Illinois HS XC - Roadmap to the Weekend - September 20, 2019

 

By Michael Newman

[email protected]

 

The major action of the weekend will be back in Peoria for the Richard Spring Invitational. You can read more about that meet in our PREVIEW.

The two big meets outside of Peoria this weekend are at Minooka and Kaneland.

Here are previews of some of the meets this weekend along with where some of the teams will be heading across the state and in California where Clifton Central and Mundelein will be competing in the Woodbridge XC Classic.

 

Minooka Flight Invitational @ Channahon Park, Channahon

Boys Teams – 3A: #10 Waubonsie Valley, #11 Lyons Township, #12 Downers Grove North, #14 Minooka, #15 Maine South, #23 Batavia, #25 Lockport, Bolingbrook, Hoffman Estates, Conant, Huntley, Moline, Lincoln-Way Central, Plainfield North, Andrew, Willowbrook, Yorkville; 1A: #11 El Paso-Gridley

Girls Teams – 3A: #3 Yorkville, #11 Batavia, #17 Minooka, #18 Lyons Township, Bolingbrook, Hoffman Estates, Conant, Huntley, Moline, Plainfield North, Andrew, Willowbrook; 2A: #6 Belvidere North 1A: #23 El Paso-Gridley

Preview – This flight style meet emphasizes the individual runner while keeping team score in each of the seven flights. You will also get to see how deep a team is as well as some runners that normally are not in the spotlight get that chance.

The Girls Championship Flight should feature Helena Kleronomos of Yorkville who finished fifth last week in Peoria, Kate Dickman of Lyons Township and Julia Dames of Minooka are two of the runners to also watch. Batavia’s Katrina Schlenker was hoping to race last week in Peoria. Maybe this is her opening race on Saturday. We will have to wait and see.

There are a lot of maybes also in the Boys Championship Flight. Lincoln-Way Central and Bolingbrook are scheduled to run in this meet. The question will be if last week’s Peoria winner Jared Kries and Peoria third-place finisher Tyler Cushing will be toeing the starting line. Ian Geisler of Huntley will be a runner we could see in the front along with Minooka’s Jason Hoffman, who finished fourth last week at Peoria,  Joey Kasch of Maine South, Evan Cummins of Downers Grove North, and Wes Beitler of Waubonsie Valley.

 

Eddington Invitational @ Kaneland HS, Maple Park

Boys Teams – 3A: Jacobs, Aurora East, DeKalb, Glenbard West, Rockford Auburn; 2A: #1 Kaneland, #2 Benet Academy, #6 Sycamore, #12 Burlington Central, #25 Hampshire, Belvidere North, Crystal Lake Central, Freeport, Grayslake North, Marengo, Rochelle, Rockford Boylan; 1A: Timothy Christian

Girls Teams – 3A: Jacobs, Aurora East, DeKalb; 2A: #2 Benet Academy, #15 Burlington Central, #23 Kaneland, Crystal Lake Central, Freeport, Grayslake North, Hampshire, Rochelle, Rockford Boylan, Sycamore; 1A: Timothy Christian

Preview – Perhaps the top 2A meet of the weekend between the top two 2A Boys teams in the state. Kaneland ran over the competition last weekend in Peoria led by Austin Adams and Daniel Occhipinti. Benet Academy finished third at the Joliet Central Invitational behind 3A schools York and Oswego. The Redwings only had a 23 second split on their top five. Adams and Occhipinti could challenge Burlington Central’s Anthony Farmer for the individual title. Also keep an eye on Glenbard West in the Boys team race. They are a young team but continue to show improvement in every race.

Benet Academy should be the class in the Girls race. The second ranked team in Class 2A won the Artman Invitational and the Royal Cadet Invitational last week running a 50 second top five split at Royal Cadet. Burlington Central, Jacobs, and Kaneland will be the top teams chasing Benet. Kaneland’s Rachel Richtman, Allyson Doherty of Jacobs, and Kelli Tosic of Grayslake North will be some of the runners up front in chase of the individual title.

