KANE –– When Bradford High’s Ashton McGriff took the anchor-leg handoff in the 1600 relay at Saturday’s Kane Invitational, the Lady Owls were in fourth place.
By the middle of the back straightaway, McGriff had chased down one competitor then caught another on the corner. With about 50 meters left, McGriff sped around Elk Catholic’s runner and cruised across the finish line, running a team season-best time of 4:18.02.
The anchor leg come-from-behind finish put the cap on an all-around day by McGriff, who was named the Class AAA outstanding track athlete. McGriff also won the 200 dash (26.26) and 300 hurdles in a season-best time of 47.21. Her triple jump of 33-08.5 was good for second behind Cameron County’s Kamme Guisto (34-01.50).
“It was nice to see Ashton win the MVP award,” Lady Owls head coach Larry Stillman said.
The Lady Owls also won the Class AAA team title.
“It was a very good day and a great team effort,” Stillman said.
Bradford High showed its strength and depth on the track, claiming two relay titles and another third place in the 3200 relay.
Brooke McGriff, Ashton’s older sister, took second in the 100 hurdles and pole vault and ran the opening leg on the 1600 relay, while Regan Johnson was second in the 100 dash.
“Our strength all year has been in the sprints and hurdles,” Stillman said. “Ashton McGriff and Regan Johnson had excellent races in their open sprint events and Brooke McGriff, Logan Sunafrank and Ashton all had very good hurdle races.”
The 400 relay team of Johnson, Brooke McGriff, Payton Kloss and Alexis Huber ran a season-best time of 51.73, with Johnson, the anchor leg, outrunning top-seeded Johnsonburg in the last 100 meters for another come-from-behind victory.
“To win the relays,” Stillman said, “it takes all four girls running their hardest and that is what they did.”
In the 3200 relay, Amanda Little, Emily Little, Morgan Tyger and Sunafrank ran 11:00.48 to finish behind champion Northern Potter and second-place Punxsutawney.
Other medalists on the day for the Lady Owls were Sophia Oliver, with a fourth-place finish in the discus, and Katie O’Neil, who was fifth in the high jump. Amanda Little and Sunafrank each earned sixth-place medals in the 3200 and 300 hurdles, respectively.
Oliver threw the disc a personal-best 102-00, while teammate Abby Coffman had a personal-best throw of 31-10.5 in the shot put for seventh place.
“Their hard work all winter is paying off,” Stillman said.
O’Neil jumped 4-07, which Stillman said he was very happy with. Little ran a 12:55.57 in the 3200, which Stillman called a very good race.
The Lady Owls are back in action with an away meet Tuesday at DuBois.
