By Roveiza Irfan
Gargoyle co-editor-in-chief
Posted Saturday, April 29, 2006, The OG, sports

The girls track team placed 13th out of 22 teams at the Monticello Lady Sages Invitational on Friday. The team was led by a second-place finish in the 1,600 relay and a third-place finish in the 3,200 relay.

The 4x400 relay team of senior Josie Chambers, junior Aria Collopy, sophomore Ruthie Welch, and freshman Lizzy Warner finished with a time of 4 minutes, 25.6 seconds. Bloomington Central Catholic took first by a mere 1.2 seconds.

The 4x800 relay team, made up of Chambers, Welch and sophomores Shivani Khanna and Samantha Nguyen, finished with a time of 10:21.0. Cumberland and Unity finished first and second with times of 10:15.4 and 10:20.3, respectively.

“The 4x8 had an overall eight-second PR [personal record],” said Khanna. “We also made the qualifying time for state.”

The IHSA automatic state-qualifying times for the 3,200 relay are 10:23.5 (manual timing) and 10:23.74 (fully automated timing). Although the 4x800 team would have to meet the relevant standard at sectionals to become an automatic qualifier, breaking the barrier in a regular-season meet was a confidence booster, Khanna said.

Individually, freshman Elaine Gu returned from a three-day field trip at Allerton to place third in the 3,200 with a time of 12:33.5.

Sophomore Erin Hayes and senior Leah Imlay rounded out the placings for Uni. Hayes placed fifth in the 200 with a time of 29.3 seconds. Imlay ran a 12:58.7 to finish sixth in the 3,200.

“I'm really proud of everyone's improvement this season,” said Khanna. “All the hard work seems to be really paying off.”

The girls will compete in the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartan Classic on Friday. After that it will be time for the May 12 Class A sectionals. The Illineks will compete in the 17-team Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) bracket.