The Barrington girls track team hosted a 12-team invitational on Friday, April 15. The Fillies (86 points) finished in third place behind champion Grant (124) and runner-up New Trier (90).
Pioneer Press contributor Jon J. Kerr interviewed Fillies head coach Jody Gitelis about the recent meet and the outlook for the remainder of the 2016 season.
Q: Third place in your biggest invite so far of the outdoor season. What were the highlights?
A: It was a very competitive meet with PRs (personal records) all over the place. (Sophomore) Jocelyn Long got first in the 800 (meters) and ran a PR (2:15.50). That’s an outstanding number. She just beat Meagan Biddle of Hoffman Estates in a very exciting race. (Junior) Kelsey McLaurin set a new meet record in the triple jump (37-00.50) and senior Anna Cossio won the high jump (5-03.00) and tied a meet record she set in 2013.
Q: Long made the state meet in 2015 as a freshman in both the 1,600 (mile) and 3,200 (two-mile). How has she improved this spring?
A: She’s a very talented athlete. Her approach to racing and her approach to meets is wonderful to see. She possesses that maturity, how she conceptualizes what she does. She likes to win and puts herself in great position. A real student of the sport.
Q: Your 4-by-400 relay team won the state title in 2015. One member, Addison Coy, transferred to Culver Academy in Indiana. But the other three, McLaurin, Cossio and senior Sara Kate Capel are back. How is this season’s team coming together?
A: We took a big hit in losing Addison. She was also a good hurdler for us. We have Julia Bergquist who is new to the relay. She ran a 1:02.8 (split) and we ran a 4:09.18 and finished third Friday (April 15).
Q: Capel is a returning state qualifier in the 300-meter hurdles and is running a leg in the 4-by-200. Who are the other relay runners?
A: We have sophomore Eleni Filley and seniors Kayla Besthoff and Carly Horak also in the 4-by-200. We finished second to New Trier Friday (April 15). We’ll shuffle around the relays. Everything is coming along.
Q: Barrington finished runner-up at the Class 3A state meet in 2015. Is this team capable of getting back to Charleston this spring?
A: It’s all a process. On Tuesday meets, I try hard to see what I need to see. They need to see what I need to see and who’s progressing and what parts of the puzzle I can put together. We have some up-and-coming people, and hopefully they are improving. That’s the goal, to keep them moving in the right direction and having time drops and if the weather cooperates. Every meet is finding out what works and who’s the next person to show what they can do. There are no given spots, it is a creation that is ever-changing and happening to the end. We are always tweaking and seeing how they work to do their best. Again, it’s a process.
Jon J. Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @prepspioneer
