Roadmap to the Illinois HS XC Weekend – 9/1/2023

 

By Michael Newman

 

Labor Day weekend is traditionally the kickoff to the High School Cross-Country season in Illinois. Big meets at Hinsdale, Granite City, and LaGrange on Saturday are the spotlight races in the state.

 

We made comments about some of the meets. Here is a look at where your favorite team will be heading on Saturday.

 

Hinsdale Central Red Devil Invitational

Girls Teams – #1 Prospect, #5 Minooka, #6 Naperville Central, #11 Wheaton-Warrenville South, #12 Batavia, #14 Oswego East, #16 Glenbard West, #17 Hinsdale Central, #21 Palatine, #22 Metea Valley, #27 Hersey, #28 Evanston, 2A #10 Lake Forest, 1A #19 Latin School;  Addison Trail, Bolingbrook, Downers Grove South, Highland Park, Neuqua Valley, New Trier, Oswego

 

Race Notes – Defending state champion Prospect makes their season debut in this meet and should be the overwhelming favorite in this field  that has 14 ranked teams. Minooka has some good freshmen in. Do we see them in the Varsity race? Naperville Central, Batavia, and Wheaton-Warrenville South are some of the teams we could see in the top five. The individual race should be fantastic. The big three pack of Meg Peterson, Veronica Znajda, and Lily Ginsberg of Prospect should be on the front pack. Liv Phillips of Naperville Central ran 17:21 at Detweiller at Dark in July. She could have the edge in this race. Mia Kotler of Latin School spent the last year dealing with injuries but is now healthy. Keep an eye on her in this race. A number of runners will be challenging for top five finishes including Maya Ledesma of Minooka, Nicole Poglitsch of Wheaton-Warrenville South, Morgan Dick of Oswego East, Abigail Jordan of Palatine, and Stella Davis of Evanston.

 

Boys Teams – #2 Hersey,  #3 Hinsdale Central, #6 Palatine, #7 New Trier, #10 Naperville Central, #13 Neuqua Valley, #17 Deerfield, #18 Highland Park, #21 Oswego East, #25 Bolingbrook, #29 Prospect, 2A #1 Benet Academy, 2A #27 Latin School;  Batavia, Evanston, Fenwick, Mather, Metea Valley, Minooka, Niles North, Oswego, , Wheaton-Warrenville South

 

Race Notes – The team race is interesting with Hinsdale Central putting new runners into their top seven. They are a talented group. Let’s see how their pack meshes together. Hersey has the pack to challenge Hinsdale Central. A young Palatine team may not have all of their top seven in the Varsity race. New Trier could factor into the team champion battle. We could get a lot of questions answered in this race. Individual race features defending 3A champion Aden Bandukwala of Hinsdale Central in his season opener. Zac Close of Neuqua Valley looked fantastic in his race last week on his home course. Ben Crane of New Trier will be near the front along with Liam Naughton of Hersey, Alex Krieg of Palatine, Finn Richards of Benet Academy, and Mohammed Mohamed Abdullahi of Mather.

 

Granite City Invitational @ Wilson Park

Girls Teams – #10 Edwardsville, 2A #5 Chatham-Glenwood, 2A #7 Waterloo Alton, 1A #24 Breese Mater Dei; Alton Marquette, Belleville Althoff Catholic, Belleville East, Belleville West, Bethalto Civic Memorial, Carbondale, Centralia, Collinsville, Dupo, East Alton-Wood River, East St. Louis-Senior, Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran, First Baptist Academy, Fox MO, Freeburg, Granite City, Herculaneum MO, Highland, Mascoutah, Mt. Vernon, O’Fallon, Piasa Southwestern, Quincy, Roxana, Salem, Springfield, Staunton, Troy Triad

 

Boys Teams –#11 O’Fallon, #27 Edwardsville, 2A #16 Bethalto Civic Memorial, 2A #20 Troy Triad, 2A #21 Mt. Vernon, 2A #24 Carbondale, 2A #26 Mascoutah, 2A #29 Chatham-Glenwood;  Alton, Alton Marquette, Belleville Althoff Catholic, Belleville East, Belleville West, Breese Mater Dei, Columbia, Dupo. East Alton-Wood River, East St. Louis-Senior, Edwardsville-Metro East Lutheran, Eureka MO, First Baptist Academy, Freeburg, Fox MO, Granite City, Highland, Herculaneum MO, Jacksonville, Jersey, Marion, Marissa, Quincy, Rockton Hononegah, Roxana, Salem, Springfield, Staunton, St. Louis University MO, Waterloo

 

Race Comments – The spotlight in this meet will be on the Boys Varsity race. Defending 2A State Champion Dylon Nalley of Marion and Class 2A 3200m champion Ethan Hogan of Columbia will race against each other for the only time this season before sectionals. The times should be fast on this flat Wilson Park course. Dylan Ybarra of O’Fallon will be near the front. Landon Harris of Granite City should be in the top five in this race. The freshman opened a lot of eyes in his first meet last week. O’Fallon and St. Louis University will be the Boys team favorites. The Girls race should be wide open with Edwardsville having the edge ahead of Chatham-Glenwood, O’Fallon, and Waterloo possibly the teams to be close.

