Argo leads a large returning group in 1A

 

By Michael Newman

[email protected]

 

Photo – Emma Argo, the defending 1A state champion, is one of 22 All-State Runners returning for the 2018 season (Laura Duffy Photo)

 

How strong will Class 1A Girls be in 2018? Just look at last season’s state meet results.

Only three runners graduated from last year’s 1A state meet top 25 All-State Runners. The 2017 meet was one of the deepest years of underclassmen runners. The race was one of mystery and intrigue with crossing the line that we did not expect to see.

Nine runners last year in the top 25 were freshmen including the third and fourth-place finishers.

Emma Argo ran away in the final mile to win the state title. The Eureka senior will be the one to watch in this classification but with so many All-State runners returning, its anybody’s guess who will challenge.

That is what makes 2018 so interesting in this classification.

Here is a look at some of the top runners that you can expect to see in the front this fall.

 

1 – Emma Argo

SR – Eureka

Notes – The defending 1A state champion running 17:34 to take home the state title last November. Argo started out last year finishing 16^th at the First to the Finish Invitational in September. After that, she won five races including at state, the 1A Elmwood-Brimfield Sectional, and the 1A Eureka Regional.  Argo was part of the Eureka team that finished second this spring in the 2A State 3200 Meter Relay. Emma also achieved a personal best 5:13.03 at the 2A Macomb Sectional qualifying for state. “She is coming in strong off of a solid block of summer training,” said her coach Olivia Morris.

 

2 – Ailey Mitchell

JR – Shelbyville

Notes – The one runner that I could see getting close to Argo this fall. Mitchell finished second in the 1A State Race 12 seconds behind Argo running 17:46. It was a great comeback race for the then-sophomore as she finished seventh the week before at the 1A Carlinville Sectional. Mitchell finished in the top five in races last fall including winning at the Shelbyville Trail Invitational. Shelby ran 5:29.92 for a personal best indoors at Illinois Top Times.

 

3 – Karlie Hey

SO – Sterling Newman Catholic

Notes – Another runner to watch in the front. Hey showed consistency during last fall finishing sixth or better in the 10 races she competed in. Hey ran 17:48 to finish fourth in the 1A State Meet. Karlie also had success on the track earning all-state honors in two events. She finished fourth in the 3200 Meter Run and ninth in the 1600 Meter Run. Hey ran personal bests of 5:15.87 for 1600-meters and 11:35.28 for 3200-meters.

“Karlie Hey has gained a lot of confidence from her performance last year (4th overall) and now knows that she can run with the top girls,” said Patrick Warkins, her coach. “She is a very hard worker and is looking forward to a great season. We have a better idea of how much work she can handle, and she is not afraid to put that work in.”

 

4 – Fran Hendrickson

JR – Champaign St. Thomas More

Notes – Hendrickson finished fifth in last year’s state meet with a 17:59 time. She won both the St. Thomas More Regional and 1A Carlinville Sectional. Fran was all-state twice this past track season finishing seventh in the 800 Meter Run and third in the 1600 Meter Run. Hendrickson achieved personal bests of 2:18.72 for 800-meters and 5:15.32 for 1600-meters.

“Fran is in the unique situation of working toward amazing individual success and becoming the "old incumbent". She will be tasked with bettering herself while also being the leader of the squad,” said STM Coach Andrew Wszalek. “Her sister Marguerite faced a similar situation, also in her Junior year, when Fran came up from grade school. Marguerite thrived, and I have no doubt Fran will do the same.”

 

5 – Caroline Jachino

JR – Pleasant Plains

Notes – Pleasant Plains should drop on the top five teams in 2018 and this runner is a main reason why. Jachino peaked at the right time last fall. She ran 18:41.4 at First to the Finish Invitational in September. When she got to state, Caroline ran 18:00 to finish in the 1A race. She took the next step in the track season finishing second at the 1A State Meet in the 3200 Meter Run and fourth in the 1600 Meter Run. Her personal bests dropped last spring, on the track down to 5:16.14 for 1600-meters and 11:24.62 for 3200-meters.

“Caroline has had an amazing summer,” said Derek DeBarr, Pleasant Plains XC Coach. “She has been very diligent with her off-season work, and this has been her most dedicated off-season.  Her conversational pace is roughly 25-30 seconds per mile faster, and on all of her runs her fastest/slowest mile has not deviated more than 5 seconds off her average pace.  She's able to log 9 miles at a pace she had trouble holding for 5 last year.  I can't predict times, but she should have a very productive year.”

 

6 – Frankie Chaidez

SO – Elmhurst IC Catholic Prep

Notes – Chaidez was one of the bigger surprises in last year’s state meet. In her first race last year, she ran 20:00 at Lake Forest at the end of September. Five weeks later at state, she ran 17:47 to place third in the 1A race. Frankie did run 11:39.82 to finish fourth in 1A 3200 Meter Run. She came back to run 5:29.06 for 1600-meters in that race. Injuries slowed her down outdoors, but she still ran 12:24.98 for 3200-meters. “Frankie Chaidez is healthy and completed CK (Charlie Kern) running camp,” said her coach Dawn Calcagno. A healthy Chaidez could be challenging for a state title in November. She will run at Peoria at the end of September. We will see where she is at that point.

