By Michael Newman

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Woodstock North’s Sectional Meet should be one of the top meets regardless of classification this weekend. Four of the top five Girls teams along with five other ranked teams will look to determine which five teams will head to the state meet in Peoria. The Boys race will be just as tough with seven ranked teams ready to toe the line.

Here is a look at each of the five 2A sectionals that will take place across Illinois on Saturday morning.

 

Photo: Vernon Hills Girls team after their win last Saturday at the Antioch Regional

 

ILXCSPEEDRATINGS.COM SECTIONAL PROJECTIONS

 

Woodstock North Sectional @ Emricson Park, Woodstock

Girls Race – 10:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #1 Belvidere North, #2 Vernon Hills, #3 Prairie Ridge, #5 Crystal Lake South, #11 Lakes Community, #13 Dixon, #14 Grayslake Central, #19 Carmel Catholic, #24 Woodstock, Sterling, Richmond-Burton, Sycamore, Crystal Lake Central, Rockford Boylan Catholic, Antioch, Grayslake North, Marian Central Catholic, Rochelle.

Team Notes – This is the monster of all sectionals regardless of classification. The top three 2A teams in the state, four of the first five, and nine ranked teams in the state are all ready to toe the line Saturday morning. It’s too bad that we will see four good teams that are wishing they were assigned to the Fenton Sectional. No offense to that sectional.

Belvidere North and Vernon Hills have switched off on the top state spot this season. The two teams are so close. Right now, it looks like separation of 10 to 13 points between the teams. They both faced each other at the beginning of September when Belvidere North won FTTF 114 to 132 over Vernon Hills.

Belvidere North won their own sectional without their top runner Madison Diercks in their lineup. Gianna Sagona won the regional race last week. Both runners should be in the top five on Saturday. Sydnie Elder, their third runner, will need to be in the top 15. Then, their fourth and fifth runners will need to stay in the top 35. That formula could get them the sectional win.

Vernon Hills won the Antioch Sectional last week with a 56 second split on their top five. The Cougars will need a race like that in this sectional. Hannah Ray stepped up and was 16 seconds ahead of Payton Makowskyj, Emma Wakefield, and Leah Wilkowski. Ray will need to be in the top ten in this race. Their second through fourth pack needs to be in before North’s Elder. A team split of 40 to 43 seconds could give Vernon Hills the edge.

Prairie Ridge is the hot team in this sectional the last month winning ahead of Crystal Lake South the past two weeks. In their win at the Woodstock Regional last Saturday, the Wolves three runners in the top ten led by the 2-5 finish from Chelsea Gale and Michaela Pieroni. The addition of Carsen Forte who finished eighth last week has been a plus. The team ran an 82 second split last week. It needs to drop to under 68 seconds especially running against teams like Belvidere North and Vernon Hills.

Crystal Lake South is a team not to be discounted especially after a strong race in Peoria almost a month ago. Mackenzie Aldridge will be one of the race favorites. The Gators’ pack, led by Chelsea Greene, had a 59 second split from their second through fifth runners. Olivia Beckwith, who is normally their second runner, was their fifth runner in that race placing 21^st. Beckwith within 25 seconds of Aldridge puts them into position to finish in the top three, maybe closer for the win.

Lakes Community has the low number up front with Brooke Stromsland. Getting Olivia Schmitt into the top 20 as well as their pack within 35 seconds of each other could secure a top five finish. Dixon has a good 1-2 front pack with Paige Stees and Jade Miller possibly in the top 10. The Duchesses five in the top 45 for a chance finishing in the top five. Grayslake Central was within a point of Lakes Community last week. In this loaded field, they will need even a better race with Bryn Sato in the top 20 and a split on their five under 40 seconds. Carmel Catholic is in the same position as Grayslake Central. The Corsairs need a runner in the top 20 led by Brigid Hull, and two more runners between 23 and 26 to keep close. A split on five under 60 seconds would also help. Woodstock will have Kylie Hagmann in the top eight in this race. Their pack might be too far back to be a difference maker in a field that is so deep with talent.