 

Mike Kuharic Invitational @ Lyons Township South Campus Course

Girls Teams – #4 Downers Grove North, #7 Lyons Township, #20 Sandburg, #26 Lincoln-Way East, 2A #20 Nazareth Academy; Aurora West, BC Morton, Glenbard East, Homewood-Flossmoor, Lincoln-Way West, Marist, Mother McAuley, Niles West, Reavis, Riverside-Brookfield, Taft, Willowbrook

 

Boys Teams - #9 Lyons Township, #12 Aurora West, #15 Riverside-Brookfield, #22 Maine South; BC Morton, Brother Rice, Downers Grove South, Glenbard East, Homewood-Flossmoor, Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way West, Lowell IN, Marist, Nazareth Academy, Niles West, Oak Lawn Richards, Sandburg, Taft, Reavis, Willowbrook

 

Race Comments – Downers Grove North looked dominant last week at Neuqua Valley and could have the big edge in the Girls race. Lyons Township will be without their #1 Shannon Cranny in this race and will again depend on their pack. Lily Eddington of Downers Grove North looked strong in her win last week. Lindsey Gerhardstein of Sandburg will be her chief competition. Aurora West looked strong in winning the Boys Varsity race last week at the Aurora City Championship and should challenge host Lyons Township for the team title. 2022 2A champion Riverside-Brookfield will have a say in who wins the team title. Lyons Township’s Nick Strayer and Cillian Henning will be part of a huge pack in the front. Cooper Marrs of Riverside-Brookfield ran 9:55 for 2-miles at Elmwood Park on Tuesday and will challenge for the win along with Sean Heetland of Aurora West.

 

Racine Horlick Rebel Invitational @ UW-Parkside WI

Illinois Schools – #1 Downers Grove North (Boys), Lakes (B-2A #25, G-2A #9), Lake Zurich (Boys), Libertyville, #8 Oak Park-River Forest (Boys), Wheeling, Zion-Benton

 

Race Comments – Top ranked Downers Grove North heads north of the border for the first time this year leaving the St Charles meet. This will be the first meet for Oak-Park at this meet after running at Fenton over the last decade.

 

Pleasant Valley Spartan Invitational @ Crow Creek Park, Bettendorf IA

Notable Illinois Schools - #3 Naperville North (Girls); #23 Wheaton North (Boys)

 

Race Comments – Naperville North is better than most nationals experts think. We may get an idea how good they are in this meet against regional rivals Edina MN and Johnston IA in the Girls Varsity race. Wheaton North looked good in their opening quad meet led by Aidan Murphy. Should be a top three team in this meet.

 

Leavey Invitational @ Northwestern Medicine XC Course

Girls Teams – #2 York , #9 Barrington, #23 Rockton Hononegah, #24 Oak Park-River Forest, #30 St. Charles East, 2A #1 Grayslake Central, 2A #13 Rosary, , 2A #18 Benet Academy, 2A #26 Prairie Ridge; Bartlett, Geneva, Huntley, Leyden, Streamwood, Wheaton North

 

Boys Teams – #20 St. Charles East, 2A #2 Grayslake Central, 2A #6 Marmion Academy, 2A #8 Prairie Ridge; Bartlett, Geneva, Glenbard North, Huntley, Leyden, Naperville North, Streamwood

 

Race Comments – York is the team to beat in the Girls race ahead of a good Barrington team. The individual race should be just as exciting as Barrington’s Scout Storms should challenge Michaela Quinn and Katherine Klimek for the individual title. Trey Sato of Grayslake Central is coming off a win Wednesday at Lake County and should be the favorite in the Boys race. Tommy Nitz of Huntley and Will Gelon of Prairie Ridge will push Sato in this race.

