Meet the area junior high athletes that advanced to the IESA Class 1A State Track Meet this weekend

Alex Wallner, Effingham Daily News, Ill.
·9 min read

May 11—EFFINGHAM — Track and field athletes from across the area qualified for the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Track Meet.

Below is a list of each athlete, what they are competing in and how they fared at their respective sectional.

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GIRLS

Class 1A

Emma Schumacher, Newton (St. Thomas)

Schumacher is ranked first in the seventh-grade pole vault. She set a personal record at Newton on Saturday after a jump of 6-foot-9-inches.

Ava Miller, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Miller is ranked second in the eighth-grade pole vault. She won at Newton on Saturday after a jump of 7-foot-6-inches. Miller won the state championship in the event as a seventh-grader.

Haley Ochs, Newton (St. Thomas)

Ochs is ranked third in the eighth-grade pole vault. She finished second on Saturday at Newton after jumping seven feet.

Natalie Ballinger, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Ballinger is ranked 13th in the seventh-grade shot put. She won at Newton on Saturday after throwing 24 feet.

Ali Kollmann, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Kollmann is ranked second in the eighth-grade shot put. She won at Newton on Saturday after a throw of 29-foot-5.50-inches.

Avery Fitzpatrick, Neoga

Fitzpatrick is ranked sixth in the seventh-grade discus. She won at Newton on Saturday after a personal best throw of 79-foot-7-inches.

Kenly Westendorf, Neoga

Westendorf is ranked ninth in the seventh-grade discus. She finished second on Saturday at Newton after a personal best throw of 75-foot-4-inches.

Grace Schumacher, Newton (St. Thomas)

Schumacher is ranked fifth in the eighth-grade discus. She won at Newton on Saturday after a throw of 79-foot-5-inches.

Madelynn Frankie, Neoga

Frankie is ranked seventh in the seventh-grade high jump. She won at Newton on Saturday after a leap of 4-foot-6-inches.

Audrey Beals, Newton (St. Thomas)

Beals is ranked 13th in the seventh-grade high jump. She finished second at Newton on Saturday after a leap of 4-foot-6-inches.

Malory Henderson, Neoga

Henderson is ranked sixth in the eighth-grade high jump. She finished second at Newton on Saturday after a leap of 4-foot—7-inches.

Lauren Gier, Newton (St. Thomas)

Gier is ranked 14th in the seventh-grade long jump. She finished second at Newton on Saturday after a personal best leap of 13-foot-8.50-inches.

Bella Ordner, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Ordner is ranked fifth in the seventh-grade 100-meter hurdles. She won at Newton on Saturday after a personal best time of 18.38 seconds. Ordner also qualified in the 100-meter dash after a time of 14.10 seconds and the 400-meter dash after a personal best time of 1:04.68. She is ranked 12th in the 100-meter dash and third in the 400-meter dash heading into the weekend.

Allie Hermann, Newton (St. Thomas)

Hermann is ranked ninth in the eighth-grade 100-meter hurdles. She won at Newton on Saturday after a time of 19.39 seconds.

Isabella Keller, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Keller is ranked first in the eighth-grade 800-meter run. She won at Newton on Saturday after a time of 2:25.37. Keller also qualified in the 1600-meter run after a time of 5:17.12. She is ranked first heading into the weekend.

BOYS

Class 1A

Grady Haarman, Neoga

Haarman is ranked first in the seventh-grade pole vault. He set a personal record at Newton on Saturday after a jump of 7-foot-6-inches. Haarman also qualified in the discus after a personal best throw of 98-foot-7-inches. Haarman is ranked 14th heading into the weekend.

William Hecht, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Hecht is ranked first in the eighth-grade pole vault. He won at Newton on Saturday after jumping 11 feet. Hecht also qualified in the high jump after a personal best leap of 5-foot-9-inches. Hecht is ranked first heading into the weekend.

Bryce Niebrugge, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Niebrugge is ranked second in the eighth-grade pole vault. He finished second at Newton on Saturday after a personal best jump of 10-foot-6-inches. Niebrugge also qualified in the 200-meter dash after a time of 26.23 seconds. He is ranked 11th heading into the weekend.

Brant Niebrugge, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Niebrugge is ranked third in the eighth-grade pole vault. He finished third at Newton on Saturday after jumping 10 feet.

Daegan Mooney, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Mooney is ranked 11th in the seventh-grade shot put. He won at Newton on Saturday after a throw of 30-foot-5.75-inches.

Jude Traub, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Traub is ranked first in the eighth-grade shot put. He won at Newton on Saturday after a throw of 46-foot-7-inches. Traub won the state championship in the event as a seventh-grader. Traub also qualified in the discus after a throw of 143-foot-6-inches. Traub is ranked first heading into the weekend and won the event as a seventh-grader.

Kaleb Will, Neoga

Will is ranked eighth in the seventh-grade discus. He finished second at Newton on Saturday after a personal best throw of 100-foot-11-inches.

Dom Wielgos, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Wielgos is ranked 16th in the seventh-grade discus. He finished sixth at Newton on Saturday after a personal best throw of 94-foot-11-inches.

