On Friday, Apr. 6, the Maine West girls' track team opened its season with an impressive 81‑8 victory over Waukegan East. Then, on Tuesday, Apr. 10, the Warriors traveled to Forest View to face Buffalo Grove and Forest View.

Buffalo Grove won the meet with 62 points while Forest View with 52 points edged out the Warriors with 50 for second place. First place finishers for Maine West were Jymette Bonnivier in the half-mile, Judy Gielarowski in the long jump, and Maureen Moeller in the 220‑yard dash.

This year's team is large, and upperclassmen account for over 40 percent of the team's membership. However, excellent performances are being turned in by a large group of freshmen. Shot and discus coach, Ms. Barbara Wagoner, is very impressed with the work of Lynn Kuhlman, Kathy Waters, Babs Weber, and Dawn Fabiszak. Both Kuhlman and Waters have placed in varsity meets won by Maine West. Field events coach, Mrs. Ruth Olson, is very pleased with the large turnout of freshman girls for the long jump and hurdles this year. Based on their performances to date, Pepi Hooczko, Denise Priess, Jean O'Keefe, Chris Staff, and Laura Vera look impressive in the hurdles. In two meets, Karyn Wall has placed second and fourth in the long jump.

Head coach, Mr. William Kiddle, is watching with great interest the distance races of Denise Kearns, Kim Haubrich, Deann Bialczak, Noreen Klein, Kris Lystlund, and Lisa Kosmund. Kearns and Haubrich both registered strong second place finishes in races won by Maine West upperclassmen.

Maine West has a fine crop of talented freshman sprinters and relay runners led by Karen Gielarowski, Tina Kleiner, Mary Holmes, Lori Phillips, Lynn McCormac, Eileen Burke, Kathleen Brennan, and Kathy Kardasz. In a recent meet, Gielarowski and Kardasz became the first freshmen to win events at the varsity level when Kardasz won the 440‑yard dash and Gielarowski took first in the 220‑yard dash.

The 440 is one of the most demanding races in track; and Sue Hayes, Gery Casserly, Jean Trader, Cindy Koerber, and Denise Miller have been working hard in a conditioning program called "Snow Leopards." They hope to be running either the open quarter or a 440 leg in one of the relays before midseason.