Hart goes for the sweep

 

By Michael Newman

[email protected]

 

Photo: ©2018 Laura Duffy

 

It seems just like yesterday when Katelynne Hart stepped to the starting line on a November Saturday morning at Peoria’s Detweiller Park in 2016. Hart pulled away from teammate Lindsey Payne to win her first Illinois State Championship. Nine more state championships after that first one, Hart is ready to start her senior season.

KK is primed to go after her fourth state title to join three other runners before her that have completed that task. It could be that injuries could be the story of this classification. Kailey Fox is out with an injury that could sideline her most of the fall. There are other runners that have not been reported publically yet that could miss time.

Katrina Schlenker stayed within eight seconds of Hart last November and should be the runner that pushes Hart this fall. We could get a preview of the state final on October 9 at the Naperville Twilight Invitational. There are a number of other runners that are up to the challenge of finishing in the top five. We will just have to wait to see how this season plays out.

Here is a look at some of the top runners that will participate in Class 3A this fall.

 

Katelynne Hart

SR – Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West)

Notes – So what does Katelynne achieve next? That was a question that was asked after she ran under 4:40 for the 1 Mile Run at Magis Miles at the end of May. She has re-written the Illinois High School Record books for Girls Distance running from 1500-meters and up. She did what no other Illinois large school athlete could do at the IHSA State Meet winning the 3200 Meter Run, 800 Meter Run, and 1600 Meter Run. And remember, she had to run prelims in the 800 and 1600 the day before.

Hart does have one more season running cross country. And there are some things out there to accomplish. She could become the fourth Girls Illinois Cross Country runner to win four state championships joining Dana Miroballi (1984-1987), Katelyn Bastert (2003-2006), and Anna Sophia Keller (2013-2016). KK also ran 15:59.9 at last year’s state meet becoming the second fastest Girls runner ever at Detweiller Park. Judy Pendergast’s course record of 15:53.8 is within reach. I am sure she will drive for that time.

The one thing that she has improved on is handle the pressure of big meets. It took effect on her last year at Nike Cross Nationals. The next week in San Diego, she ran one great race. When she graduates next May, she becomes the greatest Illinois High School runner ever to come out of this state. And that is what we don’t know what will happen in her senior year. We do have a good idea though.

XC Finish 2018 – 2^nd, Foot Locker Nationals; 16^th, Nike Cross Nationals; 1^st, Class 3A State Meet (15:59.9)

2019 Track Bests  - 800m – 2:10.63i; 1600m – 4:38.00 (Magis); 1 Mile – 4:39.57; 3200m – 9:59.97; 2 Mile – 9:56.13

Her Coach Paul Hass said: “Katelynne Hart has had a very productive summer of running and training.  After IHSA track she competed in the Magis Mile, Brooks PR, participated in our summer camp through early July, and ran in the Freedom Four race on the July 4th before taking some time off.  As in past seasons, Katelynne then traveled to Colorado, acclimated to the altitude for several days, and trained in altitude with her pals in a running camp in Colorado.  Footlocker Nationals and the spring track season went a long way in further solidifying KK’s confidence in herself and her abilities; she will take that self-assured attitude into her final high school cross country season where she is more physically and mentally prepared than, perhaps, any season thus far. In addition, as a senior, Katelynne is poised to assume a greater leadership role on our team, where she has always served as a positive mentor to the underclassmen.  KK remains humble despite all of her success and is very excited to help her teammates achieve their greatest success both as individuals and as a team.  I am sure that Katelynne is more than excited to get her season started.”

 

We also asked Coach Hass what was the one thing that how coaching Katelynne has made her a better coach? What was the one thing that you learned about yourself the past four years?

