Madlen Karnatz, Veronica Boswell lead St Ignatius to sectional crown
Updated: May 10, 2012 10:59PM
Madlen Karnatz had heard this story before and didn’t like the way it ended.
“We’ve come in second so many times at these sectional meets that it’s nice to pull ahead for once,” the St. Ignatius junior said.
Karnatz showed the Wolfpack how to do just that, winning the 300-meter hurdles with a strong finish in Thursday’s Class 3A St. Ignatius Sectional at Concordia University in River Forest.
That, plus a distance double by Veronica Boswell, helped the host Wolfpack beat Young 149.5-109 for the team title.
Karnatz won the 300 hurdles in 45.59 seconds, beating out Morgan Park’s Ashley Johnson. Their finishes were flipped in the 100 hurdles, as Johnson lowered her own Class 3A state best by running a 14.56. Both hurdlers qualified for state in both races.
“I was really excited just to get back out here and run against good competition,” Karnatz said. “I felt good. I saw (Johnson), I was trying to catch her. Finally at the top of the curve I got her.”
And Karnatz stayed strong till the end. “My coach and I joke, before he’d say, ‘You’re running the 295 hurdles today,’ because I would never finish my races.”
Boswell won the 1,600 in 5:36.62 and the 3,200 in 11:58.14 for the Wolfpack. The only other double winner was Dunbar senior Kadeesha Miller, who took first in the shot put (32-2) and discus (99-3).
The sprints were particularly competitive, with 200 and 400 each producing four state qualifiers. Morgan Park’s Elexis Fairley won the 100 (12.20) and was runner-up in the 200 to Young’s Claire Kieger (25.14), who was second in the 100.
“Six races today (including prelims), that was a little tiring,” Kieger said. “My coach took me out of the 100 hurdles to concentrate on the 100. ... My blocks slipped in the 100; I was happy to fix that.”
Payton’s Cameron Pettigrew advanced in two events, winning the 400 in 57.04 and taking second in the high jump (5-0). “It’s taken a little while,” said Pettigrew, who missed most of the indoor season because she was playing basketball for the Grizzlies. “At the beginning of the season I was running 58s, but my times have been getting faster.”
Kenwood’s Dhiaa Dean won the 800 (2:15.73) and anchored the Broncos’ win in the 1,600 relay.
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