By Riley Langefeld, copy editor
The girls’ track and field team took home a decisive win in the sectional meet on May 13, coming off of a strong performance at the conference meet a week earlier.
The team qualified for the state meet in 14 events, with eight runners going to Peoria to compete on May 20 and 21. Senior Brenda Kendziera qualified in three events, while seniors Maya Mason and Cassidy Selep along with junior Brooke Wilson qualified in two events. Seniors Angela Roman and Jes Skudlarek, sophomore Annie Walsh, and freshman Samantha Berman will also be competing.
This was the team’s second sectional win in a row. They have won three of the last four meets, a notable feat in Prospect’s tough sectional.
Head coach Pete Wintermute was very satisfied with the team’s performance and felt that the whole day ran smoothly for Prospect
“It was just one of those days where things were clicking and rolling,” said Wintermute.
Wintermute was particularly impressed by the versatility of the competitors at the sectional meet. Many of the runners hadn’t qualified in their respective events before, and they came through to do so at a critical point in the season.
The competition was held despite rain—and a wet track—setting back the meet and making the individual events more difficult for the runners and jumpers. Wintermute expressed his pride in the fact that the Knights didn’t let the poor conditions affect their performance.
“That’s what we had talked about with our kids; whether it’s windy or cold or hot or rainy, at the end of the day, you have to compete. And they did,” Wintermute said.
Despite the Knights’ persistent pursuit of a win, they set their goals on simple qualifying times at the sectional meet. According to Wintermute, the competitors’ energy was best spent at the state meet, and their focus should be on doing well there. Qualifying for state did not require the runners to compete at an all-out level. Nevertheless, their times and scores reflected a single-minded and unforgiving resolve.
This fierce competition was highlighted in the performance of the team’s seniors. According to Wintermute, the team has more graduating members than usual this year. While this does mean that they will be losing some key teammates after this season, it also means that the team is better prepared for the state meet.
Several of these seniors went down to Peoria last year, and Wintermute is confident that their experience will aid them when they compete this year.
“Most of these girls have had the experience before,” Wintermute said. “This year, it’s about capping off an amazing four years. Whether it’s a [personal record] or a chance to compete in the finals, that’s why we have this weekend.”
14 state qualifiers:
Brenda Kendziera (sr) High Jump 5’3
Long Jump 17’7.5”
300m Hurdles 46.60
Maya Mason (sr) 100m Hurdles 14.81
300m Hurdles 46.97
Angela Roman (sr) Shot Put 39’3”
Cassidy Selep (sr) 100m High Hurdles 14.95

• Cassidy Selep (sr) Pole Vault 10’6”

Jes Skudlarek (sr) High Jump 5’5”
Annie Walsh (so) 200m Dash  26.48
Brooke Wilson (jr) 3200m Run 10:45.62
1600m Run 5:05.40
4x100m Relay 48.44
Annie Walsh (so), Samantha Berman (fr), Jes Skudlarek (sr), Maya Mason (sr)
4x200m Relay 1:44.87
Annie Walsh (so), Jes Skudlarek (sr), Samantha Berman (fr), Maya Mason (sr)