2020 NCC Girls HS Classic - Meet Preview

By Michael Newman

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Photo: Katelynne Hart will have relay duty in this meet as well as a high powered 800 Meter Run race (Laura Duffy Credit)

The North Central College campus is steep in tradition in distance running. The high school athletes will sense that as they step onto the Al B Carius Track inside the school’s Res-Rec Center on Thursday. The spotlight in this meet of course will be the distance events.

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All eyes will be on Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West in this meet as it will be in any race she competes in her final high school season. The 11-time Illinois State Champion will compete in the 3200 Meter Relay and 1600 Meter Relay. Sandwiched in between should be one of the top 800 Meter Run races that we could see this season that she will compete in.

We know Hart is in shape from the 16:09 that she ran for 5k at Boston University in February. She drops down in distance this meet as a tune up for next week’s New Balance Indoor Nationals. Hart will have company in the 800 Meter Run. Marianne Mihas of Latin School ran 2:10.95 (US #11) in winning at the UK HS invitational in February. The junior will be with Hart and pushing the pace. Ava Parekh, also from Latin School, has not run this distance this winter. The sophomore has run 10:29.49 (US #5) for 2-miles and 4:51.05 (US #11) for 1-mile and should be up for challenge for this distance. Olivia Schmitt of Lakes Community and Erin Reidy of Downers Grove South finished second and third behind Hart in last May’s state meet. Reidy ran 2:10 at the end of last year and will be in the chase. Schmitt is running with more confidence and will be a threat in this race.

Don’t sleep on the other three distance races in this meet. They should be fantastic.

Glenbard West will load their 3200 Meter Relay led by Hart and Audrey Allman and have the top seed in this race. Oswego, Yorkville, and Wheaton-Warrenville South will be teams to keep an eye on.

There is talent in the field in the 3200 Meter Run. Maggie Gamboa of Naperville North ran a solo 10:59.67 at Wheaton-Warrenville South two weeks ago. She has the top seed time in the event. Alice Abbott of St. Charles East is the defending champion in this event in this meet and will be a factor. Last fall 3A State Cross Country runner-up Samantha Poglitsch of Wheaton-Warrenville South steps up in distance in what is a rare appearance for her in the event. She is in great physical condition having already run 5:13 for 1600-meters and 2:18 for 800-meters. If the race comes down to the final 200-meters, Poglitsch will have the advantage.

Five-time all-state runner Brenna Cohoon of Downers Grove South will be a factor in this race in the front pack. McKenna Revord of Hinsdale Central is also a runner to watch in the front.

Chances are good that we could see some runners under five minutes in the 160 Meter Run. Campbell Petersen of Naperville North has looked strong running 2:19 for 800-meters this indoor season. She will be a factor in the front. Emma Watcke of Hinsdale Central finished second in this event in last May’s 3A state meet at this distance. She will be in the front with Petersen. Erin Reidy will be doubling back from the 800 Meter Run. The University of Minnesota signee ran a solo 5:07 earlier this year. We will see how she handles this double.

Audrey Mendrys of Naperville North, Helena Kleronomos of Yorkville, Audrey Allman of Glenbard West all have the talent to run under 5:05 in this race. Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central, Audra Soderlund of Oswego, and Kate Guderjan of Lincoln-Way East could be surprises in the top five finishers.

Other athletes to watch in this meet

Mariam Azeez of Lincoln-Way East had strong performances in her meet last Saturday at Olivet Nazarene. She jumped 5.83m (19’ 1.5”) to in the Long Jump in that meet. She also ran 7.83 to tie for the win in the 60 Meter Dash. She will be one of the favorites in the 55 Meter Dash as well as the 200 Meter Dash along with Janea Gardner of Bloom Township.

Dior Nicholson of Hinsdale Central is one of the top athletes in the state in the Shot Put. She will display her talents in this meet. Nicholson already has the state lead in class 3A with a 12.62m (41’ 4.75”) best. She has the best mark in this meet by almost five-feet.

Maeve Connelly of Naperville North has cleared 1.65m (5’ 5”) while Alexas Hall of Bloom Township has cleared 1.64m (5’ 4.5”) this winter in the High Jump. They will be the favorites in this event. Also watch for Jennelle Rogers of Oswego who will be competing in her first meet of the season. She has a personal best of 1.75m (5’ 9”) from last year and should be a factor in this event along with teammate Olivia Solis.