Lincoln-Way East Track & Field Celebrates with Parade and Trophy Presentation

It was a whirlwind weekend for the Lincoln-Way East girls track and field team.

On Saturday, the Griffins took second place in the Class 3A state meet at O’Brien Stadium in Charleston. Coming home Sunday, the team celebrated with a parade through the streets of Frankfort and Mokena followed by a trophy presentation in the Lincoln-Way East main gym.

“For a group of girls, for a school that’s never had a state trophy, this means everything,” Lincoln-Way East athletic director David Brost said. “These girls not only won second in state, but they made memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Griffins not only brought home the first girls’ state track and field trophy in school history, they joined six other sports at East to have won a state trophy.

, the Griffins had three first-place finishers Saturday (sophomore Aaliyah Brown in the 100 and 200 dash events, and the 400-meter relay team), and one third-place finish (1,600-meter relay team).

Brown was the individual standout of the day, as she has been for a while. With success comes expectations and a bulls eye on one’s back, but Brown has learned to feed off of the pressure.

“I’ve been running track for 8 years, so I’ve kind of had the target on my back,” she said. “So, I’m kind of used to it. It only makes me become a better runner. I want to make sure I don’t let anybody down that knows me personally and knows what I can do and what I’m capable of.”

Coach Caroline Cunningham said Brown was able to get the other girls on her team ready to race.

“As a sophomore, she could pump the team up and get them ready to go like no other,” Cunningham said.

Brost hopes this team can continue its success next year, because, like he pointed out during the trophy presentation, the Griffins are young.

“We hope this gives them the impetus to dig just a little deeper and get that first-place trophy next year, if that’s at all possible,” he said.

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