Quenga's speedy 400 among girls' highlights at 2023 Honor Roll Meet

May 16—URBANA — Syniyah Quenga already appeared pleased with the effort she'd put forth in the girls' 400-meter dash during Monday's 40th News-Gazette Honor Roll Meet.

And why not? The Urbana sophomore won the race with a time of 58.66 seconds. And at Gene Armer Track, her home facility.

That happiness changed to something a little different, though, when Quenga was informed of another accomplishment. That she'd run the second-quickest 400 in Tigers girls' track and field history.

"What?" a clearly shocked Quenga asked. "Oh, my gosh."

"The only other person who's ahead of you is Nicole Choquette, who ran for Illinois," Urbana coach Forrest Farokhi explained. "You're the only (other) girl in the 58s, and you're a sophomore.

"That was her all-time best. It's a school record, and Urbana's been around since 1872."

Seems Urbana has a pretty good sprinter on its hands.

"When I come out of the blocks, I usually ball up my fists, and I was like, 'OK, you've got to do good form, focused on the arms, back straight,'" Quenga said. "I learned that when I'm running and I feel like I'm going to pass out, it's just lactic acid. So I was like, 'Sprint, Syniyah. Sprint.'

"I'm so grateful I got to hit 58."

Quenga's previous fastest 400 time this season was 59.92 seconds, achieved at last Thursday's Class 2A Rantoul Sectional. It ranked her fourth among all participants, but she still managed to qualify for this week's 2A state meet courtesy her time.

"Honestly, the sectional was a terrible race. ... That was kind of crazy to me," said Quenga, who placed ninth in last year's 400 at the 2A state meet. "It's really mentally draining, but I'm just so grateful."

Plenty of area girls put together solid performances in their respective events Monday. Some ahead of the IHSA state preliminaries on Thursday and Friday in Charleston, and others as a last salvo for the 2023 campaign.

Champaign Central's 400 relay tandem of freshman Izzy Roundtree, senior Braelyn Alexander, sophomore Kelecia Maynor and senior Kennedy Ramshaw set a new meet record in that event, clocking a time of 47.46. It eclipsed a 2014 time of 48.29 recorded by a Danville quartet.

That marked one of the Maroons' six event wins overall on the night. Central also placed first in the 800 relay (1 minute, 49.77 seconds) and the 3,200 relay (10:36.59). Senior Kyla Canales was part of that 800 relay tandem, and she additionally won pole vault by clearing 10 feet, 6 1/4 inches.

"I was excited about (pole vault). I tied my PR, so I'll take that," Canales said. "Relays are my favorite. I like having my team running with me, competing with them instead of against them (like in pole vault)."

Canales was joined in the field event winner's circle by teammates Alexander in long jump (17-8 1/4) and sophomore Julia Bilsbury in triple jump (34-0). Alexander won last year's Honor Roll Meet long jump at 17-0.

"It's a really fun event," Canales said of the Honor Roll Meet. "It's also my senior year, so having any chance to do another event is really good."

Tuscola sophomore Lia Patterson definitely was having some fun in her 100 hurdles race Monday.

She and Danville sophomore Nickiya Shields went neck-and-neck all the way to the finish line, where Shields edged Patterson for the win by one-hundredth of a second — 15.00 to 15.01 seconds.

"It's the first time that I actually met her. The first thing I said to her was, 'Oh, my goodness, I saw your time. You're so good,'" Patterson said. "Then I asked her what grade she's in, and she's like, 'Sophomore.' And I'm like, 'What?' ... Oh, my goodness, yes, another sophomore running around the same times (as me)."

Patterson and Shields were all smiles once their hurdling battle had concluded, sharing some friendly chatter.

"I really like her. She's really nice. And it was a really good race," Patterson said. "It felt like the last hurdle we came down at the same time.

"I'm pretty comfortable ... with a low 15, almost 14."

Danville senior Allison Thompson didn't experience quite as much close competition in the 3,200. But she managed to push herself plenty hard in winning the race for a second consecutive year.

Thompson clocked 11:57.51 on Monday, besting her triumphant time of 12:15.58 from last year. She also finished more than a minute clear of the runner-up this time around.

"I feel really good about it," Thompson said. "I'm glad I got to come here again and end my senior year on a good note."

Judah Christian junior Aleigha Garrison, meanwhile, had someone breathing down her back throughout the 1,600. But Garrison ultimately staved off Unity junior Olivia Shike for the win — 5:36.22 versus 5:40.59.

"It went pretty well. My goal was to get first place, and I got it," Garrison said. "If the girl behind me, Olivia Shike, was going to be behind me, I was going to test her and see what she could do. ... I could hear from the crowd, so that helped hearing about (what was going on) behind me."

Cerro Gordo/Bement senior Jazzi Hicks also was pushed a bit in her lone event of the meet before coming out on top in the end.

Hicks claimed the shot put crown with a top throw of 38-0, overcoming Clinton senior Alayna Earle (37-4) and six others in the contest.

Hicks presently is ranked second among all 1A girls' shot put throwers, previously notching a 40-4 3/4 mark that's only been trumped by Henry-Senachwine senior Laney Lester (40-5 1/2).

"It was really nice to be able to get some competition (before state)," Hicks said. "Always could've been better. Always got room for improvement. But a first place is a first place. I'll take it."