Giant Relays @ Highland Park High School

Friday @ Highland Park:  
Snow and e-Learning cannot stop track & field!  This was our first relay meet and our first Friday night event, and the Zee-Bees came out fighting hard!

Our shot put relay of Ne'Zyah, Ximena, and Audreynah set the standard for the night by winning the event with their combined effort. They were all right around their PRs, which is awesome news! They overcame the Pit of Despair (if you saw where they threw, you understand what I mean), which makes their win all the more impressive. Managing distractions--whether they are physical or mental--is the name of our game!  Our other field events had obstacles to overcome, too:  our high jumpers had to run around a post to get to the pit, and our triple/long jumpers had a tight runway with distractions on either side. Our jumpers are making good progress despite these obstacles, and I am proud of all of them! 

On the track, our 4X800 answered the call of the shot put crew, with Audrey taking the lead from the start, and Brionne, Lauren, and Riley not looking back at the competition. Notably, Brionne set a new PR of 2:49, dropping 3 seconds from last week, despite being on a shorter, and well...goofier track #iykyk. Nice job, Bri!  Congrats to the whole relay for a commanding effort!  Our 4X160 relay won the heat, but they got nabbed by Deerfield (who gets to practice on that track) from the other heat.  I was impressed by how Taylor, Jade, Jada, and Kennilyn managed the tight turns in such a speedy race!  Finally, our 4X400 dominated the field from start to finish, and I'm digging this new line-up with Audrey and Riley setting the tone and Lauren and Bri finishing strong. To run 4:35 on this track is impressive! Nice work, bees!

There were a few gutsy performances that stood out to me tonight. First, I was really impressed by the way Tyesha attacked her half lap in the Sprint Medley, and the way Kia managed her nerves in her first race as a Zee-Bee!  I was really happy with the way our hurdlers attacked a new format of racing. The shuttle can make people nervous, but Sierra-Rayne, Mary, Rachel, and Tati handled this format with grace and grit. Their form is getting better every week, too. Nice work, quad! I was also really happy with how gutsy Carmella raced in the Distance Medley in her racing debut. Nice work, Carmella! Freshie Abygail also had a great day today, leading the class relay. Not only was her split strong (75 on this track!), but she also competed hard (which is what matters most). Great job in your debut, Abygail! I was really impressed by the moves by our 4X1600 relay, too. I asked them all to make competitive moves in their races. Fia started it out by passing the Highland Park racer when the pack started to split. Rachel did a great job of surging and finishing strong. Liz was outstanding at accelerating on the home stretch, as was Chey. Impressive work from everyone! 

Overall, I am really happy to see our progress as a team, and I am looking forward to Carthage. The coaches and I are loading that line up with Varsity athletes only. To those of you who have not had a chance to race yet, you will have your chance when we get to outdoor in April; stay patient and hungry! 

This week, we have Spring Sports Parent Night on Thursday. If you are new to ZB Athletics, please come to the PAC with a parent or guardian by 6:30. If you are a returning athlete, please arrive by 6:45.  We will try to get you home quickly! Thank you for planning ahead to bee there.  

Finally, keep focused on the student part of your identity. Please remember that you represent ALL of us when you move around the building. Bee on time, be a leader in the classroom, and bee curious as you study. Let's have a great week!