Kayla Hylton is making the best of her only season on the Lincoln-Way East girls’ track team.
The senior sprinter won the 200-meter dash (24.72), anchored two first-place relays — the 400 (47.53) and 800 (1:40.77) — and tied for first in the 100 (12.05) Thursday night at the Class 3A Lockport Sectional.
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East beat runner-up Downers Grove South 132-107 for the sectional title.
“It’s really indescribable,” Hylton said. “It just feels like I’m back. (Assistant) coach (Angelo) Brown, he works me out every day. I feel like it’s somewhere I belong. It’s a great feeling to finally be back.”
Two years ago, a stress fracture in her shin limited Hylton during her sophomore season at Lincoln-Way North. She sat out her junior year after she transferred to Lincoln-Way East.
Hylton has been among the top sprinters in the state this season. She won the 200 at the Illinois Top Times Meet, considered to be the unofficial indoor state meet.
Hylton took the 100 and 200 at last week’s SouthWest Suburban Blue meet to help the Griffins win their fourth consecutive conference title.
East will be going for its fourth straight Class 3A state championship next weekend at Eastern Illinois.
“We all make each other stronger,” Hylton said. “Coach Brown makes sure we have competitive, intense workouts. I feel like we all progress.
“This means everything. I feel I’m finally getting what I’ve been working for.”
East head coach Brian Evans appreciates what Hylton has accomplished in one season.
“She has been a wonderful addition to our program,” Evans said. “To have a season the way it has unfolded her senior year, it’s very special.”
While Hylton was impressive in the sprints, the distance standout was Lockport junior Morgan Bollinger, who won the 3,200 meters (11:21.78) over Downers Grove South’s Katie Stapleton (11:26.62).
“It feels really awesome,” Bollinger said. “I was sick this whole week, so I was pretty nervous going into it. I knew I had to cut 10 seconds. I was just trying to go for place.”
Stapleton and Bollinger were ahead of the pack for most of the race. Bollinger was running a little behind Stapleton until she made her move into the lead to start the final lap.
“It was really windy,” Bollinger said. “I was just trying to stick as close to her as I could, and try not to break away. At the end, I felt like I needed to give it all I’ve got.”
Lockport teammate Carolyn Dietz won the pole vault (10 feet, 3 inches).
Lincoln-Way East won three relays. The East 400 relay was Asia Brown, Jasmine Howell, Alexis Pierre-Antoine and Hylton. The Griffins’ 800 relay was Nicole Humenik, Howell, Pierre-Antoine and Hylton.
The 1,600 relay was made up of Kyndall Wallace, Ololade Ayoola, Humenik and Brown.
Pierre-Antoine took first in the 300 hurdles (44.93) and teammate Lauren LaDere won the shot put (42-0.5).
Shepard’s Jada Jackson won the sectional title in the discus (145-1).
Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.