Here was his replies:

“One way that Katelynne has made me a better coach is with the trust I place in athletes to develop their own race plan.  For instance, with Katelynne I rarely tell her what her strategy should be; rather I ask her what she is thinking regarding her race plan and only then do I provide input either with questions or my own recommendations; this allows Katelynne to have ownership over her strategy because it is truly developed by her and only honed by me, her coach.  I have employed this approach with other athletes such as Katie Hohe and Audrey Allman, and it has worked equally as well. What I learned is that by teaching all of my athletes what is good strategy and poor strategy, the girls will eventually learn to apply these lessons to their performances.  I simply have to ask them about their races (e.g., What went well?  What did not go as planned?) and encourage each athlete to learn from every race.  Because it has worked so well in my relationship with Katelynne, she has certainly helped me as a coach to let go and allow athletes ownership in the development of individual race plans prior to a performance, with me simply acting as a guide in the process.”

 

Katrina Schlenker

SO – Batavia

Notes – The first race that I saw Katrina run was last September when she ran 16:42 to win at the First to the Finish Invitational. My first impression of this freshman was that she did not run like a freshman in the way she raced. It was smart, it was thought out. That showed at the end of the season where she stayed within seven second of Katelynne Hart to finish second at state. She qualified for Nike Cross Nationals where she was the third freshman to finish just behind friend and training partner Lianna Surtz.

Her track seasons had many ups but one down. There was the expect race against Hart at state in the 1600 Meter Run finals but that never materialized as she missed qualifying for the finals by one place. She did help Batavia earn all-state honors in the 3200 Meter Relay finishing ninth. Her big race of the spring was when she defeated a loaded field at Distance Night in Palatine running 4:51 for 1600-meters. I am looking forward to seeing her race this fall.

Her Coach Chad Hillman said: “Katrina has had a strong summer and is progressing. She was not happy with how the track season ended individually and that has her as driven as ever. She learned the challenges that come with not feeling 100% physically and doing the little things to help herself to limit the effects of not feeling great physically. The tough experience can be a very important experience for her career if she uses the lesson for positive impact. We’re focusing on improving and as with all our girls, working to be the best she can be. Katrina really embraces the team mentality and that helps with any athlete’s development. I’m excited for Katrina’s sophomore season.”

2018 XC Finish – 27^th, Nike Cross Nationals; 2^nd, Class 3A State Meet

2019 Track Bests – 400m – 59.74; 800m – 2:15.21; 1600m – 4:51.36; 3200m – 10:32.62i

 

Samantha Poglitsch

JR – Wheaton-Warrenville South

Notes – Consider that Samantha has run in four state races across her two years of cross country and track. She earned all-state honors in all four races. That gives you an idea what this runner is al about. Samantha is a smart runner and tends to think like a college runner when she races. She is always learning and finding out how good she could be. Team runner first and leader of this team looking for a state trophy. Bigger things are ahead for her in the next two years.

Her Coach Rob Harvey said: “Sam continues to develop every season. She has really begun to own her training and her accepted the responsibility of leadership. Sam is ready to have a great junior season.”

2018 XC Finish – 7^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:39)

2019 Track Bests – 400m – 59.3r; 800m – 2:17.14; 1600m – 4:54.81; 3200m – 11:04.71

 

Aly Negovetich

SO – Fox Lake (Grant Community)

Notes – One of the fastest Girls freshmen ever to run at Detweiller Park in the state meet. She is currently #3 on the list behind Katrina Schlenker and Katelynne Hart. Her transition from middle school to high school looked effortless last fall winning her first three high school races and then finishing fourth at state. Aly just missed all-state honors finishing 10^th at the IHSA Class 3A State Meet in the 3200 Meter Run. Watch for her personal bests to drop again this fall and spring.

Her Coach Jeff Durlak said: “Aly has had a very strong, consistent summer and is looking to build upon her phenomenal freshman season.  Aly has increased her volume of training this summer and is healthy heading into the season.  A lot of people knew of Aly’s success in middle school, so it was not entirely surprising to see her have the success she had last year.  What I did not know about Aly until coaching her last year is that she is one of the nicest and most caring teammates I have been around.  Aly truly cares about the success of others and her teammates first and foremost.  At the same time, Aly is very competitive and driven to be the best version of herself. Aly is extremely bright in the classroom and that carries over to her racing where she is mature beyond her years.”

