By Michael Newman

1 – Glen Ellyn Glenbard West

Notes – It should be wide open for the 3A team championship this May in Charleston. The Lady Hilltoppers get the nod up top at the beginning of the season. It will be there distance squad that will power this team. It makes sense since Katelynne Hart and Lindsey Payne took the top two spots at last November’s 3A State cross country meet. Payne is the defending champion in the 3200 and will again be the favorite in the event. She was also all-state in the 1600 and should supply Glenbard with some big points. Hart is only a freshman but does not run like it as evidenced by her races at the end of the cross-country season. She did run 2:13 and 4:56 last year in eighth grade. She could be one of the favorites in the 1600. She could be a bigger help in the 3200 Relay in which Glenbard finished fourth last spring. Janie Nabholz and Katie Hohe are the only returnees from that quartet. Hohe ran 10:43 for the 3200 last year and just missed making all-state. She could get big points in the 3200 if she concentrates on that event. Their 1600 Relay could also get points led by Nabholz and Hart.

2 – Bloomington

Notes – The Purple Raiders could get points in five or six events which could be enough to get them into the top three teams at state. Hey finished 13^th last year. Kylie Welch surprised some by winning the 3A 400 Meter Dash. She is back and could be one of the favorites in the event. She could also get her team points in the 200. Ellie Weltha finished eighth in the Shot Put. She has the third best returning mark. Weltha could also score points in the Discus. Brooke Misukonis earned all-state honors by tying for eighth in the Pole Vault. She could be one of the top three individuals in what could be a wide-open event. Keep an eye on their sprint relays. They showed improvement as the season progressed last year. They could be a surprise in 2017.

3 – West Aurora

Notes – The transfer of club sprint sensation DaJour Miles from Waubonsie Valley to West Aurora puts the Blackhawks as one of the teams to watch this spring. She only ran in one high school meet as a freshman. Her success has come on the summer club circuit where she ran 53.98 for 400 Meters, 24.14 for 200 Meters, and 12.17 in the 100 Meter Dash. She could be one of the favorites in the 400 and 100. She could help her team in the 400 and 1600 Relays. JeMya McClendon and Tamia Rayford will both help the Blackhawks in the sprints. One these athletes could place in the 400. Rayford could get her team points in the 100. Rajah Andrews qualified for state in the 100 Hurdles but did not make the finals. She could be a surprise this spring in that event. Another athlete to watch is Kayla Battle who could be a surprise in the Long Jump. Marin Munos showed improvement last year in the High Jump clearing 5-4 and could be at state this season. Their 400 and 1600 Relay could be one of the best in Illinois especially with Miles and Rayford leading the way.

4 – Naperville North

Notes – This team is sneaky good and has the potential to leave Charleston with a trophy this May. Halle Bieber is the top returning athlete in the 300 Hurdles after finishing fourth last year. She should be the favorite in that event. The sophomore could get her team points in the 100 hurdles. Their distance team is strong as evidenced by the state championship last fall at Detweiller Park. Sarah Schmitt could be one of the top runners in the state in the 3200. Claire Hamilton ran 5:03 for 1600 Meters and could be a factor in that event. Alex Morris and Hannah Ricci were all-state last fall along with Schimdt. Both athletes could help get points in any of the distance events. Naperville North always finds their way into the 3200 Relay finals. The talent is there to make it back again this spring. Saffilla Allie is an athlete to watch in the Long Jump. Elise Chao has the talent to finish in the top six in the Triple Jump. Chao and Bieber will most likely run in the 1600 Relay that could make it into the finals. Sarah Wastek should be watch as an athlete that could get points in the Shot Put.

5 – East St. Louis-Senior

Notes – The Flyers tied for eighth in last year’s state meet. They could improve on that finish this season. Their 1600 Relay finished second at last year’s state meet and could be one of the favorites with three runners back. Rokelle Sanley, who anchored last year’s team, qualified for state in both hurdle events last season. She just missed qualifying for the 100 hurdles by two hundredths of a second. She has some of the top times coming back in both events. She should get her team some big points. Jazzmine Poole is the second returning athlete in the Discus after finishing fifth in the event last year. Evangeline Harris finished second in the Shot Put as a sophomore. She could be one of the favorites in the event this year.

6 – Homewood-Flossmoor

Notes – The Vikings have the talent to make it back into the top three or maybe the state championship. Jaimie Robinson is the top returning athlete in the horizontal jumps and will be the favorite in both events. She also will help the HF sprint relays. Their 400 Relay finished seventh in last year’s finals and returns all their runners. The 800 Meter Relay finished third at state with all four runners coming back. They could be the favorite in both of those relays. Olivia Oliver, who anchors both relays, could get her team points in both the 100 and 200. Kaitlin Lee also has a chance to get points for her team in the High Jump.

