Girls Track: West Aurora’s Emma Spagnola impresses; Lyons captures title

Updated: April 13, 2012 11:04PM

Emma Spagnola won the battle, but Emma Haugen helped her team capture the trophy as youth stole the spotlight at the Downers North Invitational Friday night.

West Aurora sophomore Spagnola outscored Lyons’ freshman Haugen 34-32, but the Lions edged the Blackhawks 101.50 to 99 in the team standings thanks to an 18-1 advantage in the final event, a combined sophomore and varsity 1,600-relay.

The indoor state champion in the high hurdles, Spagnola captured the long jump (17-2.75), the 100 hurdles (14.8), finished second in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the high jump. “This is my second year, and it’s lot easier doing the same four events at the major [meets],” Spagnola said.

Champaign Central’s Samone Thompson, runner-up to Spagnola in the high hurdles, edged the West Aurora star to capture the 300 hurdles in a time of 44.9.

Haugen also performed an impressive double, winning the high jump (5-4), triple jump (36-7), finishing third in the long jump and third in the 100 hurdles. “I think my technique was good,” said Haugen, who has cleared 5-7 ½. “[These high-profile meets are] sort of overwhelming, but I’m getting used to it.”

Lyons senior Sarah Peters cleared 10-3 to win pole vault.

Crete-Monee sprint star Taylor Whittler was the meet’s other double winner. She beat West Aurora’s Anita Saffa to capture both the 100 (12.4) and 200 (25.6). The sprints were run against the wind that impacted the times.

Naperville Center senior distance star Amanda Fox outran Glenbard West’s Madeleine Perez and Lyons’ Lisa Gordon to capture the 3,200 in a blistering 10:40.7. The reigning Class 3A cross-country state champion and Illinois recruit shaved six seconds off her own school record.

“I gave it everything I had,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure I didn’t get caught at the end.” Perez ran a 10:46.3 and Gordon finished in 10:46.9.

Prospect finished a distant third with 75 points. Junior Lauren Poplawski won the 800 in 2:17.5 and Erin Reese captured the discus with a winning throw of 124-8. West Aurora sophomore Maya Marion, who finished runner-up in the discus, recovered to win the shot put with a throw of 38-9.25.

Palatine junior Tess Wasowicz won the 1,600 in 5:06.4. Glenbard West set the lone meet record in the first running final as junior star Emma Reifel anchored the 3,200-relay to a time of 9:16.00.

Lane junior Jackie Bynes won the 400 in 58.6. The third-seeded Bynes surprised the top contenders. “I wasn’t really interested in the seed times,” she said. “I came out confident and I did exactly what I needed to do and got the results I wanted.”

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