 

Individuals to Watch – Brooke Stromsland, Lakes Community; Madison Diercks, Belvidere North; Gianna Sagona, Belvidere North; Mackenzie Aldridge, Crystal Lake South; Hannah Ray, Vernon Hills; Olivia Beckwith, Crystal Lake South; Emma Wakefield, Vernon Hills; Kelli Tosic, Grayslake North; Chelsea Gale, Prairie Ridge; Kylie Hagmann, Woodstock; Paige Stees, Dixon; Siobhan Stoll, Marian Central Catholic.

Individuals Notes – Brooke Stromsland has been tested this season finishing no worse than second in four meets with 17:02 at the Peoria Invitational her best time. Stromsland was 43 seconds ahead of Kelli Tosic in her win last week at Antioch. Mackenzie Aldridge has been under 18-minutes this season with a 17:25 time in the same race as Stromsland. Madison Diercks and Gianna Sagona have run side-by side most of the season. The two could challenge for top three finishes in this race.

 

Boys Race – 11:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #4 Dixon, #9 Sycamore, #10 Rockford Christian, #15 Lakes Community, #16 Lake Forest, #19 Crystal Lake Central, #21 Woodstock, Vernon Hills, Richmond-Burton, Belvidere North, Sterling, Crystal Lake South, Harvest Christian Academy, Antioch, Grayslake North, Belvidere, Grayslake North, Marian Central Catholic.

Team Notes – The move of Burlington Central and Kaneland to the Kaneland Sectional makes this race a little more manageable. Still, seven ranked teams in this race will still make this sectional tough.

Dixon started off the season winning the First to the Finish Invitational and then rolling from there. Their 25 points in the big Northern Conference Meet win was impressive. This race could be a tune up for next week led by Collin Grady and Brock Dregenberg finishing in the top 10. Five runners in the top 25 is possible for the Dukes. A split on five of under 55 seconds gets them the sectional win.

Sycamore has showed improvement the last month and is in position to make it back to the state meet where they finished third in 2017. David Lerohl and Aaron Trier should be in the top 15. One of those runners could be in the top 10. The split on their top five last week in getting second to Dixon was 50 seconds. Placing six runners ahead of Dixon’s fifth could narrow the gap between the two teams. Rockford Christian was only two points behind Sycamore in the Belvidere North Regional. Riley Wells led a 41 second split on the scorers while finishing fifth overall. Wells will be among the leaders in this race. A split similar to their regional race could get the Royal Lions the Sectional win.

The remaining two qualifying spots are up for grabs with possibly five schools in the hunt. Lakes Community is a good bet to get one of them. The Eagles won on a 6^th runner tiebreak with Lake Forest last week at Antioch. Their split on five runners of 51 seconds was a little slower than the 45 second average they could run. It could be good enough to get them in advancing. Jack Erwin in the top 10 and Owen Wenberg in the top 15 could be part of that advancing formula. Lake Forest could have trouble getting out. The Scouts have the fire power in the front with Nathan Schmidt one of the individual favorites and Ben Rosa could be among the top five runners. Their top five split in that race was over two minutes. The split from two to five was 53 seconds. That split could be bigger in this race. Kaleb Whiteside was with seven seconds of Rosa last week. He normally is more than a minute behind his teammate. Their three to five pack in this meet has to be closer to Rosa. Otherwise, it could be tough for Lake Forest to advance.

Crystal Lake Central has a good history of surprising teams in this sectional. Saturday could be one of those times. Keegan Smalley could be among the top ten runners. Their split on this course last week was 36 seconds.  Five runners in the top 48 with the same kind of split could have the Tigers back at Detweiller Park. Vernon Hills will have James McDonald among the top ten in this meet. All their runners need to be in before 50^th for this team to have a qualifying chance. Woodstock could be a surprise. Harvest Christian Academy is coming on strong and could also be a team to keep an eye on.

 

Individuals to Watch – Collin Grady, Dixon; Nathan Schmidt, Lake Forest; Charlie Smith, Antioch; Riley Wells, Woodstock North; James McDonald, Vernon Hills; Brock Dregenberg, Dixon; Ryan Jones, Marian Central Catholic; Ben Rosa, Lake Forest; Jack Erwin, Lakes Community; Max Beutel, Belvidere North; David Lerohl, Sycamore; Keegan Smalley, Crystal Lake Central.

