Quite a night for Knights at Stadium

By STAN MORRIS
of the Journal Star

PEORIA - Shavantay Thomas thought her fleet footed days might be behind her.

And then came Tuesday’s Journal Star Honor Roll Meet at Peoria Stadium.

The Richwoods junior won the 100 meters - by five-hundredths of a second over Princeton’s Brittany Lowermilk - in a career-best 12.14 seconds and anchored the Knights to victory in both the 4x100 (:49.53) and 4x 200 relays (1:45.59) on the girls side of the 29th annual track and field showcase.

“I have to admit, I worried I wouldn’t get any faster, so to end the season with a personal record is exciting,” Thomas said. “It’s nice to end the season on such a high note. It gives us hope going into next year.”

Thomas was not the only Knight to have a big night.

Richwoods junior Donielle Ross was the meet’s only two-time individual winner. She won the 400 (:58.26) and the triple jump (37 feet, 5 inches), coming just two inches away from the meet record in the triple.

“I came in ready to compete,” Ross said. “I always love to run and jump and this meet is so much fun, it’s so laid back.”

Despite battling a viral infection, senior Alex Starks gave Richwoods a sixth meet title by winning the high jump at 5-4. Jenisha Brittine and DaShay Johnson were also both on the Knights’ winning relays.

Limestone junior Nicole Benson proved what the HRM is all about. Great competitors giving their best and having fun in the last meet of the season.

When 11-time state champ Katelyn Bastert of Carthage could not make it due to illness, Benson filled the void in the 3200 meters. She gave Notre Dame junior Caitlin Comfort a battle before placing second, and then came back to win the 1600 meters - all while recovering from her own sickness.

“There were some great run-ners pushing me,” Benson said of her 1600-meter win in 5:07.43. “I was hoping to run against Katelyn, but ...”

With Bastert gone, Comfort won the 3200 in 10:56.63 - 27.51 seconds ahead of Benson.

“It feels much, much better (than state),” said Comfort, who overcame a seventh-place finish at state. “I wanted to run well and forget about all that pressure stuff. It was kind of upsetting (not getting to run against Bastert), because I knew if she was going to be here I’d run better than I did at state. She’s a great competitor, but I had a bunch of girls out here today to help me run fast.”

Comfort had additional incentive. Her brother, Jimmy, 23, was in the stands watching his sister for the last time before he enters military basic training at Fort Benning, Ga.

The lone girls meet record came from Lewistown junior Kathrin Nosbuesch and Dunlap senior Corrie Heine, who both vaulted 10 feet,10 inches. Nosbuesch, a German foreign exchange student, was declared the winner on fewer misses.

East Peoria junior Blair Wyman won her third consecutive 200 meter title and fourth HRM gold overall (in 25.99 seconds), but was denied for a second straight year in the 100 by a rough start.

“I’ve always wanted both the 1 and the 2,” said Wyman, who finished third in the 100. “But my 100 I had a horrible start, so I had to get the 200.”

Lohmeier came in third-seeded in the 800, but the former grade school state runner-up blew by Class A state medalist Hannah Hottle with 300 meters to go to win in 2:20.18.

“I was pretty nervous, because I didn’t know what to expect,” Lohmeier said.

“I had to put on a brave face and pretend I know what I’m doing. I figured I’d let the other girls unfold the race at the beginning and see where everybody else was. Once I realized I could kick it in, I just did.”

Metamora also came away with two titles. It won the 4x400 relay for the fourth time in seven years, this time with three freshmen (Lyndsey Herman, Gretchen Giesler, Amanda Duvendack) and one sophomore (Angela Rego).

Metamora sophomore Melanie Johnson won the discus with a toss of 116 feet, 4 inches - two inches better than runner-up Karly Johnston of Galva.

HANDOFFS: Monmouth-Roseville followed up its Class A state title in the 4x800 relay with a 1.37-second victory over Bureau Valley (9:59.32) ... Carthage junior Amy Byers picked up where she left off in helping the Bluegirls to a second-place team finish at state by winning the 300 hurdles (:45.65) ... Bureau Valley freshman Melanie Thompson won the shot put (season-best 38-2 toss). Class A state long jump champion Katelyn Moore of Camp Point Central/Southeastern won the long jump in a season best 18-33/4 ...Rushville-Industry junior Erin Ealy won the 100 meter hurdles in 14.94 seconds.