2023 girls' track and field state notebook: Storm's McGee overcomes mono to medal

May 21—CHARLESTON — Shelby McGee felt she needed to be honest with herself.

With her senior track and field season at Salt Fork winding down, she needed to allow herself to accept that she likely wouldn't qualify for the 2023 IHSA girls' state meet.

McGee contracted mononucleosis sometime in late February or early March. The side effects continued to hinder her deeper and deeper into the track and field campaign.

"I was sidelined for over a month. I missed indoor state. I missed the first couple outdoor (meets)," McGee said. "I actually wasn't even supposed to run at my first outdoor meet because my spleen was so enlarged you could see it. Actually a week ago, I was still testing positive for mono. It's still strong in my system and body."

McGee never completely gave up hope of a state appearance, though.

She advanced to Thursday's Class 1A preliminaries in the 100-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles and triple jump through the Storm's sectional. And Salt Fork's 2023 valedictorian qualified for Saturday's finals in both the 100 hurdles and triple jump.

"Up until a couple weeks ago, I didn't think there was a chance of getting here at all," McGee said while standing on the artificial turf inside O'Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus. "But when I saw the chance that I could still be here, it just completely changed my mindset."

McGee logged an eighth-place finish in the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.26 seconds and ended up 12th in triple jump with a distance of 33 feet, 111/4 inches.

She placed fourth in each event at last year's state meet. But that wasn't on McGee's mind as she caught her breath following Saturday's 100 hurdles race.

"It's everyone's goal to get better placements, but ... I have to think to myself, 'I'm not even supposed to be here at all,'" McGee said. "I'm crying just because I'm so happy, just because no one really understands that I shouldn't be here at all. I'm just overall really proud of myself, and this is a big moment for me that I can get through anything."

A future IUPUI women's track and field athlete, McGee now plans to take an extended break from athletic activity in order to get more fully healthy and prepare herself for college.

"My coach is actually here watching me, and I just want to say 'thank you' to him. They're really supportive about me taking a break," McGee said. "I came past that finish line still with the same smile on that face that I would (have) if I was in the top three or the top two, even. This is just a big deal for me."

★ ★ ★

Rantoul senior Brianna Dixon made it clear following Friday's 2A state preliminaries in Charleston that setting personal records in her state events was equally as important to her as trying to win a championship. Perhaps even more so.

Dixon maintained that stance Saturday after earning second place in the 2A 100-meter hurdles, tying for second in high jump and ranking seventh in the 200.

"I don't care about placing as much. I just want to PR, do my best," Dixon said. "I don't want to get first place and run slow. I wouldn't be happy with that."

Dixon logged a 100 hurdles time of 13.71 seconds for a personal best. She and St. Viator senior Emmi Scales, who won the race in 13.51, jumped up and down in each other's arms just beyond the big blue track after seeing their times.

"It was a good race. We were close," Dixon said. "I'll bet it was a fun race to watch for the audience. Just the energy in that race was fun, and knowing someone's right there — will you get them, will you not."

Dixon cleared 5 feet, 51/4 inches in the high jump to tie with Triad sophomore Makenna Witham and finish behind defending 2A state champion Annie Wirth of Geneseo (5-61/2). Dixon also added a time of 25.19 in the 200.

Dixon will depart from Rantoul with eight state medals, including her 2A 100 hurdles victory as a 2021 sophomore that gave the Eagles their first track and field state champion of any gender since 1899.

"It means a lot to me," Dixon said. "I never would've thought I would go to state for an open sprint event, let alone I never would've thought I would actually break 14 (in the 100 hurdles). To bring home three medals and to end off with a big PR like that, I couldn't be more proud."

★ ★ ★

Champaign Central's sprint relay crew capped a consistently strong 2023 season with a pair of 2A state runner-up efforts Saturday.

The Maroons' 400-meter relay tandem of freshman Izzy Roundtree, senior Braelyn Alexander, sophomore Kelecia Maynor and senior Kennedy Ramshaw battled with Kankakee's quartet before ultimately posting a time of 47.92 seconds to the Kays' 47.72.

"I just was trying to go as fast as I can, but (Kankakee's Naomi Bey-Osborne) got me at the end. But it's OK because I know that I gave 100 percent effort," said Ramshaw, who went on to place fifth in the 400 (57.71). "I'm still happy with second."

Alexander, who placed ninth in Saturday's long jump final (17 feet, 4 3/4 inches) and 11th in triple jump (35-3) described the 400 relay result as especially meaningful.

"This is a big stretch for the whole program, and for us," Alexander said. "Luckily these girls next year ... they'll get Kankakee."

