CHARLESTON — The future is bright for Eniece Danzy and St. Laurence girls track, and the present looks pretty good, too.
Danzy is one of four Vikings freshmen who combined to place in five events on May 23 at the IHSA Class 2A state finals at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field.
The highlight of the day was the 4×200 relay, which Danzy anchored to first place in a season-best 1 minute, 39.96 seconds. It’s the first state title in program history.
Danzy also ran the final leg of the third-place 4×100 relay, which finished in 47.40, another season best.
Madison Taylor, who finished ninth in the 200 with a personal-best of 25.05, led off both relays. Mariah Woods, who took sixth in the 100 hurdles (15.39) and Gabrielle Jones, who was eighth in the long jump (17-5.25), also ran on both relays.
“It’s very exciting, knowing that everyone doubted us and nobody thought we would win,” Danzy said after the 4×200 win. “(I’m) glad to prove all the doubters wrong and win a state championship as a freshman.”
If the rest of the state was surprised, Danzy and her teammates weren’t.
“I definitely thought it was possible because we have a talented group of girls and I know that when we work together, no one can stop us.”
The momentum has been building since practice began, according to Danzy,
“Indoor (track) went well,” she said. “It was definitely a comeback from last season and it gave me a bunch of confidence coming to outdoor.”
The state-meet atmosphere, with the biggest crowd of the season, did take some getting used to.
“It was definitely a lot of nerves,” Danzy said. “I was just thinking about keeping a lead and not getting caught.”
The Vikings finished ninth with 24 points, the best since St. Laurence went coed after the closing of Queen of Peace in 2017.
Also winning a medal in 2A was Evergreen Park senior Londyn Gwin, who had a personal-best 128-10 to finish fifth in the discus.
In Class 3A, Sandburg’s 4×800 relay of Emily Sayger, Kelli Ellis, Annika Trehan and Angelina Arroyo finished ninth with a season-best of 9:15.47.