EDN ALL-AREA: Meet the EDN Girls Track and Field First and Second Team

Jul. 25—Below is the 2023 Effingham Daily News Girls Track and Field First and Second Team.

There is one sprinter, one mid-distance, one long-distance, one hurdler, four relay teams, one shot put thrower, one discus thrower, one high jumper, one pole vaulter, one long jumper and one triple jumper per team.

FIRST TEAM

SPRINTS: Kaitlyn Vahling, Teutopolis

Vahling finished her junior season with 12 wins in the 100-meter dash, nine in the 200 and nine in the 400. She broke the school record in the 100 twice — first at the Sam Bennett Invitational (12.21 seconds) and then at the Newton Lady Eagle Invite (12.12 seconds) — the 200 once at the Altamont Open (25.27 seconds) and the 400 once at the Sam Bennett Invitational (58.61 seconds). She also helped the Teutopolis 4x100-meter relay team win eight events and capture the school record in the event at the Class 1A Newton Sectional after a time of 50.42 seconds. Vahling earned the 2023 Effingham Daily News Girls Track Athlete of the Year following the season.

MIDDLE: Jessica Larsen, Effingham

Larsen finished her sophomore season with five wins in the 1600-meter run and two in the 800. She set a personal record in the 1600 at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional (5:28.72) and a personal record in the 800 at the Class 2A State Final Meet (2:21.13). Larsen also helped the Effingham 4x800-meter relay team win one event and place third at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional with a time of 10:02.87. She earned the 2022 Effingham Daily News Cross-Country Female Runner of the Year in the fall.

DISTANCE: Layna Marshall, Newton

Marshall finished her freshman year with two wins and six top-five finishes in the 3200-meter run. She set a personal record at the Shelbyville Open (12:40.32). Marshall also helped the Newton 4x800-meter relay team win one event and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (10:38.06). She earned a second-team nod for the 4x800-meter relay.

HURDLES: Liv Hoene, St. Anthony

Hoene finished her freshman year with six wins in the 300-meter hurdles and two in the 100-meter hurdles. She set a personal record in the 100-meter hurdles at the Class 1A State Final meet (17.04 seconds) and a personal record in the 300-meter hurdles at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (49.13 seconds).

SHOT PUT: Brooke Schafer, Newton

Schaefer finished her junior year with nine wins in the shot put. She set a personal best toss at the Sam Bennett Invitational (35 feet 10.5 inches).

DISCUS: Brooke Cowger, Patoka/South Central

Cowger finished her junior year with four wins and 13 top-10 finishes in the discus. She set a personal record at the Flora Meet (106 feet 1 inch).

HIGH JUMP: Jada Buehnerkemper, Teutopolis

Buehnerkemper finished her junior year with two wins and eight top-10 finishes in the high jump. She set a personal record at the Altamont Open (5 foot 4 inches) and placed seventh at the Class 1A State Final Meet (5 foot 1 inch).

POLE VAULT: Allison Geen, St. Anthony

Geen finished her junior year with 11 wins and 14 top-10 finishes in the pole vault. She set a personal record at the 37th Annual Tuscola Open (11 feet 7 inches) and placed sixth at the Class 1A State Final Meet (11 feet 0.25 inches). Geen earned the 2023 Effingham Daily News Field Athlete of the Year following the season.

LONG JUMP: Katelyn Shoemaker, Cumberland

Shoemaker finished her junior year with four wins and 11 top-10 finishes in the long jump. She set a personal record at the Class 1A State Final Meet (4.73 meters) and placed 21st.

TRIPLE JUMP: Kaela Neihls, Teutopolis

Neihls finished her junior year with five wins and 12 top-10 finishes in the triple jump. She set a personal record at the Class 1A State Final Meet (32 feet 10.5 inches) and placed 19th.

RELAY: Adi Davidson, Teutopolis

Davidson finished her freshman year by helping the Teutopolis 4x100-meter relay team win eight events and capture the school record in the event at the Class 1A Newton Sectional after a time of 50.42 seconds.