 

7 -Veronica Hein

JR – Decatur St. Teresa

Notes – Hein show consistency during last fall finishing in the top ten in every race she competed in including running 18:03 to finish eighth in the 1A state race. Hein qualified for both the 3200 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run this spring in the 1A State Track Meet. She achieved a seasonal best of 12:13.45 for 3200-meters in that state race and a personal best of 5:33.58 for 1600-meters in the state prelims.

“Veronica continues to work very hard and is determined to crack the top 10 at State again this year,” said ITCCCA Hall of Fame Coach Todd Vohland. “It should be another great race at our Conference Meet, with Veronica, Ailey Mitchell of Shelbyville and Payne Turney of Clinton.”

 

8 – Breanna Chandler

JR – Freeburg

Notes – Chandler should be the top 1A runner in the southern section of this state. Breanna ran 18:06 finishing 12^th in the 1A State Meet after placing second in the 1A Benton Sectional and winning the 1A New Athens Regional. She should climb up the mountain a little higher her junior year. Chandler qualified for the 2A State Meet in the 400 Meter Dash. She ran a 1:01.63 personal best in her sectional race. She was part of Freeburg’s 3200 Meter Relay that finished third in the 2A State Meet.

“Breanna worked really hard this summer,” said Freeburg coach Carl Florczyk. “She is very fit and healthy and has a great mindset going into her junior season.  Brenna is also doing a great job becoming a leader on the team as well.  I am very proud of her improvements this summer. Her efforts this summer should help her be in the mix this fall.”

 

9 – Josie Mendell

SO – Herscher

Notes – Mendell may start out slow this fall due to a track injury but should be ready to go by the time we get to the state series. Josie was the top runner for her team last fall as she ran 18:09 to finish 14^th in the 1A state race. That was after she finished ninth at the 1A Lisle Sectional. Mendell missed all of her outdoor track season. “Josie was 14th in the state but suffered a stress fracture in her foot during track,” said Coach Rick Livesey. “We are bringing her back slowly to be ready for the 2018 state meet.  Last year's race should boost her confidence, however.”

 

10 – Jordan Harmon

SR – Tolono Unity

Notes – If she is 100% healthy by the time we get to the state series, Harmon could be one of those runners in the front. The senior missed most of her meets last October due to a stress reaction in her first metatarsal. She did race at state as the team’s second runner placing 21st overall. She appears to be back after missing all the spring track season due to a stress fracture in her femoral neck. “Jordan is back, but on a very slow progression to full-time running,” said her coach Kara Leaman. “She has been a perfect patient for sports-med and her body chemistry is responding exactly as her doctors wanted.  She is much stronger overall and has been working so incredibly hard the last few months in the pool.  She will need to see how all the changes stack up, but I'll tell you, there isn't one much hungrier to compete.  We are hoping to see her in competition by mid-September.”

Jordan ran personal bests on the track her sophomore year of 2017 with 5:14.40 for 1600-meters and 11:07.87 for 3200-meters. She was all-state in the 2A State Meet in both of those races.

 

11 – Natalia Martino

SO – Winnebago

Notes – Martino was one of those amazing freshmen in last year’s state meet.  She won the 1A Winnebago Regional, finished fourth in the 1A Oregon Sectional, and then ran 18:05 to finish 10^th in the 1A State Meet. Natalia earned all-state honors on the track when she finished 11:44.97 to finish eighth in the 3200 Meter Run in the 1A State Track Meet. “Natalia sets the standard for our program,” said her coach Joe Erb. “She is not only competitive & talented but works very hard.  While not a vocal leader, she leads through actions.” 

 

12 – Madison Franseen

SR – Rockford Christian

Notes – Franseen is a three-time all-state cross-country runner entering her senior season. She ran 18:09 to finish 15^th last year after placing 13^th in 2016 and 21^st as a freshman in 2015. A top ten finish could be in her future in 2018. She was part of Rockford Christian’s 3200 Meter team that qualified for the state meet placing 13^th in the prelims.

 

13 – Kirsten Huffman

JR – Jacksonville Routt

Notes – Not a runner that you would expect in the front but expect Huffman in that area this November. Huffman finished 22^nd as a freshman in 2016. She came back last fall to run 18:05 to finish 11^th at Detweiller Park last November. Kirsten ran a personal best of 11:58.06 to finish third in the 3200 Meter Run at the 1A Beardstown Sectional last May.

