Harrisburg's Tonya Tuttle's efforts in the pole vault helped catapult her onto the All-South Girls Track Team.
Tuttle's senior year was highlighted by a 9-foot, 6-inch jump during the Class 1A girls track and field preliminaries, which were held in May on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. The leap stands as the area's best effort.
In early May, Tuttle brought home Harrisburg High School's one first-place finish in the Southern Illinois River-to-River Ohio Region's girls track championship. Her pole vault, which cleared the 9-foot mark won the event with ease.
Tuttle also finished third in the 800 run, while also participating on the 4-by-400 relay team that finished second behind West Frankfort.
2009 ALL-SOUTH GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Relays
4x800
- Anna Jonesboro - led the area in 10:20.76.
- Nashville - had the second best time in the area in 10:29.
4x400
- Mt. Vernon - led all area school's in 4:10.16
- West Frankfort - had the area's second best overall time and best of all Class A schools in 4:18.33.
4x200
- Carbondale - led the area in 1:47.45.
- Murphysboro - led all Class A schools in 1:48.81
- Herrin - had the area's 3rd best overall time at 1:50.3
- Benton - the Rangerettes best time of 1:50.4 was good for the area's fourth best time.
4x100
- Carbondale - led the area in 49.77.
- Murphysboro - led all Class A schools in the area at 51.4.
Individuals
- Margo Richardson, Mt. Vernon - the Southern Illinois Girls Track Athlete of the Year ran a state best 11:13.76 in the 3200 and 5:02.96 in the 1600 to win two state titles for the Lady Rams. She also led the area in the 800 run at 2:20.6.
- Crystal Wells, Carmi - ran 11:29.58 to finish 7th at the Class A state meet. Led all Class A runners in the area in both the 2-mile and mile. Her 5:28.76 1600 was good for 11th at the state meet.
- Aleigh Eggemeyer, Sparta - had the area's 3rd best 3200 time at 12:15.6 and 1600 time at 5:36.
- Sydney Potts, Benton - led the area in the 100 HH at 15.3 and third best 300 LH time of 49.3. Also high jumped 5'1" and led off Benton's sprint relays.
- Kaylee Little, Anna Jonesboro - had the area's second best 100 HH time of 16.0. Also was a Sectional champion in the 300 LH's with a time of 49.68 and had the third best triple jump in the area for Class A at 33'11."
- Chelsea Nosalik, Sesser-Valier - this senior had the area's 3rd best 100 HH time of 16.19 and was one of the best high jumpers in the area, clearing 5.' Finished 2nd in both events at the Carterville Sectional.
- Kelsey Coop, Sparta - was one of the area's top hurdlers. Had the area's 2nd best 300 LH time of 49.2.
- Courtney Flowers, Carbondale - this junior ran 12.30 to lead the area. Also ran 26.9 in the 200 Dash which tied for the best mark in AA in the area.
- Brittney Massey, Murphysboro - this senior was 7th in the 200 dash at the state meet in 26.29. Also led all Class A runners in the area in the 100 dash at 12.4. Was second in the area in the 400 dash at 59.3.
- Elizabeth Bell, Anna Jonesboro - this junior led all Class A runners in the 800 meters at 2:26.03 and was the champion at the Carterville Sectional.
- Alicia Hartley, West Frankfort-the Lady Redbird senior ran an area best 59.2 in the 400 dash and placed 7th at the IHSA state meet in Class A. She also triple jumped and ran on the Redbirds sprint relay teams and also had the area's second best triple jump at 34'5."
- Lexy Cobb, Mt. Vernon - had the area's 3rd best mark in the 400 dash at 59.83, tied for the best AA mark in the 200 at 26.9, and second best AA mark in the 100 at 12.81.
- Melanie Rhine, Nashville - led the area in the 300 LH's and was the Sectional Champion in the event at 48.70.
- Nikki Hall, Herrin - this junior led the area in the 200 dash at 26.81. Also had the 3rd best Class A time in the area in the 100 dash at 12.46.
- Nichole Wachter, Carterville - one of the area's top sprinters, this Lion had the area's fifth best time in the 100 at 12.52, and the area's fourth best 400 meter dash time at 1:02.15 qualifying for state in both.
- Lauren Winkleman, Carmi - this senior led all area jumpers in the long jump at 18'3" and placed 9th at the state meet in Class A. Also led all triple jumpers with a season best jump of 36'8" good enough for fourth place at state.
- Alexis Klinger, Vienna - this sophomore jumped 17'2" at the state meet to finish 10th in Class A. She also won the Carterville Sectional in the 100 dash in 12.25.
- Tonya Tuttle, Harrisburg - this senior led the area in the pole vault with a jump of 9'6."
- Natalie Hendricks, Carterville - this senior was the Sectional champion with a clearance of 9'3" in the pole vault and had the area's second best mark.
- Shay Reid, Carbondale - this Terrier led the area in the high jump with a clearance of 5'4."
- Stephanie Schnitker, Nashville - had the best Class A high jump in the area at 5'3."
- Dani Helmers, Chester - this senior led the area in the shot put with a heave of 39'10" and finished 6th at the IHSA Class A state meet.
- Ashley Webb, Benton - finished 3rd in Class A in the discus and had a season best throw of 132' to lead all Class A throwers in the area. She also finished 12th in the state in the shot put with a best throw of 39'4."
- Hannah Baker, Marion - this junior won the Class AA state championship in the discus for the Wildcats and led the area with a throw of 152'3."