2018 XC Finish – 4^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:33)

2019 Track Bests – 800m -2:21.41; 1600m – 5:04.77; 3200m – 10:48.59

 

Brenna Cohoon

SR – Downers Grove (South)

Notes – The IHSA State Track Meet race in the 3200 Meter Run last May typifies what kind of character that this runner has. Brenna was hampered with injuries during the season but still achieved her goal of finishing in the top five by finishing fourth. In the anchor leg of the 3200 Meter Relay at Illinois Top Times last March, she looked like there was no way that she would not catch the runners ahead of her. Brenna put down her head and passed two runners for the win. Brenna did that 45 minutes after running the 3200 Meter Run. She has heart when she races and is a team runner first. The Mustangs will be challenging for a team championship and a trip to Portland this fall. She is one of the reasons why South could achieve those goals.

Her Coach Doug Plunkett said: “Brenna has helped raise the expectations of what our team can accomplish through both her running and her leadership over these last 4 years. Her work ethic and her desire to become a better runner has spilled over onto the rest of our team, obviously to our benefit. What amazes me about Brenna is that when she sets a goal, she rarely misses out on it. In the biggest races, she always steps up and finds a way to get it done. No matter whether its cross country or track, she has always had her best races at the state meets. Her efforts have earned her all-state finishes in both cross country and track each of the past 2 seasons. But I think none more impressive than the 3200m this past spring in track. She had a goal at the beginning of the year to finish top 5. And despite a season plagued with injuries and setbacks that didn't even allow her to race the 3200m outdoors until conference, Brenna was able to run a great state meet race in super tough conditions to finish 4th! This summer I have seen an even more determined Brenna Cohoon. I'll let her reveal her own goals, but there's no doubt in my mind that she will achieve them.

2018 XC Finish – 8^th, Class 3A State Meet

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:21.7i; 1600m – 5:05.77; 3200m – 10:51.67i

 

Class 3A Runners to Watch (in alphabetical order)

 

Alice Abbott

JR – St. Charles (East)

Notes – Alice had a good sophomore season last fall finishing in the top three places in all the meets she raced in before state. She finished ninth in Peoria and could place higher in 2019. She did not have her best race last May in Charleston. She had qualified for the Class 3A State Meet in the 3200 Meter Run. Alice is not afraid to go in front to push the pace.

2018 XC Finish – 9^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:40)

2019 Track Bests – 1600m – 5:08.61; 3200m – 10:49.21

 

Becca Corbett

SO – Oswego

Notes – Becca perhaps was one of the biggest surprises in last year’s state cross country met. She finished 19^th the week before state at the 3A Waubonsie Valley Sectional. The following week she was 23^rd at state. We should see more consistency from her as she enters her sophomore season and steps into the #1 spot for this team. Becca did not run in her team’s first meet at Downers Grove South on August 27.

Her Coach Eric Simon said: “after a solid track season of training and some good racing, Becca looks to have another good cc season.  Training this summer has gone well with the exception of about 6 days I had her cross train to rest sore tendon in her lower leg.  That was the week before Det/Dark.  She has been stringing together good days of training again and is feeling better.  With the training group I'm seeing come together that is working together daily, she will have another very good season.

2018 XC Finish – 23^rd, Class 3A State Meet (17:06)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:24.01; 1600m – 5:06.77; 3200m – 11:40.01

 

Kate Dickman

JR – LaGrange (Lyons Township)

Notes – Kate should be one of those runners that you should see in the top ten in November. She finished second last fall in the WSC-Silver, one of the toughest conferences in the country. She helped Lyons Township during the track season finish third in the Class 3A 3200 Meter Relay in the state meet.

Her Coach Alex Lyons said: “Kate is a great athlete, and more importantly, a great teammate.  She's handled her summer training well and has also been a good resource for younger athletes who are learning the intricacies of the sport.  Kate is excited to compete this year, and we're grateful to have her on our team.”

