The Sentinel: Maroa-Forsyth

Chelsey Stotler claims 1A state Shot Put title, Gajewski takes second

Chelsey Stotler of Stark County wins Class 1A shot put at IHSA State Finals with a 12.91m throw, improving from 4th last year. Nashville’s Makayla Gajewski falls just 0.08m short of defending her 1A shot put title, takes 2nd at 12.83m.

Stark County's Chelsey Stotler throws her gold medal put — Making her third throw during Thursday's prelims, Stark County's Chelsey Stotler tosses her shot this year's top distance. Moving up from a 4th place finish in 2024, Stotler, a senior, ends her prep career on a championship note.

CHARLESTON - Stark County senior Chelsey Stotler delivered a championship throw of 12.91 meters to win the Class 1A shot put title Saturday at the IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals at Eastern Illinois University, capping a steady climb from last year’s podium.

Stotler, who placed fourth in 2024 with an 11.80-meter effort, improved by more than a full meter in her final high school appearance. She entered the state series with the third-best sectional mark at 12.51 meters but found another gear in the finals to edge out a deep field that included several returning state qualifiers.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Hornets' Makayla Gajewski unloads a long throw while attempting to defend her 2024 IHSA shot put title. Heading into the state meet, the sophomore posted the best throw out all 14 sectionals.

Nashville sophomore Makayla Gajewski, last year’s state champion with a 12.11-meter throw, came within inches of repeating. She finished second at 12.83 meters, just 0.08 meters shy of Stotler’s winning mark. Gajewski’s 13.06-meter sectional throw led the state this spring, and her silver-medal finish suggests she’ll remain a contender for years to come.

Maroa-Forsyth’s Zion Young, also a sophomore, earned her second consecutive top-three finish with a 12.41-meter throw to take third. She placed third in 2024 as well, throwing 11.83 meters as a freshman representing Decatur St. Teresa. Her progression signals a strong upward trajectory in the event.

Vandalia junior Hannah Brown rounded out the top four with a personal-best 12.34-meter throw—nearly a full meter improvement from her ninth-place finish a year ago (11.22 meters). Brown qualified this year with a 11.29-meter sectional mark and found her best form when it mattered most.

.::. More IHSA state track photos and stories .::.

The top four athletes in this year’s finals all returned from last year’s state field, making their improvements and consistency stand out in a discipline that demands technical precision and raw strength. Each surpassed their previous state finals marks by wide margins—demonstrating year-over-year growth that underscores the level of competition in the small-school division.

Left to right: Nashville senior Ellie Bartling makes her first throw during the prelims. Second: Hannah Brown throws the put 12.34m for a new PR. Third: Carlinville's Hannah Gibson reacts after her second foul. Fourth: El Paso-Gridley's throws the shot 11.62m on her third attempt.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Maroa-Forsyth sophomore Zion Young throws the shot 11.99m on her third throw. She also finished third in the final standings her freshman season.

While no athlete approached the state record of 15.55 meters set by Kathleen Young in 2016, this year’s results highlight the competitive depth and promise of a new generation of throwers.

The 1A field also featured several other athletes who returned from last year’s finals, including Warrensburg-Latham’s Emma Whightsil (6th, 12.14m in 2025; 10th, 11.16m in 2024), St. Teresa’s Addison Johnson (10th, 11.50m; 6th, 11.56m in 2024), Nashville’s Ellie Bartling (9th, 11.72m), and Carlinville’s Hannah Gibson (12th, 11.12m), each of whom continued to show consistency at the state level.

Watseka's Megan Martin throws at the 2025 IHSA state track meet — Watseka's Megan Martin throws the shot to her longest distance for the day to 10.41m from the circle. She finished 22nd overall out of 36 competitors.

2025 IHSA Shot Put State Finishers

1 Chelsey Stotler, Stark County, 12.91m
2 Makayla Gajewski, Nashville, 12.83m
3 Zion Young, Maroa-Forsyth, 12.41m
4 Hannah Brown, Vandalia, 12.34mPR
5 Aubrey Phillips, El Paso-Gridley, 12.20mPR
6 Emma Whightsil, Warrensburg-Latham, 12.14m
7 Brenna Dutcher, Warrensburg-Latham, 11.91m
8 Lia Prairie, Clifton Central, 11.86mPR
9 Ellie Bartling, Nashville, 11.72mPR
10 Addison Johnson, St. Teresa, 11.50m
11 Kylie Smither, Fulton, 11.37m
12 Hannah Gibson, Carlinville, 11.12m
13 Chloe Green, Mt. Olive, 10.99m
14 Lauren Orwig, Stark County, 10.97m
15 Maya Rounds, Sesser-Valier, 10.93m
15 Payton Harding, Carlinville, 10.93mPR
17 Addison Stadsholt, Athens, 10.82m
18 Addison Yeakel, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, 10.66m
19 Reagan McGlauchlen, Pana, 10.59m
20 Isabella Bunting, Dwight, 10.54m
21 Lilly Kirkpatrick, Sesser-Valier, 10.46m
22 Megan Martin, Watseka, 10.41m
23 Clara Brunner, Springfield Lutheran, 10.28m
24 Rileigh Gaddini, Alden-Hebron, 10.19m
25 Alex Clark, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, 10.17m
26 Brooklyn Peterson, Riverdale, 10.13m
27 Piper Tyson, Mt. Pulaski, 10.09m
28 Torrie Rider, Carmi-White County, 9.84m
29 Marlee McPeek, Lena-Winslow, 9.79m
30 Alivia Allison, Carlyle, 9.72m
31 Tori Lambert, Chicago Hope Academy, 9.57m
32 Brynlea Downs, Rushville-Industry, 9.45m
33 Anastasia Melvin, Gibault Catholic, 9.41m
34 Gwen Jimenez, Marquette, 9.28m
35 Stephanie Tirpak, Willows Academy, 9.27m
36 Peyton Ehrhardt, Camp Point Central, 8.78m

