It was clear at the St. Dominic Crusader Invitational that no teams were going to catch Francis Howell North.

The Warrenton girls were the only school to get within 70 points of the Knights.

The Warriors finished second with 128 points, beating out 10 other teams in the process.

“That’s kind of what I was hoping for,” Head Coach Steve Wurtzel said. “I had a feeling Howell North was going to run the table based on their depth and size, so I knew we were going up against St. Charles High and Christian High. And based on our depth, I knew we had a good chance.”

Emma Housewright led an impressive group of Warrenton sprinters.

The senior won the 200-meter in 28.16 seconds and finished second in the 100 (13.29).

Housewright’s afternoon wasn’t done there.

She led the 400 and 800 relay teams that finished second and fourth, respectively.

“She rocked it,” Wurtzel said. “She had a good day. She’s coming off a slight groin strain from last week, so we’re working on that and playing it safe, but she came out and had a really good, strong finish in the 4X1 and 4X2. And in the 200 open she just blew it away.”

Allison Tonioli filled in for Jenny Jansen in the 400 relay and opened her coach’s eyes in the process.

Tonioli and Housewright ran with a pair of freshmen, Isabel Saavedra and Macey Ransom.

“With our relays we’ve been trying every combination,” Wurtzel said. “We knew Saavedra from the offseason and I knew Ransom from her middle school years, so it’s good to see that up-and-coming group. We threw Tonioli in there and she had one heck of a day. She might have just earned her a spot in the 4X1 with that performance.”

Tonioli found more points in the hurdles.

She finished second in the 100 hurdles (17.09) and fourth in the 300, setting a personal-best mark of 51.16.

Teammate Courtney Richardson was third in the 300 in 51.09.

Wurtzel has been impressed — but not surprised — by another freshman’s season so far.

Lexi Frederick ran in the fourth-place 800 relay, finished second in the high jump (4-6) and fourth in the triple jump (31-6.25), all while juggling the Warrenton varsity soccer schedule.

“I know Lexi from her younger days and I know what she can do. She ran all sprints and high-jumped as a seventh-grader and ran all distance last year and won everything as an eighth-grader,” Wurtzel said. “We saw the success she had with cross country in the fall, so we knew whatever she did, she would have success with it.”

In the field events, Kayla Nelson set a personal-best with a final shot put toss of 36 feet to finish second overall.

Nelson and Breanna Wielms finished third and fourth, respectively, in the discus.

Wurtzel said Nelson’s continued improvement, along with an addition to his coaching staff, will help his team’s throwing and jumping events this spring.

“We’re not as strong in our distance races, but as far as jumps and field events, I’m really happy this year,” Wurtzel said. “Coach (Mark) Thomas has been a great addition this year. He’s a strong jumps coach. Kayla is having continued success in the shot put, and we’ve seen her and Wielms continue to get better in the discus.”