Track and Field, Girls

May 13, 2007 

Advanced and Ready

Lane Tech girls track team advances 6 individuals and 1 relay to the state finals

Lane Tech went into the Oak Park (Fenwick) girls track and field sectional knowing it was going to be very competitive. After all track powers Fenwick, St. Ignatius, Oak Park-River Forest, and emerging track power Whitney Young participated in the meet.

"The city championship was the fun, state sectionals is the real meet" said Lane Tech girls track coach Francisco Marchan.

Only the top two finishers in individual and relay events advance to the state meet. A runner or relay team can also qualify if they beat the state qualifying times. So advancing is very difficult. However, Lane Tech emerged from the very competitive Fenwick Sectional in very good shape by advancing 6 individuals and 1 relay to next weeks girls track and field finals at Eastern Illinois. The following individuals qualified for Lane for the state finals:

Nia Muhammad ran one of the faster qualifying times in the state in the 100 meter higher hurdles with a time of 15.04.

Notable non-qualifiers for Lane was Stephanie Hughes in distances and Idia Omiagate in sprints. Hughes, one of Lane Techs best all-time distance runners qualified for state last year. Omiagate, while only a sophomore blossomed this year and ran some of the state's fastest times in the 100 and 200 meter dash.

Last year, Lane Tech also participated in the Fenwick Sectional and qualified 4 individuals and 3 relays. However, despite a valiant effort in the state prelims, Lane could not muster any individuals or relays to make it to the 2nd and final day of the state finals. Morgan Monroe, Nia Muhammad qualified for state last year. This year, both return and qualified again for the state finals. However, their times have improved from last year, and thus their chances for advancing to the second day of the state finals are greater. Only athletes that finish in the top 8 in the second day of the state finals, score points for their team. Thus, this years girls track team has a very good opportunity to score state points.

Scoring points at the state meet has not happened too often for Lane. In fact, since the 1994 season, Lane's girls track teams have only scored state points once. That was in 2005 when Lane finished 3rd in the 4x100 meter relay, 4th in the 4x200 meter relay, and Stephanie Williams finished 8th in the 100 meter dash.

Fenwick Sectional Results

Morgan Monroe (left) and Nia Muhammed advanced to next weeks girls state track finals at Eastern Illinois University. www.LaneTechFan.com photo