2018 XC Finish – 16^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:00)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:24.08; 1600m – 5:04.88;

 

Molly FitzPatrick

JR – Barrington

Notes – Molly should bounce back this fall after missing all-state by one spot in 2018. She was all-state as a freshman finishing 21^st. Her sophomore cross country season was dynamic finishing no worse than third in invitational/state series meet leading up to state. The 16:44 that she ran at the beginning of last year at the First to the Finish Invitational indicates she could be in the low 16:30’s by the end of this season. She earned all-state honors when she helped Barrington finish fourth at the state meet in the Class 3A 3200 Meter Relay. She just missed all state in the 1600 Meter Run finishing 10^th in Charleston.

Her Coach Debbie Revolta said: “Molly has put in a good summer.  She is healthy and very motivated for a great 2019 cross country season.”

2018 XC Finish – 26^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:09)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:17.52; 1600m – 4:58.50; 3200m – 10:48.00

 

Kailey Fox

SR – Yorkville

Notes – Hard to see how this season will go for Kailey this fall. Her coach Chris Muth announced at the beginning of August that she will miss six to eight weeks (at least) due to a stress fracture in her hip. They are hoping she is ready for the state series. Kailey was the ILXCTF.com 3A Most Improved XC Runner of the Year last fall. Put up some great times last spring. She has that team first mentality running on Yorkville’s 3200 Meter Relay at state that finished seventh, then came back to finished 14^th in the 3200 Meter Run an hour later. We send out a speedy recovery to Kailey.

Her Coach Chris Muth said: “Kailey is someone who broke into the top tier picture last year and really hasn't looked back.  She had a great state track meet, showing team first mentality, racing lead off in the 4x800 and then following up with a solid 3200 effort.”

2018 XC Finish – 10^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:42)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:23.87; 1600m – 5:00.78; 3200m – 10:48.28

 

Maggie Gamboa

JR – Naperville North

Notes – It will be interesting how high Maggie takes her running in her junior season. She will be among a talented top five where she could be the #1 runner in any meet. She did not have her best race at NXN last December, but her sophomore season did show that she could be among the top ten runners in November at Peoria.

Her Coach Dan Iverson said: “Maggie seems stronger than ever, so that’s good. She works extremely hard.”

2018 XC Finish – 19^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:01)

2019 Track Bests – 1600m – 5:14.38; 3200m – 10:55.19i

 

Mia Gianfrancesco

SR – Batavia

Notes – The one thing that I will be watching this fall is how the track season in 2019 helped her cross country this fall. Mia played soccer during the spring in her first two years of school while running cross country in the fall. Last season ended with her earning all-state honors finishing 24^th. She was also all-state in the spring as she was part of Batavia’s quartet that finished ninth in the Class 3A State Meet in the 3200 Meter Relay.

Her Coach Chad Hillman said: “Mia got everything I had hoped for her out of her first track season. We have always been curious about Mia’s ceiling and how much more she has in her. She’s always worked very hard and the track season has helped her find out how to push to her limits as a racer. The distance in cross country is a delicate balance of speed, stamina and strength and in the shorter track races she was able to turn her ability and speed loose for the first time and really “make it hurt”.  It helped her unleash from a comfort zone and she did great with running those short races with maximum effort. Mia has always raced so well in cross country but with a little bit of hesitation to really be aggressive. I feel like she gave herself a tremendous opportunity to improve in cross country by how well she approached track and by realizing her full potential. I’m very excited for Mia. She’s a great kid, one of our best leaders, and deserves to have a great senior season.”

2018 XC Finish – 24^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:07)

2019 Track Bests – 400m – 1:02.54; 800m – 2:20.97; 1600m – 5:06.02

 

Fatima Giron

SR – Round Lake

Notes – She took giant steps from her sophomore year to her junior year. She finished 102^nd as a sophomore in the state meet. Last year, she climbed up to 11^th. Her improvement was amazing last year on the track as she dropped her personal best from 11:01 in 2018 to 10:32 in a great race at Distance Night in Palatine. Could she be pushing in the front in November? It could be possible.