Roundtree and Maynor will be among Central's athletes returning next season. The two paired with senior Kyla Canales and junior Ellie Walker to rank second in the 800 relay later Saturday, via a time of 1 minute, 43.63 seconds. Kankakee again was the only squad ahead (1:41.78).

"I look very forward. I'm coming back, and I want to do better than this year," Maynor said. "I just feel really good about this program. We've really grown from what we used to be."

Roundtree, who led off both sprint relay units, couldn't help but smile at the support shown to the Maroons across Friday and Saturday in Charleston.

Most likely to be yelling from O'Brien Stadium's bleachers, all four 400 relay sprinters confirmed, was Maroons junior Loreal Allen.

"We're a very supportive team with each other," Roundtree said. "We all love to see each other do their best, and we love that we get to hear the cheering because it really makes us feel better."

Canales put forth an 11th-place effort in pole vault (10-23/4) to go with her 800 relay leg, while Walker's sole event Saturday was the 800 relay.

"It was a blast. It was my last meet," Canales said. "We did what we came here to do, and we had a lot of fun."

"It was a big improvement from last year," added Walker, referencing Central's ninth-place finish in the 2022 800 relay state final. "I'm really glad we got second, and the fact that we're even close to Kankakee is impressive. We'll do really good next year, as well."

★ ★ ★

Monticello senior Rose Talbert has seen plenty of change during her time as a high school track and field athlete, both in herself and the 2A 400-meter dash scene she's occupied.

"I'm pretty sure the slowest person who qualified (for this year's 400 dash final) was like a 58.15. To put that into perspective, I qualified and I was ranked fourth with a 58.9 last year," Talbert said. "It was like everyone out in the field, it just went from normal to super fast real quick."

Talbert kept up with the pack, claiming fourth place in Saturday's 2A 400 championship race with a time of 57.59. She was one of three locals to end up behind titlist Bey-Osborne from Kankakee (56.20), joined in that regard by Mahomet-Seymour freshman Madalyn Marx (second place, 57.18) and Central's Ramshaw.

"It was pretty good. My normal problem is trying to keep it up for that last 200," said Talbert, who placed fourth in this state race as a sophomore and sixth as a junior. "I wasn't in the fast heat (sophomore) year, so I just ran it to run it and do my best and I got fourth off of that. (Saturday is) kind of giving me a nice flashback to sophomore year."

Talbert plans to attend Rose-Hulman to study chemical and mechanical engineering. She's been in touch with the school's cross-country and track and field coaching staffs, too.

"Grace, my sister, goes to Millikin, and they have indoor meets against each other," Talbert said. "So we made a deal that if I go to Rose-Hulman I would do track at least my freshman year, so we'd get to race against each other one last time."

★ ★ ★

Bailey Luebchow knew she had to kick things up a notch while participating in Saturday's 1A pole vault state final.

The Paxton-Buckley-Loda junior had placed 17th in last year's state preliminaries with a top height clearance of 9 feet, 61/4 inches. She'd need to go much higher to earn a top-nine medal this year.

"That's a bigger pole than I usually use, so I'm always a little bit nervous when I have to get on it," Luebchow said after using that bigger pole to clear 11-01/4 and tie for sixth place. "(Saturday) was one of my best days on that pole. ... That clearance felt very nice, very smooth."

Luebchow was joined on the 1A pole vault podium by St. Joseph-Ogden junior Payton Carter (third place, 12-0). Luebchow also gave PBL half of its state medal output on the day, complemented by Panthers senior Trixie Johnson in the 800-meter run (third place, 2 minutes, 17.91 seconds).

"Me and Payton and also Allison (Geen) from St. Anthony have become so close this past year," Luebchow said. "We always just motivate each other and cheer each other on, which is not something that you really have at other schools for other sports."

★ ★ ★

Hoopeston Area senior sprinter Bre Crose achieved what she set out to do during Thursday's 1A state preliminaries.

She ensured she would miss in-person attendance at the Cornjerkers' commencement ceremony back in Vermilion County, doing so by qualifying for the 100-meter dash championship.

She still found a way to be part of the graduation festivities, though.

"They did it at 11 (a.m.). I watched it online. I was sad, but that really pushed me in that race," Crose said after placing fourth in the 100 final with a time of 12.61 seconds. "I was at a bonfire (Friday) and crying. I was like, 'I do not like you guys. You're all graduating and I'm (in Charleston).'"

Hoopeston Area officials still announced Crose's name at commencement and left an open chair for her.

"That was very nice of them," Crose said. "But I would much rather be here than graduation, when it comes down to it."