IHSA 1A girls shot put 2025, Chelsey Stotler shot put state champion, Illinois high school track and field finals, 2025 IHSA girls track field results, Class 1A shot put results Charleston, Makayla Gajewski Nashville track and field, Zion Young Maroa-Forsyth shot put, Hannah Brown Vandalia shot put performance

Spartans continue flying high, securing win #24 against visiting Trojans

Undefeated, top-rated SJO softball team finish the week, 4-0

In the first seven days of April and just nine games into the 2019 season, the legacy built by former St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Randy Wolken absolutely shows no sign of fading any time soon. Under first-year head coach Larry Sparks, the St. Joseph-Ogden softball team undoubtedly are once again sporting one of the largest bullseyes in Class 2A on their backs.

Zoey Witruk winds up for a pitch against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. The junior picked up three pitching wins in SJO's last four games. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

The 9-0 Spartans are chewing up opponents with the intensity of Category 4 storm. In their wake this week alone, SJO has tallied nine home runs and outscored their opponents 36-5 in four games.

Only three other teams in their division can boast a 9-game or better win streak this season.

Tuscola, on a collision course with the Spartans in less than a month on May 6, is also undefeated with 12 wins this season. The Warriors, placed in the southern quad by the IHSA, will be playing through the Johnson City super-sectional for their shot at a state appearance along with 9-0 Edwards County.

The Beecher Bobcats, who will be playing for the Joliet College super-sectional title, is also undefeated at 10-0.

The Spartans will play in the Olympia sectional with teams from Argenta-Oreana, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin, Oakwood, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Maroa-Forsyth, Monticello, Unity, Warrensburg-Latham, and Westville.

Here's a brief recap of this past week's action:

Dowling plasters two homer runs
Alabama commit and USA junior national team member Baily Dowling wasn't joking around on April Fool's Day. The senior started the four-game week off with two home runs for SJO. Meanwhile, junior Hannah Dukeman sent a ball yard herself in the 9-0 shutout on Monday.

Adding another win to her record this season, Zoey Witruk gave up one hit and fanned 13 in the six-inning affair.

Box Score
St. Joseph-Ogden 1 0 2 0 5 1 - 9 - -
Maroa-Forysth __ 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0 - -

Witruk records 13 K's on Villa Grove
Junior Zoey Witruk struck out 13 Blue Devil batters for SJO in their 7-2 win over Villa Grove on Tuesday, April 2.

St. Joseph-Ogden seniors Savannah Smith, Katie Poulter and Bailey Dowling logged two hits apiece. Freshman Kennedy Hudson also had pair of hits to help extend the team's undefeated streak to seven games.

Box Score
St. Joseph-Ogden 1 1 2 0 3 0 - 2 - -
Villa Grove _____ 1 0 0 0 0 1 - 2 - -

SJO scores 11, in one inning
Hosting Lincoln High School on April 3, St. Joseph-Ogden needed just five innings to blast the Railsplitters, 17-2. The Spartans tallied 18 hits in the non-conference victory.

SJO pounded a stunning four home runs with bombs from Hannah Dukeman, Kaylee Ward, Katie Poulter and Lauren Trankina.

Dukeman, who delivered four RBI, and Poulter tallied three hits apiece.

Ashtyn Cromwell threw a complete game for the win.

Box Score
St. Joseph-Ogden 1 1 11 5 - - - 17 - -
Lincoln ______ 0 0 1 1 - - - 2 - -

Spartans score three runs on Tri-Valley
In a complete game from Zoey Witruk the Spartans knocked off the Vikings, 3-1. Witruk, who gave up four hits, struck out 14 batters in the road victory. Katie Poulter put the ball out of the park for the ninth Spartan home run for the week. Catcher Hannah Dukeman notched two hits on Saturday.

Box Score
St. Joseph-Ogden 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 - -
Tri-Valley ____ 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 - -