By Michael Newman

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Sterling, Ill --- Trinity had to travel more than 100 miles from their home in River Forest to host their first indoor invitational. When they left the Westwood Sports Complex in Sterling, they left with some extra hardware including the team championship trophy. Trinity scored 81 points for the win 15 points ahead of second place West Aurora who scored 66 points.

Athlete of the meet went to Trinity’s Sierra Brown and deservedly so. The senior captured three individual titles in this 18 team meet as well as being part of Trinity’s quartet in the 800 Meter Relay that finished seventh. She won the 60 Meter Hurdles (9.49) by only four hundredths of a second ahead of Rajiah Andrews (West Aurora HS). Where Brown shined was on the jumps runway where she wept both horizontal jumps events. Her Long Jump win was not that huge only jumping 16-5 ½ for the win.

It was the Triple Jump where she caught everyone’s attention. The event was the last event to be scored. Brown closed the meet out in style. In her final attempt, she leaped to a personal best 39-4 ½ and one of the top performances in the state so far this season. Only Homewood-Flossmoor’s Jaimie Robinson is ahead of her (40-1).

There were two double winners on the track. Noemi Powell (Round Lake HS) won a close 60 Meter Dash (7.85) only four hundredths of a second ahead of Tamia Rayford (West Aurora HS). The two faced off again in the 200 Meter Dash and the finish of that race was much closer. Rayford had the disadvantage starting out of Lane 1 while Powell took advantage of the gentle curves in the middle of the fourth lane. Powell got out quick from the blocks but Rayford was not intimidated by the indoor lane. The junior came off the final curve within a step of Powell. The two battled down the final straightaway with Rayford making a final surge just before the finish line. Both athletes were given 26.81 times. The winner was determined by a photo with Powell winning by five thousandths of a second (26.802 – 26.807). Rayford earlier in the meet dominated the 400 Meter Dash (59.23) winning by close to six seconds.

The other double winner was Lauren Whitehouse (Mahomet-Seymour HS). Her wins were not that close. The all-state runner was pushed the first half of the 3200 by Sophia Oury (Hampshire HS). Whitehouse pulled away in the final seven laps of this 200 Meter track for the win (11:32.37). Hailey Hansen (Trinity HS, River Forest) passed Oury in the final four laps to take second place. There was no question in the 1600 Meter Run who would win. Whitehouse took the lead just after the 400 and never looked back. The senior ran 5:27.17 winning by 18 seconds ahead of a five runner pack led by second place finisher Reagan Bush (Alleman HS, Rock Island).

The best performance on the track in this meet was in the 800 Meter Run. Jenna Diers (Lincoln-Way Central HS, New Lenox) ended last season with a 2:18.66 personal best outdoors and a 2:25.89 under roof. The junior showed Monday that she could be one of the top runners in the state in this event. Diers passed through the first two laps in 33 and 34 seconds. She cruised across the finish line in an indoor personal best (2:21.23). Her time was six seconds than second place finisher Kelly Mindak (Marian Catholic HS, Chicago Heights).

This was the first year of this meet was the idea of new Trinity coach Anthony Enright. The veteran coach formally at St. Patrick High School took over the position at Trinity at the beginning of January a week before official IHSA practices were to begin. One of the first things that he did was organize this meet.  What made it better was that the track at the Westwood Sports Center was resurfaced making it one of the top facilities in the state. While most of the schools had to make the long trip to the western section of the state, most coaches attested afterwards it was worth the trip to start out their season. I would have to agree.