Her Coach Kevin Brady said: “Coming off of a great showing at the state track meet, we are looking forward to a strong season from Fatima.  She has improved every year, and we are hoping that if she stays healthy, she will continue that trend.  Coming off of her 11th place finish at state cross country meet last year, we are aiming for a top five finish this season.  She is currently looking at a number of Division 1 universities to continue her running career.”

2018 XC Finish – 11^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:45)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:20.28; 1600m – 4:58.39 (Magis); 1 Mile – 5:00.20; 3200m – 10:32.68

 

Kate Jortberg

SR – Glenview (Glenbrook South)

Notes – Kate’s track season ended abruptly as she was forced to miss most of the outdoor season due to a stress fracture. Watch for her to bounce back this fall.

Her Coach Meaghan Fastert said: “Kate trained both with our summer running program as well as in Colorado (Team Prep USA), which is going to be a great start to the season.  Having Kate on my team is such a blessing because she creates a competitive environment where her teammates want to try and stay with her during practices and meets.  This has really worked out for us in the past and it is through Kate's hard work and passion for running that creates such a great running culture on the team.  To think that this will be her last year is hard to believe and she will be missed more than she knows when the season is through.  Kate suffered a stress fracture in her track season last year and our main focus is keeping her healthy and having another successful season in the books.”

2018 XC Finish – 22^nd, Class 3A State Meet (17:05)

2019 Track Bests – 1600m – 5:20.93i; 11:12.08i

 

Helena Kleronomos

JR – Yorkville

Notes – Helena was part of Yorkville’s quartet at the IHSA Class 3A State Meet last May when they finished ninth in the 3200 Meter Relay. Helena was the team’s sixth runner at Nike Cross Nationals. She was the #1 runner for her team at state. She will be among the state’s best runners this fall as rebounds from her track season.

Her Coach Chris Muth said – “Helena I believe has something to prove after a tough track sectional this past year and has really been growing into her own.”

2018 XC Finish – 5^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:35)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:19.42; 1600m – 5:06.02

 

Abby Korak

SR – Edwardsville

Notes – Let’s not judge Abby on last year’s state run at Peoria when she finished 92^nd. She ran 17:35 the month before on the same course (32 seconds faster). Korak just made the finals in the Class 3A State 1600 Meter Run prelims qualifying in the 12^th spot. She left Charleston with all-state honors when she finished eighth in the finals.

Her Coach George Patrylak said: “Abby Korak looks really strong.  She has increased the volume and intensity of her runs and is the strongest she has ever been.  She has been doing most runs with the boys unless she is with some of the top females in our area during Community Runs.  We are excited to see how things progress throughout the season.  She is much more confident after earning All-State honors in the 1600 during the Spring.  Abby should be one of the top runners in our part of the state and has the ability to crack the top 25.  Abby has been focusing more on her strength and base this summer and we will focus on dropping her times as we progress towards the postseason.

2018 XC Finish – 92^nd, Class 3A State XC Meet (17:52)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:17.17; 1600m – 5:00.92; 1 Mile – 5:02.47; 3200m – 11:04.05

 

Abby Lopez

SR – Summitt (Argo)

Notes – It was an up and down season for this former basketball player. Abby just missed all-state honors by two spots last fall after finishing sixth as a sophomore. Her races at Illinois Top Times and Distance Night in Palatine were memorable as she worked her way through the packs to finish second in both races. She ran into a little bad luck when she qualified for state in the 3200 Meter Run, but her qualifying time was not fast enough to get to Section 2. She won the first section but finished 12^th overall. Abby continues to improve on her racing tactics. She will be one of the Girls elite distance runners in the state this fall.

2018 XC Best – 27^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:11)

2019 Track Bests – 1600m – 5:08.50i; 3200m – 10:30.52

 

Campbell Petersen

JR – Naperville North

Notes – Campbell’s transition from Dunlap to Naperville North was a smooth run as she was part of North’s state championship team running as the third runner and running a personal best at Detweiller in the process. She dropped her personal bests on the track lowering her 1600 time to 4:54 when finishing fourth at Distance Night in Palatine. She did not have the finish that she wanted in May failing to make the finals at state in the 1600 Meter Run. Watch for her to bounce back this fall.

