2019 Illinois IHSA XC State Series - Five Class 2A Regional Meets to Watch

Photo: Top ranked Kaneland looks for a home regional win (@Kaneland Boys XC)

By Michael Newman

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There should not be a ton of drama in Class 2A. It could be the possibility of teams tuning up for next week’s sectional races. The three regional meets in the Belvidere Sectional along with meets in the Bloomington Sectional being races to watch for this weekend.

We looked at one meet in each of the five sectionals. Here are the mini-previews for each of those meets.

Also read: Class 1A 5 Meets | Class 3A 5 Meets

Kaneland Regional @ Kaneland HS, Maple Park

Boys Race – Kaneland jumped back on top of the top spot in Class 2A with a convincing win last week at the Interstate Eight Conference Meet. Austin Adams and Daniel Occhipinti will be two of the runners in the front leading the Knights. #9 Marmion Academy finished third last week at the CCL and will look to bounce back needing big races from Alex Carlson and Anthony Zangler. #22 Sycamore, #17 Burlington Central, and #25 Crystal Lake Central are the other teams ranked in this field with hopes of being one of the top six qualifying teams. Hampshire, Marengo, and Crystal Lake South could be surprise teams in this field. Don’t be shocked if one of the ranked teams fails to advance to next week’s meet at Belvidere.

Adams is having a strong senior season and should challenge for the win against Burlington Central’s Anthony Farmer.

Girls Race – It could be seven schools challenging for six qualifying spots. #8 Crystal Lake South #12 Prairie Ridge were separated by only five points finishing third and fourth last week at the Fox Valley Conference Meet. It could be close again between these two squads. #20 Kaneland, #22 Crystal Lake Central, and #23 Burlington Central appear to have the talent to advance out of this regional. Sycamore and Illinois Math & Science Academy appear to be the teams challenging for the final qualifying position.

It could be a battle of Crystal Lake runners challenging for the win against Kaneland’s Rachel Richtman. Keep an eye on South’s Isabella Gonzalez and Mackenzie Aldridge along with Central’s Kylie Smith among the runners in the front.

Metamora Regional @ Black Partridge Park, Metamora

Boys Race – This could be a wide-open team race after ranked teams #5 Metamora, #7 Bloomington, and #10 Normal University should be battling for the regional championship. After these three teams, it could be up to five teams that will challenge for the final three qualifying spots.

Metamora is led by Ian O’Laughlin and Adam Gilbreath-Glaub that will challenge for the individual title. Bloomington should challenge for the top spot led by Bradyn Olmstead. Normal University is coming on strong led by Alex Hess that could surprise for the win.

#19 Centennial and #21 Mahomet-Seymour are close together point-wise and could challenge for third. Urbana, Washington, and Champaign Central all have the talent find their way into the first six spots.

Centennial’s Luke Manolakes and Washington’s Jackson Ward should challenge Metamora’s Gilbreath-Glaub and O’Laughlin for the individual regional title.

Girls Race – It should be fairly wide-open for the team title with #14 Mahomet-Seymour, #16 Urbana, #17 Washington, and #21 Bloomington all having the talent to come away with the regional team title. Urbana’s Olivia Rosenstein should be the big favorite in this field that has loads of talent. Bloomington’s Kaitlin Skeate and Raegan Kaeb, Elizabeth Sims of Mahomet-Seymour, Celia Barbieri of Urbana, and Joy English of Washington are some of the runners should see in the front.

Highland Regional @ Alhambra Fireman's Park

Girls Race - #19 Highland should be the class of the field in this race. Grace Meyer and Julia Loeh lead this team that could put 5 runners in the top 13. Mascoutah, Triad, and Carbondale should challenge for the second spot behind Highland. The individual race is wide-open with Highland’s Meyer and Loeh, Waterloo’s Rachel Patterson, Madeline Prideaux of Carbondale, and Chloe Latour of Mascoutah capable of winning this race.

Boys Race - #12 Mascoutah is coming off a strong race in their Mississippi Valley race win. They come in with the momentum to be the race favorite with #20 Triad and #23 Waterloo hoping to overtake the MVC Champs. Waterloo’s Eli Ward and Carbondale’s Tucker Poshard are expected to challenge for the individual race title.

Latin School Regional @ Lincoln Park, Chicago

Girls Race – The loss of Chicago Public League schools should not affect the team battle between #3 Latin School and #6 St. Ignatius Prep. Latin’s Ava Parekh is the individual favorite in the race. It could come down to St. Ignatius and their pack of Rhiannon O’Keefe, Lexi Affolder, and Kristina Dalton that could be the difference in this race. Marianne Mihas is back from an injury that kept her out most of the season. Mihas being in front of the pack could change the outcome. #13 Fenwick, led by Maggie O’Malley, should be a solid third in this meet. It will be interesting to see how close they can get to the front. 5 to 7 points should separate the Latin and Ignatius.

Boys Race – It would not be a surprise if #2 St. Ignatius seeps the first seven spots in this race. Fenwick will lead the pack. Jacob Flynn of St. Ignatius should be the leader of the pack in this race.

Bremen Regional @ Midlothian Meadows

Boys Race – This is the toughest regional in what could be the weakest sectional of all 15 in Illinois. #14 Benet Academy is the only ranked team in the sectional and will be the big favorite in this race. You can expect the Redwings to place 5 runners in the top 10 led by Sean Donnelly and Niklas Anderson. HL Richards, Hinsdale South, Oak Forest, Lemont, and Bremen should be the other teams advancing out of this regional. Julian Watson of Hinsdale South and Mike Reif of Oak Forest should be the individual favorites.

Girls Race – Top ranked Benet Academy will be the big favorite this week with the god chance of placing 5 runners in the first 6. Only Kaylee Politza of Lemont should be the only non-Benet runner in between that pack. Joy Jackson and Emily Spellman of Benet Academy along with Politza will be the runners to watch in the front. #25 Lemont is a solid second-place team in this meet followed by Oak Forest and Hinsdale South.