MASCOUTAH — Freeburg High sophomore Hayden Geluck vividly remembers running laps with her 1600-meter relay teammates with one phrase on their lips during their training sessions.

"One more lap," Geluck said.

As she huddled with her relay teammates Thursday afternoon at Mascoutah High School, they echoed that motto of "one more lap" amidst tears.

They weren't ready to say goodbye to the season or the lone senior on the relay.

They wanted one more race with senior Alexis Geluck, Hayden's older sister.

"It's our last year together, we wanted to do it for her," Freeburg junior Grace Trentman said. "We wanted to do all we could (for one more race)."

Mission achieved.

Freeburg's 1600 relay shattered its season-best performance and captured the Class 2A Mascoutah Sectional title with a time of 4 minutes and 5.73 seconds to qualify for next week's Class 2A state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

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"It was, 'I'm not done with my sister. I still get to hand off to her one more time,' " Hayden Geluck said. "It's really emotional. She's been my best friend growing up, and I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet."

Alexis Geluck admitted there were tears before the gun went off with the possibility that it would be her final race in a Freeburg uniform.

As she saw anchor leg AnnMarie Trentman — sister of leadoff runner Grace Trentman — erase a 20-meter deficit and blitz to the finish line, those initial tears were replaced with more tears.

Happy tears.

"There were so many emotions," Alexis Geluck said. "I was crying before the race and after. We have two sets of sisters on the team, it's just so much love and there's a bond here that isn't on other relay teams."

AnnMarie Trentman, a junior, got the baton in second place behind Murphysboro and had one thing on her mind.

"I was just thinking go and try and catch up to (the leader)," AnnMarie Trentman said. "Once I hit that 200-meter mark, I passed them. I was like OK, go, you can't leave anything. I was just thinking about Alexis."

Grace Trentman admitted the reality that they advanced to the state championship meet for the second consecutive year hadn't really sunk in.

"On the bus (to Charleston), it will," Grace Trentman said.

Waterloo freshman Karigan Littlejohn clears the bar during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Crump, Littlejohn lead Waterloo to team title

When Waterloo freshman Karigan Littlejohn hits the runway and slams the pole into the ground to launch herself into the sky, there isn't much thinking to it.

"It's kind of a blank mind and just muscle memory," Littlejohn said. "I just do what I know how to do and when I go up there, my body knows what to do."

Littlejohn is a former gymnast, and her junior high track and field coach approached Waterloo High head coach Larry Huffman with the thought that she'd be good in the pole vault.

"It was three weeks before the regional tournament and I was like, 'I'll show her some drills,' " Huffman said. "She made it to (junior high) state off of four practices."

With a full year of practice at pole vault, the freshman exploded onto the scene this year and punched her ticket to state with a first-place finish in the pole vault with a jump of 3.12 meters (10 feet, 2.75 inches).

"It's really exciting," Littlejohn said. "I just wanted to get there. Now that I've gotten there, I'm happy."

Bulldogs senior Cameron Crump will join Littlejohn at state after capturing a sectional title in the 3200-meter run as well as a runner-up finish in the 1600.

Joining the pair is all four Waterloo relay teams, Paige Zlatic (100), and Ellie Zweigart (long jump) for next week's state meet.

Waterloo won the sectional team championship for the second consecutive season, scoring 95 points to 86.5 for runner-up Marion.

After a "rough" regular season, Crump is happy to make it to state for the third successive season.

"I'm definitely super grateful and excited," Crump said. "This season has been kind of rough because I haven't done exactly how I wanted to and haven't been around my times since last year. I just wanted to make it to state for sure because it's a fun experience."

After Crump claimed the sectional title in the 3200, Littlejohn was one of the first Waterloo athletes to congratulate the senior.

"(Littlejohn) loves being here," Huffman said. "She loves track and has a lot of fun. Anytime someone has made it to state, she's been running over and congratulating them. The next four years are going to be great because she'll be a role model for everyone."

Mascoutah senior Jamison Love clears the hurdle during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Mascoutah's Love uses last season as motivation

Last year was Jamison Love's first running the 100 hurdles, and she didn't know exactly what to expect.

Still, the Mascoutah multi-sport athlete finished as the state runner-up.

"When I realized I could do it, it just motivated me to work harder," said Love, who now is a senior.

On Thursday, she won the 100 hurdles sectional title with a time of 14.81 seconds, the 19th-fastest time in the state of Illinois this season.

She just smiled when she heard the time.

"It means I can do better," Love said. "There are still 18 people faster than me."

One of the things she learned last season was to not hold back when she got on the track.

"I wasn't scared, but I know I held myself back some races compared to others because I was scared of being tired afterward," Love said.

Scenes from the Class 2A Mascoutah girls track and field meet

Waterloo celebrates after the 4x100 relay race during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Members of Freeburg's 1600-meter relay team hug each other after winning the race during the Class 2A Mascoutah Sectional girls track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo freshman Karigan Littlejohn clears the bar during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Mascoutah senior Jamison Love clears the hurdle during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo celebrates after the 4x100 relay race during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo senior Cameron Crump runs in the 3200-meter race during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Freeburg’s Grace Trentman hands off to Hayden Geluck during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo reacts after seeing their time during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo’s Grayce Mayer clears the bar during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Freeburg’s AnnMarie Trentman clears the bar during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Mascoutah’s Baila Finlay sprints with the baton during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Freeburg’s Grace Trentman lands in the pit during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo’s 3200-meter relay team reacts during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Carterville’s Anna Booker runs with the baton during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo’s Emily Vogt takes the baton during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

IHSA starter Aric Steinbeck fires the gun during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo’s Cameron Crump, right, congratulates Carterville’s Molly Robertson during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Herrin athletes celebrate after making the state mark during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Marion’s Brenna Stearns smiles after picking herself up during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Waterloo’s Karigan Littlejohn clears the bar during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

The finish of the 800-meter relay race during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Marion celebrates Brenna Stearns’ finish during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

Mascoutah’s Isabelle Uptergrove tosses the shot put during the Class 2A Mascoutah girls sectional track and field meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Mascoutah High School in Mascoutah, Ill.

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