Lincoln Railsplitters Track and Field Team achieves success at State Finals
Twice as nice: Heitzig wins both 800m and 1600m at State

 

[May 20, 2024] 

Becca Heitzig, the senior superstar on the track for LCHS, is now a back-to-back-to-back STATE CHAMPION in the 800m.

And she is a STATE CHAMPION in the 1600m too!

Twice IS nice!

Heitzig impressively accomplished all of this on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the IHSA Class 2A Girls State Track and Field Championships at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

In both the 800m and the 1600m, Heitzig sprinted out to a lead and left the chase pack far behind. She was a strong solo in the lead pack and if you were there in person watching and hearing the crowd cheer for her, it would give you chills on what was a very hot day at O’Brien Field.

800m

Heitzig’s winning time in the 800m, which ran at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, was 2:09.55.

As a side note, her time in the Prelims on Friday was 2:15.48.

On Saturday, Heitzig began the 800m race in the number one spot and the O’Brien Field PA announcer was heard saying, “Becca Heitzig immediately to the front of that alley. Heitzig, one of the most decorated female athletes in IHSA history across multiple sports with a Cross Country title last fall. Adding to a basketball title this spring. That’s Heitzig leading on the back stretch.”

After a few seconds of mentioning the top athletes in the chase pack, the PA announcer focused on Heitzig again.

“Her record set last year, 2:08.48. So where is she? After one lap, she’s at 1:03. Do the math,” said the familiar voice of the PA announcer.

The PA announcer then mentioned Heitzig could possibly break her own state record from last year and noted that she would run the 1600m later today.

“Heitzig completely in front of the chase pack right now,” said the PA announcer.

As she headed into the north curve at 1:42, the PA announcer heightened his voice, saying, “She’s headed to Iowa State in the fall. She’s gonna make it close to her record of 2:08.48. That’s Becca Heitzig, a competitor with always a smile on her face. Becca Heitzig! She’s chasing a record. Two, three, four, five, six, seven…(the crowd noise was immense at this moment)…and she has defended her state championship!”

The crowd in the stands went wild with applause, standing and cheering her on as she approached and crossed the finish line.

Heitzig crossed the finish line at 2:09.55 and glanced back at the chase pack. Putting her hands on her hips, she walked off the track to grab two cups of water. She went to take a brief rest in the shade and mentioned how she just doesn’t care too much for running in this heat. It was a beautiful 82 degree day filled with sunshine in Charleston and there were lots of sunburns starting by this time of day.

Heitzig’s run was not a record breaker this year but it was still so incredible to watch her race so far ahead of the others and to cross the finish line to roaring cheers.

The second-best time far behind Heitzig was achieved by Erin Hinsdale of Wheaton St. Francis. Hinsdale, a freshman, ran the 800m in a time of 2:14.83.

As you can tell by the time, no one else had shot at Heitzig. She certainly had the advantage of experience over the rest of the pack. Heitzig was the only senior in the top eleven runners.

Finishing in 12th place in the 800m was senior Camille Mavis of Mount Zion.

Eight minutes later, Heitzig was making her first appearance of the day atop the podium in the infield, receiving that first place medal with a big smile.

1600m

By the time the 1600m started just after 3:40 p.m. Heitzig began as the third runner, qualifying in the Prelims on Friday with a time of 5:11.90.

Heitzig was quick to play catch me if you can in the 1600m as she rounded the second turn and was already clearly taking over the lead in the backstretch.

When the O’Brien Field PA announcer began his comments about Heitzig he said, “Then the number three runner, Becca Heitzig from Lincoln, the All-State runner. The champion in Cross Country last year. Second in this event a year ago. She’s already won the 800m and is a state record holder. We could go on and on about the accomplishments of Becca Heitzig.”

During the race, the PA announcer spoke of all the runners but he always circled back to Heitzig.

“And there’s Becca Heitzig,” his voice rang throughout the stadium. “She’s already put the challenge down on the rest of the field that she wants this race.”

As he flashed back to talking about the chase pack, he said, “All of these girls have accomplished great things.”

He then mentioned Sundara Weber, who was making a move trying to catch up to Heitzig from the number two spot. Weber finished first in Friday’s Prelims with a time of 5:06.90.

“Heitzig hanging on to the lead. She still has a mile relay to run today too,” echoed the voice of the PA announcer throughout the stadium.