Individual Notes – Collin Grady ran a fast 15:03 at Belvidere’s Spencer Park last week and should be one of the runners to watch in the front. Charlie Smith and Riley Wells were only separated by tenths of a second in September at FTTF with Smith winning. Both of these runners should be close to Grady in this race. Nathan Schmitt is the unknown runner in this race. He finished fourth behind three Wheaton-Warrenville South runners at Wauconda in September. He has gone undefeated in the rest of his races this fall. He was 13 seconds ahead of Smith last week. The junior could come away with the win in this race.

 

East Peoria Sectional @ Illinois Central College, East Peoria

Girls Race – 10:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #4 Mahomet-Seymour, #6 Dunlap, #7 Normal University, #10 Morton, #12 Washington, #17 Metamora, #22 Bloomington, Peoria Notre Dame, Geneseo, Rock Island Alleman, Galesburg, East Peoria, Providence Catholic, LaSalle-Peru, Morris, Streator, Ottawa, Kankakee.

Team Notes – Seven ranked teams are in this sectional. The top five ranked teams could be solid bets to make it to Peoria if they just run their normal races.

Only two points separated regional champion Mahomet-Seymour and Normal University in last week’s U-High Regional. I think we could see the same amount of closeness in this race. The two teams were close in finishes: Mahomet five runners in the top 18, U-High five runners in the top 21. When It came to top five splits, Mahomet’s split was 101 seconds while U-High ran a split of 91 seconds. Elizabeth Sims should be in the top five to lead the Bulldogs. The split between Sims and her Mahomet teammates needs to be under 70 seconds for this team to get the sectional win. U-High needs to match that with Ella Bittner and Macie Madix in before Mahomet second runner Brisa McGrath. The Pioneers placing their five scorers in before Mahomet’s fourth could also make a difference.

The team that could surprise is 2017 2A State Champion Dunlap. The Eagles have a completely different top seven that could be ready to peak at the right time. Dunlap has three time All State runner Abby Johnson back after missing most of the season with an injury. Johnson finished ninth in last week’s regional at Galesburg and could get closer to their top runner Macy Priess in this race. Priess could be among the top five in this race. Dunlap could be ahead of Mahomet and Normal but will need their top five runners in the first 27 spots.

Morton has a great 1-2-3 three combo in the front with individual race favorite Aspen Gordon along with Meagan Moreno in the top five. Freshman Emma Skinner is a possibility in the top ten which would help the Potters. Their fourth and fifth runners are back usually almost two minutes behind the front group. Getting the split under 70 seconds with getting all their scorers in before 51^st place could make a trip to the state meet a reality.

Washington should have Jadyn Jacobs among the top ten runners. The Panthers will need a 55 second split on their next four runners with all five scorers in the top 40 for Washington to get back to state.

Metamora is a possibility. They will need a split under 60 seconds on their scorers two of those runners led by Katie Lalumandier in the top 15. Bloomington will need Kaitlin Skeate in the top five as well as their split on the two to five pack at 30 seconds and in the top 40 to make the short drive from Bloomington to Peoria.

 

Individuals to Watch – Aspen Gordon, Morton; Ella Bittner, Normal University; Elizabeth Sims, Mahomet-Seymour; Meagan Moreno, Morton; Brisa McGrath, Mahomet-Seymour; Macy Priess, Dunlap; Kaitlin Skeate, Bloomington; Alexandra Cajigal, Rock Island Alleman; Macie Madix, Normal University; Josie Brown, Geneseo; Teagan Cover, Peoria Notre Dame; Emma Skinner, Morton; Jadyn Jacobs, Washington; Abby Johnson, Dunlap; Katie Lalumandier, Metamora.

Individual Notes – Aspen Gordon’s 17:00 race at Peoria a month ago has put herself in position as one of the top 2A runners in the state. She takes another step on Saturday to state as the big favorite in this race. The margin before the next runner in could be anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Teammate Meagan Moreno could be one of those runners leading the pack with Elizabeth Sims, Ella Bittner, and Macy Priess in that group.

 

Boys Race – 11:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #2 Bloomington, #5 Metamora, #7 Washington, #20 Mahomet-Seymour, #22 Geneseo, #25 Peoria Notre Dame, Providence Catholic, Morton, Champaign Central, LaSalle-Peru, Dunlap, Galesburg, East Peoria, Bartonville Limestone, Morris, Streator, Ottawa, Rich Central.

