Sarah Medland could not have asked for a much better birthday.
The Notre Dame senior turned 18 on Friday and celebrated by
winning three events to help the Irish capture the Mid-State 6
Conference girls track and field meet title at Peoria Stadium.
“It feels so amazing,” said Medland, who won the long jump (17
feet, 7 inches, a Journal Star-area best), the triple jump (34-3)
and the 200 meters (season-best 26.4 seconds).
Notre Dame won nine events, including three of four relays and
four field events, scored 150 and dethroned three-time defending
champion Richwoods (127 points). Manual finished third (52),
Central fourth (32) and Woodruff fifth (12).
“We wanted this one really bad,” added Medland, who also
chipped in a third-place finish in the 100. “We weren’t sure
coming in. It was a toss up, but we all knew we had to work hard
and do our best to get it and everybody did really well.”
Maggie Clark won the 800 (2:28.09) and anchored Notre Dame’s
winning 4x800 (10:38.1) and 4x400 (4:29.6) relays. A 1-2 finish by
Clark and fellow sophomore Hannah Ward in the 800 helped put the
Irish in control after a tight first 11 events. The meet was tied
at 47 through field events.
“We did what we needed to do,” ND coach John Cummings said.
“It’s one of those races and meets where I feel really good
about my team. I can’t say enough about them and I can’t say
enough about (assistant coaches) Terry (Shortridge) and Jenny
(Every). They make this team go.”
Notre Dame freshman Grace Shadid anchored the 4x200 win, in a
season best 1:48.8, and also set the lone meet record with a 9-11
leap in the pole vault. The Irish added a win from Taylor Amberg
in the high jump (5-3).
Richwoods was led by double event winners Michelle Carter and
Raven Robinson. Carter won the 1600 (5:32.8) and the 3200
(12:20.8), with Robinson continuing a Richwoods tradition by
claiming the shot put (33-61/2) and the discus (92-8).
“Richwoods girls ran very well tonight,” Cummings said.
“That was a lot of guts they put out. They ran their hearts out.
They just didn’t have enough to make it tonight, and we did.”
The Knights also grabbed titles from senior Danielle DesJardins in
the 400 (season best 1:01.3) and freshman Kyvi Hawkins in the 100
(:12.2).
“I knew there was only one way to win it, if we put out our
absolute best, which I still think our girls did,” Richwoods
coach Shad Hickman said. “(ND) would have had to falter in a few
events to even give us a chance to beat them, they’re that deep.
With a depleted roster, it really made it tough for us to be
competitive and the fact that we were close to the front the
entire meet was pretty amazing.”
Manual senior Jenisha Brittine, a Richwoods transfer, won both
hurdles events. She defended her 300 hurdles title, in an
area-best :47.1, and took the 100 hurdles, in a season-best tying
:15.8.
“I’m happy that I did good and actually proved that I’m No.
1 in conference, even though some people thought my times
weren’t legit,” Brittine said. “I just had fun. No stress,
no worries.”
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