 

Other Weekend Meets

 

St. Ignatius Connelly Invitational @ Lewis University

Girls Teams – #15 Yorkville, 2A #4 St. Ignatius Prep, 2A #8 DePaul College Prep, 2A #28 Joliet Catholic, 1A #16 Montini Catholic, 1A #20 IC Catholic Prep;  Chicago Kennedy, Fenwick, Hinsdale South, Saint Viator, Trinity, Whitney Young

 

Boys Teams –#16 Yorkville, #28 Whitney Young, 2A #9 St. Ignatius Prep, 1A #27 Montini Catholic; Chicago Kennedy, Chicago Mt. Carmel, DePaul College Prep, Hinsdale South, IC Catholic Prep, Joliet Catholic, Lockport, St. Patrick, Saint Viator

 

Rich Eschman Invitational @ Veteran Acres, Crystal Lake

Girls Teams – 2A #6 Crystal Lake South; Cary-Grove, Dundee-Crown, Elgin Larkin, Fremd, Glenbrook South, Johnsburg, Lake Zurich, McHenry, Rolling Meadows, Wauconda, West Chicago, Woodstock

 

Boys Teams – #30 Fremd, 2A #11 Woodstock, 2A #13 Belvidere North; Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South, Dundee-Crown, Elgin Larkin, Glenbrook South, Harvard, Johnsburg, McHenry, Rolling Meadows, Wauconda, West Chicago

 

Charleston XC Invitational @ EIU Panther Trail

Girls Teams – 2A #16 Mt. Zion, 2A #22 Effingham, 2A #30 Mahomet-Seymour, 1A #10 Shelbyville; Arthur-Lovington, Bismarck-Henning, Cerro-Gordo, Champaign Centennial, Champaign Central, Charleston, Danville, Fairfield, Mattoon, Neoga, Newton, Olney Richland County, Tuscola, Urbana

 

Boys Teams – 2A #17 Mt. Zion, 2A #18 Mahomet-Seymour, 2A #22 Champaign Central, 2A #28 Urbana, 1A #2 Tuscola, 1A #20 Newton; Arthur-Lovington, Bismarck-Henning, Cerro-Gordo, Champaign Centennial, Charleston, Danville, Effingham, Fairfield, Mattoon Olney Richland County, Shelbyville, Toledo Cumberland,

 

Rochester XC Invitational @ Rochester Community Park

Girls Teams – 2A #11 Rochester, 1A #8, Pleasant Plains; Auburn, Beardstown, Clinton, Delavan, Franklin, Gillespie, Liberty, Lincoln, Moweaqua Central A&M, Pana, Petersburg PORTA, Pittsfield, Riverton, Springfield Lanphier, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield Southeast, Taylorville, Tremont

 

Boys Teams – 1A #18 Pleasant Plains, 1A #21 Petersburg PORTA, 1A #28 Clinton; Auburn, Beardstown, Camp Point Central, Delavan, Franklin, Gillespie, Liberty, Lincoln, Moweaqua Central A&M, Pittsfield, Riverton, Rochester, Springfield Lanphier, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield Southeast, Taylorville, Tremont

 

Silver Creek Invitational @ Lake Storey Park, Galesburg

Girls Teams – #29 Normal West, 2A #3 Dunlap, 2A #14 Morton, 1A #2 Peoria Notre Dame, 1A #28 Cambridge; Abingdon-Avon, East Moline United, East Peoria, Fort Madison IA, Galesburg, Geneseo, Kewanee Wethersfield, Knoxville, Macomb, Metamora, Monmouth United, ROWVA/Williamsville, Sterling

 

Boys Teams – 2A #4 Morton, 2A #14 Sterling, 1A #11 Peoria Notre Dame; Abingdon-Avon , Cambridge, Dunlap, East Moline United, East Peoria, Fort Madison IA, Galesburg, Geneseo, Kewanee Wethersfield, Knoxville, Macomb, Metamora, Monmouth United, Normal West, ROWVA/Williamsville

 

Harlem Invitational @ Kieselburg County Forest Preserve, Roscoe

Girls Teams – 2A #23 Burlington Central; Belvidere North, Grant Community, Freeport, Hampshire, Machesney Park Harlem, Marengo, Rockford Auburn, Rockford Boylan, Rockford East, Rockford Guilford

 

Boys Teams – #24 Rockford Guilford, 2A #30 Burlington Central; Durand, Elgin Academy, Freeport, Grant Community, Hampshire, Machesney Park Harlem, Marengo, Rockford Auburn, Rockford Boylan, Rockford East,

 

HCA Fall Classic @ Harvest Christian Academy Campus Course

Girls Teams – 1A #7 Chicago Christian, 1A #23 Harvest Christian Academy; Aurora Central Catholic, Aurora Christian, Aurora IMSA, Chesterton Academy, Decatur St. Teresa, Elgin St. Edward, Elmwood Park, Glenbard South, Reginia Dominican, Rockford Lutheran, Timothy Christian, Westlake Christian Academy, Wheaton Academy, Willows Academy

 