Team Notes – There are three teams in this race that are in good position to qualify for next week’s state meet. It surprised some that Metamora edged Bloomington by eight points in winning the Normal University Regional last Saturday. Some of that had to do that Bloomington held out two of their top seven runners including top five runner Roger Mendiola. Bloomington should have their full lineup back on Saturday giving them the edge on the rest of the field. Nick Doud will be one of the individual favorites in this race. Bradyn Olmstead and Evan Turnbull could be among the top ten. The Purple Raiders just need a 40 second split in the pack behind Doud with five runners in the top 25 to win this sectional.

Metamora has been coming on strong the past few weeks with the return of their state champion Adam Gilbreath-Glaub in their top seven. The junior is coming along slowly in the four races that he has been in. He could be among the top five in this race. The pack with AGG is strong with Jacob Gray and Ian O’Laughlin possibilities of finishing in the top 10. The Redbirds need a 40 second split with five runners in the top 22 to surpass Bloomington.

Washington has been running strong as of late and could also challenge for the team win. Their pack was solid behind the two above teams last week with a split of 21 seconds on their top four runners and an overall split of 35 seconds on their top five. The Panthers could be a threat if Chris Hurd finishes in the top 10 and can get their second through fourth runners in the top 18. Garret Roberts, the team’s fifth runner, would need to finish in the top 30 to seal a win for Washington.

Mahomet-Seymour has a good chance to make it back to Peoria for state led by individual favorite Matthias Powell leading the way. The Bulldogs, who have two freshmen in their top seven, could have Bryson Keeble in the top 15. Having five runners within the top 45 with the low numbers of Powell and Keeble could have this team advancing. Geneseo could be the surprise in this sectional with six of their seven runners underclassmen. Their Galesburg Regional win included a 26 second split on their top five with William Plumley and Justin Johnson finishing in the top five. Their pack needs to start with those two runners placing between 20^th and 25^th with that split. That could get the Maple Leafs to state. Peoria Notre Dame finished six points behind Geneseo led by Chris Gilbert’s individual win. The Irish have the talent to make the short trip to Detweiller Park. Gilbert could be among the top five runners. The key is getting their pack in before 40^th place.

Providence Catholic is a team that has been in the top 25 at one point during the season. I would not count this team out. Kyle Bell should be among the top 10 runners in this race. The Irish need to have their next three runners in the top 30 with their fifth runner in near 60^th. That combination could get them into the top five.

 

Individuals to Watch – Mathias Powell, Mahomet-Seymour; Nick Doud, Bloomington; Sam Lange, Morton, Bradyn Olmstead, Bloomington; Chris Gilbert, Peoria Notre Dame; Kyle Bell, Providence Catholic; Adam Gilbreath-Glaub, Metamora; Jacob Gray, Metamora; Evan Turnbull, Bloomington; Keaton Vandel, East Peoria; Chris Hurd, Washington, Wilson Georges, Bartonville Limestone.

Individual Notes – This could come down to a good dual between Mathias Powell and Nick Doud. The two runners faced each other last week at the Normal University Regional with Powell winning by seconds. The race on Saturday should be closer. Powell’s best time at Detweiller Park this fall was 14:44. Doud ran 14:47 two weeks later. Though they will not be running this Saturday at Det, this gives you how close this race could be.

It will be interesting to see if Adam Gilbreath-Glaub joins the two runners in the front. It seems like the junior has been holding back running with his teammates while he gets in race shape after missing the first half of the season due to injury. If that does not happen, there could be a 20 to 30 second gap after Powell and Doud.

 

Decatur MacArthur Sectional @ Hickory Point GC, Decatur

Girls Race – 11:30 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #8 Chatham-Glenwood, #23 Waterloo, #25 Highland, Carbondale, Mt. Zion, Breese Mater Dei, Springfield, Mattoon, Urbana, Troy Triad, Mascoutah, Olney Richland County, Charleston, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Effingham, Rochester, Jacksonville, Springfield Southeast.

Team Notes – There could be two teams that are solid choices to make it to Peoria. Chatham-Glenwood has been consistently in the front most of this year and should be the team to beat in this sectional. Freshman Nia Gibson has stepped in as the team’s top runner and should be among the top five individually. It is the pack of the titans to keep an eye on. The pack of their second through sixth runners, led by Kiersten Patzia and Reagan Weichold last week, had a split of only 17 seconds on those runners. Glenwood putting those runners in starting at 13^th with that split may make them tough to beat.

