The steady rain that fell throughout Saturday’s Carol Urich Invitational at Thornton caused the cancellation of three events.
But the girls who competed found a way to make the best of their day.
Mother McAuley junior Ashley Bryja won the 800 in 2:25.89 and also anchored McAuley’s 1,600 relay, one of only three teams to remain for the final event.
“It was tough,” Bryja said following the 800. “There were a lot of puddles, like on the backstretch.
“But I just stayed with the girl from Lincoln-Way East, then decided to pass her up at the last 200. I didn’t get the time I wanted, but I think I did pretty good for the weather.”
Bryja said she and her teammates were just happy to take the track.
“We’re just determined,” Bryja said. “Three of our meets have been canceled. This is the first time in a week we’ve gotten to come out and run. Everyone just wanted to run.”
Thornton junior Mya Robinson overcame the challenging conditions to win the 100 hurdles in 15.32, with teammate Amari Windom taking second in 16.75.
Robinson also was among the final participants in the eight-team invitational. She led off Thornton’s 1,600 relay that finished second to Lyons.
“I’m really cold right now, but it’s amazing that everybody who stayed out and just competed,” Robinson said. “It’s fun to compete. We’re strong and we just did what we had to do.
“It’s more mental than physical because you have to really think to run out here. If you don’t, muscles might get tight or something might happen and you might think, ‘Oh, I can’t run.’ But it’s actually not that bad.”
Robinson was a state qualifier in the 100 hurdles last year as a sophomore and wants to take another step.
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“Hoping that I can make it to state, of course, and make it to Saturday where I can be in the top eight,” she said.
Thornton coach Vince McAuliffe complimented Saturday’s field.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to these young ladies,” McAuliffe said. “This was a tough day. It’s been a tough spring, but when you looked out on the track, kids weren’t complaining. They were competing as hard as they can. It’s a credit to the programs and those kids.”
The rainy conditions washed out the triple jump, high jump and 300 hurdles.
“If it was a sectional meet, we would have definitely gone through with those,” McAuliffe said. “The safety of the athlete was real important.”
Lincoln-Way East had four meet champions: the 3,200 relay (9:42.54), 400 relay (48.65), Kayla Hylton in the 100 (12.65) and Lauren LaDere in the discus (96 feet, 3 inches).
Other Southland winners were Thornwood’s Kameesha Smith in the 400 (1:01.53), teammate Oluwasheyi Taiwo in the shot put (36-9) and Thornridge’s Wynda Wormack in the long jump (17-1.5).
Lyons won the meet with 124 points, followed by Lincoln-Way East (92), Thornton (70), McAuley (53), Thornwood (39), Hillcrest (27), Thornridge (18) and Bloom (3), which was missing several key athletes.
Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.