Evanston Girls Track & Field measures its success by state trophies. Their last – their 16th since the program began in 1974 – was won over five years ago, capping off a run of four consecutive state championships from 2003 to 2006.
On May 19 in Charleston, the girls ended their longest “drought” since Coach Fenny Gunter assumed the reigns in 1991. Girls Track & Field claimed their 17th trophy as they finished 3rd Placeat the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Finals with 47 points, falling just short of Edwardsville (51) and Belleville West (48.5).
The Kits were led by the incredible individual performance of senior Margaret Bamgbose who earned 24 points on her own: She earned a 4th in the 100-meter high hurdles, a 2nd in the 200-meter dash, and the state championship in the 300-meter low hurdles. Sophomore Parker English added to the Wildkit point collection, finishing 4th in the long jump and 3rd in the 400-meter dash.
The final 10 points came from a team effort as English and Bamgbose partnered with junior Kaylyn Pryor and senior Jahnell Horton to finish 7th in the 4×100-meter relay. Finally, junior Joppa Banks joined English, Pryor and Horton to take the bronze in the last event of the day, the 4×400-meter relay. While the Kits bid farewell to their top two seniors, Horton and Bamgbose, they are encouraged by their returnees for next year who look to prove they can count to 18.
Boys Tennis also had an exceptional weekend. Both all-junior doubles teams of Sam Wiener/Conner Woolf and Adam Collins/Ben Bleier defeated Loyola’s No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams in the quarterfinals of the New Trier Sectional to qualify for the IHSA Boys Tennis State Finals next weekend. This is the 6th consecutive year ETHS has advanced either a singles or doubles team to the IHSA State Finals; it marks the first time in over 20 years that Evanston has had advanced both of its doubles teams to State. The opening rounds begin today at nearby Hersey High School.
Boys Track & Field extended its CSL South Conference Championship streak to five straight, May 11-12, at Niles West. The kept the momentum going into the IHSA Sectional at Loyola on May 17, claiming that title as well, with 79 points. Runner-up Prospect tallied only 62.5. Senior Xavier Levy dominated the sectional, gathering gold in all four events he entered – 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4×100 relay and 4×200 relay.
Other top individual state-qualifying performances included 2nd-place finishes by Demonte Hill, long jump; Adonis Jones, triple jump; and Reggie Murphy, 100-meter dash. ETHS also qualified in the 4×800 and 4×400 relays with 7th- and 2nd-place finishes respectively.
The boys travel to Eastern Illinois University on Memorial Day weekend for IHSA finals.