Wexter-ing her muscles

CHARLESTON -- Jenna Wexter was hoping for a better showing on Saturday but she wasn't really too disappointed as she stood atop the awards stand.

After all, there's nothing better than first place and that's just how Wexter finished after capturing the Class AA championship in the pole vault at O'Brien Stadium.

The senior capped off her amazing 3-year pole vault career at Lincoln-Way Central High School by placing at state for the third straight year. She finished second a year ago and ninth in 2006.

Her 12-0 effort was short of the 13-0 that she had been shooting for but it was still 6 inches better than the mark by runnerup Jocelyn Kuska of Palatine.

Only 2 other Knight girls had been 3-time all-staters, Robin and Ruth Smith, who both accomplished the feat from 1974-76. Robin Smith was the program's only previous champion, winning titles in 1975 and 1976.

"It means a lot to me that I finally won the state title," Wexter said. "Ever since my sophomore year when I first came here for vaulting, I was awed at how awesome the girls were. It's just great to be up at the same level as they all were.

"I owe it all to the girls before me and to my coach, Dustin Waddell, who's the best to have out there because he keeps your nerves down and he's always there for you. Winning a state title is a team effort among your family and friends.

"There was a lot of pressure on me this year but I just love vaulting so much that I love being out here. And this atmosphere is great with all of these girls who are awesome jumpers. This has just been a great year and it's been a blast."

Plainfield North wrapped up a successful meet after seniors Valencia Anderson and Megan Gregory competed in the finals in the 100 high hurdles and also helped the school win its first relay medal.

Anderson, who took sixth in the 100 hurdles last year, finished in third place in 14.56 while Gregory claimed seventh place in 14.89.

"I'm really happy with how I did in the hurdles," Anderson said. "And I'm also happy that we took fourth in the state in the 4 x 200. I didn't think that we would do that well but we've worked very hard to get to this point and did well."

The pair later joined senior Megan Jackson and sophomore Jesi Hawks on a fourth-place 800 relay that turned in a time of 1:41.91.

"I was pretty excited coming into the hurdles after I did so well yesterday and I'm pretty happy with the outcome," Gregory said. "My goal this season was to get on the podium downstate and that's what I did.

"We really wanted to do well in the relay and we've been working on our handoffs because we seemed to have a problem with them, but we nailed them today. This was a pretty exciting day for Plainfield North."

Bolingbrook also made history by equaling its previous total of medals on the track when it took third place in the 800 relay and seventh in the 400 relay.

Both relay squads featured sophomores Samantha Horton, Aleesha Govan and Jasmine Brown along with senior Mennae Boyd.

The 800 posted a time of 1:41.35 while the 400 turned in a 48.47 showing. The team's third-place finish was its best-ever showing in a track event.

"Last year we made it down here but didn't make it to the finals so to actually come here and place was really good," Brown said. "Last year the 3 of us were freshman so I don't think we were prepared for this.

"We're happy to take third place in the 4 x 200. The 3 of us have the next 2 years together so I'm looking forward to that. We want to be known at Bolingbrook."

"This was like the time of my life and I'm happy that we made it down here," Horton said. "We practiced our handoffs this week and we wanted to be healthy by getting a lot of rest and tried to stay motivated."

Lincoln-Way East sophomore Megan Weller also placed in the pole vault, finishing eighth with 10-6 effort. Her father Monte is her coach and was a standout pole vaulter at Purdue University.

"I hoped to do a lot better but all you can do is come down here and do your best and whatever happens happens," Weller said. "Competing 2 days in a row is difficult on pole vault.

"It feels good to be an all-stater and I still have 2 years left, so next year I'll be ready. My dad helps me out at home and my coaches help me during practice so I feel like I've got it all."

A pair of former state placewinners, Lincoln-Way East's Maggie Sutor and Plainfield North's Kelly Moser, failed to achieve that same standard during Saturday's competition.

Sutor, a junior who was ninth in the 800 last year and fourth in the same event in 2006, claimed an 11th-place finish in the 800 in a time of 2:18.14.

And Moser, a senior who took fifth place in the high jump last year, settled for a 12th-place showing with a jump of 5-2.