RELAY: Halle Bushue, Teutopolis

Bushue finished her freshman year by helping the Teutopolis 4x100-meter relay team win eight events and capture the school record in the event at the Class 1A Newton Sectional after a time of 50.42 seconds.

RELAY: Ella Neihls, Teutopolis

Neihls finished her sophomore year by helping the Teutopolis 4x100-meter relay team win eight events and capture the school record in the event at the Class 1A Newton Sectional after a time of 50.42 seconds.

RELAY: Laney Hemrich, Newton

Hemrich finished her senior year by helping the Newton 4x200-meter relay team finish fifth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 1:47.30. She also helped the 4x400-meter relay team win three events and finish ninth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 4:11.52. Hemrich also helped the Newton 4x100-meter relay team win six events and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (51.87 seconds). She earned a second-team nod for the 4x100-meter relay.

RELAY: Morgan Schafer, Newton

Schafer finished her sophomore year by helping the Newton 4x200-meter relay team win two events and finish fifth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 1:47.30.

RELAY: Makayla McVicar, Newton

McVicar finished her sophomore year by helping the Newton 4x200-meter relay team win three events and finish fifth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 1:47.30. She also helped the 4x400-meter relay team win four events and finish ninth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 4:11.52. McVicar also helped the Newton 4x100-meter relay team win six events and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (51.87 seconds). She earned a second-team nod for the 4x100-meter relay.

RELAY: Sydney Kinder, Newton

Kinder finished her sophomore year by helping the Newton 4x200-meter relay team finish fifth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 1:47.30. She also helped the 4x400-meter relay team win four events and finish ninth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 4:11.52 and helped the 4x100-meter relay team win six events and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (51.87 seconds). She earned a second-team nod for the 4x100-meter relay.

RELAY: Elley Bennett, Newton

Bennett finished her junior year by helping the Newton 4x400-meter relay team win four events and finish ninth at the Class 1A State Final Meet after a time of 4:11.52. She also helped the 4x200-meter relay team win one event and finish second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional after a time of 1:51.53. Bennett also helped the Newton 4x100-meter relay team win one event and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (51.87 seconds). She earned a second-team nod for the 4x100-meter relay.

RELAY: Morgan Springer, Effingham

Springer finished her sophomore year by helping the Effingham 4x800-meter relay team win one event and place third at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional with a time of 10:02.87.

RELAY: Baylee Summers, Effingham

Summers finished her freshman year by helping the Effingham 4x800-meter relay team win two events and place third at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional with a time of 10:02.87.

RELAY: Haddie Hill, Effingham

Hill finished her sophomore year by helping the Effingham 4x800-meter relay team win one event and place third at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional with a time of 10:02.87.

SECOND TEAM

SPRINTS: Presley Williams, Brownstown/St. Elmo

Williams finished her freshman year with six wins in the 100-meter dash and six in the 200. She broke the school record in the 200 twice — once at the St. Anthony Meet (27.02 seconds) and then again at the Altamont Open (27.01 seconds) — and the 100 once at the St. Anthony Meet (12.07 seconds). She finished fourth in the 100 at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (13.26 seconds) and fifth in the 200 (27.93 seconds). Williams also helped the Brownstown/St. Elmo 4x200-meter relay team win two events and place third at the Class 1A Newton Sectional with a time of 1:51.99.

SPRINTS: Abigail Weishaar, Altamont

Weishaar finished her sophomore year with nine top-10 finishes in the 400-meter dash. She finished fifth in the 400 at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (1:04.40). Weishaar also helped the Altamont 4x400-meter relay team win three events and place fourth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (4:34.49).

MIDDLE: Kyla Engel, Patoka/South Central

Engel finished her junior year with 12 wins in the 800-meter run. She finished 12th at the Class 1A State Final Meet and set a personal record at 2:23.43.

