EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville tied Homewood-Flossmoor for the IHSA Class 3A girls state track and field championship on Saturday, May 23, 2026, with both teams finishing with 76 points, capping a day in which the Tigers kept pace with one of the state’s top programs through a series of key finishes.
Normal University placed third with 50 points, followed by St. Charles North with 39, Belleville East with 33, and St. Ignatius with 32.
Edwardsville Head Girls Track and Field Coach Deserea Howard said belief carried her team through the meet.
“People were saying at times throughout the day that it wasn’t our day, but I kept saying it is our day, it is our day through the entire meet on Saturday,” Howard said.
“I knew we would keep fighting,” she said.
Howard said she understood the challenge of competing with Homewood-Flossmoor, a program she knew well from her own high school days.
“Homewood-Flossmoor is a great program and a dynasty, but I thought to myself, we can’t lose today,” she said. “I feel like both teams deserve it. Jayla Gathing, I saw the throw where she won the shot put and beat the other girl with another throw. I thought that ‘we can win this thing.’ It doesn’t have to be perfect, but we still got it done.”
Howard pointed to pivotal field event performances, including Joi Story’s finish in the discus and the team’s late efforts on the track.
“Joi Story was in 10th place in the discus, and when I got over there she was in third after winning the shot put,” Howard said.
“The 4 x 400 relay team was outstanding. It was nauseating. I don’t think I ever cheered so hard for Normal. They helped us out in the relay, I trust my 4 x 400 girls, and we executed, and it was great.”
Howard said the title reflected the team’s persistence throughout the season.
“We just kept fighting. And the girls bought into us being state champions. I am going to enjoy letting it (the state championship) sink in,” she said. “Homewood Flossmoor is an excellent team. I love the coaches and athletes on their team.
“It was beautiful today, and the girls just kept coming through. They didn’t believe they could win a state championship in the beginning, and all year, I kept saying we are going to get a trophy. To see the belief come and then get it, was something special. We are only losing our two shot putters and discus throwers. They saw it and felt it today; now we are not going anywhere.”
Edwardsville’s state results included a first-place finish by Sophie Shapiro in the 300 hurdles in 41.29 seconds and a second-place finish in the 100 hurdles in 13.79. In the field events, Story won the shot put with a throw of 13.52 meters, while Jayla Gathing won the discus at 46.17 meters, and Story placed third in the discus at 44.61 meters.
On the track, Joanna Anoke was fourth in the 200 meters in 24.03, and Joslyn Springman was sixth in the 100 in 12.24. The 4×100 relay team of Springman, Sophie Shapiro, Gestes and Anoke placed third in 46.58, while the 4×200 relay team of Springman, Zakkour, Anoke and Gestes finished second in 1:38.85.
Morgan Gestes added a sixth-place finish in the long jump at 5.53 meters. In distance events, Morgan Popelar placed 15th in the 3,200 in 10:57.91 and MacKenna Kerpan was 28th in 12:01.55. The 4×400 relay team of Gestes, Bell, Sophie Shapiro and Serena Shapiro finished eighth in 3:56.97, and the 4×800 relay team of Goodwin, Madison Popelar, Jackson and Serena Shapiro was 11th in 9:18.97. Madison Heng placed 30th in the triple jump at 10.54 meters.
Edwardsville State Results
100 Meters – Joslyn Springman, sixth place 12.24
200 Meters – Joanna Anoke, fourth place, 24.03
3,200 Meters – Morgan Popelar, 15th place, 10:57.91; 28th MacKenna Kerpan, 12:01.55
100 Hurdles – Sophie Shapiro, second place, 13.79
300 Hurdles – Sophie Shapiro, first place, 41.29
4 x 100 Relay – Springman, Sophie Shapiro, Gestes, Anoke, third place, 46.58
4 x 200 Relay – Springman, Zakkour, Anoke, Gestes, second place, 1:38.85
4 x 400 Relay – Gestes, Bell, Sophie Shapiro, Serena Shapiro, eighth place, 3:56.97
4 x 800 Relay – Goodwin, Madison Popelar, Jackson, Serena Shapiro, 11th, 9:18.97
Shot Put – Joi Story – first place, 13.52 meters.
Discus – Jayla Gathing, first place, 46.17 meters, Joi Story, third place, 44.61 meters
Long Jump – Morgan Gestes, sixth place, 5.53 meters
Triple jump – Madison Heng, 30th place, 10.54 meters
