By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
While the York girls track team has been limited by the poor weather this season in terms of competing in outdoor meets, coach Keegan Kilrea has seen no shortage of individual progress.
“It’s hard to answer because it has been such a limited outdoor season,” she said in reference to the strengths her team has shown during the outdoor portion.
Kilrea noted two specific instances of individuals or the team as a whole making advancements. On the individual front, Hanna Homan has gone 8-6 in the pole vault. And with the team, Kilrea has been pleased with how the varsity squad has welcomed all the frosh-soph girls onto it.
“We are very young,” she said.
The individual accolades don’t stop with Homan. Kilrea noted Grace Moriarty is improving in her mile and 800 runs. Maya Curry, who is coming off not racing indoors due to injury, has steadily improved in the mile and 800 as well.
Senior Olivia Chavez has been focused on her speed and leadership, according to Kilrea. Lydia Hickey has shown speed in the 400 and 800. “Lydia’s races have been fast,” she said.
Finally, Jess Dryden also is making progress. “Jess is consistently fast and is getting better,” said Kilrea.
York already sees the West Suburban Conference Silver Division outdoor meet on the horizon. “The girls are very focused heading into our last invite before conference,” said Kilrea late last week. “They are hungry to be better than indoors and make a run at some great times and marks.”
In recent action at the Ritter invitational at Downers Grove North, freshman Simone Bednarik finished 14th in the 100 with a time of 13.48, while Dryden was 16th at 13.64. Bednarik was ninth in the 200 at 27.26, while freshman Amaya Rufus was 10th at 27.28. Chavez placed 13th in the 400 at 1:04.78 and Kelly Leonard was 15th at 1:05.94.
Moriarty was 12th in the 800 at 2:29.92 and Anna Morley was 13th at 2:32.64. Senior Katherine Tomaska was ninth in the 1,600 at 5:33.05. Erin Davies placed 17th in the 3,200 in 12:45.74. Abby Ross was 19th at 12:52.15.
Freshman Tessa Spedale was 16th in the 100 hurdles in 18.10. Abby Moriarty was 14th in the 300 hurdles in 51.47, while Spedale was 16th in 51.84.
York was eighth in the 400 relay in 52.36 with Zoe Clark, Rufus, Madison Park and Dryden. York’s 800 relay finished with a time of 1:52.54 and included Isabella Walker, Rufus, Bednarik and Lilly Curry.
York was fifth in the 1,600 relay in 4:18.61 with Marissa Chavez, Walker, Sarah Pinkowski and Hickey. York was sixth in the frosh-soph 1,600 relay in 4:28.48 with Lilly Curry, Maya Curry, Emma Kern and Grace Moriarty.
York was fifth in the 3,200 relay with Emma Kern, Tomaska, Hickey and Sarah May running 9:56.25.
Freshman Cassidy Toussaint was eighth in the shot put with a throw of 34-0. She also took fourth in the discus at 91-2. Darnyce Springfield was 16th at 78-3.
Homan finished 12th in the pole vault at 7-0. Molly Evans was 10th in the long jump at 15-9 ½. Clark, a sophomore, was 15th at 15-6 1/2.
Evans took fourth in the triple jump at 35-1 1/2. Kim Severino was 16th at 32-2 3/4.
