DGS' Rebecca Stearns Takes 5th in State in 800-Meter Run

The and South girls track and field teams traveled to the IHSA state meet this weekend, tying for 46th and 50th places overall, respectively. 

Senior Rebecca Stearns took fifth in state in the 800-meter run with a time of 2.12.81. She set a school record in the preliminary round with a time of 2.11.80, breaking the 1990 record of 2.14.77 set by former 800-Meter State Champion Tina Sec. 

Rebecca ran an aggressive race in the finals, holding on to third place for much of the race until being passed by two runners just before the finish line. Stearns will continue her track career next year at Loyola University.  

The Downers Grove North 4x800-meter relay took sixth in state with a time of 9:17.71. Juniors Gabrielle Hesslau and Jillian Kothanek and Sophomores Meghan Bonfield and Stephanie Urbancik made up the relay team. 

DGS Junior Jada Franklin finished 16th in the triple jump with a jump of 36 feet, 4.5 inches.  Franklin had fouls on her first two prelim jumps and had to move her start further back on her final jump in order to get a legal mark. She missed the finals by six inches. 

Junior Katie Strelau finished 24th in the 3,200-meter with a time of 11:29.97 and Freshman Amanda Thate finished 27th in the mile with a time of 5:13.16.  Both girls ran good races and were able to improve on their seed positions going into the meet (28th and 37th respectively).

The 4x400-meter relay team of Juniors Sam Baeten (Jr) and Blake Mueller and Seniors Raven Wilson and Rebecca Stearns finished 15th overall with a time of 3:59.38.

The 4x800-meter relay team of Freshman Amanda Thate, Junior Blake Mueller and Seniors Maddie Cahill and Jacquelyn Thate finished 16th with a time of 9:34.92. 

Editor's note: DGS Girls Track Head Coach Doug Plunkett contributed to this report.