ST. CHARLES -- The state of the Bartlett girls track program was in limbo before the season began without a coach. That problem was solved when the school's athletic director Dan Kallenbach stepped forward to assume the duties.
Ten years ago, Kallenbach got out of the coaching profession after more than a decade as the Streamwood High girls track coach.
On Friday at the St. Charles North Class AA Sectional, Kallenbach was happy he made the decision to return after watching the Hawks qualify in two events for next weekend's State Meet in Charleston.
In the 3,200-meter relay Bartlett's foursome of Alyssa Schneider, Kristen Schneider, Samantha Bass and Sam Salinas knocked 12 seconds off its season-best time to become one of six schools to qualify in the event. The Hawks finished in 9:35.8.
Schneider advance Downstate in the 1,600. Teammate Salinas just missed qualifying in the same event by less than a second.
"I didn't expect to be coaching this team this year but I'm sure happy I did," Kallenbach said. "These girls have been great and they've been great to me. I'm not sure what they thought of me being their coach this year, but everything has gone pretty well outside all the weather problems. This has been a fun season and this is a young group."
Other area runners to qualify in the 1,600 included St. Charles North's Stephanie Strasser (2nd, 5:11), and St. Charles East's Lizzy Hynes (12th, 5:17.8).
Hynes edged North's Strasser in a competitive 3,200 race that was won by Lake Park's Lindsay Flanagan. Hynes pulled in with a time of 10:56 and was followed by Strasser (11:01) and Dundee-Crown's Kelsey Seiler (11:30), all state-qualifying times.
"I really wanted to do well in this race," Hynes said. "(Strasser) and I were kind of working together and pushing each other to get faster."
Barrington won the meet with 108 points. St. Charles East finished with 49 points. Bartlett (8), D-C (5) and Streamwood (3) placed 13-15. South Elgin, Larkin and Elgin did not register a point.
Still, Elgin coach Justin Goebel was encouraged with his team's effort.
"This has been a great season for us. We've improved across the board," Goebel said. "This is a young team and I hope we build off of this and want to get better next year after facing this type of competition."
St. Charles East's Maya Rittmanic won the long jump (17 feet) and teammate Allie Devor won the discus (119-1) to advance, joining Jessica Sandlund (triple jump, 34-6) and Dayna White (800, 2:18.30) as qualifiers.
St. Charles North's Jenna Loynachan qualified in the 400 (2nd in 1:00.2).
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