On May 1, 2024, East’s Girls Track and Field program competed in the Southwest Prairie Conference’s (SPC) conference meet, alongside twelve other teams. Varsity finished 4th, with nearly eight points separating 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. Junior varsity finished second to Minooka, with a three point difference separating gold from silver. 

At conference, the top six varsity athletes and top three relays earn all-conference honors and junior varsity awards span through the top four individuals and top two relays. 

Senior Hailey Soriaga, a captain and four year member of the team, shared her pre-meet preparations.  

“I always visualize the night before a meet and go through what the competition is going to look and feel like,” Soriaga said. “This helps me be prepared environmentally so during the competition I can put all my focus towards technical ques.”

Soriaga explained that her goals were to set personal records and stay focused on the technique she’d been practicing throughout the season. Her execution earned her all-conference honors and first place in the varsity pole vault, vaulting 3.56 meters or 11.7 feet, and resetting her own previous school record. 

Joining Soriaga in receiving all-conference awards were Jasha James in the 100, Josslyn Gaona in the mile and two mile, Julia Burney in the two mile, Alex McElyea in shot put and discuss, Ava Karg in pole vault, and the team’s 4×200 including Jasha James, Kyla Moore, Keyairis Evans and 100 hurdle champion Layla Brisbon. Alongside the 100 hurdles and the 4×200, Brisbon closed out her sophomore conference earning all-conference in the 300 hurdles as well. 

“My goals going into this meet were to beat my seed times and potentially set new personal bests in each of my events,” Brisbon said. “While also scoring as many points as possible for my team.”

Junior varsity long jump champion, Alyssa Williams, also competed in the 4×100 and 4×200, helping to earn a combined total of 26 points for East. 

“Being that conference was my first big meet right after an injury and taking a week off, I knew that I had to relax, trust myself and tell myself that I would do well,” Williams said. “Although I had a long night, I still showed up for my team and was able to PR.”

With just eight days to recover and make final adjustments to their events, East’s girls track team will compete at sectionals on Thursday, May 9. 

“My focus is the same going into sectional week. I never focus on the win (although it’s nice), but I focus on sticking to what I know and what I’ve been working on in practice. Obviously the goal is state, which I am confident in my qualification,” Soriaga said.

Head coach Steve Ideran discussed some of the performances from conference and previewed the team’s sectional week.

“We have the ability to qualify for state in a bunch of events, but potential doesn’t matter unless we execute on the day,” Ideran said. “So trusting the work we’ve put in, trusting our fitness and our technical ability, and trusting each other will be the focus going into sectionals.”

Jordan Fikis, Mae Robinson, and Mia Rivera are staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.