By THE HERALD-WHIG STAFF

As long as she isn't disqualified today, Highland's Josie McCracken will take home four medals the Missouri Class 2 girls track and field state meet at Jefferson City.

The Highland senior earned a spot in the finals of the 100-meter dash, 200, 400 relay and 800 relay.

Abigail Gaus, Alexis Clay and Chasity Wardlow are also on the 400 and 800 relays.

In one of the events that held its finals on Friday, South Shelby senior Erin Mayes placed fifth in the Class 2 triple jump competition with a leap of 34 feet, 1 inch and Canton sophomore Tori Niemann (33-8 1/4) earned seventh.

In the Illinois Class A girls meet at Charleston, three Illini West girls earned a spot in three event finals.

Senior Amy Byers (300 hurdles, 800 relay, 1,600 relay), junior Danielle Gronewold (400, 800 and 1,600 relays) and freshman Tiffany Mohr (400, 800 and 1,600 relays) are all in position to earn three medals during today's finals.

Mohr qualified for the finals in all three of her events, while Byers and Gronewold made three out of four.

With Gronewold inserted into the 1,600 relay, after not running it at sectionals, Illini West ran nearly seven seconds faster than it did at sectionals.

Bali Campbell, Mohr and Byers are also on that relay, which ran a 4:06.32 on Friday.

"It was just better competition," Illini West coach Jerry Butcher said. "We cruised in the sectional because we weren't pushed that much."

Chargers junior Jaclyn Duffy was one of the biggest area surprises at the meet. She threw the shot put 36-8 1/4 -- more than a foot farther than she did at last week's sectional. Duffy went from the No. 30 seed to the state finals, which is the top 12.

Central-Southeastern junior Katelyn Moore is in first place heading into the long jump finals. The defending Class A state champ launched herself 18 feet, 1/4 inch in the event. Moore is still jumping despite bruised cartilage on the inside of her foot.

C-SE junior Kendra Jennings, the 2006 high jump state champ, is one of 15 athletes that cleared the bar at 5-2.

Lady Panthers junior Kelsey Taylor threw the discus nearly six feet farther -- 118-9 -- than she did in last week's sectional, to make the final 12 in the event.

Two area athletes made the final nine in the 100 dash.

Pleasant Hill junior Macey Black (12.66) and Pittsfield senior Kayci Yelliott (12.73). Yelliott was the ninth person to make the cut.

C-SE's Moore missed the cut by five-tenths of a second in the event.

-- sports@whig.com/221-3365