Waterloo was a 10-point winner ahead of Highland last week at Troy Triad led by the individual win from Jenna Schwartz. The defending 2A state champion should be the runner to watch in this race. The Bulldogs will need juniors Sydney Haddick and Colleen Sliment in the top ten along with their fourth and fifth runners in before 35^th place. Getting four runners in before Glenwood’s second could happen in this race. That would get them that much closer to the front.

Highland was led by Samantha Hengehold and Katie Marti in the top 10 last week. This Bulldog team will need both of those runners in the top 20 with a split under 50 seconds to get them to the state meet. Mt. Zion could be one of the surprises in this sectional. Their win last Saturday at Danville included five runners in the top 10 led by the 2-3 finish from Emma Mallory and Lilly Griffith. The Braves could be one of the top five teams in this meet. They will need their top four runners in before 23^rd place with their fifth runner across the line before 40^th place to make that top five finish happen.

Carbondale, Breese Mater Dei, and Springfield are other teams that could find their way into the top five. Carbondale has the strength in the front with Madeline Prideaux and Anna Schurz possibilities in the top 10. Their pack in the top 50 puts them closer to the final five. Even though Breese Mater Dei finished fifth last week at Triad, this is a team that could be one of those top five teams. The Knights will need a split of 40 seconds or better on their top five with Elyse Faust and Gretta Stark finishing in the top 25. Springfield was a distant second behind Chatham-Glenwood last Saturday at Taylorville. The Senators will need Ruth Edwards finishing in the top 15 with their pack in before 45^th place for this team in the hunt for a top five finish.

 

Individuals to Watch – Jenna Schwartz, Waterloo; Chian Scott, Urbana; Nia Gibson, Chatham-Glenwood; Cameron Hough, Olney East Richland; Madeline Prideaux, Carbondale; Ella King, Waterloo; Emma Mallory, Mt. Zion; Anna Schurz, Carbondale; Sydney Haddick, Waterloo; Lucy Griffith, Mt. Zion; Quincy Collings, Mattoon; Cheyenne Finley, Centralia.

Individual Notes – All eyes will be on the defending 2A state champion in this race. Jenna Schwartz has a 3-mile seasonal best of 17:16 entering the meet. Her best is one minute faster than the rest of the field. Chian Scott, Cameron Hough, and Nia Gibson will be the runners leading the pack.

 

Boys Race – 12:15 PM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #1 Chatham-Glenwood, #8 Springfield, #11 Troy Triad, #12 Centralia, #13 Carbondale, #14 Mt. Zion, #18 Mascoutah, #23 Olney Richland County, Danville, Marion, Charleston, Urbana, Champaign Centennial, Waterloo, Columbia, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Taylorville, Bethalto Civic Memorial.

Team Notes – Springfield has Chatham-Glenwood’s number at least in the past two meets. The Senators finished second by four points ahead of Glenwood two weeks ago at the Central State Eight Meet. The margin again was four points at last Saturday’s Taylorville Regional with Springfield again having the edge.

One of the reasons why this has happened to the top ranked Titans was the loss of their top three runner Graham Turk who injured his knee and did not run in their conference meet. Turk was the team’s fourth runner in last week’s regional race. A perfect world for this team is getting Turk back to the front with Drey and Dathan Maton who should be among the front runners in this race. If Turk is back with Cooper Peterson, the Titans will need to get their pack 25 seconds of the Maton brothers with their top five in the first 22. The gap was 45 seconds last week.

Part of Springfield’s success has come from the reemergence of Kyle Boughter who spent the first half of the season coming back from an injury. The junior is back finishing third at Taylorville last week. To have Boughter, Will Formea, and Ryan Waldinger in the top 20 would be a plus for the Senators. Placing their top five in the first 30 also will get them on top on Saturday.

This sectional is tough with eight ranked teams in the field. Three of them will not make it past this weekend.

Centralia was a surprise early in the year. Not now. The Orphans finished third at Taylorville last week but have a good chance to make it to the state meet as a team for the first time since 2002. Crede Correll leads this team and could finish in the top 10. Cory Fleeman and Brooks Harlan finishing in the top 20 would be a plus for this team. Five runners in the top 32 gets this team to Peoria.

