A big double win for the 3A state champ at the Sue Pariseau Invitational could have an epic conclusion in the next month

By Michael Newman

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Glen Ellyn, Ill --- The plan that Naperville North distance coach Dan Iverson had for his star pupil Judy Pendergast for this meet on the shores of Lake Ellyn on Saturday was to simulate what could happen a month from now at the state meet when Pendergast could attempt the 3200 and 1600 double. The difference in time in this meet was much shorter than it will be in Charleston. Saturday’s results show great things should be ahead for Pendergast when she won both races at the Sue Pariseau Invitational in record breaking form.

“She has not run this double this year,” Iverson said. “We were hoping to run a controlled 3200 around 10:20 and then see what she could run the 1600 from there.”

Pendergast had the lead in the race after her first five steps. After passing the first 400 meters in 70.2 seconds, she settled down into 76 to 77 second 400’s. A buzz went through the crowd as she passed the first 1600 in 5:00. Double that and she could be close to or under 10 minutes.

“People were yelling at me that I could break 10 minutes during the race,” Pendergast said. “I thought that is not what I want to do right now with the mile coming up. I just wanted to go out between 5:01 and 5:03. I just wanted to hold on to that effort from there. I did not want to over exert myself in that last mile. I think I did a pretty good job of staying in control.”

Iverson thought that she might be a little out of control in the pace after that first mile as he stood on the back stretch of the track. As she ran towards him, he yelled “Stay in control!” She looked at him nodding that she was in control. The consistency of her laps was testament of that.

While most of the eyes in the stadium were on Pendergast, there was great race going on behind her. Lindsey Payne (Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn) admitted after the race that she went out a little fast but at 5:10 through the first four laps she was in position to run a personal best. McKenzie Altmayer (Geneva HS) was another eight seconds back followed by Maggie Scholle (Lane Tech HS, Chicago) and Sarah Schmitt (Naperville North HS). 

Pendergast picked up the pace the final lap run a 75 second final circuit. She was going to run the fastest time in the nation. Just how fast was the question. As the crowd was cheering loudly, she crossed the line in 10:07.18. Her time was the third fastest ever run by an Illinois Girls High school runner. It was also a four second personal best. When she ran 10:11 indoors a month ago, she was visibly tired at the conclusion of the race. After this race, she was walking around when no problems and then went on a recovery run. This time, she was under control.

Payne, who is in her first year of running track, improved her personal best by four seconds running 10:29.80 to finish second. A smile came across the face of Mckenzie Altmayer after she crossed the line. She too had run a personal best to finish third (10:41.61). Jocelyn Long (Barrington HS) finished fourth (10:46.68) when it looked like she was destined for a distant sixth in this race. Long was 20 meters behind Schmitt and Scholle with two laps to go. She found her kick and passed the two runners on the final lap.

The field was basically the same in the 1600 Meter Run with the exception of Hinsdale Central’s Reilly Revord who had earlier run on her team’s 3200 Meter Relay. The result was the same. Pendergast took out the pace going through the first 400 in 68.9 with almost a six second lead on the rest of the pack led by teammate Emory Griffin. The lead grew to eight seconds as Pendergast passed the 800 in 2:22.3. Griffin was about nine seconds back as she led Revord, Payne, and Altmayer through in 2:31.2.

The third lap you could see Pendergast struggling just a little. Iverson told her before the start that this was going to hurt especially with only 90 minutes between the two races. Her lead was still big enough as she passed by in 3:37.5 to start her final lap. She gained that control in the final lap crossing the line in 4:51.99. It was just tenths off of the time that she ran the week before. But she was in control as she talked to the media almost immediately after the race.

Revord passed Altmayer in the final lap to finishing second but just missing going under five minutes (5:00.02). Payne (5:02.72) and Altmayer (5:03.39) finished third and fourth both achieving impressive doubles.

“I think I was happy with the overall performance of the mile but I have some little things that I need to work on,” Pendergast added. “I am happy with the PR in the 2 Mile and really happy that I was within seconds of my PR in the mile. It’s going to be exciting to be doing both later on in the season.”

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The other side of the distance story in this meet belonged to Hinsdale Central as they captured the other distance events. The Red Devillettes ran the fastest time in the state (9:18.61) in winning the 3200 Meter Relay. They had the lead from the start benefitting from Anne Zaher’s opening 2:14.8 split. Bella Pisani (2:25.2) and Grace McCabe (2:21.4) kept the lead handing off to Reilly Revord who ran a 2:16.2 anchor. A good 2:17.3 anchor by Glenbard West’s Janie Nabholz put the Hilltoppers into second (9:23.75).

Zaher had an impressive double coming back to win the 800 (2:16.60) three seconds ahead of Naomi Noyes (Wheaton North HS).

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Oak Park-River Forest won the team championship winning six track events while scoring 106 points. Naperville North was next (87.5 points) followed closely by Hinsdale Central (85 points). OPRF has the components to do some damage when we get to Charleston next month. They controlled all three sprint relays. They ran 49.63 to win the 400 Meter Relay ahead of Hinsdale Central (50.24). The two teams faced off again in the 800 Meter Relay. Oak Park-River Forest held the lead through most of the 800 Meter Relay. They held off a furious charge by Hinsdale’s Katie Sluman to just win the event (1:45.37 – 1:45.56). It was close again in the 1600 Meter Relay but Oak Park-River Forest came up again on top (4:00.00) winning by close to two seconds ahead of Barrington (4:01.94).

Chisolm Nwoko has been better known for her exploits in the Pole Vault but is starting to begin to shine on the track. She ran 56.70 (IL #4) to win the 400 Meter Dash. Chena Underhill had an easy time in running 46.37 to win the 300 Hurdles. Oak Park’s other win came from Norma Abdur-Rafia in the 200 Meter Dash as she ran 25.34 (IL #9) winning by more than a second.