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2020 Illinois High School Cross Country Individual Previews - Class 2A GirlsPublished by
2020 Illinois High School Cross Country Individual Previews - Class 2A Girls
Stromsland and Parekh step into the spotlight now with David in Florida
By Michael Newman
The landscape of this classification changed at the beginning of the month when Tatum David announced that she was moving to Florida for the 2020-2021 school year. It opens the door for now that Brooke Stromsland of Lakes Community and Ava Parekh of Latin School step into the spotlight in Class 2A. Let us just hope that we have a state meet.
Stromsland ran 16:33 to finish second last fall. Parekh did not have her best race last November in Peoria when she ran 17:00 to finish third. She has showed during this down time that she has gotten stronger having run 4:51 for the mile.
If no state meet, it is hard to see these two racing unless Foot Locker decides to hold their meet. The restrictions will hold Parekh in Chicago to run. Stromsland could have someone to push her. She is in the same conference as Aly Negovetich of 3A Grant Community. The two are scheduled to race against each other on September 1.
Class 2A is loaded with 17 of the 25 runners from last year’s state meet.
David mentioned that the ne regret she had about her move was that she did not get a chance to break the Detweiller Park course record. Her family did not sell their house in Richland County. Maybe we see her race again in the next two years maybe for Richland County or even IMG Academy.
The main thing is that these kids get to run with their friends and race. That is what this sport is all about. It might not be invitational meets. It might be just dual meets and that is okay with me.
The previews that have been written are focused on IF we have a state series and IF we have a state meet. As of this time, that is yet to be determined.
There was never the chance that these would not be written for the upcoming season. It is more of a tribute to the student/athletes that did not get a chance to compete this spring and now have that opportunity this fall. This preview is for all of you.
Top Five Class 2A Girls Runners
1 Brooke Stromsland – SR – Lake Villa Lakes Community
Comments – A three time all-state runner which included a state championship in 2018. Brooke Stromsland enters her senior season as one of the top runners in the state regardless of classification. She got stronger last fall running in more races against Class 3A runners. This included finishing second in the Class 3A race at the First to the Finish Invitational behind Molly FitzPatrick. She had good pair of races a month before the state meet running a solo 16:46 at the Peoria Invitational. Four days later at the Naperville Twilight Invitational, she finished fifth with the same time in a loaded field that included Katelynne Hart. Wins in the North Lake County Conference Meet, the Lakes Regional, and the Belvidere Sectional got Stromsland ready for the state meet. She ran a solid race at state running 16:33 to finish second behind Tatum David. It was the third fastest time at Detweiller Park on that day.
Stromsland won a memorable race at state in 2018 when she passed Lianna Surtz in the final 100-meters to win the Class 2A Sate Championship. She finished fourth as a freshman in the 2A state race in 2017. A smart runner who will just keep getting better in her final year of high school and then onto the next level in college.
“It's amazing that we are going into Brooke's senior year,” said Lakes Coach Travis Sheppard. “It seems like just yesterday she was sprinting to a 4th place finish as an unknown Freshmen. Since then Brooke has developed into a dominant runner on the biggest stages. She handles the pressure of being an elite runner with grace and poise. She shows up when it matters most and craves the competition. She is a dream to coach because of how she carries herself and her attention to the little things. We have had an immense amount of a success with Brooke at the helm. She lifts up her teammates and inspires them to be their best.
As a person, she is top notch and a tremendous role model for other young ladies on the team. She is driven both in the classroom and on the course. As a runner, her ability to be at her best when it matters most is remarkable. Watching how hard she trains and how she battles in a race, it is clear to me that she is truly only scratching the surface of her potential. Her mental makeup is quite impressive, and she is never to be underestimated.
I am beyond privileged to have worked with Brooke over the last four years. She has already left a permanent impression on our program and will leave Lakes in May as an absolute legend.”