 

Bill Dawson Blue Devil Invitational @ Shiloh Park, Zion

Boys Teams – 3A: Cary-Grove, Evanston, Glenbrook South, Warren, Glenbrook North,, Rockford East, Rolling Meadows, Round Lake, Wheeling, Zion-Benton; 2A: #18 Grayslake Central, Antioch, Fenton, Crystal Lake South, Lakes Community, Carmel Catholic, Wauconda; 1A: Johnsburg;

Girls Teams – 3A: #21 Fremd, Buffalo Grove, Cary Grove, Evanston, Glenbrook South, Warren, Mundelein, Glenbrook North, Rockford East, Rolling Meadows, Round Lake, Niles West, Zion-Benton 2A: #8 Lakes Community, #16 Crystal Lake South, #19 Grayslake Central, Antioch, Carmel Catholic, Wauconda; 1A: Johnsburg

Preview – This meet was moved from the O’Plaine Campus Course at Warren Township due to the fact that flooding from the Des Plaines River had some of the course under three feet of water. Host Warren Township has looked good early this season and will be the favorite in the Boys team race though Glenbrook South and Grayslake Central could be the chief competition for the Blue Devils. Cary-Grove’s Maxum Caesar and Will Kelly of Grayslake Central will be two of the top runners leading the pack in the individual race.

Four ranked teams headline the Girls field with Lakes Community, who finished 15th in the 3A race in Peoria last week, and Fremd the top teams to watch for. Brooke Stromsland of Lakes Community finished second last week in the 3A race and appears to be the favorite in what should be a great race. Kate Jortberg of Glenbrook South and Mackenzie Aldridge of Crystal Lake South should join Stromsland in the front.

 

Tuscola Invitational

Boys Teams – 1A #4 Urbana University, #12 Clinton, #18 Payton-Buckley-Loda, #19 Arthur-Lovington, #24 St. Anthony, Cowden-Herrick, Prairie Central, Hutsonville, Neoga, Paris, Toledo Cumberland, Tolono Unity, Tuscola

Girls Teams – 1A: #5 Tolono Unity, #7 Urbana University, Clinton, Cowden Herrick, Downs Tri-Valley, St. Anthony, Prairie Central, Neoga, Paris, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Toledo Cumberland, Tuscola

Preview – The Boys individual meet will miss some substance with Layton Hall of Arthur Lovington running in Peoria this weekend. It should still be a great race with Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley-Loda challenging the Urbana U-High duo of Henry Kraatz and Aryan Lalwani. #4 Urbana University top challenge in the team race should come from Clinton.

Tolono Unity packed it up in their team win last week at Paxton-Buckley-Loda and will need the same type of race at Tuscola on Saturday. Urbana University finished fourth last week in Peoria and will build off that momentum in this race. Kate Ahmari of U-High and Payne Turney of Clinton were only separated by two seconds in their race at Peoria. They will be joined by Tolono Unity’s Caroline Bachert in the front.

 

Other Meets to Watch

 

Bureau Valley Invitational @ Walnut Park

Boys Teams – 1A: #7 Elmwood, #13 Eureka, #14 Illinois Valley Central, #22 Rock Falls; Bloomington Central Catholic, Erie-Prophetstown, Galva Mid-County, Bureau Valley, Spring Valley Hall, Sterling Newman, Rockridge, Westmont

Girls Teams – 1A: #3 Rock Falls, #8 Eureka, #17 Bloomington Central Catholic, Amboy, Illinois Valley Central, Elmwood-Brimfield, Kewanee-Wethersfield, Bureau Valley, Princeville, Toulon Stark County, Westmont;

 

Dave Brady Invitational @ Argo

Boys Teams – 3A: Eisenhower, Reavis, Homewood-Flossmoor, Oak Lawn Richards, Argo; 2A: Solorio Academy, Niles Notre Dame