“At the 800 mark Heitzig with a 2:31.82,” continued the PA announcer. “Now the state record (Class 2A) is 4:43.65 by Kayla Beattie of Woodstock (2011). And there’s Becca Heitzig and Sundara Weber of Sandwich. Weber is trying to catch up.”

With the sun beaming brightly through the clouds in the baby blue sky, the PA announcer said, “Becca Heitzig into the homestretch. And Sundara Weber is slowly chipping away at Heitzig’s lead.”

Weber had laid down a seventy-five second lap but Heitzig was still in the lead and there was NO WAY she was going to lose it.

Down the back stretch, it was still Heitzig and Weber pulling away from the rest, with Heitzig seconds ahead.

“Here comes Heitzig. Becca Heitzig finishing off an individual career…..(hard to hear what the announcer said here due to the cheering from the stands)….she deserves all the kudos she gets. Becca Heitzig.”

The crowd grew louder.

“She’s under five minutes,” said the PA announcer.

Heitzig crossed the finish line at 4:58.82 and glanced at the runners behind her. She was immediately handed a cup of water as she walked off the track towards the shade. She high-fived a photographer on the turf and smiled as she put on a cooling jacket. Still she did not look exhausted.

Weber, the sophomore from Sandwich, was in second place with a time of 5:02.68.

Seven minutes later Heitzig was receiving her second first place medal of the day atop the podium, again with another smile as big as her heart.

VIDEO - Becca talks about her day at state and her summer plans

Next up for Heitzig: the 4x400m relay with Mallory Short, Kyli Lund and Grace Schneider.

4x400m Relay

The 4x400m relay team of Grace Schneider, Kyli Lund, Mallory Short and Becca Heitzig

In the Prelims on Friday the Lincoln 4x400m relay team qualified for the Finals with a remarkable time of 4:04.54. This was a PR for Mallory Short, Kyli Lund, Grace Schneider and Becca Heitzig, who still finished in 8th place in Prelims. Natalie Geary was the alternate for the relay team.

East St. Louis finished in first place in the 4x400m relay Prelims with a time of 3:58.76 on Friday.

The East St. Louis team would come out on top in Saturday’s Finals with a time of 3:52.97, a new PR for them.

At precisely 4:28 p.m. the 4x400m relay began with Mallory Short running first for Lincoln. Short handed off to Kyli Lund, who handed off to Grace Schneider, who gave the baton to Heitzig for the final lap around the track.

“How much time will Becca make up?” asked a photographer nearby.

Not enough by the end of this race, but she went out giving it her best.

Heitzig crossed the finish line dead last in the relay with the team earning a time of 4:07.15 in the last event of the day in Class 2A.

The decorated senior, who has truly been perhaps the best all-around athlete ever at LCHS, goes out on top in her individual events while poetically closing the door on her IHSA career at the end of the pack at 4:33 p.m. This time, she seemed pretty tired and rightfully so.

Lady Railer fans have to remember this opposing duo from Redbird Arena back in March. Lincoln #1. Chatham Glenwood #2. Heitzig and Lehnen.

But after five minutes she had caught her breath when she was approached by Chatham Glenwood’s outstanding two-sport athlete to keep an eye on, Katelyn Lehnen.

Lehnen, a junior, had become a state champion in the 100m to start her day in Class 3A. Her time was 11.69. Lehnen then finished fourth in the 200m with a time of 24.37 and took home another first in the 400m with a PR of 54.81. Heitzig and Lehnen finished as state champions in four of the five races! Is that not a great representation of the Central State Eight Conference right there in Charleston?

Ten minutes later, Short, Lund, Schneider and Heitzig approached the medal stand and kneeled on the turf to receive their 9th place medals. The day of competition was over.

High Jump

However, the day began earlier in the morning for Lincoln freshman Bailey Tungate, who competed in the High Jump. During Friday’s Prelims Tungate jumped 5’ 0.25 to qualify for the Finals. On Saturday morning, Tungate finished in 12th place with a jump of 4’11. Very impressive for a freshman!

Lincoln coach Nathan Lieber was really pleased with the team’s success at Charleston this past weekend.

