CHARLESTON, Ill. — Winning a state title in girls track isn’t as easy as 1-2-3, but Naperville North’s Halle Bieber sure makes it look that way.
Bieber, a senior, won the 300-meter low hurdles for the third straight year in Saturday’s Class 3A state meet at Eastern Illinois’ O’Brien Field. She finished in 43.78, winning by 1.03 seconds over Thornwood’s Arryona Simmons.
Neuqua Valley sophomore Riley Ammenhauser might be on a similar path. She became the first freshman to ever win a 3A state title in the triple jump last year and won it again with a personal-record 40 feet, 11.5 inches.
“There’s pressure to repeat,” Bieber said. “Last year I think there was more, though, coming after winning it as a sophomore. But every year it’s new competition and you have to step up.”
Bieber, a Duke recruit, also earned a ninth-place medal in the 100 high hurdles, facing weather conditions that were improved but still challenging.
Competitors finally felt the heat with temperatures in the mid-80s, but gusting winds had an impact.
"Our team motto is, ‘All-weather women,’” Bieber said. “Coming off the curve into a strong headwind is nothing new.
“With the spring weather in Illinois, you almost always have wind coming off that curve. I guess it’s better warm than cold.”
Ammenhauser was a triple medalist, taking ninth in the long jump and running the anchor leg of Neuqua’s 400 relay that finished seventh.
The relay team included Autumn Rosales, Zharia Brandon and Texas recruit MiKenna Robinson.
Ammenhauser unleashed the winning triple jump on her third attempt, moments after runner-up Trinity Daniels of Homewood-Flossmoor unleashed her own PR of 40-7.25.
“There was a lot of competition and that definitely gave me motivation,” Ammenhauser said. “I couldn’t let it get to me. I did what I do best and I did what I love.
“I felt quite a bit of pressure, but I didn’t let it get to me.”
Sithara Gajapala added an eighth-place medal in the pole vault by clearing 11-0 as Neuqua finished in 11th place in the team standings with 23 points.
Defending state champion Naperville North finished 13th with 21 points.
H-F, the runner-up last year to the Huskies, survived a dropped baton in the 400 relay and still won the team title going away with 59.5 points.
Naperville North seniors Alex Morris and Claire Hill had front row seats to see history being made by Glenbard West junior Katelynne Hart, who won the 3,200, 800 and 1,600 in 3A for the third straight year.
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Morris took third in the 3,200 and Hill placed seventh in the 800.
“Our plan was to ignore Katelynne,” Morris said. “We knew the conditions would be tough, and I wanted to get a nice strong first mile in.”
Hart, who won the 3,200 by 21 seconds, left the pack in her wake. Morris broke from the pace in the seventh lap and held second place until getting caught late on the final lap.
“I wanted to leave it all out on the track and felt I did,” Morris said. “She had the better kick.”