Defoe heading back to state track meet
Glenwood High School junior Diana Defoe has qualified for the IHSA Class AA girls state track
meet in two events for the second year in succession.
Defoe had a strong day at last Friday's Alton Sectional, winning the high jump competition with a
leap of 5' 3" and coming in second in the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.5 seconds.
Defoe again finished second in that event to Lanphier freshman Ayanna Scott, as she did at the
CS8 meet a week earlier. Scott won by two-tenths of a second (14.3) at sectionals.
"Diana's got everything down right now," Glenwood coach Ryan Staley exclaimed. "She's got great
form and speed. We will work on trying to get her out of the blocks quicker for the state meet."
Pia Goodman's day at sectionals was not quite as bright, as the Glenwood junior missed out on a
state berth. Clearly the class of the field, Goodman decided to come in at 10 feet, though the best
posted marks were 9' and 8' 6" by Chelsea Coley and Hannah Faulkner of Edwardsville. Both ended
up with state berths as Goodman failed on her three attempts at 10'.
Staley, who was running the high jump competition at the time, said, "She took a gamble and it
just didn't happen. I told her that I wasn't mad, but I was disappointed for her, because she knows
she belongs at the state meet.
"She was devastated," Staley continued. "I felt bad for her."
Goodman had come in at 9' 6" after contemplating a start at 10' at the CS8 meet a week earlier.
She cleared that height before going for a personal record (11' 7"). Goodman has the Glenwood
school record of 11' 6", set earlier this season.
Also of note from sectionals, the Glenwood 4x200 relay team of Goodman, Defoe, Marchay Bell
and Astrid Osborne missed qualifying for state by two-tenths of a second, and freshman Marissa
Stafford, battling a shin injury, turned in a time of 1:01 in the 400 meter run that was not enough for
her to advance. The state meet will be held this weekend at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston.
•At Monday's Capital Area Classic at GHS, the Glenwood girls had a banner day, with three first
place finishes and three seconds, all from underclassmen.
"It's amazing what you can do in good weather," Staley explained. "We kind of got killed on the
weather this year, but what I saw Monday was a preview of what we could be seeing next year."
The same 4x200 relay team from sectionals were victorious, finishing with a time of 1:46.9. Staley
explained the first time the group had run together healthy all season was at sectionals.
Kayla Miller claimed the 800 meter run with a time of 2:27.4, and Bell took the 200 meter dash with
a time of 26.5 seconds. Placing second for Glenwood were: Goodman (10' 6") in the pole vault,
Defoe (15.2) in the 100 hurdles and Kristine Kerr (12:40.8) in the 3200 meter run.
"We kind of threw Kayla in the 800 in a relay earlier this year, and she ran the fastest leg," Staley
stated. "She's never won a race before so it was pretty exciting."
Also placing for Glenwood were: Defoe (tie for 3rd) in the high jump (5' 0"), Rachel Blisset (fourth
place) in the 3200 (12:57.9) and Kerr (sixth place) in the 1600 (6:00.9).
Glenwood High School junior Diana Defoe has qualified for the IHSA Class AA girls state track
meet in two events for the second year in succession.
Defoe had a strong day at last Friday's Alton Sectional, winning the high jump competition with a
leap of 5' 3" and coming in second in the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.5 seconds.
Defoe again finished second in that event to Lanphier freshman Ayanna Scott, as she did at the
CS8 meet a week earlier. Scott won by two-tenths of a second (14.3) at sectionals.
"Diana's got everything down right now," Glenwood coach Ryan Staley exclaimed. "She's got great
form and speed. We will work on trying to get her out of the blocks quicker for the state meet."
Pia Goodman's day at sectionals was not quite as bright, as the Glenwood junior missed out on a
state berth. Clearly the class of the field, Goodman decided to come in at 10 feet, though the best
posted marks were 9' and 8' 6" by Chelsea Coley and Hannah Faulkner of Edwardsville. Both ended
up with state berths as Goodman failed on her three attempts at 10'.
Staley, who was running the high jump competition at the time, said, "She took a gamble and it
just didn't happen. I told her that I wasn't mad, but I was disappointed for her, because she knows
she belongs at the state meet.
"She was devastated," Staley continued. "I felt bad for her."
Goodman had come in at 9' 6" after contemplating a start at 10' at the CS8 meet a week earlier.
She cleared that height before going for a personal record (11' 7"). Goodman has the Glenwood
school record of 11' 6", set earlier this season.
Also of note from sectionals, the Glenwood 4x200 relay team of Goodman, Defoe, Marchay Bell
and Astrid Osborne missed qualifying for state by two-tenths of a second, and freshman Marissa
Stafford, battling a shin injury, turned in a time of 1:01 in the 400 meter run that was not enough for
her to advance. The state meet will be held this weekend at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston.
•At Monday's Capital Area Classic at GHS, the Glenwood girls had a banner day, with three first
place finishes and three seconds, all from underclassmen.
"It's amazing what you can do in good weather," Staley explained. "We kind of got killed on the
weather this year, but what I saw Monday was a preview of what we could be seeing next year."
The same 4x200 relay team from sectionals were victorious, finishing with a time of 1:46.9. Staley
explained the first time the group had run together healthy all season was at sectionals.
Kayla Miller claimed the 800 meter run with a time of 2:27.4, and Bell took the 200 meter dash with
a time of 26.5 seconds. Placing second for Glenwood were: Goodman (10' 6") in the pole vault,
Defoe (15.2) in the 100 hurdles and Kristine Kerr (12:40.8) in the 3200 meter run.
"We kind of threw Kayla in the 800 in a relay earlier this year, and she ran the fastest leg," Staley
stated. "She's never won a race before so it was pretty exciting."
Also placing for Glenwood were: Defoe (tie for 3rd) in the high jump (5' 0"), Rachel Blisset (fourth
place) in the 3200 (12:57.9) and Kerr (sixth place) in the 1600 (6:00.9).
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: May 15, 2008
