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Girls Track: Next hurdle for Tenerelli at sectional
Besty Morgan (left) and Cara Tenerelli, of Hinsdale Centra,l hug their hurdles coach, Pat Wilson after Tenerelli won the 100-meter hurdles during the West Suburban Conference Silver Divisionmeet. | James C. Svehla~for Sun-Times Media
Updated: June 11, 2012 9:11AM
Cara Tenerelli faced a pair of familiar foes when she toed the start line in Friday night’s 100-meter hurdles.
Tenerelli battled against Oak Park-River Forest sophomore Amari Wilkerson for the third time this season in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division girls track and field meet. In another lane, Lyons Township freshman Emma Haugen was the pre-race favorite based on her No. 1 time in preliminaries. Tenerelli and Haugen are teammates on the west suburban-based Zephyrs track and field club, which competes in the offseason.
Tenerelli won the 100 hurdles at York with a 16.55 time. Wilkerson (16.6) was second, Glenbard West’s Emma Manning (17.87) took third and Haugen (17.92) placed fourth after making contact with one of the last hurdles in the race.
The hurdles event is probably Tenerelli’s best chance to make the Class 3A state meet, which starts May 17 in Charleston. The Hinsdale Central junior from Clarendon Hills will attempt to qualify at the Downers Grove North Sectional Thursday, but must win the event or top the state qualifying time of 15.34.
“I hope I can qualify in the hurdles,” Tenerelli said. “That’s my biggest goal.”
Unlike her peers, Tenerelli only competes in the 100 hurdles. Wilkerson won the 300 hurdles title at the conference meet. The last time Tenerelli ran the 300 was two years ago.
“It’s a whole different race,” Tenerelli said. “I am not best suited for (the 300). You have to be a good endurance sprinter.”
Betsy Morgan (50.18) placed fourth in the 300 hurdles for the Red Devils.
Instead, Tenerelli runs the 800 relay and competes in the triple jump. She set a new personal record in that event with a 33-foot-3 1/2 leap for fourth place. Haugen (35-4 1/4) was second to Downers North’s Tess Johnson (36-0).
“I’m most proud of the hurdles. It’s my favorite event to run,” Tenerelli said. “I’ve definitely improved in the triple jump a lot. I did the triple jump last year for fun.”
The rivalry with Wilkerson is new since Wilkerson is competing on the varsity for her first season.
Tenerelli won between the two for the second time in three meetings, but back-to-back wins for Tenerelli. Wilkerson won the first dual at the beginning of the season. Tenerelli won April 21 at Glenbard West’s Pariseau Invitational at then at the conference meet.
The pair were sent to different sectionals with Wilkerson competing Thursday at Lyons Township.
Hinsdale Central placed sixth (59.5 points) in the conference meet.
Liz Dusky placed second (34-6) in the shot put and third in the discus (99-9). In the 400, Lauren Paul (59.47) took third and Lily Sarros (1:01.25) was fifth. Paul (26.59) took fifth in the 200.
