High School Sports Spotlight
October 14, 2012 8:28PM
Kayla Rice, Plainfield South
Article Extras
Updated: November 16, 2012 6:13AM
This week we shine the spotlight on:
Kayla Rice
Jr., Cross Country,
Plainfield South
Rice started running in sixth grade with some influence from her family.
“My dad ran in high school,’’ she said. “He lets me run on my own, but he makes sure I’m working hard and checks up on me.’’
Rice said her best time last year was 18:39 and she wants to break 18:00.
Plainfield South is part of a strong field Saturday at the Class 3A Lockport Regional that includes the Porters and Neuqua Valley, both state qualifiers last year.
Tim Tierney
Hugo Hernandez
Sr., Cross Country
Joliet West
Hernandez moved from Texas at the start of eighth grade. He runs the 3,200 meters in track, but prefers cross country.
“You get to train on various terrains and you don’t run on the track for meets,’’ he said. “You get the challenge of every cross country course.’’
His best time was 15:57 last year at the Peoria Invitational at Detweiller Park, site of the state meet.
Tim Tierney
Lauren Ringo
Soph., Lemont, Girls Golf
Ringo, a sectional qualifier as a freshman, first took a liking to golf after a camp at Cog Hill when she was 11.
“I thought it was going to be the same kind of swing as softball,” Ringo said. “It was nothing like softball.”
While her presumptions of golf have changed, her superstitious nature out on the course remains the same.
“If I’m eating during a game and I’m playing well, I’ll keep snacking. Or if I’m wearing a sweater, even if it’s hot, I’ll keep it on.”
Logan Malloy
Kyle Hamann
Sr., Soccer, Lemont
Hamann, a sweeper, was an All-Sectional selection last season.
As one of five returning starters for the Indians, there’s a burden on him to lead this season, one that he enjoys having.
“I like the pressure,” he said. “I’d rather have it be on me. I’d rather be pulling the strings from the back. I have complete faith in my guys that we’re going to finish strong this year.”
Hamann is committed to UIC.
Steve Millar