7 – Minooka

Notes – The power of the distance events could push the Indians into the top five. Ashley Tutt and Emily Shelton finished second in last year’s 3200 Meter Final at state. Both should be in the front once again. Shelton qualified for the 1600 also but just missed making the top nine. She has improved and could run under 5 along with Tutt. Mackenzie Callahan did not have her best race in the state finals finishing 12^th. She had a great cross-country season finishing fourth at the state meet. She ran 2:14.3 last spring and could be among the top three athletes in the event. If she chooses to run the 1600, the improvement last fall could benefit her. Vivian Van Eck earned all-state honors last November. She could be a surprise this spring in one of the three distance events.

8 – Lisle Benet Academy

Notes – The Redwings move back into 3A after finishing 12^th in 2A last year. This team is going to sneak up on people this spring. Ali Munson won the 2A title in the Pole Vault. She has the highest returning clearance and should be the favorite in 3A. Emma Jones was all-state in both the 100 and 300 Hurdles in 2A. She has the fourth fastest returning time in the 100 Hurdles and the third fastest returning time in the 300 Hurdles. She should get some big points in both events. Jones could also score points in the Long Jump.

9 – Frankfort Lincoln-Way East

Notes – This is a team that I would not count out even if they lost most their point scorers due to graduation. The Griffins are the three time defending champions and do have the talent coming back to bring home another trophy to Frankfort. It could take a little while to figure out which pieces go where with several athletes coming from closed Lincoln-Way North. Ololade Ayoola finished fourth in the High Jump and will be one of the favorites this season. She will be a big factor in the relays like she was last year. Nicole Humenik joins Ayoola as the other returning athlete in the 1600 relay in which they won. The talent is there for the Griffins to have a time between 3:52 to 3:54 this season in that event. Humenik could also get her team points in the 100 Meter Dash as well as running the 400 and 800 Relays. Laura LaDere finished seventh in the Shot Put. The potential is there for her to finish in the top four in that event. Katie Dejulius could qualify in both hurdle events. She will be a factor in the relays as well. East has been a surprise team in the 3200 relay getting all-state honors in 2015 and just missing by one spot last year. Jenna Couwenhoven is the only returning athlete from the quartet but a deep distance squad could help with that.

10 – Downers Grove North

Notes – The Trojans are a team that could find their way into the top ten this season. Emma Moravec finished fourth in the 800 after finishing second her sophomore season. She should be one of the favorites in the event. If she decides to double back in the 400, she could also score in that event. Isabel Maletich finished fifth in the Triple Jump and could finish in the top three this season. She could also score points in the Long Jump. Their 3200 Relay returns two from a team that qualified for state but did not make it to the finals. With Moravec inserted into that relay, the Trojans could surprise some.

11 – O’Fallon

Notes – This team is deep in the sprints. The Panthers could be in the top five when all is said and done. Tamya Houston and Kersten Douglas lead a powerful sprint squad. Houston qualified for state in the 100 but did not make it to the finals. Douglas made it to state in the 200 but did not make the finals. Both should be among the finalists in their individual events this season. Put them together in the relays and O’Fallon is tough. All four runners are back from the 800 Relay that finished second at state and will be the favorite in the event. Their 400 Relay did not finish in their prelims at state. They did run 48.00 during the season and could be one of the top teams in that race. Abby Carney and Mya Watson-Blake both cleared 5-4 during the season in the High Jump. I could see both qualifying for state in that event.

12 – Palatine

Notes – The Lady Pirates could surprise some this track season. Corey Rinella should be the big scorer for his team. She jumped 18-4 last season in the Long Jump and could be among the top finishers this season. Rinella qualified to state in the 100 hurdles but did not make the finals. She could score in both hurdle events. Palatine finished seventh in the 3200 Relay and return two led by cross country all-state Danya Lloyd. Palatine has the tradition of making to the finals in that relay. I don’t see that stopping in 2017.

13 – Hinsdale Central

Notes – Distance events show power the Red Devilettes this spring just like last year when they tied for third. They are the defending champions in the 3200 Relay and return three from that quartet led by Reilly Revord. The junior also finished third in the 1600. She has the fastest returning time in the event and is considered one of the favorites heading into this season. Grace McCabe, who was on the 3200 Relay last year, did run 10:58 for 3200 Meters and could score in that event if she decides to concentrate on that. Ugochi Ihemeson is an athlete to watch out for in the Discus.

14 – Chicago Heights Bloom Township

Notes – Bloom could finish in the top ten especially with two All-Americans coming back. Jelena Rowe is the defending national champion in the High Jump clearing 5-10. She finished second last year at state and should be the favorite in the event. Hannah Morris is the defending state champion in the Long Jump. She finished fourth at nationals. She will be one of the favorites in that event.

15 – Barrington

Notes – The Fillies could be back in the top ten after scoring only seven points last season. Jocelyn Long could score in any of the three individual distance events. She did finish seventh last year in the 3200 Meter Run. She has the talent to finish in the top five in that distance. Barrington did finish sixth in the 800 Relay last year and does have Eleni Finley along with Kelsey McLaurin returning. McLaurin jumped 38-0 feet at her conference meet and then qualified for state. She could be among the top six finishers in that discipline.