“It’s the culmination of the whole year,” said Lieber of the State Finals. “The girls start working in January and a lot of them work year round. The five girls that competed today, it wasn’t just them. It was the entire team, the coaches, everybody. Especially the girls today, they just work day in and day out. We didn’t run really well at the conference meet and then to have a rebound in the Sectional at Metamora was huge. Then we ran our best race of the season yesterday in the Prelims of the 4x400m to qualify for today and that was a big deal. Also Bailey Tungate being able to qualify in the high jump and being able to get to the Finals today and get that experience as a freshman is a huge deal. She actually didn’t start high jumping until about six weeks ago. So her first month of the year she was really just running and testing the waters. The last month and a half she has dedicated herself to the high jump and she’s been here every day. To be able to go to State with that is pretty impressive. I am super proud of the girls this weekend. They were excited and it helped that many of them had been here last year. Some of them had been here multiple years in a row, like Mallory and Becca. So being able to know what to expect was awesome.”

A couple more moments that were awesome on the day included the overall media coverage that focused on Heitzig and also her interaction with her fellow athletes. At the end of the day, the respect and sportsmanship these athletes show towards each other really and truly is heartwarming.

Heitzig has definitely become one of the media and fan favorites in Charleston, having been there and been highly successful four years in a row. She was bombarded by the media for interviews following her sensational showing at the State Finals. Everyone wanted to chat with Becca. Even other athletes wanted their picture with her.

That's a trio of talent: Katelyn Lehnen, Ali Ince and Becca Heitzig

And of course, one final moment had to be captured at the end of it all. That moment was a photo opportunity with Heitzig, Glenwood’s Katelyn Lehnen and Normal Community’s Ali Ince.

Ali Ince and Becca Heitzig are headed to Oregon and Iowa State respectively to run track. Keep an eye on these two!

Ince is an elite senior athlete who is going to Oregon to run track and she participates in the same events as Heitzig, only in Class 3A. Ince finished first in the 800m with a time of 2:05.33. She finished first in the 1600m with a time of 4:44.86. Finally, Normal Community’s 4x400m relay team made a run for gold with Ince running the final leg and making up a tremendous amount of time, falling short by just .07. Normal Community finished in second place here with a time of 3:50.80. That was a new PR for them. Lincoln-Way East finished in first place with a time of 3:50.73. Talk about a photo finish! Anyway, at the end of the day, the girls were just relaxed, medals hanging from their necks, and able to smile and chat about another sport they shared: basketball.

One onlooker even said that this group would make a great 3-on-3 basketball team. Yep, they all three excel on the basketball court, with Heitzig having the advantage of a state championship.

And speaking of that state championship, Heitzig’s basketball coach, Taylor Rohrer, was in the blazing sun-soaked bleachers on Saturday to watch her star athlete on the court excel on the track.

When asked to add a few words about watching Heitzig’s performance in person from the stands on Saturday, Coach Rohrer said, “I’ve always been in awe of Becca’s athletic ability. Watching her shoot a jumper, pull down a board, get Kloe the ball on a great pass, or play hard nose defense…she never failed to put on a show. Yesterday was the first time I got to see her do her sport in person. The track is her element, her “home” and boy, did she ever run. In a stadium of hundreds, surrounded by and competing against some of the greatest female athletes in the state, she left everyone in her wake. She displayed what she is truly capable of and it was breathtaking. For me, time stood still during her 800m and 1600m races. She did what I’ve seen her do over 100 times on the basketball floor. She got an early lead and never looked back. In the 800m from the second the gun fired it was never in question Becca would undoubtedly claim her third state title and she would turn around and claim the 1600m in almost the same fashion. For a little bit it looked like it might be a race, as one runner tried to challenge her, but I know Becca well enough to know she was going to find another gear, another surge of energy. The fire would keep burning and just like that she crossed in front of us on the fourth lap to become the 1600m state champion.”

“The crowd was electric,” Coach Rohrer added. “It’s so different from basketball because in basketball you don’t cheer when the other team makes a basket but in track everyone is cheering for everyone, enjoying the unbelievable display of athleticism and guts these ladies leave on the track. Of course, you cheer harder for your own and yes, I was that loud fan standing, yelling, and cheering for Becca (while holding Levi) but around me everyone was clapping for her. And I just love that kind of appreciation for athletes.”

“I’m so proud of her and all she has accomplished,” Coach Rohrer continued. “She’s worked so hard. Yes, God gave her a talent but she fought hard on and off the cross country course, basketball and volleyball court, and track for each accolade. She surrounded herself with amazing people, family and friends and never took a day off. The best part about Becca is her big heart which is always displayed in her sports but if you know her you know what a kind and loving person she is too. I’m so grateful to have gotten to know her over the last four years and can’t wait to see her career and life in the future years.”

We are all right there with you, Coach!

Finally, congratulations to all the LCHS track and field athletes. What a great day at State!

[Teena Lowery]