SALEM -- Madeline Bruce gets at least one more race in her outstanding prep career at Marion High School.
Bruce ran a season-best time of 2:19.45 to place second in the 800-meter run at the Salem 2A Sectional on Thursday, advancing her back to the state meet where she'll run in next Friday's prelims with hopes of one last race in the next day's finals.
Bruce finished behind Mascoutah senior Mackenzie Dixon (2:17.93) but held off Waterloo's Libby Price for the sure ticket to state, although Price and also Freeburg's Kristen Collier (2:21.20) met the qualifying mark and advanced along with Dixon and Bruce.
Marion junior Jaidyn Porter also gets a chance to run in the state prelims. Porter finished second in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.84 seconds to advance. Mt. Vernon's Trejadja Harris (26.50) won the race.
For the rest of the Lady Wildcats, the sectional brought an end to the season.
Senior Tarynn Taylor was hoping for a shot in the 100-meter hurdles but placed third and didn't meet the qualifying time.
And junior pole vaulter Quincy Gordon cleared a personal-best height of 9-feet but placed fifth and the qualifying height was 9-6.
The state meet is held on the Eastern Illinois University campus in Charleston at O'Brien Stadium.
