CGB 8th Grade Girls 10th at IESA State Track and Field Meet; Maddy Willard Earns State Championship!

CGB eighth grader Maddy Willard stands atop the medal podium at the IESA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships on Friday, May 16. Maddy won the eighth grade girls’ pole vault with a vault of 8’ 7” to become the state champion. Her teammate is on the left side of the podium for her sixth place finish in the same event.

By SALLY McCARTHY

The Cerro Gordo Bement eighth grade girls track and field team’s state qualifiers traveled to East Peoria for the IESA State Class 2A State Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17. As a team they finished in a tie for tenth place with Henry-Senachwine scoring 15 points. A total of 52 teams scored in their division.

Coming home with a state championship was Maddy Willard. She won the pole vault with a PR vault of 8’ 7”. Teammate Lauren Hill also brought home a medal from the pole vault as she took sixth place with her own PR of 7’ 6.5”. Other medalists were Avery Stoerger who was eighth in the high jump at 4’ 9.5” and the 4 X 1 relay of Lauren Hill, Brynnan Stinson-Sheets, Aubrey Ferguson, and Darby Walther also finishing eighth with a time of 54.71.

Other participating at the state meet were Maggie Petty, shot put, 27’ 10”; the 4 X 2 relay of Sophia Ferguson, Maci Mills, Stoerger, and Petty who ran a time of 1:59.48 and the 4 X 4 relay with Sophia Ferguson, Sarah Hill, Mills and Aubrey Ferguson who ran a time of 4:31.70.

Congratulations to all the athletes who made it to State and to the whole team on a very successful 2025 season. Good luck in your futures in high school in whatever you choose to do!