Rush, Donner compete in Spotlight meet

Bureau County’s two state champions, Alyssa Donner of Princeton and Kendall Rush of Spring Valley, competed in Saturday’s Midwest Senior Spotlight Meet at Platteville, Wis.

Donner placed fourth in the pole vault at 10-6. Wisconsin vaulters swept the top three spots, including first-place Melissa Flucke, who cleared 11-6. There were seven competitors in all.

“It was a really good experience,” Donner said. “I got to meet a lot people. We’re all talking about track and since we’re all seniors, where we were all going to college.”

Donner said most of the athletes in the field events did not perform their best as they were a few weeks removed from active competition and practice. Donner cleared 10-10 to win state and 11-2 3/4 to win her last meet, the Peoria Honor Roll, at the end of May. She said Flucke normally vaults 12 feet.

“The fact no one else did very good and I got fourth in this huge meet makes up for fact I didn’t get my height,” she said. “I’m very glad to make the trip. It’s nice to say I ended up in this Spotlight meet.”

Ruwsh, the IHSA 1A champion and record holder, was third in the triple jump with a jump of 36-9. Illinois teammate Ebony Craig of Rock Island took first at 37-1 and Erika Suchla of Wisconsin was second at 36-11. Craig was the sixth-place finisher in 2A state competition.

“I thought I did OK. Did better than thought I would,” said Rush, who shared 2009 BCR Female Track Athlete of the Year honors with Donner,

The Hall state champion enjoyed meeting new competitors, breaking the old routine.

“It was a fun time. It was cool seeing different girls. You get used to seeing the same people every track meet,” she said.

Rush will head off to Illinois State to compete for the Redbirds, Donner heads further south to Charleston to compete for Eastern Illinois.