2 Ava Parekh – JR – Chicago Latin School
Comments – Ava Parekh traveled around the country during the early track season not to race, but to find ways to improve her running. She ran a strong double indoors at the University of Kentucky in February when she won the 1-Mile Run (4:51.05) and then came back to run 10:29.49 to finish fourth in the 3200 Meter Run. You could see that she had been training during this off period of no track. Parekh ended the summer by running 10:30.69 to finish second in the 3200 Meter Run, then won the 1-Mile Run (4:51.56) at the Illinois Meet of Champions. The next day, she flew off to Colorado to do altitude training with Tatum David and Brooke Stromsland. The chances of racing against Stromsland could be slim especially with the guidelines keeping schools within their region.
Parekh had a solid season last fall that culminated with a third-place finish at the state meet behind David and Stromsland, then eighth at the NXR Midwest Regional. Her best in season race was when she ran a personal best of 16:33 at the Naperville Twilight Invitational trailing only Katelynne Hart. She has two more years of cross country racing. I cannot wait to see what happens next for Parekh. “Ava has the love, passion, dedication, work ethic, and talent to be one of the all-time greats in the state,” said Latin School Coach Dan Daly. “She will lead us to a #1 spot in the team scoring at state.”
3 Emma Skinner – JR – Morton
Comments – Emma Skinner does have the potential to be one of the top five Class 2A runners in the state this fall. She has been a two-time all-state runners in her two seasons at Morton. She ran 17:54 to finish 20th as a freshman in 2019. She finished sixth in the state last year with a 17:39 on the Detweiller Park course. Three weeks earlier on the same course, she ran an incredible 17:05 to win the title in the Mid-Illini Conference Meet. If she gets a chance to run at Detweiller this fall, I am sure she will be under 17-minutes on that course.
“Emma is a talented runner and, as most runners were, it was difficult to see her miss out on the spring track season,” said Morton Coach Joel Zehr. “Coming back for her junior season is an exciting prospect. She has continued to grow in her dedication to running, she has continued to grow in her knowledge of training and racing, and she should be an exciting runner to watch this fall.”
4 Kaylie Politza – JR – Lemont
Comments – A tough runner that relishes the moments to prove her doubters wrong in a race. few people thought that Kaylie Politza would be racing last fall including her coaches when a stress fracture threatened to cancel her season. He pushed her training regiment and got back in time just before her conference meet. She had run 17:15 at Detweiller Park in July to give you an idea where her fitness level was at. Politza fought back to run 17:22 to finish fifth at the state meet. She is a great 800 meter runner on the track that could claim the state record before she graduates high school.
5 Isabella Gonzalez – SO – Crystal Lake South
Comments – Freshmen are always surprises. When a freshman finishes in the top 25 in the state meet, they are a big surprise. When she is among the top 10 runners, you know you will be seeing a special runner compete in her next three seasons. Such is the case for Isabella Gonzalez who ran 17:46 to finish 10th in last year’s state meet. In the five varsity races that she ran in before state, she finished in the top five in all of them. It included winning the title in the tough Fox Valley Conference, finishing second in the Kaneland Regional, and then second behind Brooke Stromsland at the Belvidere Sectional.
“She’s the sharpest knife in the drawer,” said Crystal Lake South Coach Ken Greenfield. “She is extremely bright, hard-working, and talented. She had some lower back issues in the spring and as a result had to take some extra time off and do some physical therapy. That combined with the abbreviated season had me a little worried that she might take a half-step backwards. Nothing could be further from the truth. Her fitness level and focus is off the charts for this early in the season. I cannot wait to see what she can do and hope she gets the chance.”
Next Class 2A Runners (In Alphabetical Order)
Lexi Affolter – SR – Chicago St. Ignatius Prep
Comments – Lexi Affolter should be the top runner for the Wolfpack this fall. She could be driven to do some big things. The senior did not have her best race to end the season finishing 36th at the state meet. She was hoping for a top 25 finish which she could attain this fall. Affolder was strong coming down the stretch placing fourth in both the GCAC Championships and the Fenton Regional.
“Lexi had a nice cross country season,” said St. Ignatius Coach Matt Haffner. “She was not happy with how it ended since she didn't have her best race. She ran a 5:19 on the track during practice in the Fall so she is encouraged by that. She was our most consistent trainer since school went online. That should benefit her during the shortened season.”
