The S.H.S. Girls Track team competed at the Western Big Six Conference track meet at Moline with outstanding performances in many events. The Sterling Golden Warriors placed sixth place against East Moline, Quincy, Galesburg, Rock Island, Moline, Alleman, and Geneseo.
Coach Tyler Gaumer prepared his team for the high competition meet, focusing on “maintaining seeds or improving on them.” Gaumer encouraged his team to “perform [their] best at conference” because “[they] get great results when that happens.”
Five individuals were listed as Western Big Six champions, earning the All Conference title. To earn the All Conference title, athletes must finish in the top three places for individual events, and first place for relays.
Sophomore Abigail Ryan placed first for high jump with a height of 1.52 meters. This was Ryan’s personal best by three inches, landing her in a good spot for sectionals. Ryan stated she “felt good about [her] performance at the meet” and “was really excited about a PR and just getting the opportunity to be there.”
The Sterling girls 4×200 relay team placed first, with East Moline following close behind. The team of junior Presley Winters, junior Finley Ryan, senior Anna Aulwes, and sophomore Alivia Gibson finished with a season record of 1:47.65, their previous time being 1:49.11.
Winters stepped up as an alternate for the 4×200 as her “team gave [her] the encouragement that [she] needed to push [herself] to run as hard as [she] could.” The 4×200 relay ran the state qualifying time, adding to Winters collection of state qualifying standards in the pole vault and the 4×100 relay that day.
Aulwes, junior Taah Liberty, Gibson, Winters, and F. Ryan all completed their events with state qualifying standards, with Aulwes, Liberty, Ryan, and Gibson in the 4×100 relay; Aulwes, F. Ryan, Gibson, and Winters in the 4×200 relay; Aulwes in the 200 meter dash, Ryan in the pole vault, and Winters in the pole vault.
