Taylor wins twice for Spartans at Rantoul meet

The first big outdoor invitational is the season is nearly here for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ track and field team.

The Spartans will visit Tolono on Friday for the annual Unity Invitational. Action begins at 4:30 p.m. with a bevy of area teams expected to compete with the Spartans.

SJO got in some work earlier this week on Monday during a triangular meet at Rantoul, going against the host Eagles and Charleston.

Maclayne Taylor sparked the Spartans by winning both the 100-meter dash (12.87 seconds) and the 200 (26.60).

Ashlyn Lannert picked up a win in the 800 (2:39.65) and Jillian Plotner crossed the finish line first in the 1,600 (5:26.33).

Rylee Sjuts in the 100 hurdles (18.92) and Payton Vallee in the discus (112 feet, 6 inches) also claimed first-place showings for SJO.

The Spartans earned runner-up finishes in nine events. Atleigh Hamilton took second in the 200 (27.02) and the long jump (16-2) while she also ran the anchor leg of the 400 relay (50.75) and the 800 relay (1:50.46) that placed second. Danie Kelso, Taylor and Sjuts also teamed up with Hamilton on both of those relays.

The 1,600 relay of Sjuts, Lannert, Hope Rajlich and Cassidy Bagby also finished second in 4:26.38, while Ally Monk in the 800 (2:42.93), Hannah Rajlich in the 1,600 (5:31.65), Angie Chahine in the 100 hurdles (19.68) and Abby Behrens in the high jump (4-10) rounded out the slew of second-place finishers by SJO.

Behrens in the 400 (1:14.62), Bagby in the 1,600 (5:32.91), Chahine in the high jump (4-10), Hailey Birt in the 200 (28.54), Kailyn Ingram in the 800 (2:42.23), Malorie Sarnecki in the triple jump (26-0) and Lindsey Aden in the shot put (29-11.75) all chipped in for the Spartans with third-place finishes in their respective events.

After the Unity Invitational on Friday, the Spartans are slated to head back to Tolono next Tuesday for a 4:30 p.m. quadrangular meet with the host Rockets, Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman and Salt Fork.