Gold rush: Tremont, Eureka, Henry athletes win Class 1A IHSA girls track championships

A slight stumble wasn't going to stop Cambria Geyer from state glory.

The Tremont junior won the Class 1A state championship in the 300-meter hurdles on Saturday at the Illinois High School Association meet in Charleston — one of three from the Peoria area to grab a gold.

In all, Journal Star-area girls athletes won 41 state medals (28 in Class 1A and 13 in Class 2A) on a wet and windy day on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

Who was at state? Peoria-area girls track athletes who competed at the IHSA state finals

Geyer's winning time of 44.43 seconds was her season-best and one of three medals she won Saturday. She held off the 300 favorite, Altamont's Grace Nelson, around the bend as the latter slightly stumbled. 

"I had no idea because I think I stumbled, too, on the same exact hurdle," Geyer said, "so I just like 'Uh oh,' so I just kept going. I had no idea.

"I was very surprised (to win the 300 hurdles), but my coach told me to just believe in myself that I could get one."

The speedster also was second behind Nelson in the 100 hurdles (14.66) — improving her spot by one place from last season — and fourth in the 200 dash (26.06). Tremont took sixth statewide in 1A thanks to Cambria's medals and a sixth-place pole vault medal from Sophia Sumer. Geyer is the school's first individual state champion since Amelia Glueck won the long jump in 2014.

"It was a good day," Geyer said. "I did the best I could."

Henry/Midland senior Nakeita Kessling made school history with her victory in the Class 1A 400 dash in 58.42 seconds, becoming the school's first track and field athlete, male or female, to win a state championship, according to IHSA records.

"I knew that I had the two fastest girls right next to me," Kessling said. "I knew where I needed to be and I just pushed to get it."

Kessling steadily pulled away to win gold, one of three medals she won Saturday. She also took second in the long jump (5.44 meters) and ninth in the 100 dash (13.20).

"I wouldn't even imagine I'd be here placing this high," she said, "it's just crazy."

Kessling now has six career medals, adding these three to the two she won last season in the long jump (4th) and 400 (5th) and the seventh-place long jump medal she won as a sophomore.

Eureka senior Anna Perry added to her distance running portfolio with a Class 1A championship in the 3200 run, she and a handful of relay medals helping the Hornets to eighth place as a team.

The Bradley recruit and two-time Journal Star cross country runner of the year also was eighth in the 1600 (5:14.71) on Saturday. She leaves high school with four state medals after she was third last season in the 2A 3200 and seventh in the 1600.

In Class 2A, Richwoods and sprinter Lena Jackson led the way. The freshman won three medals overall including a fourth-place in the 100 (12.69). 

Jackson teamed with A'yiana Maxwell, Brenna Huff and Olivia Skibinski to take second place in the 4x200 relay (1:43.73). Jackson, Huff, Skibinski and Mariah Cade teamed to take fourth in the 4x100 (49.58). Kankakee won both sprint relay titles.

The Knights, who finished sixth as a team in 2A, brought home two other medals when Jackson's sister, Mia, was seventh in the 100 hurdles (15.83) and Cade was ninth in the triple jump (10.82 meters).

Did we predict it? Peoria-area girls track and field athletes who could win an IHSA state title

Morton distance runner Emma Skinner ended her career with a medal. She was eighth in the 3200 run, clocking in at a career-best 10:50.43. She added a 12th-place finish in the 1600 (5:24.54).

Peoria Notre Dame added a third-place relay medal to its collection with a 3:59.20 finish in the 4x400. Aliza Welker, Mya Wardle, Molly Rickey and Gillian McDaniel earned the Irish their highest finish at state since Welker helped the 4x400 team to second place in 2019.

Back in Class 1A, Eureka also brought home three relay medals, taking fifth in the 4x400 (4:10.66), seventh in the 4x800 (10:01.14) and ninth in the 4x200 (1:49.13).

Grace Wegner was a part of all three medal-winning relays. Eureka's Laurel Munson was part of two of the relays and added a fifth-place in the long jump (5.22 meters). Other Eureka relay runners included Kayleigh Tharp, Sophia Musselman, Sophie Kaufman and Elle Knapp

Annawan/Wethersfield sophomore Kennady Anderson showed she will be a state threat for the next two seasons, earning three 1A medals. She was third in the 3200 (10:57.69), fourth in the 1600 (5:12.23) and sixth in the 800 (2:18.50).

Elmwood's Mya Strahm was a 1A double medalist, tying for second in the pole vault (3.50 meters) and taking sixth in the 300 hurdles (47.18). Teammate Elynn Peterson was one spot ahead in the 300s (47.12). 

Peoria area's other Class 1A medalists: Aubrey Brinkman, Illini Bluffs (4th discus, 40.52 meters); Laney Lester, Henry (5th discus, 37.37 meters); Cassidy Miller, Annawan/Wethersfield (6th shot put, 11.37 meters; Etta Wagner, Elmwood (7th shot put, 11.30 meters); Anna Lopez, St. Bede (7th triple jump, 10.45 meters); Anna Webel, Farmington (9th shot put, 35.83 meters); Deer Creek-Mackinaw (9th 4x100 relay); Jennifer Bonnett, Havana (9th long jump, 5.10 meters); and Miranda Hursey, Farmington (9th pole vault, 3.25 meters)

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete Class 1A results

The Peoria area's other Class 2A medalists: Galesburg (4th 4x200 relay, 1:44.58); Carmyn Huston, Monmouth-Roseville (5th shot put, 12.00 meters); Teagan Sullivan, Dunlap (5th long jump, 5.35 meters); Chelsea Wetzel, Dunlap (6th pole vault, 3.35 meters); Dunlap (9th 4x800 relay, 10:03.55); and Kailani Egli, Metamora (tie 9th pole vault, 3.10 meters).

FULL RESULTS: Click here for complete Class 2A finals results

Wes Huett is Journal Star sports editor. Email him at whuett@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @WesHuett.