Date posted online

Date posted online: Saturday, May 01, 2004
Spartans reign before the rain
Taylor's four wins lift Marian over Crete-Monee in abbreviated meet
BY CHUCK ELIAS
Times Correspondent

GIRLS TRACK: OAK FOREST INVITE

OAK FOREST -- The only winner in Friday night's Oak Forest Invite was Mother Nature. A steady downpour put the track in a slick condition and the meet was called because of rain.

Four races -- the 300 meter hurdles, 1,600 meter run, 200 meter dash and the 1,600 meter relay -- were not run. When the meet was halted, Marian Catholic was in first place with 98.5 points and Crete-Monee was right behind with 76. TF South was third with 64.

"The rain hurt us because it came too soon," Crete-Monee coach Willie Cole said. "We had a chance to do better."

Of the 15 races that were run, Marian Catholic was victorious in five. Casey Taylor was a double-winner individually, taking the triple jump at 35 feet, 5 inches and the long jump at 16-1.

The Spartans also won the 400 meter relay in 51.22 and the 800 meter relay (1:52.2), with Taylor running the anchor leg on each team. Joining Taylor on both squads were Tia Djondo, Rebecca Gustafson and Jenn Borowozak.

"I think I had a pretty good day coming right before our conference meet," Taylor said. "I came out and tried to do my best. I was ready mentally, but the weather didn't cooperate. I still have some work to do, but come state meet I'll be ready."

Marian Catholic freshman Melissa Gergel, who cleared 10-3 in the pole vault, shattering the old meet mark of 9 feet.

"This was my new personal best," Gergel said. "I was lucky to get my vaults in before the rains came."

As usual, TF South made a strong showing in the field events. The meet's only other double-winner was Schena Atkins, who took the shot put throwing 34-2 1/2 and slung the discus 113-1.

Jenny Madgiak was second in the high jump with a leap of 5-2, while teammate Kenechi Ogbonnaya took third in the triple jump, going 33 feet.

"I was happy with what we did," TF South coach Donna Kelly-Jackson said. "We kept some people out today and tried to position ourselves for Thursday's conference meet. I wanted to look at a few last-minute things, but the weatherman changed all of that. Now we have a meet Monday, so I can do some fine-tuning and we will be ready to go."