Troy Triad won their own regional on a sixth-runner tiebreak. The Knights placed five runners in the top 17 led by Jarod Willis. They will need him along with Jefferson Bushur finishing in the top 20 with their pack in the top 40 to make the trip to state. Carbondale was second behind Triad and is another team to keep an eye on. Ethan Cherry should be among the top ten in this race. Their first three runners could finish among the top 25. The gap between third and fourth runners last week was 34 seconds. That needs to be cut in half if the Terriers want to finish in the top five teams.

Mt. Zion surprised some in winning the Danville Regional with four runners in the top 10. Carson Fenton led that pack and could again be in the top ten in this race. Their top five regional split was 54 seconds. The split improving to at least 45 seconds with five in the first 43 could get the Braves to the Detweiller Park starting line. Olney Richland County looks to be healthy again after finishing second behind Mt. Zion. Gavin Kirby and Braden Nicholson will need to be in the top 20 along with a split of under 60 seconds gets this team close to the top five. Danville held out their second runner from the Big 12 Conference Meet Ricky Oakley last Saturday at Regionals. He will be a big help for the Vikings on Saturday. Their top runner Michael Moreman should be in the top ten. Oakley finishing before 20^th place would be a plus. Danville getting their other three runners in before 40^th place with a split under 50 seconds could be the formula to get this team to the state meet.

Chatham-Glenwood, Springfield, and Centralia look to be teams that will get to Peoria. The next five teams most likely will be only separated by 20 points or less in deciding the other two teams.

 

Individuals to Watch – Dathan Maton, Chatham-Glenwood; Austin Ames, Charleston; Eli Ward, Waterloo; Drey Maton, Chatham-Glenwood; Ethan Cherry, Carbondale; Luke Manolakes, Champaign Centennial, Michael Moreman, Danville; Graham Turk, Chatham-Glenwood; Kyle Boughter, Springfield; Carson Fenton, Mt. Zion; Crede Correll, Centralia; Will Formea, Springfield.

Individual notes – Both Drey and Dathan Maton are hungry for a high finish in Peoria. A 1-2 finish in this sectional meet could quench their appetite. Austin Ames has won his past two races and could be a threat to the Chatham-Glenwood runners. Graham Turk healthy could place him among the top five runners. Eli Ward, Ethan Cherry, and Luke Manolakes would not be surprises if they finished among the first five in this race.

 

Kaneland Sectional @ Kaneland HS, Maple Park

Girls Race – 10:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #9 Burlington Central, #18 Rosary, #20 Kaneland, #21 Lemont, St. Francis, Wheaton Academy, Riverside-Brookfield, Illinois Math & Science Academy, Glenbard South, Hinsdale South, Marian Catholic, Evergreen Park, Nazareth Academy, Oak Forest, Bremen, Hancock, Chicago Washington, St. Laurence.

Team Notes – Burlington Central has been coming on strong over the past three weeks and could the team to watch in this race. In their 10-point win over Kaneland in their own hosted regional, Natalia Rodriguez and Erin Jossart finished among the first five runners. It would not be a surprise if they finish in the top 10 in this race. The Rockets placing their top five in the first 30 for the team win in what could be a close team race.

Rosary has also run strong in the last month. It does help when you have Lianna Surtz leading them. Surtz will be the individual favorite in this race. Their pack should be two minutes behind Surtz. If their second through fifth runners can stay within 30 seconds of each other and place in the top 30, the Royals could be close to Burlington Central.

Kaneland could be in the top five in this race on their home course. Rachel Richtman will be among the top five runners with Olivia Franklin in the top 10 and Grace Purcell in the top 20. All the Knights will need is their other two runners in before 40^th place to get back to Peoria. Lemont was missing two of their top seven runners in last week’s regional at Hinsdale South when they finished second behind Rosary. They will have the power up front with Kaylie Politza and Marin Schiffman finishing in the top five. Their top five in the first 42 puts them at Detweiller next week.

St. Francis finished third behind Burlington Central and Kaneland. They are a team that I think could make it to Peoria. The Spartans should have Minnie Rolston, Madeline Andelbrandt, and Gabby Hernandez all in the top 15. Keeping the split on that pack and their fourth and fifth runners under 30 seconds is a key in if St. Francis makes it to state. Wheaton Academy has the same power in the first three as St. Francis. Mia Rynbrandt could be among the top 10 runners with Yesica Brown and Lily Lebo in the first 20. Five runners in the top 40 would be a big step in getting Wheaton Academy to the state meet. Riverside-Brookfield has Tara Janney and Nadia Kaczmarz that could finish in the top 15. Moving the pack to under 50 seconds of their top two runners could put the Bulldogs in the hunt for a top five finish.

