Stars step up in multiple events as girls track and field postseason kicks in with NIC-10
A swarm of stars stepped up during Thursday's NIC-10 girls track and field meet, but five of them really showed off by dominating more than one event as the postseason kicked off with a bang.
"I'm pretty proud of myself after that," Guilford's best jumper and fastest runner, sophomore Zariah Burnett, said. "And this is just where it starts."
Burnett not only tied her own NIC-10 record and won the high jump title for the second year in a row with a make at 5-foot-7, but she almost cleared 5-10 on a pair of attempts.
More Rockford-area sports: Boylan looks to finish girls soccer season strong after head coach slips away to give birth
"It felt so close, and almost getting over that 5-10 really felt good," Burnett said. "I've got a little time to work on some things, and I'm going to get it."
She also won the long jump by more than seven inches, soaring 17-8. And, after a two-week break because of a hamstring strain, Burnett also took second in the 100-meter dash and led the Vikings' 4x100 relay squad to a runner-up finish.
Teammate Natassja Bowman cruised to wins in the shot put (35-4 3/4) and in the discus (122-9), winning the latter by more than 20 feet.
The area's fastest girl, Essence Horton-Graves of Auburn, easily took first in this year's 100 (12.39), led the 4x100 relay (49.15) and 4x200 relay (1:44.52) teams to strong wins, and she placed second in the 200 dash (25.81). She'll be a weapon in all four events for the next couple of weeks, for sure.
"It's pretty cool to be the fastest girl around," Horton-Graves said after winning her third straight 100 dash title in the NIC-10. "I had that target on my back, and it just feels good to defend that NIC-10 title."
Guilford also got wins from London Webster in the triple jump (34-4), Lillian Jarrett in the 400 (58.44), Madison Harmsen in the 1,600 (5:10.84) and Anna Jones in the 100 hurdles (16.34).
"To be able to get that threepeat just feels great," Jones said after winning her third straight conference title. Guilford also won its third straight NIC-10 title. "I know I can run faster, though, so now it's about getting ready for sectionals, and getting ready to finish strong."
Hononegah had a pair of multiple winners as well. Jordan Dimke, who placed second in the high jump duel, won the 300 hurdles in 47.36 and was key in Hononegah's 4x400 relay win in 4:08.54. Kylie Simpson, who won the 800 in 2:17.28, also came up big in a 1,600-relay win.
Hononegah also got wins from Amelia Bronnimann in the pole vault (9-9) and in the 4x800 relay (10:03.95) to take second place as a team. Boylan secured the other individual victory when Reese Kohnle pulled away to win the 3,200 run in 11:28.40, and the Titans placed third in the team standings.
Teams will compete in Class 2A and 3A sectionals next week, attempting to qualify for the IHSA state meet in Charleston from May 16-18.
"My goal this year," said Horton-Graves, who placed 10th in the state 100 last year, "is to actually win state."
Winnebago owns BNC race
While the NUIC girls conference meet was pushed from Thursday to Friday due to the threat of storms, the Big Northern Conference meet went off without a hitch at Rock Falls. Winnebago pulled out the team win, squeaking past both Lutheran and Rockford Christian. Winnebago hauled in 85 points, while Lutheran and Rockford Christian tied for second at 76. Dixon came in fourth with 74.
Lutheran freshman Gabriella Davis won the 100 in 13.04, led her 4x100 relay squad to a win in 51.64, and took second in the 200 in 26.59, just behind Winnebago's Imani Jones, who clocked a 26.35. Jones led Winnebago's powerful 4x200 relay team to the win in 1:51.14, and she also won the long jump, soaring 17 feet.
Neve Schilling powered Byron's 4x400 relay squad to a win, and she also claimed the conference title in the high jump at 5 feet.
The BNC and NUIC girls will be in the 1A sectionals next week.
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Guilford girls track and field dominates NIC-10 behind Zariah Burnett