 

14 – Caroline Bachert & Evelyn Adkins

SO – Tolono Unity

Notes – The emergence of these two runners last fall off set the injury of Jordan Harmon. The experience that the two gained last fall will pay off in this coming season. Bachert finished 13^th while Atkins placed 25^th at last year’s state meet. Bachert achieved personal bests pf 5:28.73 for 1600-meters and 11:52.83 for 3200-meters. Atkins 2018 personal bests included 2:32.65 for 800-meters and 5:51.70 for 1600-meters.

“Caroline Bachert is a very unselfish athlete and she loves to compete,” Kara Leaman said. “I hope to see her gain confidence is what she provides for us, as she is very talented and respected.  She has had a great summer and adjusted very well to her advancements in training.”

Leaman said of Evelyn Atkins: “She came into her freshmen year with successful experiences that were almost solely based on her natural ability, without much of a training base.  Now that she has a year of solid preparation under her belt, we look forward to seeing what she can do.  Her energy and fire for racing are contagious.”

 

15 – Lydia Roller

SO – Staunton

Notes – I could see Roller finishing in the top five by the time we get to the state meet. Her freshman season was strong finishing 17^th running 18:13 in the 1A State Meet at Detweiller Park. Her track season was even better as she was all-state twice in the 2A State Track Meet. Lydia achieved a personal best in running 11:14.78 to finish fifth in the 3200 Meter Run. She came back to run 5:11.30 to finish sixth in the 1600 Meter Run. Roller ran a personal best 5:10.93 at Distance Night in Palatine last April.

“Lydia is a hard worker who has immersed herself in the culture of running and is reaping the benefits of her commitment,” said Staunton coach Steve Moore. “She is looking to improve on last year's 17th place performance, which made her our school's first female All-Stater in cross country.  She is also growing her leadership capacity and has shown potential in that department despite being just a sophomore.  She has a bright future ahead of her.”

 

16 – Alexandra Gomez

17 – Bailee Fortney

JR – Rock Falls

Notes – The top two runners on Rock Falls with hopes for a state team championship.  Gomez finished 16^th in last fall’s state meet. Fortney collapsed at the end of the race placing 177^th. She was in the hospital until the following Monday suffering from severe dehydration. The two had run side-by-side all last cross-country season. Expect more of the same in the next couple of months. The two runners were part of Rock Falls 3200 Meter Relay team that finished 4^th in the 2A State Meet finals in that event. Fortney achieved a personal best of 5:15.38 for 1600-meters. Gomez ran a personal best of 5:29.94 for 1600-meters.

 

18 – Katelyn Robbins

SR – Liberty

Notes – A series of illnesses and injuries have slowed Robbins down. She should rebound for her senior season. Katelyn was all-state her freshman season placing 6^th in the 1A race and 17^th as a sophomore in 2016. Injuries slowed her down last year as she finished 58^th at the Elmwood-Brimfield Sectional. She ran seasonal bests of 11:23.2 for 3200-meters and 5:21.07 for 1600-meters qualifying for both events in the 1A State Track Meet. She collapsed at the finish line finishing 14^th in the state 3200 Meter Run. Robbins had qualified for the finals in the 1600 Meter Run but had to scratch from the event.

“Katelyn had a stress fracture develop after track season ended so she is slowly working back to herself,” her coach Jared Schmidt said. “We've had some really unfortunate bad luck with her the last couple seasons and her end results do not show the runner she is or the shape she was in last spring. I believe she could have been in the hunt for the 3200 title in track but had a problem with a medication she was on the day of. We've since learned what went wrong and have a plan of attack to fix that. I look for her to get back to her old form by seasons end and put herself in the hunt where she belongs.”

 

19 – Eden Rainbolt

SO – Kankakee McNamara

Notes – Rainbolt was a surprise for the Irish as she finished 18^th overall in the state meet running 18:16. Eden qualified for the 3200 Meter Run in the 1A State Meet. She ran a 12:19.96 personal best in that race. “Eden is a great talent and just getting to understand what the sport is about and what it takes to compete up front,” said her coach Ken Klipp. “As she gets more experience and confidence, she has the opportunity to make a significant jump.”

 

20 – Lizzy Freidinger

JR – Tremont

Notes – 2017 was the first year that Friedinger ran cross-country. She qualified for state individually placing 23^rd in the 1A state finals. Lizzy was part of Tremont’s state championship 3200 Meter Relay in the 1A State finals. “Lizzy has a better understanding of cross country this year. Last year was her first in Illinois,” said Mike Lynn “She is always positive and is excited about the season.”

 

21 – Amelia McLain

JR – Benton

Notes - A runner that we could see in the top five at the end of the season. McLain had a good cross-country season in 2017 finishing ninth in the 1A State Meet running 18:04. She finished strong at the end of last year winning the Benton Invitational along with regional and sectional wins. Amelia qualified in track in the 2A State Meet in both the 3200 Meter Run and the 1600 Meter Run. She ran a season’s best of 5:21.37 in the 1600 Meter Run prelims missing the finals by one spot. McLain ran a personal best of 11:44.57 to place 12^th in the 2A State finals for 3200-meters.