Boys Teams – 1A #12 Harvest Christian Academy, 1A #14 Aurora Central Catholic, 1A #22 Timothy Christian, 1A #25 Decatur St. Teresa; Aurora Christian, Aurora IMSA, Chicago Christian, Chesterton Academy, Christian Liberty Academy, Elmwood Park, Fenton, Lisle, Rockford Jefferson, Rockford Lutheran, Westlake Christian, Wheaton Academy

 

Rich Dust Invitational @ North Creek Meadow

Girls Teams – AA Stagg, Argo, Bloom Township, Bremen, Chicago University, Chicago (Washington), East Chicago Central IN, Elmwood Park, Merrillville IN, Oak Forest, Rich Township, St. Laurence, Southland College Prep, Thornton Fractional North, Thornton Fractional South, Thornridge, Whiting IN

 

Boys Teams – AA Stagg, Argo, Bloom Township, Bremen, Chicago University, Chicago (Washington), Crown Point IN, East Chicago Central IN, Evergreen Park, Joliet West, Lincoln-Way East, Marian Catholic, Merrillville IN, Oak Forest, Rich Township, St. Laurence, Southland Prep, Thornton Fractional North, Thornridge, Valparaiso IN, Whiting IN

 

Chrisman Cowchip Classic

Teams – Argenta-Oreana, Armstrong, Broadlands Heritage, Cerro-Gordo, Champaign (St. Thomas More, Chrisman, Cissna Park, Danville (Schlarman), Effingham (St. Anthony), Fairbury (Prairie Central), Fithian (Oakwood), Gilman (Iroquois West), Hume (Shiloh), Marshall, Monticello (B-1A #16), Paris, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Robinson (G-1A #22), St. Joseph-Ogden (B-1A #5, G-1A #9), Teutopolis, Tolono (Unity) – (B-1A #30, G-1A #1), Urbana (University) – (B-1A #24), Villa Grove, Westville

 

Oregon Open @ Oregon Park West

Girls Teams – 2A #26 Kaneland, 1A #25 Winnebago; Aledo Mercer County, Belvidere, Byron, Bureau Valley, Dakota, East Dubuque, Erie, Forreston, Genoa Kingston, Henry-Senachwine, Lanark Eastland, Mendota, Morrison, Oregon, Riverdale, Princeton, Rock Falls, Rock Island Alleman, Rockford Christian, Savanna West Carroll, Sherrard, Sterling Newman, Stillman Valley, Woodstock North

 

Boys Teams – 1A #9 Winnebago, 1A #13 Erie, 1A #15 Rock Island Alleman, 1A #23 Rockford Christian, 1A #26 Sterling Newman; Aledo Mercer County, Belvidere, Byron, Bureau Valley, Dakota, East Dubuque, , Forreston, Genoa-Kingston, Henry-Senachwine, Hinckley-Big Rock, Lanark Eastland, Mendota, Morrison, Oregon, Princeton, Putnam County, Riverdale, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Savanna West Carroll, Sherrard, Stillman Valley, Woodstock North

 

AJCHS Run the Hill Invitational @ Trail of Tears State Forest

Girls Teams – 1A #6 Anna-Jonesboro; Carterville, Cobden, Goreville, Harrisburg, Herrin, Steeleville, Vienna, West Frankfort-Frankfort

 

Boys Teams – Anna-Jonesboro, Carterville, Cobden, Goreville, Harrisburg, Herrin, Steeleville, Vienna, West Frankfort-Frankfort

 

Canton Little Giant XC Invitational

Girls Teams – 1A #15 Quincy Notre Dame; Bartonville Limestone, Bushnell Prairie City, Canton, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Farmington, Monmouth-Roseville, Pekin, Peoria, Peoria Christian, Peoria Manual, Rushville-Industry

 

Boys Teams – Bartonville Limestone, Bushnell Prairie City, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Farmington, Monmouth-Roseville, Pekin, Peoria, Peoria Christian, Peoria Manual, Quincy Notre Dame, Rushville-Industry

 

Elk Grove HS XC Invitational

Girls Teams – Buffalo Grove, Conant, Elgin, Elk Grove, Fenton, Hoffman Estates, Lake Park, Maine East

 

Boys Teams – #26 Conant; 2A #29 Sandwich, Buffalo Grove, Elgin, Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates, Lake Park, Maine East

 

Twilight in the Woods @ Seneca (Friday)

Girls Teams – 2A #24 Morris, 2A #29 Sandwich, 1A #15 Herscher, 1A #29 Seneca; Beecher, Dwight, Manteno, Minonk Fieldcrest, Ottawa, Peotone, Plano, Spring Valley Hall, Streator, Wilmington

 

Boys Teams – Dwight, Herscher, Manteno, Minonk Fieldcrest, Morris, Ottawa, Peotone, Plano, Sandwich, Seneca, Spring Valley Hall, Streator, Wilmington