By Mark Gregory
Sports Editor
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
CHARLESTON – Heading into the Class 3A state girls track and field meet in O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University, it had been five years since Romeoville had placed a relay team on the medal stand at the state meet and 17 years since it had a team place higher than third.
The Spartans erased all that as they placed both the 400-and-800-meter relay teams second in the state.
The team of senior Nia Lee, junior Jahnetta Jones, senior Kiara Carter and junior Kaniyah Rush posted a time of 47.67 in the 400 relay, equaling the place of the 2000 and 1984 4×100 teams.
In the 800 relay, junior Katie Kerwin team with Jones, Carter and Rush and advanced in 1 minute, 39.42.
The 4×200 team had only placed twice in Romeoville history, sixth in 2012 and seventh in 1985.
Individually, Jones was fourth in the 200 dash in 25.25.
She joins only Almoug Israel in 2000 as Spartans to earn three medals in one state tournament.
“This feels great to come out here and compete with people that have the same energy and same passion and want to work hard,” Jones said. “There were a lot of things in the season that could have held me back and I overcame that. I am really proud of this entire team and we came out here and did the best that we could “
Lee advanced in the long jump, posting a qualifying leap of 17-feet, 11-inches, but did not medal.
Bolingbrook sophomore Kayla Walters was second in the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.47.
She is the first Raider to ever medal in the event.
“I was trying to focus on my own race and clear out everything else,” Walters said. “I am proud of myself. Last year as a freshman, I didn’t even make it to state and now to come here and take second place is great. My goal was to make finals and once I made finals, I was ranked No. 3 and I was trying to get the energy to go for first place and I didn’t, but second is fine with me.”
Walters (47.21) and fellow Raider sophomore Katelyn Johnson (46.27) competed in the 300 low hurdles, but did not make the finals.
The duo also teamed with senior Claire Young and junior Kayla Perry in the 400 relay and posted a 54.74 after a mishap with the baton exchange.
Perry posted a leap of 17-07 in the long jump, while also competing in the 400 dash (58.70) and 100 dash (12.42).
Young also competed in the high jump (5-03) and the 200 dash (26.08), but missed finals.
In the 200, Romeoville’s Rush posted a time of 25.12 as well as running a 12.24 in the 100 dash.
Jones also competed in the 100 dash and ran a 12.30.
Bolingbrook’s Young posted a 12.39 in the 100, while senior Tyronay Taylor leapt 35-feet in the triple jump.