By Michael Newman

The dynamics really have not changed in regards to the 2A Girls Distance events. We will miss Maryjeanne Gilbert racing in the distance events. There is also a void with 2A cross-country champion Jenna Lutzow and the state champ Belvidere North again competing in 3A.

All we need to do is look at three athletes: Rachel Hickey (LaSalle-Peru, junior), and Rockford Boylan’s Delaney Appino (senior) and Grace McLaughlin (junior). These three athletes were towards the top of the rankings last year. It should not be any different in 2017.

800 Meter Run

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – Rachel Hickey surprised some with her win over two-time champion Karina Liz in last year’s finals. Hickey will be the runner to watch in this event. The junior made another jump ten days after state when she ran 2:14.12, over a second faster at state, at the Festival of Miles in St. Louis. She showed improvement last fall when she finished 20^th in the 2A State race at Detweiller. That strength could propel her to a time close to 2:10 or maybe even faster.

Delaney Appino is the one runner that I would keep an eye on. The question will be is if she doubles like she did last year in both the 800 and the 1600. She finished fourth in the 800 and then finished fifth in the 1600. She is stronger than a year ago. Her 16:45 to finish second at state last fall and her 16^th place finish at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional Championships is a testament to that. She does have a 2:15.42 best that shows that she could be close to Hickey. Her improvement could show that she could do that double again.

Madeline Bruce (Marion, senior) finished third, Kayla Schiera (Sandwich, junior), and Laura Katz (Vernon Hills, junior) all were in the top nine last year and once again be forces in this two-lap race. Kelly Mindak (Marian Catholic, senior) and Hailey Tranchitella (Washington, senior) are two other runners that I would also watch in the next few months.

1600 Meter Run

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – All eyes should be on Delaney Appino and Abby Fioresi (Aurora Central Catholic, senior) in this event. Appino went under five minutes for the first time when she ran 4:59.40 in the 2A prelims last year. In her fourth race in a little more than 24 hours, Appino ran 5:03.61 to finish fifth. She is stronger as we stated in the 800 preview. I think her drive could get her up front in this event.

I would not discount Fioresi either. Her times dropped in both the 800 and 1600 last year. The 5:00.10 that she ran to finish third in the finals is a personal best. She has the talent to run under 4:55 this spring.

Aileen Hull (Mundelein Carmel, junior), Franny Verville (Dunlap, junior), and Margaret McPherson (Sterling, senior) are all-state returning runners that lead what could be a deep field in this event. Shelby Siltman (Stanford Olympia, senior), Katherine Petty (Rochester, sophomore) and Maya Stovall (Macomb, sophomore) all made the finals last year and could also be among the front. I would also watch for Illiana Christian freshman Gillian Fiene. She ran 5:15.99 at the Magis Miles as an eighth grader last June. She finished seventh in the 2A state race at Detweiller last fall. She is someone that I would definitely keep an eye on.

3200 Meter Run

Top 25 Returnees

Outlook – Grace McLaughlin was the one runner to push Maryjeanne Gilbert in this event at last year’s state meet. Gilbert pulled away in the final three laps to win but McLaughlin did run a 11:02.66 personal best. She does have the confidence to win this year especially after her third place finish last fall at Detweiller.

There are five other all-state athletes coming back led by third place finisher Maya Stovall. Hailey Hansen (Trinity, junior), Libby Cultra (Urbana, junior), Madeline Campbell (Rochester, senior) and Megan Safranski (Burlington Central, senior) were all in that top nine and could push for a top spot on the podium this May. Ayah Aldadah (Dunlap, junior), Jordan Harmon (Tolono Unity, sophomore), and Grace Breitbach (Peoria Notre Dame, junior) would be among some of the other runners to watch for. I would also keep an eye on Jenna Schwartz Waterloo, sophomore). She had a great cross-country season which finished up with a sixth-place finish in the 2A State race. She could be a difference maker in this event.

3200 Meter Relay

Washington looked strong in winning this event at state by nine seconds and should be the favorite again this year. All their quartet (Kassidy Dexheimer, Taylor Widder, Josie Hermann, and Hailey Tranchitella) are back and could be a little hungrier after missing to make it to the 2A state meet last fall by one point.

There are a number of teams that could push Washington. Dunlap returns all of their runners from their sixth place team that was in the hunt until the very last lap. Mattoon, Rochester, and Mahomet-Seymour all return three and could be pushing for the front. Kaneland always is a factor in this event. They finished fifth last year but return two led by Becca Richtman.