Meaghan Andrews – SR – Lisle Benet Academy
Comments – One of five Benet Academy runners that could be in the #1 spot for the team this fall. Meghan Andrews was the team’s second runner at state last fall earning all-state honors placing 14th and running 17:49 in that race. She has run in the state meet two other times in her high school career. She ran 18:28 to finish 135th in the Class 3A race as a freshman in 2017. She came back to run 18:09 to finish 94th as a sophomore in the Class 3A race in 2018.
“Meaghan returns as an all-state runner finishing 14th in the 2A state meet,” said Benet Academy Coach Katie Paski. “She is an incredibly consistent runner who knows when to “show up” for the biggest races. The confidence and heart in which she runs with never ceases to amaze me. Meaghan consistently does what is best for her team, but without Meaghan, this team would not be as strong and as tough as they are. She continues to be a huge piece of the puzzle to this team’s success.”
Sydnie Elder – SR – Belvidere North
Comments- Sydnie Elder will take over the #1 spot for the Blue Thunder for the departed Gianna Sagona and Madison Diercks who have graduated. Elder has three years of state meet experience for Belvidere North. She was all-state as a sophomore in 2018 when she finished 21st with a 17:55 personal best time. Sandwiched in between that state meet was her freshman season where she ran 18:25 to finish 42nd, and her junior season last year when she ran 18:19 to finish 41st. Elder was strong coming down the stretch a the end of last season placing fourth at the NIC-10 Conference Meet, fourth in the Sterling Regional, and ninth at the Belvidere Sectional. Watch for Elder to bounce back in 2020.
“Sydnie has been our team leader throughout all of Spring and Summer training,” said Belvidere North Coach Andrew Pivoras. “She is as strong as ever and eager to compete. She has more drive and determination this year than I have ever seen from her. Us coaches are excited to see her race this season.”
Joy Jackson – SR – Lisle Benet Academy
Comments – Joy Jackson was her team’s third runner on their state championship team last season. She missed all-state by one spot finishing 26th with a 17:59 time. Just like her teammate Meghan Andrews, she has run in state meets two prior seasons. Jackson ran 18:37 to finish 153rd in the 2017 Class 3A State Meet. She also ran 18:16 to finish 111th in the 2018 Class 3A State Meet. Big things will be ahead for her this fall.
“Joy Jackson’s passion and competitive nature is absolutely contagious,” said Benet Academy Coach Katie Paski. “She has an insane amount of grit. She is never afraid to lay it all out on the line and always runs with a goal in mind. Her passion for the sport of cross country and running in general makes her the great athlete that she is. The hard work she put in this past summer has certainly shown in our first week of practice, and I have no doubt in my mind that she will have a bright season ahead of her.”
Colette Janik – JR – Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge
Comments – Will return for Prairie Ridge as the team’s top runner when they will be in search of their third straight state trophy. Collette Janik in her first season on the team ran 17:50 to finish 16th in the state meet. Her state race was a bounce back from her sectional race when she finished 17th at Belvidere. This will be her second year in the sport It will be interesting for her to gain from those first year experiences.
“Colette is always keeping us on our toes and entertained. This girl just has so much energy,” said Prairie Ridge Coach Kelly MacDonald. “She cannot sit still. Early on in the pandemic, I get a call from my assistant coach, Patrick Carpenter, he tells me, “You won't believe who I saw on a run today? Janik was out running, she chirped back at me, “I am running a marathon today; I am on mile 18.”” This girl cannot sit still! With her travel Hockey being limited, this girl literally could not sit still. She drove me crazy as she could never get herself to record her mileage, but I heard from teammates and friends that she was running. During the first few practices she looks on pace for another good year.”
Colette Kinsella – SO – LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy
Comments – Colette Kinsella had a great freshman season and will only get better in the three years. She came on strong in the second half of the season winning races at the Lisle Mane Event, finishing third at the Eastern Suburban Catholic Championships, and winning races at the Riverside-Brookfield Regional, and the Thornridge Sectional. Kinsella earned all-state honors by running 17:48 to finish 13th at state.
“We knew Colette was a top level talent coming in, but really didn't see her making the leaps she made last season,” said Nazareth Academy Coach Joe Wejman. “She seemed to get better every week and became a more tactical racer as the season progressed. Her mind seems much more focused this year now that she knows what she is capable of and better understands what it takes to be one of the best in the state.”
