Plainfield Teams Show Mettle at Conference Meet But Minooka Takes Crown

All four Plainfield high schools showed their mettle by bringing home plenty of medals from the Southwest Prairie Conference girls track and field meet Thursday at Oswego East.

Unfortunately, none of the four District 202 schools were lucky enough to come away with the conference championship.

Minooka wrestled the title plaque away from three-time defending champion Plainfield North by scoring 108 points. Oswego East was second with 88 points.

Plainfield North came in third (86). Oswego (72), Plainfield South (70), Romeoville (60), Plainfield Central (52.5) and Plainfield East (21.5) rounded out the eight-team field.

The Minooka Indians won the first and last races of the night and featured plenty of career performances in between to win their first conference championship since 1991.

During the second to last race of the evening, the junior varsity 1,600 relay, wind and rain hammered the track and participants. It stayed that way until just after the completion of the meet.

That’s when lightning forced Oswego East officials to clear the track and the grandstands.

Individually, Cessily Jones may have had the most impressive evening.

The Plainfield North junior, who has four state medals to her credit, was part of three SPC championships.

She won the 100- (12.61) and 200-meter dashes (25.69) and was part of the Tigers’ 400 relay (50.44). Jones has medaled in the 100 and 200 at the state meet each of the last two seasons.

“It’s a big accomplishment considering it’s my junior year,” Jones said. “I’m pretty happy with my performance considering the wind was right in my face this last race.”

Jones teamed with sophomores Jazmine Frank, Allie Heyl and Ashlee Ojediran.

Plainfield South’s Erin Fitzgerald won two events, running a 2:26.4 in the 800 and a personal-record 59.6 in the 400.

“I’ve been running both events since I started running track,” Fitzgerald said. “They are both my favorite races. I think that’s the first time I’ve done that in two opens, so I’m pretty proud of myself. Both races were tough and had some great competition.”

Plainfield North’s Jaclyn Aremka won the high jump (5’3”) and Plainfield Central’s Jazmyne Brown was first in the discus (106’0”).

Plainfield East’s top individual finisher was Brienna Thompson, who took second place in the 100 hurdles (17.19).