Girls Teams – 3A: Berwyn-Cicero Morton, Eisenhower, Reavis, Homewood-Flossmoor, Oak Lawn, Richards, Argo; 2A: Solorio Academy

 

Dunlap Invitational

Boys Teams – 3A: Normal West 2A: #13 Metamora, Dunlap, Galesburg, Morton; 1A: Macomb, Rock Island Alleman, Tremont, Williamsville

Girls Teams – 3A: Normal West; 2A: #5 Dunlap, #22 Metamora, Galesburg, Morton; 1A: #16 Tremont, #22 Williamsville, Macomb, Rock Island Alleman;

 

Edwardsville Invitational @ SIU-Edwardsville

Boys Teams – 3A: Alton, Collinsville, Edwardsville; 2A: #17 Columbia, Bethalto Civic Memorial, Highland, Jacksonville, Jersey, Waterloo; 1A: #9 Father McGivney

Girls Teams – 3A: Alton, Collinsville, Edwardsville; 2A: #12 Highland, Bethalto Civic Memorial, Columbia, Jacksonville, Jersey, Waterloo, 1A:Litchfield, Father McGivney;

 

Geneseo Invitational

Boys Teams– 2A: #22 Geneseo, LaSalle-Peru, Ottawa, Sterling, Streator

Girls Teams – 2A: #24 Geneseo, LaSalle-Peru, Ottawa, Sterling, Streator

 

Libertyville Invitational @ Adler Park

Boys Teams – 3A: #7 New Trier, #18 Jones College Prep, Taft, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Prospect, Niles North, Niles West; 2A: #16 St. Viator, Northside Prep, Payton Prep;

Girls Teams – 3A: #13 Prospect, #16 New Trier, #23 Lockport, Jones College Prep, Taft, Highland Park, Libertyville, Shepard, Niles North, Waukegan, Wheeling; 2A: Northside Prep, Payton Prep; 1A: Willows Academy, Regina Dominican

 

Olney Invitational

Boys Teams – 2A: #19 Centralia, #21 Olney Richland County, Effingham, Marion, Mattoon, Mt. Vernon, Salem; 1A: Breese Mater Dei, Fairfield, Lawrenceville, Hamilton County, Robinson, Teutopolis.

Girls Teams – Olney Richland County, Effingham, Mattoon, Mt. Vernon, Salem; 1A: Breese Mater Dei, Lawrenceville, Hamilton County, Newton, Teutopolis;

 

St. Francis Invitational @ Cantigny Park, Wheaton (9/20)

Boys Teams – 2A: #8 St. Francis 1A: #20 Aurora Central Catholic

Girls Teams – 2A: Glenbard South, St. Francis; 1A: #9 IC Catholic Prep, #12 Aurora Central Catholic, Elgin St. Edward

 

Riverside-Brookfield Invitational @ Sundown Meadows Forest Preserve(9/20)

Boys Teams – 3A: Berwyn-Cicero Morton; 2A: Elmwood Park, Evergreen Park, Nazareth Academy, Lemont, Morris, Fenwick, Riverside-Brookfield

Girls Teams – 3A: Mother McAuley, Joliet Central, Joliet West; 2A: #9 Fenwick, #21 Lemont, Elmwood Park, Evergreen Park, Nazareth Academy, Morris, Fenwick, Trinity, Riverside-Brookfield

 

Woodstock Byrne Invitational @ Emricson Park, Woodstock

Boys Teams – 3A: Dundee-Crown, McHenry; 2A: IMSA, Prairie Ridge, Richmond-Burton, Vernon Hills, Woodstock, Marian Central Catholic, Woodstock North;

Girls Teams – 3A: Dundee Crown, McHenry; 2A: #1 Vernon Hills, #11 Prairie Ridge, IMSA, Richmond-Burton, Woodstock, Marian Central Catholic, Woodstock North;

 

Cape Central Invitational @ Cape Girardeau, MO

Boys Teams – 2A: #15 Carbondale

 

Woodbridge Invitational CA

Boys Teams – Mundelein, 1A #8 Clifton Central