Saniya Mathew – SO – Dunlap
Comments – I cannot wait to see what this sophomore will accomplish this fall. Saniya Mathew earned all-state honors running 17:57 to finish 23rd at state. She ran her best race at Detweiller Park at the Peoria Central Invitational with a personal best of 17:41. She finished second in the Mid-Illini Conference Meet placing second.
“Saniya is a tough kid,” said her Coach Chris Friedman. “She had an up and down freshman campaign, as is to be expected. She learned a lot along the way. With Macy Priess, she provides a good 1-2 punch for us as a team. The Central Illinois area is always tough, and we see those girls and teams week in and week out. Saniya has plenty of opportunities to show what she is capable of even in our geographically limited season.”
Marianne Mihas – SR – Chicago Latin School
Comments – An injury slowed down Marianne Mihas at the beginning of last season. It seemed like she was not at full strength when we got to the state series meets. Mihas finished 28th at state last season. She was all-state her previous two seasons. She ran 17:45 to finish 18 at state as a freshman. Mihas ran 17:04 to finish third at state as a sophomore. She his healthy now and could do some big things this fall. She dropped her times down on the track in the limited season that she had including 2:10.95 for 800-meters. Mihas ran 2:16.83 for 800-meters and 5:10.29 in the 1 Mile Run at the end of July.
“Marianne has worked hard to get into shape to run the 800 and Mile over the summer,” said Latin School Coach Dan Daly. “That speed will carry over as she adds distance to prepare for fall XC
She was disappointed with her junior season because of an injury. She has regained her fitness and will once again be a top runner in Class 2A.”
Jade Miller – SR – Dixon
Comments – One of two all-state runners for the Duchesses on last year’s team. Jade Miller is a two—time all-state runner. She ran 17:49 to finish 15 in last year’s state meet. As a sophomore, she was also all-state when she ran 18:00 to finish 25th. Miller also ran state as a freshman when she finished 61st overall. She peaked at the right time last year after running 18:14 at Detweiller Park at the beginning of October at the Peoria Invitational. She finished 13 in that race. Down the stretch, she ran some great races including a fourth-place finish at the Big Northern Conference Meet, fifth at the Sterling Regional, and seventh at the Belvidere Sectional.
Maggie O’Malley – SR – Oak Park Fenwick
Comments – In her second year of cross country, Maggie O’Malley had a breakthrough season. She dropped her personal best from 20:54 down to 18:11. It will be interesting to see how much more it drops in 2020. Her 18:11 came in the state meet when she finished 34th. She should be the top runner for the Friars this fall. She finished fifth in the GCAC Championships. She then finished 10th two weeks later at the Fenton Sectional.
“Maggie is a craftsman,” said Fenwick Coach Kevin Roche. “She is someone who takes great pride in her work, takes the time to do it right, and works to get better each day. She has this virtuous discipline that has kept her mind and body balanced – she balances her passion and desire to succeed in distance running without going overboard or getting too worked up about the little things. She is an example for anyone who wants to progress in the sport. She has gotten aerobically stronger this summer with solid progression runs up to 10miles (where we max as a program). She has also been a positive leader helping others on the team tackle those long runs too. Katie Cahill has finished a few with her as has Bella Daley. I hope we have a season for a lot of reasons, and one is that she gets to show off her work in the fall one last time as a high schooler. She loves the sport, loves competing, and loves her teammates.”
Jesse Pakaski – JR – Wauconda
Comments – Jesse Pakaski was one of the bigger surprises in Class 2A last fall. She dropped her personal best from 19:04 as a freshman to 17:57 time for a sophomore. Her 17:57 time came when she finished 24 at the state meet. Her last couple of races leading up to the state meet were perhaps her best. Pakaski finished fifth in the North Lake County Conference Championship, then fourth in the Lakes Regional, and then 11th at the Belvidere Sectional.
Rose Sheridan – SO – Vernon Hills
Comments – Rose Sheridan had one of those up and down seasons that freshman runners seem to have. She was the team’s third runner at her conference meet and then sixth runner at sectionals. In between, she won the St. Viator Regional, and then came back as the team’s top runner in the state meet where she ran17:52 to finish 18th. That rollercoaster should flatten out for her starting her sophomore year where we could see great races from her.
