By Michael Newman

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Defending 1600 Meter Run champion Campbell Peterson will not be in tis classification this spring. She transferred to Naperville North last summer. 2018 2A State Cross Country champion Brooke Stromsland will also not be in the distance mix. Her school Lakes Community competes in 3A during the track season.

Even with these two runners not competing in 2A this spring, the three distance events should be fascinating to watch. Jenna Schwartz of Waterloo will again be in the front in the 3200 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run. Schwartz is the defending 3200 champion. She will be pushed by freshman Lianna Surtz of Rosary among others.

With Peterson not on the line in 2A, who steps up in that event. There will be a new champion in the 800 Meter Run with at least 10 runners capable of winning. The 3200 Meter Relay will miss defending champion Dunlap, but here steps in 2018 1A State XC Champion Eureka who returns all of their runners from last year’s relay team.

Here is a look of what we could see this season in the three 2A Girls distance events. We also will take a look at what we could see in the 4 x 800 Meter Relay during this preview.

3200 Meter Run

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – The only 2A distance event with a defending champion. Jenna Schwartz was the runner to watch last spring running 10:44.40 at Distance Night in Palatine in April and then winning the state title in May. She does have the fastest returning time by 26 seconds. Schwartz could have a chip on her shoulder in her final track season before heading to the University of Missouri. She finished fifth in last November’s 2A State Cross Country Meet. That could push her to faster times this spring.

Lianna Surtz has never run a 3200 on the track but she has to be considered as one of the favorites in this event. The freshman pushed Brooke Stromsland at Detweiller Park in the 2A State finals before finishing second. She did run 16:35 for 3-miles in the process. Surtz after her race at the Nike Cross Nationals last December said that she would like to concentrate on this event. It will be fun to see her progress. Under 11-minutes for her is a certainty. 10:30? We will see.

Three other all-state runners from last year’s state finals are back looking to get under 11-minutes in this event. Aspen Gordon finished third last year and has a 11:10.71 2018 best. Gordon had a great cross-country season running 17:00 at Detweiller Park. Her state race was not her best as she finished 17^th. That race could propel her to better times this spring. Lydia Roller ran 11:14 last spring and finished fifth at state. Roller was strong last fall with a great second-place finish in the 1A State XC race. Faster times could be in store for this sophomore.

A pack of runners between 11:22 and 11:28 could make this event tighter in 2019 headed by all-state Kylie Hagmann who was eighth last year. Keep an eye on Amelia McClain. Even though she ran 11:44 last spring, her third-place finish in the 1A race at Detweiller Park is evidence that she could go under 11:15 this track season. Also watch for Jordan Harmon. The Tolono Unity senior missed all of last season due to an injury. She made her comeback last fall finishing 29^th in the 1A State race. Remember, Harmon ran 11:07 and 5:15 her sophomore season earning all-state honors in both events. If she is completely healthy, she could do some major things in this event.

800 Meter Run

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – An event of opportunity for 2A distance runners. Two-time champion Rachel Hickey has graduated and is doing big things at Illinois State University. Second-place finisher Gillian Fiene is also gone. Her school Illiana Christian moved into a new building in Dyer, Indiana. We are looking forward to watching her rip things up in Indiana.

The top five runners from last year’s final are gone but there is talent still left in this event. There are four runners back that ran 2:20 or faster outdoors led by sixth-place finisher Megan Garrett and seventh-place finisher Payne Turney. Lesley Viveros (8^th) just missed the 2:19 and under level but could be near 2:15 outdoors. Delicia Chen finished ninth last year running for Dunlap. She transferred to Illinois Math & Science Academy during the summer and again will be a factor in this event.

Hannah Kirby and Sophie Melton could push Sycamore in the 3200 Meter Relay. Both are good bets to be among the top six in this event. Erin Porter and Kaelin Hall lead a group that could be surprises in the front. Then again, this event is so open anyone that does win this will not be a surprise.

1600 Meter Run

Top Athletes from 2018

Outlook – So let’s start guessing about this event and who will be the favorite. It is similar to the 800 but it is the Mohave Desert of events. That is how wide open it could be.

Jenna Schwartz and Lydia Roller are the only all-state athletes from last year’s finals. Most likely both runners will be doubling back from the 3200 at state. Schwartz has the best 2A time back running 5:00.7 fresh. In races where she doubled, her best was 5:09.4 in her sectional double. She ran 5:11 at state but was her second 1600 within 30 hours with a 3200 in between. Roller has showed improvement and should be a factor in this race. her state meet included 5:12 in the prelims, 11:14 in the 3200 the next day followed by a 5:11.30. Roller getting under five minutes is a possibility along with Schwartz.

Olivia Rosenstein is one runner to watch for. She missed all of last cross-country season due to an injury but did start to race in the post-season. Her best was 5:13.19 last year. She missed qualifying for state. I don’t see that happening especially if she is 100% healthy. Rosenstein’s teammate Chian Scott could also be a difference maker in this event along with Alyssa McPike, Emma Argo, Amelia McClain, Bailee Fortney, and Aspen Gordon.

4x800 Meter Relay

2018 Champion – Dunlap – 9:25.29

Early Outlook – 1A State Cross Country Champion Eureka should be the team to watch for in this relay. The Hornets return all of their quartet that ran 9:26.94 at state led by two-time 1A State Cross-Country Champion Emma Argo. This team is loaded. A time between 9:15 to 9:18 is not a stretch for this talented squad.

Rock Falls (4^th), Urbana (5^th), and Fenwick (6^th) all ran between 9:41 and 9:42 in last year’s finals and will be the main teams chasing Eureka. Dixon, Mt. Zion, Normal University, East St. Louis-Senior, and Burlington Central all made the finals and return their nucleus of their quartets. Mattoon, Glenbard South, Mahomet-Seymour, and Troy Triad all are talented groups that could contest for finishes in the top five.