 

Individuals to Watch – Lianna Surtz, Rosary; Rachel Richtman, Kaneland; Marin Schiffman, Lemont; Erin Jossart, Burlington Central; Kaylie Politza, Lemont; Tara Janney, Riverside-Brookfield; Olivia Franklin, Kaneland; Natalia Rodriguez, Burlington Central; Patrice Trzupek, Hinsdale South, Mya Rynbrandt, Wheaton Academy; Minnie Rolston, St. Francis, Yesica Brown, Wheaton Academy.

Individuals Notes – Lianna Surtz is the BIG favorite in this race. How much she wins by is the big question. She is more than a minute faster than Rachel Richtman and Marlin Schiffman who should be leading the pack.

 

Boys Race – 11:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #3 Kaneland, #6 Benet Academy, #17 Burlington Central, #24 Hinsdale South, St. Francis, Lemont, Montini Catholic, Thornton Fractional North, Riverside-Brookfield, Illinois Math & Science Academy, Bremen, Nazareth Academy, Oak Forest, Tinley Park, Evergreen Park, St. Laurence, Hancock, St. Rita.

Team Notes – Three teams are solid choices to make it to Peoria. Kaneland has been among the top five 2A teams most of the season and will have an advantage running on their home course. Daniel Occhipinti will challenge for the individual title while Austin Adams looks for a top 10 finish. The Knights win the sectional title if they can place their top five runners in the first 20 places.

The move to 2A is been a big plus for Benet Academy as they will be at Detweiller Park next week with an average race in this meet. The Redwings were only four points behind Kaneland in last week’s Burlington Central Regional. They would like to switch places with the Knights this week. Benet ran only a 29 second split on their top five last week with Connor O’Keefe hanging back helping their pack. O’Keefe should be one of the individual favorites in this race with possibly four runners in the first 12 spots. The Redwings win the sectional title with four runners in ahead of Kaneland’s third runner and five runners in the top 17.

Burlington Central has the edge for the third spot in this meet led by one of the individual race favorite Anthony Farmer. Gio Martinez makes this team stronger if he finishes in the top 15. The Rockets need all of their top five in the first 35 to advance to Peoria. Hinsdale South could surpass Burlington Central in this race. Sophomore Julian Watson is having a great season leading the Hornets. He should be in the top 10 on Saturday. Four runners in the first 23 while their fifth runner at 33 or better punches a ticket to Peoria.

The fifth spot will come down to three teams with St. Francis having the edge. A bonus would be Dan Weizeorick finishing in the top 10. The Spartans will need four runners in the top 35 with their fifth runner within 25 seconds could secure the fifth spot. Lemont did not have a great race last week when they finished fourth at Hinsdale South. The Indians could bounce back in this race if Andrew Deuschle finishes in the top 20 while the team keeps their top five split under 60 seconds. Montini Catholic will need a big race from Jayden Gertsen finishing in the top five. Four runners in the top 45 will help. Moving their fifth runner under 30 seconds of that group gets the Broncos closer to the top five.

 

Individuals to Watch – Anthony Farmer, Burlington Central; Daniel Chen, Illinois Math & Science Academy; Daniel Occhipinti, Kaneland; Connor O’Keefe, Benet Academy; Ben Grundman, Benet Academy; Jayden Gertsen, Montini Catholic; Julian Watson, Hinsdale South; Austin Adams, Kaneland; Sean Donnelly, Benet Academy; Dan Weizeorick, St. Francis; Mike Reif, Oak Forest; Jack Robinson, Benet Academy.

Individual Notes – This race will be close. Daniel Occhipinti edged Anthony Farmer by three seconds in last week’s Burlington Central. Connor O’Keefe should be close to those two runners. Daniel Chen finished second between Occhipinti and Farmer and could have the edge in this race.