Her Coach Dan Iverson said: “Campbell continues to learn a lot about how to train at a higher level. She’s an extremely hard worker and continues to be eager to learn.”

2018 XC Finish – 25^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:08)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:18.30; 1600m – 4:54.46; 3200 – 10:58.92

 

Rachel Price

SO – St. Charles (North)

Notes – Rachel, it seemed, snuck up on some last fall as she finished fourth, fifth, or sixth in six of the seven races she competed in. Price finished 18^th overall at Detweiller. Rachel plays club soccer in the spring. She still did get some good indoor races in including running 11:10 in the DuKane Conference Meet.

2018 XC Finish – 18^th, Class 3A State Meet (17:01)

2019 Track Bests – 1600m – 5:32.40i; 3200m -11:10.46

 

McKenna Revord

SR – Hinsdale Central

Notes – Hinsdale Central should have the best duo in the state with McKenna along with Emma Watcke. McKenna had a good end to her cross country season with a 14^th place finish. Revord finished 24^th as a sophomore.  She put up some great personal bests in track especially lowering her personal best down to 10:47.67 at Distance Night in Palatine. She put up a good summer of training and could be among the top 10 when we get to November.

2018 XC Finish – 14^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:49)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2;21.95; 1600m – 5:01.03 (Magis); 1 Mile – 5:02.80; 3200m – 10:47.67

 

Emma Watcke

SR – Hinsdale Central

Notes – Her transition from Ohio to Illinois was great last spring. Emma finished second in the Class 3A 1600 Meter Run. She ran under five-minutes for that distance five times last season. It will be interesting to see how her transition is from Ohio XC courses to those in Illinois. I think she has the talent to put in some low 16-minute times on three-mile courses this fall.

2018 XC Finish – 2^nd, OHSAA (Ohio) D3 State Meet

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:21.15; 1600m – 4:54.91; 3200m – 10:34.79

 

Coach Mark McCabe said this about McKenna Revord and Emma Watcke: “Emma and McKenna have become best of friends as well as well-matched training partners…all collaboration and the desire to help each other be the best they can be.  Both will run at D1 Power 5 schools next year and are very fit and ready to go.  I think they will turn out to be the best 1-2 duo we’ve ever had, which says a lot, and one of the best in the State.

 

Naomi Ruff

SO – South Elgin

Notes – Interesting to watch the transition from freshman to sophomore. Naomi qualified for the Class 3A State Meet in both the 3200 Meter Run and 800 Meter Run. She surprised some by finishing 12^th in last year’s state meet. She will not surprise anyone this fall.

Her Coach Jorie Bartholomew said: “We are very excited to have Naomi return to the team this coming year. She was able to be not only our first state qualifier in school history but coming in 12th place and being all state runner was an amazing season. We look forward to having another successful season. She has been training this summer competing in triathlons around the country

2018 XC Finish – 12^th, Class 3A State Meet (16:46)

2019 Track Bests – 800m – 2:19.63; 1600m – 5:09.34 (Magis); 1 Mile – 5:10.93; 3200m – 11:03.17

 

Natalie Sandlow

JR – Northbrook (Glenbrook North)

Notes – Natalie progressed from finishing 28^th as a freshman to 21^st last November. With a summer of good training, we could see her among the top 20 runners in the state. Has good leg speed that makes her tough at the end of races.

Her Coach Bob Leblanc said: “I think Natalie had her best summer of training yet.  She has a much larger base of mileage coming into the season than in previous seasons.  With that larger base from summer, we can focus more on speed as the season begins.  Natalie impresses us daily with her work ethic, attitude,  and ability and has improved each season so far, so we can't wait to see what she will accomplish this season.”

2018 XC Finish – 21^st, Class 3A State Meet

2019 Track Bests – 400m – 1:01.49; 800m – 2:21.57; 1600m – 5:31.29i; 3200m – 11:47.04