Elizabeth Sims – JR – Mahomet-Seymour
Comments – The season did not end last fall the way that Elizabeth Sims wanted it to be last fall. She was the team’s second runner at the state meet finishing 94 and running 19:09. The week before , she ran 18:26 to finish sixth in the Bloomington Sectional at Maxwell Park. She picked up wins last fall at the U-High Invitational and then at the Apollo Conference Meet. Sims was all-state as a freshman when she ran 17:34 to finish eighth in the state race. She is ready for a strong junior season and ready to bounce back. “Elizabeth looks great,” said Mahomet-Seymour Coach Jama Grotelueschen. “ She put in more miles this summer than the past and has great endurance.”
Kaitlin Skeate – SR – Bloomington
Comments – Kaitlin Skeate is a two-time all-state runner in her three years of running at Bloomington. She ran 17:52 to finish 18th her sophomore year at state. Skeate followed up with that by running 17:56 to finish 21 in last year’s state meet. She ran a personal best of 17:49 at the Peoria Invitational last October. That was followed by a ninth-place finish in the Big 12 Championships, then finishes of fourth in the Metamora Regional and sixth at the Bloomington Sectional.
Kylie Smith – SR – Crystal Lake Central
Comments – Kylie Smith could be in the mix for a top 20 finish in the state meet if we have one. Smith has dropped her three-mile personal best down from 19:03 as a freshman to 18:07 at the end of last season. Smith has run in the state meet twice. She ran 18:28 to finish 40 as a sophomore. Last year, Smith improved on that by running 18:07 to finish 31st overall. She was in the top 10 in all three races preceding the state meet. Smith finished seventh in the Fox Valley Conference Meet, fourth in the Kaneland Regional, and then sixth at the Belvidere Sectional.
Emily Spellman – SR – Lisle Benet Academy
Comments – Emily Spellman was the top runner on the Benet Academy team that won the state team championship last fall. Spellman ran 17:48 to finish 12 in that state race. She has the experience in two other state meets when Benet Academy was in Class 3A. Spellman ran 17:58 as a freshman to finish 71st in the Class 3A State Meet race. In 2018, she ran as a personal best as a sophomore 17:44 to finish 56th in the Class 3A State Meet race.
“Emily returns as an all-state runner finishing 12th in the 2A state meet,” said Benet Academy Coach Katie Paski.” With Emily, I know that we will always see her put in the maximum effort she can possibly give on any given day. She is never afraid to set new goals and to push herself, always giving it her all. Her stamina is something that really stands out. Emily has a level of maturity about her that makes her a great runner both individually and as a teammate.”
Maria Stedwell – SO – Peoria Notre Dame
Comments – After running her first couple of races to start her high school career on the frosh/soph level, Stedwill stepped into the spotlight running varsity. She ended her freshman season by earning all-state honors finishing 19 at the state meet running 17:54. Good things will be ahead for her this fall. She also finished third at the Big 12 Championships, third at the Metamora Regional, and fifth at the Bloomington Sectional.
“Maria has been a big-mileage runner and really races off her strength, and aggressive racing style,” said Notre Dame Coach Dan Gray. “She is a quiet leader by example, and along with soph classmate Eileen Zopel (who were also grade school teammates), they set the pace for the other girls. Maria is good about doing the work when no one is watching, and it shows in her performances.”
Paige Stees – SR – Dixon
Comments – One of two Dixon runners to earn all-state honors at last year’s state meet. Stees finished 11th running 17:47 in 20:19. She was also all-state in 2018 when she ran 17:55 to place 23rd. Stees also ran as a freshman in the 2A State race placing 32nd overall. She finished third in the Big Northern Conference Meet, won the Sterling Regional race, and placed fifth at the Belvidere Sectional last fall.
Ella Ton-That – JR – Chicago Northside Prep
Comments – Ella Ton-That has run twice in the state meet at Detweiller Park. Her best finish came last fall when she missed all-state by two spots. She finished 27th with a seasonal best time of 18:00 in that state race. Her best three-mile run time came in the 3A race at the state meet in 2018. She ran 17:48 as a freshman to finish 62nd.
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