 

Fenton Sectional @ Fenton HS, Bensenville

Girls Race – 10:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers - #15 St. Viator, #16 Latin School, Trinity, Solorio Academy, Chicago University, Fenton, Regina Dominican, Mather, Elmwood Park, ITW David Speer, Lake View, Lindblom Academy, Noble/Bulls School, Ridgewood, Resurrection, Senn, De La Salle.

Team Notes – St. Viator and Latin School are solid locks to run in next week’s state meet. The next three qualifying positions are up for grabs. It could come down to a “dual meet” like race. Latin School could have the edge with Ava Parekh and Marianne Mihas the top two runners in this sectional and hopes of McKenna Fellows finishing in the top five. The Romans placing five runners in the top 17 could give them the slight advantage.

St. Viator has Katie Castelli that should be third or better in this race. The Lions will need their second runner in before Latin’s third runner as well as placing five runners in the top 14 to get the win. Latin School and St. Viator could be within five points of each other when all the places are added up.

Trinity is a good choice for the third spot led by Alexis Cohn, Kate Foley, and Sylvia Ritzler finishing in the top 10. A top five finish by Solorio Academy gets the to the state meet for the first time in the program’s history. The Sun Warriors just need a 35 second split, five runners in the top 25, and Aryam Jaimes and Jasmine Reyes finishing in the top 20. Chicago University finished second behind Latin School last week and are a solid choice to make the top five. Amanda O’Donnell could be among the top five runners in this race. The Maroons will need five runners in the top 35 to make the Peoria trip.

 

Individuals to Watch – Ava Parekh, Latin School; Marianne Mihas, Latin School; Katie Castelli, St. Viator; Angela Borek, Ridgewood; Amanda O’Donnell, Chicago University; Alexis Cohn, Trinity; McKenna Fellows, Latin School; Katie Foley, Trinity; Payton McDonnell, St. Viator; Joy Bergstrom, St. Viator; Sylvia Ritzler, Trinity; Aryam Jaimes, Solorio Academy; Souleya Ibrahim, Mather.

Individual Notes – Latin School should dominate the top two spots with regional winner Ava Parekh or Marianne Mihas winning this race. If one of these runners have an off race, then Katie Castelli could step into the second spot.

 

Boys Race – 11:00 AM

Regional Team Qualifiers – Elmwood Park, Solorio Academy, St. Viator, Niles Notre Dame, Latin School, Fenton, DePaul College Prep, St. Patrick, ITW David Speer, Noble/Bulls School, Lake View, Ridgewood, Senn, Mt. Carmel, Amundsen, Noble/Golder Schools.

Team Notes – This is the only sectional race that does not have a state ranked team in this race. This sectional could come to somewhat of a repeat of the Elmwood Park Regional between Solorio Academy and Elmwood Park. Solorio did not have their top runner Adonaliz Hernandez in that race. He should be ready and could be among the top five if he is 100% healthy to race. A top five finish puts Solorio’s Boys team into the state meet for the first time.

Elmwood Park should have the edge in this race with Carlos Sanchez, Tyler O’Campo, and Khris Vicencio within 10 seconds of each other and in the top ten. The Tigers could pick up their first sectional win in the program’s history if they can get all their scorers in the first 35. The low numbers in the first three spots will be a big difference in this race.

St. Viator is a solid choice to finish in the top three with Patric Natindim and Michael Schumacher finishing in the top 10. Niles Notre Dame could punch a ticket to Peoria but will need five runners in the top 30 with Matt Coath finishing in the top 10. Latin School could make the trip south. Harry Woodprince could be among the top five runners. The Romans need to keep their split under 90 seconds on five to make that Peoria trip happen. If not these five teams, host Fenton and Mather could be among the top five teams.

 

Individuals to Watch – Ethan Breen, Lake View; Alfredo MacLaughlin, DePaul College Prep; Adonaliz Hernandez, Solorio Academy; Samuel Elizondo, Fenton; Carlos Sanchez, Elmwood Park; Tony Delira, Alcott Prep; Tyler Ocampo, Elmwood Park; Harry Woodprince, Latin School; Khris Vicencio, Elmwood Park; Patric Natindim, St. Viator; Fernando Gonzalez, Mather; Matt Coath, Niles Notre Dame.

Individual Notes – There are no “name” runners in this wide-open race. It could come down to a close finish between Ethan Breen and Alfredo McLaughlin to decide the sectional winner. Carlos Sanchez or Samuel Elizondo could also be among the front pack.