CHARLESTON — Becca Heitzig sure had a good run through high school.
Lincoln's star athlete wrapped up her decorated sports career with two golds at the IHSA girls track and field state finals on Saturday.
The senior long-distance runner snapped up her third straight gold medal in the Class 2A 800-meter run at O'Brien Field in Charleston. She crossed the finish line in 2:09.55 seconds for her best run of the season. Rochester's Brooke Zeibert followed in fourth at 2:15.88.
It was her second best state performance. The unflagging senior previously set the 2A state meet record in 2:09.99 as a sophom*ore before breaking her own record the following year in 2:08.48. Her best mark earlier this season was 2:09.70.
Rockton Hononegah’s Courtney Clayton holds the overall state record of 2:07.05 from 2013.
"I wrote some goals at the beginning of this school year and I’ve met all of them, except a few times that I was wanting to hit in track," Heitzig said. "I’m just tired, so it’ll be good to get a break after this."
A career to remember
Heitzig proceeded to win her first ever top podium in the 1600 with a time of 4:58.82. She previously went runnerup in the 1600 at last year's state meet in 5:00.44.
She concluded her dazzling high school sports career with ninth place in the 4x400 relay.
That adds up to 10 state medals overall in track and she departs with at least severalschool records in the 800, 1,600, 3,200, 4x400 relay and the sprint medley relay over her four years with the Railsplitters.
Heitzig, the State Journal-Register's reigning Female Athlete of the Year, did so much more, of course.
She ultimately seized a state title in each season over the school year. She won the 2A girls cross country state title over the fall — the first female champion in the Springfield area since 1998 — while also ascending to second place on the volleyball team as a libero.
She subsequently contributed as a key guard alongside Ms. Basketball of Illinois, Kloe Froebe, en route to the 3A girls basketball title in March before diving into track and field.
"I had a few days off and then we were right into training for track," Heitzig said. "But I’m grateful that God has gifted with me the talent in this sport, so I just try to use it for his glory."
She will continue to run at Iowa State University.
Glenwood's Lehnen back in top form
Katelyn Lehnen raced back to the summit and came back for more.
The Chatham Glenwood junior snapped up her first ever gold medals in both the Class 3A 100- and 400-meter dash events. She wound up fourth place in the 200 to end the afternoon.
She won the 100 in 11.69 seconds ahead of Chicago Whitney Young's Angelena Bullocks' 11.76 before surging down the homestretch to a personal best 54.81 in the 400 on the distinct blue oval at O'Brien Field.
She didn't have to battle any ailments like last year.
Last season, Lehnen pulled her hamstring at the indoor Illinois Top Times meet but still recovered in time to finish third in both the 200 and 400 and fifth in the 100 at last year's state meet.
As a freshman, Lehnen won the 200 in 24.75 in addition to third place in the 100 and 400.
"I definitely got wiped out a little bit," Lehnen said following the 200. "It’s a hot day, but I gave it my all. I had a tough field to go up against. We have girls that are running 23s (in the 200). That’s insane, so being able to run against those girls has been awesome. I just have to keep getting better — one more year."
From 2022:How this Chatham Glenwood sprinter became one of the fastest freshmen in the country
She approached the state finals establishing personal bests in each of her three primary events this season. That included 24.04 in the 200 at the Central State Eight Conference meet and 11.58 in the 100 at the O'Fallon Sectional.
"It was really exciting," Lehnen said of winning the 100 to begin the day. "I didn’t really expect that much because I’ve only ran a select few 100s this year."
Junior teammate Reese Wolfe also won the pole vault in 3A. She cleared 3.80 meters (12 feet, 6 inches) on her first attempt to grab her first career gold medal. She reached fourth place last year.
Dunlap's Chelsea Wetzel also passed the 3.80 bar but on her second attempt for second place.
Glenwood senior Natalie Alexander posted eighth place in the 300 hurdles in 45.35.
"She’s been working hard, no doubt about that," Lehnen said of Wolfe. "She’s been a huge leader on our team and she’s been giving it her all for everyone, not just herself, and she deserves it. "
Champs, at last
The North Mac sprint relay worked toward this moment not since the beginning of this spring but virtually the entire span of their high school careers.
The 4x100-meter relay of Kaelyn Swift, Emma Crawford, Alexis Bowman and Addison Early dominated the field and set a new 1A state meet record in 48.50.
Earley and Swift watched the scoreboard with bated breath to see if they beat the previous record from 2012.
“It turned out be fast enough,” Earley said.Indeed it was — by one-hundredths of a second, to be exact.
Earley, the senior anchor, missed track last year due to an ACL tear.
“It felt amazing just knowing that my hard work really paid off,” Earley said. “I had faced a lot of adversity and just the fact that I was able to accomplish this was incredible.”
The quartet formed as a unit a few years back and found the winning combination over the course of this season. They proceeded to take third place in the 4x200 as well while Crawford ushered third place in the 100 hurdles in 15.36 seconds.
“This group is just something very special,” said Bowman, who ran the third leg. “They all get along. We’re not just on a team together. We hang out together outside of school. We’re best friends, it’s just awesome.”
Swift, a junior, jumpstarted the Panthers on the first leg.
“It felt pretty powerful,” Swift said.
Other top performances
Athens junior Addie Stadsholt claimed the 1A discus throw on her sixth and final attempt. She heaved 130 feet, 9 inches for her first top podium.
Pana's Reagan McGlaughlen earned fourth in the discus as well.
Also in 1A, Greenview's Madison Kacevicius was second in the long jump (17-9) while Litchfield's Kendall Stewart was third in the 300 hurdles (46.49).
In 2A, a pair of freshman went runnerup. Taylorville's Elise Williamson was second in the the discus throw (126-3 3/4), along with Hillsboro's Jaida Linn in the high jump (1.61 meters/5-3).
Sacred Heart-Griffin took the medal stand in multiple events, including third in the 4x400 relay, fourth in the 4x200 and fifth in the 4x100 relay. Junior Macie Rolf, who assisted the 4x4, picked up seventh in the 300 hurdles (46.95).
Williamsville's Louisa Wilson was sixth in the 3200 (11:20.21).