Carter Barthelme, Newton (St. Thomas)

Bartelme is ranked 19th in the seventh-grade discus. He finished seventh at Newton on Saturday after a personal best throw of 93-foot-5-inches.

Garrett Ballinger, Neoga

Ballinger is ranked sixth in the seventh-grade discus. He finished second at Newton on Saturday after a throw of 5-foot-1-inch. Ballinger also qualified in the 110-meter hurdles after a time of 17.54 seconds. He is ranked third heading into the weekend.

Alex Mayer, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Mayer is ranked fourth in the eighth-grade high jump. He finished second at Newton on Saturday after a leap of 5-foot-5-inches. Mayer also qualified in the 110-meter hurdles after finishing with a personal best time of 17.68 seconds and in the 400-meter dash after finishing with a personal best time of 58.69 seconds. He is ranked ninth in the 110-meter hurdles and the 400-meter dash heading into the weekend.

Jacob Warner, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Warner is ranked 22nd in the eighth-grade high jump. He finished fifth at Newton on Saturday after a personal best leap of 5-foot-1-inch.

Quincy Fulton, Newton (St. Thomas)

Fulton is ranked first in the seventh-graded 110-meter hurdles. He won at Newton on Saturday after a personal best time of 16.72 seconds. Fulton also qualified in the 100-meter dash after a time of 12.42 seconds and the 200-meter dash after a time of 25.90 seconds. He is ranked first in the 100- and 200-meter dash heading into the weekend.

Nash Wernsing, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Wernsing is ranked seventh in the seventh-grade 400-meter dash. He won at Newton on Saturday after a personal best time of 1:03.06.

Kaden Bryant, Neoga

Bryant is ranked 10th in the eighth-grade 800-meter run. He finished third at Newton on Saturday after a time of 2:23.19.

Mason Platz, Sigel (St. Michael's)

Platz is ranked 12th in the seventh-grade 1600-meter run. He finished third at Newton on Saturday after a personal best time of 5:33.71.

Daniel Ramos, Effingham (Sacred Heart)

Ramos is ranked 13th in the eighth-grade 1600-meter run. He finished second at Newton on Saturday after a time of 5:18.58.

Malik Coy, Neoga

Coy is ranked 16th in the eighth-grade 1600-meter run. He finished third at Newton on Saturday after a personal best time of 5:20.36.

RELAYS

Neoga (Chloe Frankie, Madelynn Frankie, Lydia Conder and Tracy Hoene) and Newton (St. Thomas) (Emma Schumacher, Mariah McVicar, Brooke Farley and Carlee Finn) qualified in the seventh-grade girls 4x100-meter relay. Neoga is ranked sixth and Newton (St. Thomas) is ranked 13th heading into the weekend.

Newton (St. Thomas) (Nathan Bierman, Fulton, Beau Bennett and Kaleb Iffert) qualified in the seventh-grade boys 4x100-meter relay. Newton (St. Thomas) is ranked first heading into the weekend.

Sigel (St. Michael's) (Kaelyn Ordner, Kaylie Jordan, Ali Kollmann and Cara Hatton) and Newton (St. Thomas) (Grace Schumacher, Madison Keller, Ava Earnest and Hermann) qualified in the eighth-grade girls 4x100-meter relay. Sigel (St. Michael's) is ranked fifth and Newton (St. Thomas) is ranked sixth heading into the weekend.

Neoga (Tate Christner, Bryant, Coy and Ian Caudill) qualified in the eighth-grade boys 4x100-meter relay. Neoga is ranked 15th heading into the weekend.

Newton (St. Thomas) (Maleah Miller, Alaini Bergbower, Kassie Pitcher and Gier) qualified in the seventh-grade girls 4x200-meter relay. Newton (St. Thomas) is ranked third heading into the weekend.

Neoga (Quentin Dilley, Braylon Sparrow, Haarman and Ballinger) qualified in the seventh-grade boys 4x200-meter relay. Neoga is ranked sixth heading into the weekend.

Neoga (Fisher Porter, Brayden Ray, Cayden Hakman and Asher Cardinal) and Sigel (St. Michael's) (Brant Niebrugge, Mayer, Isaiah Lee and Bryce Niebrugge) qualified in the eighth-grade boys 4x200-meter relay. Neoga is ranked first and Sigel (St. Michael's) is ranked third heading into the weekend.

Newton (St. Thomas) (Miller, Gier, Beals and Brenly Francis) qualified in the seventh-grade girls 4x400-meter relay. Newton (St. Thomas) is ranked seventh heading into the weekend.

Effingham (Sacred Heart) (Freddie Jansen, Wernsing, Ethan Parker and Wielgos) and Neoga (Dilley, Sparrow, Haarman and Ballinger) qualified in the seventh-grade boys 4x400-meter relay. Effingham (Sacred Heart) is ranked third and Neoga is ranked sixth heading into the weekend.

Neoga (Porter, Ray, Cardinal and Hakman) and Effingham (Sacred Heart) (Hecht, Will Albert, Warner and Ramos) qualified in the eighth-grade boys 4x400-meter relay. Neoga is ranked eighth and Effingham (Sacred Heart) is ranked 14th heading into the weekend.

Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.