Nicole Lindsey

Waterloo High School girls tracksters Jenna Schwartz and Maddie Valerius qualified for this weekend’s IHSA Class 2A state meet by virtue of strong performances at the Herrin Sectional last Wednesday.

Waterloo placed fifth overall as a team.

Schwartz, who won the Class 2A state cross country meet this past fall, placed first in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meter races at the sectional. Schwartz’s time of 11:04.50 in the 3,200 was tops overall in the state.

Maddie Valerius placed second in the 400 meter run with a sectional time of 59.66 seconds, also qualifying for state.

In Class 1A, Gibault junior Nicole Lindsey qualified for state with a time of 16.98 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles. Dupo sophomore Annalese Gill qualified for state in the shot put with a throw of 35 feet, 3.5 inches.

The IHSA state girls track meet takes place Friday and Saturday on O’Brien Field at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Maddie Valerius and
Jenna Schwartz

In boys track, WHS had a number of strong performances at the Mississippi Valley Conference Boys Track Meet on Thursday. 

Jackson Ivers placed first in the discus; Tyler McAlister won the 400 meter run; Eli Ward won the 1,600 meter run; David Broske won the 300 meter hurdles; and wheelchair racer Donovan McBride placed first in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 meter races.