SPARTA - If there was any doubt that Sparta's Lady Bulldogs were going to claim their own sectional title, it was erased in the final 200 meters of the 1,600.

Aleigh Eggemeyer and Rachel Peck both roared past Brandi Malick of Nashville and Becky Vanderjack of Pinckneyville to secure the sectional title. Sparta won the sectional with 119 points while Breese Central was second with 88 and Nashville was third with 71.

Eggemeyer, who also won the 3,200 meters, entered the final lap running third or fourth.

"When we went 1-2 … ," Sparta coach Dave Peck said. "Rachel Peck came out of nowhere to run that sub-six minute race. She took the lead coming out of the blocks and set the tone early."

Eggemeyer finished in 5:52.7. Peck ran a 5:53. Her previous best had been 6:01.1.

As for Eggemeyer, it was pretty much her typical race.

"She had a tendency to like to lay back and come off that final curve and slingshot," Peck said.

The 1-2 punch in the 1,600 meters and a strong showing in the relays pushed Sparta over the top. The Lady Bulldogs won the 3,200 relay in a season-best time of 10:15.9. They finished second to Pinckneyville in the 400 relay, placed third in the 800 relay and second in the 1,600 relay.

Like Eggemeyer, Peck is also a double-qualifier for next weekend's state meet.

Peck finished second to Nashville's Dana Fischer in the pole vault. Fischer won the event at 9-6 while Peck cleared 8-9.

Jasmine Penny also qualified in the 800 meters, taking second behind Breese Central's KC Root.

"I think I've been blessed all year with quite a lot of talent," Dave Peck said. "We could spread the work around. Did I do anything different to try to win the meet? No, I didn't."

In the meantime, Pinckneyville's Kimberly Spencer took the first steps toward defending her 100- and 200-meter state titles. Spencer is the three-time defending 100-meter champion.

She won the 100 in 12.1, topping Okawville's Tess Schubert by four-tenths of a second. Spencer's 200 win was even more impressive. She ran a season best 24.64, finishing several strides ahead of Breese Central's Jena Hemann.

Spencer's focus is on earning her fourth straight 100 title.

"It's very important because there have only been two people, both in A and AA, that had done that before," she said. "That's quite an achievement."

Although she has a string of state titles in the 100, Spencer is learning to like the 200 as well.

"I used to like the 100 the best, but now I'm starting to lean to the 200," she said. "I've improved in it."

Chester's Dani Helmers also qualified in two events. She won the shot put with a toss of 39-6 and placed second to Murphysboro's Zakeya Lockett in the discus. Lockett's mark was 110-06 while Helmers threw 104-02.5

Other area state qualifiers are: Steeleville's Elizabeth Wolters (3,200) and Rachel Duensing (100 hurdles); Sesser-Valier's Chelsea Nosalik (100 hurdles); Okawville's Shubert (200 and 400 meters) and Emily Hackstadt (long jump); Du Quoin's Kristin Osborn (triple jump); and Nashville's Jennifer Moeller (shot put).

In addition to the Sparta relays that advanced to state, Nashville qualified in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Pinckneyville won the 400 relay and Chester earned first in the 800 relay.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the day was Murphysboro's 800 relay team. The team had a sizable lead going into the second exchange and dropped the baton. They had the third best time in Southern Illinois heading into the meet.

"We just dropped the baton," Murphysboro coach Jim West said. "We were in the zone. We were way out in front. I don't know if we miscommunicated."

les.winkeler@thesouthern.com

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