Balanced Tigers top Badger, Toppers

Updated: April 29, 2011 11:56PM

Kinn Badger far ahead of any kind of pace she could have imagined toward qualification for the Class 3A state meet.

The Glenbard West junior won three events at the 34th annual Wheaton Warrenville South Invitational Friday night and all three wins eclipsed state qualifying times. Badger won the 100-meter dash (12.39), 200 (25.84) and the 400 relay (49.07) with Kathryn Pickett, Caroline Maloney and Bridget Flanagan.

The Hilltoppers (92.5 points) led for most of the meet until the host Tigers (100) passed Glenbard West with a few events remaining. WW South won the meet for only the third time, but claimed its second title in four years after last year’s event was canceled due to poor weather.

The Tigers won without winning a relay and crowned only three event champions with McKenna Kiple in the 800 (2:14.58), Desirae Randberg in the discus (111-feet) and Kasey Gassensmith in the high jump (5-2).

“I was pleasantly surprised,” WW South coach Rob Harvey said. “I think our strength is our depth. We certainly have a lot of girls that could be superstars like our half-miler, McKenna, and both of our high jumpers [Gassensmith and Erin Zappia]. The senior leadership has been wonderful.”

Badger won the 100 and 200 for the first time in her career. Glenbard West lost an outdoor meet for only the second time this season after finishing third at Downers Grove North April 15.

“It was amazing. I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Badger said. “I see in the 200 that I beat Oak Park Te’juanna Williams] and Bolingbrook [Rosemary Onyegbule].”

Badger normally runs in the 400 and 1600 relay, but her even assignments continue to change before deciding what events to compete in for state qualification. Downers South standout Tori Franklin, who won the 400 and triple jump last week at Glenbard West, did not attend the meet due to Prom Night.

Schaumburg senior Karen Lesiewicz shattered the meet record in the 1600 (4:57.68) previously set by Wheaton North’s Becky Cotta (5:04.74) in 1980. Lesiewicz defeated Hinsdale Central’s Jill Hardies (5:00.42), who won at Glenbard West.

Hinsdale Central senior Kelsey Truedson, who finished third at Glenbard West, won the pole vault for the first time by clearing 11-feet, beating her personal best by one foot.

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