Tywon Green: 'We did what we wanted to do. We wanted to peak here and run our best and we did. An awesome output and effort by the girls.'
DeKALB – Brimonet Buggs heard a familiar voice and pushed herself even harder.
“Run your race!” her mother Monique Buggs yelled from the bleachers.
Buggs seized the moment, claiming multiple first-place finishes Thursday during the Class 3A DeKalb Sectional, as the Barbs qualified six athletes in seven different events for next week’s state final meet at Eastern Illinois University.
“I could hear my mom screaming at me,” Buggs said. “That just pushed me to go even faster.”
Buggs was part of DeKalb’s 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams – both finished first with record-breaking times. She also set a new school record in the 100-meter dash, clocking in at 11.87. The Barbs tied for fourth with 44 points in the 15-team sectional, which was won by Huntley (67.75).
“I feel really good now, knowing that I’m finally peaking,” she said. “I’ve been trusting the process so I know I’m getting better now.”
DeKalb’s 4x100 relay team of Kmaris Kirkwood, Kyra Ozier, Sierra Long and Buggs cruised to a first place finish of 47.28 – the best time in the state this season, according to DeKalb coach Tywon Green.
Outside of the 4x400, the Barbs set new PRs in each track event they participated in. Katherine Olsen won the 3,200 with a time of 10:56.08 and qualified for state in the 1,600 at 5:05.59. Buggs and Ozier finished in first and second place in the 200 with times of 24.66 and 25.42, respectively, while Long won the 400 in 57.29.
"I've been working and trying to get it down to 57 seconds for a long time," Long said. "It's such a relief to finally get that. From here I can only get a better time and keep improving.
"I went out there really confident. I knew I had to get a 58 or else I wasn't going to win it."
DeKalb's 4x200 team of Kmaris Kirkwood, Ozier, Miciah Kirkwood and Buggs grabbed a top finish of 1:40.31.
“We did what we wanted to do,” Green said. “We wanted to peak here and run our best and we did. An awesome output and effort by the girls.”
DeKalb’s stellar day, however, were overshadowed by injuries. The 4x400 team of Long, Miciah Kirkwood, Olsen and Ozier came .6 seconds short of qualifying for state. The group was on pace to finish around 3:50, but Ozier cramped up during the final leg and DeKalb took fourth at 4:05.12. Belvidere North claimed first in 4:01.46.
“Man, that was tough,” Green said. “This one hurts.”
Sydney Dumas, who was expected by Green to place in the 100-meter dash, also was slowed by a nagging hamstring injury.
Still, Green is remaining optimistic as the Barbs travel next week to state.
“We’re going to dial back a little bit,” he said. “We have to take care of these bodies and make them all fresh for our ride down there.
“We have to get healthy now.”
By the numbers: Belvidere North (64.25), Harlem (58.75) and McHenry (44) rounded out the top five teams. Antioch (26), Prairie Ridge (15), Hononegah (15), Grant (11), Jacobs (six), Auburn (six), Rockford East (4.75), Hampshire (four), Crystal Lake South (three) and Crystal Lake Central (2.50) completed the 15-team field.
Beyond the stats: DeKalb failed to qualify in a field event. Maddi Overton finished fourth in the discus with a throw of 115-feet-6.
They said it: "Our hand off (in the 4x100) was kind of iffy," Ozier said. "But I still feel like we did really good. I was running against the wind, but I knew we still had to finish in first place with state next week."