnn Nottke of EAWR was fourth in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 10.47, Hannah Tonsor of the host Panthers won the 800 meters, coming in at 2:37.61, while Carrollton’s Callie McAdams was second at 2:37.88. Jersey’s Chloe White was fifth in the 400 meters at 1:06.71, while Marquette’s Brooklyn Taylor was third in the 200 meters at 27.77 seconds.
On the boys side, Dylan Smith of Carrollton finished third in the high jump at 6’ 3”. CM’s Mason Schlemer was fifth in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet, four-and-a-half inches, Joey Rangle of EAWR was fifth in the triple jump at 38 feet even in the field events.
Cree Stumpf of Roxana was fourth in the 3200 meters with a time of 10:29.43, while CM’s Mark Eldridge placed fifth at 10:37.57, Zach Brasel of Father McGivney Catholic was sixth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:10.70 and Keyan Harris of CM placed fifth in the 200 meters at 24.26 seconds.
In relay races, the McGivney team of Brasel, Andrew Dupy, Tanner Fox and Tyler Guthrie finished third in the 4x800 relay with a time of 9:00.40, while Jersey’s team of Andrew Bertman, Ryan Croxford, Christian Cazier and Asher Stidd were sixth at 9:11.18. The Panthers’ team of Jeff Guardado, Corey King, Jay Goetten and Sam Bartels was sixth in the 4x200 relay with a time of 1:41.59 , and the Oilers’ team of Ryne White, Hunter Moralas, Daeshawn Warren and Andrew Oliger placed fourth in the 4x400 relay, coming in at 3:52.26.
