Sophia Most is like a lot of high-school athletes, juggling multiple sports and academics.
But the Manteno freshman’s mix is unusual, if not unique.
Most is an elite thrower for the Panthers girls track and field team, winning the discus at the Illinois Central Eight Meet on May 8 at Herscher.
That was a Thursday, one of the two days a week Most usually is busy with her other sport: junior hockey.
A member of the Milwaukee Junior Admirals AAA team, Most makes the commute to Wisconsin for practice most Tuesdays and Thursdays. Or if the Admirals have an away tournament, she hits the road on Thursday night for that.
It’s a demanding schedule, but Most wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The people I’m around, they give me a lot of motivation,” Most said. “(Being) with them really brings me joy. Just wanting to compete and do all that makes it fun.”
While hockey is a team sport, throwing is more of an individual one.
“Since middle school, my coaches have really been saying, ‘Hey, you should really try this out.'” Most said. “And ever since I’ve been loving it. … These events, it’s really personal, like me against me and what can I do best.”
Most threw 117 feet, 9 inches to win the conference title and has a PR of 124-1 this season. The state-qualifying standard for Class 2A is 107-9, putting her in a good spot to advance from this week’s Pontiac Sectional to the IHSA state finals in Charleston on May 22-24.
Another Panther girl aiming for state is fellow freshman Klarke Goranson. She won the distance triple crown at conference, winning the 800 meters in 2:22.40, the 1,600 in 5:05.88 and the 3,200 in 11:01.80.
“In the (3,200) I didn’t push myself super hard so I’d have (energy) for the other two events,” Goranson said. “But I’m just trying to take them one at a time.”
Besides dominating in the distances, Goranson wants to be the fastest in program history in the metric quarter-mile.
“Yeah, the 400 is a really tough record,” Goranson said. “But I think by the end of my high-school career, hopefully I’ll be able to get it.”
Manteno’s girls finished fourth with 94 points. Earning runner-up finishes were Lyla Nevel in the 3,200 (12:25.20) and the 4×400 relay team of Emma Decker, Emily Young, Olivia Zwirkoski and Ella Graniczny, who ran 4:27.37.
Manteno’s boys took fifth with 77 points, with sophomore Briggs Cann earning a pair of firsts. He won the 400 in 52.04 and joined Ethan Tudor, Hayden Palka and Caden Reiter on the winning 4×400 relay team (3:35.09).
“I got out decently fast (in the 400),” Cann said. “This back straight, it was a little windy today so that wasn’t the greatest. … The last 200 weren’t bad.”
Taking seconds were Reiter with a PR of 2:07.38 in the 800, Nicholas Honkisz with a PR of 15.73 in the 110 hurdles, Palka with a PR of 126-10 in the discus and Carter Stell in the 300 hurdles (43.61).
Peotone’s girls and boys both finished eighth, scoring 52 and 39 points respectively.
Senior Terrynn Clott won the shot put at 33-5 and was runner-up in the discus at 105-8. Teammate Celeste Richards took second in the 800 (2:31.31).
“It wasn’t my best day but it didn’t go terrible … so I’m happy with it,” said Clott, who will continue her career at NAIA Georgetown (Ky.).
She wasn’t always a thrower.
“I ran for a little bit and it just wasn’t really my thing,” Clott said. “Throwing is more of an individual thing. I see a lot more progress with it.”