DISTANCE: Stacie Vonderheide, St. Anthony

Vonderheide finished her junior year with two wins in the 1600-meter run. She finished seventh at the Class 1A Newton Sectional and set a season record at 6:01.95.

DISTANCE: Audrey Wagoner, Effingham

Wagoner finished her junior year with five top-10 finishes in the 3200-meter run. She finished seventh at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional (12:57.98) and set a personal record at the Troy (Triad) Girls Invitational (12:48.19).

HURDLES: Katie Berner, Brownstown/St. Elmo

Berner finished her sophomore year with four wins in the 100-meter hurdles and three in the 300-meter hurdles. She finished third at the Class 1A Newton Sectional in the 300 hurdles and set a personal record at 48.70 seconds to qualify for the Class 1A State Final Meet. Berner also set a personal record in the 100-meter hurdles at the Altamont Open (17.87 seconds). She finished fifth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (17.89 seconds) and failed to qualify in that event. Berner also helped the Brownstown/St. Elmo 4x200-meter relay team win two events and place third at the Class 1A Newton Sectional with a time of 1:51.99.

SHOT PUT: Katelynn Shirley, Cumberland

Shirley finished her senior year with one win in the shot put and 10 top-10 finishes. She finished fifth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional and set a personal record at 9.85 meters.

DISCUS: Sydney Stine, Brownstown/St. Elmo

Stine finished her senior year with two wins in the discus and 11 top-10 finishes. She finished third at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (101 feet 8.75 inches) and set a personal record at the Lady Pirate Invitational (107 feet 0.75 inches).

HIGH JUMP: Addie McWhorter, Brownstown/St. Elmo

McWhorter finished her senior year with seven wins in the high jump and 11 top-10 finishes. She set a season record at a meet featuring Teutopolis, Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City, Altamont, Dieterich and Flora (5 feet 2 inches). She finished fifth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (4 feet 9.75 inches).

POLE VAULT: Karasyn Martin, Newton

Martin finished her sophomore year with two wins in the pole vault and 11 top-10 finishes. She set a personal record at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (10 feet 8.75 inches). Martin also helped the Newton 4x800-meter relay team win one event and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (10:38.06).

LONG JUMP: Rylea Hodge, Effingham

Hodge finished her junior year with two wins and 11 top-10 finishes. She set a personal record at the Troy (Triad) Girls Invitational (16 feet 3 inches) and finished seventh at the Class 2A Rantoul Sectional (15 feet 7 inches).

TRIPLE JUMP: Maggie Moeller, St. Anthony

Moeller finished her junior year with four wins and 12 top-10 finishes in the triple jump. She set a season record at the Altamont Open (32 feet 7 inches).

RELAY: Addie Sasse, Brownstown/St. Elmo

Sasse finished her freshman year by helping the Brownstown/St. Elmo 4x200-meter relay team win two events and place third at the Class 1A Newton Sectional with a time of 1:51.99.

RELAY: Cordelia Lytle, Brownstown/St. Elmo

Lytle finished her sophomore year by helping the Brownstown/St. Elmo 4x200-meter relay team win two events and place third at the Class 1A Newton Sectional with a time of 1:51.99.

RELAY: Katie Tedrick, Altamont

Tedrick finished her freshman year by helping the Altamont 4x400-meter relay team win three events and place fourth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (4:34.49).

RELAY: Ella Short, Altamont

Short finished her junior year by helping the Altamont 4x400-meter relay team win three events and place fourth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (4:34.49).

RELAY: Maya Moore, Altamont

Moore finished her sophomore year by helping the Altamont 4x400-meter relay team win three events and place fourth at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (4:34.49).

RELAY: Camryn Martin, Newton

Martin helped the Newton 4x800-meter relay team place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (10:38.06).

RELAY: Shay Bennett, Newton

Bennett helped the Newton 4x800-meter relay team win one event and place second at the Class 1A Newton Sectional (10:38.06).

Contact Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.