Williams breaks 23-year-old CHSAA record

Olicia Williams could barely come up with the words to describe the way she felt Saturday at the CHSAA Intersectional championship.

The St. Anthony's junior had just set a CHSAA state record with a first-place finish in the 1,000-meter run in 2 minutes, 51.77 seconds and helped lead the Friars to their second straight Intersectional championship at the Armory.

Williams bested the previous record in the 1,000 of 2:53.9 set by Notre Dame Prep's Courtney Finn in 1988. "Right now all my times are right and I'm practicing hard now," Williams said. "I've matured and I'm back on track."

St. Anthony's took first with 78.5 points, followed by Kellenberg (41) and St. John the Baptist (32).

Katie Gallagher joined Williams in the winner's circle with a first-place finish in the high jump (5-5) and long jump (16-9 ½), while Emily Taussig took first in the 55 in 7.39.

St. Anthony's relay contingent was just as successful. Its 4 x 800 quartet of Lauren Fontana, Alex Russo, Sloane Russ and Danielle Cornell led the way with a first-place finish in 9:24.71. Missing from that crew was Williams, who instead ran the anchor leg of the winning 4 x 400 team (Megan Fiedler, Brianna and Shannon Murphy) that finished in 4:01.2.

Williams normally runs the 4 x 800, but switched the events to help the 4 x 400 team earn a state qualifying bid.

SEE PHOTOSCHSAA intersectional track championships

"They knew they could do it without me because they've been training," Williams said of the 4 x 800 squad.

The Friars' 4 x 200 team of Taussig, Gabrielle Barbour, Kathryn Mazzucca, Chynna-Monica Chung also took first in 1:44.7.

Other outstanding performers for St. Anthony's were Leigh Poetzsch (5-2) and Liz Fallon (5-2), who took second and third in the high jump, Lauren Lavoro with a third-place finish in the 3,000 (10:40.41) and Russo with a third-place finish in the pole vault in 8-6.

The Friars Barbour finished third in the 55 (7.41).

Sacred Heart's Ashley Murphy wasn't ready to see her indoor season end prematurely.

But it wasn't an easy task the senior distance runner needed a final kick over the final 20 meters to hold off Kellenberg's Kylie Pearse (4:49.45) for a first-place finish in the 1,500 in 4:49.15.

It was the only event of the day for Murphy. "This is the last race of the regular season and my last CHSAA [indoor] Intersectional, so I gave everything I had," Murphy said.

Kellenberg had a fine day as Michelle Anthony won the 55 hurdles in 8.03 and teammate Ordine Belot took first in the triple jump (36-4) and second in the 55 hurdles (9.0).

Natalie Jean finished third in the shot put in 35-6 ¼ for the Firebirds.

St. John the Baptist had four first-place finishers; Anne Carey in the 3,000 (10:08.12), Emma Cleary in the Pole Vault (9 feet), Victoria Lundin in the 300 (39.87) and Bridget Cary, who won the 600 (1:35.81).

Holy Trinity's Colleen Schmidt took second in the 3,000 (10:08.77), while teammate Tatianna Tutt took second in the long jump (15-8 ¾) and third in the triple jump (35- ½).