The Illinois XC Roadmap to the Weekend - October 8, 2021

By Michael Newman

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We are on the verge of stepping into championship racing season next week You could consider this weekend the prelude to some great racing in the next four weeks. We had the Naperville Twilight Invitational where we saw some fantastic racing. Some of the meets listed below have some great “pre-state like” races that should catch your eye.

The Loyola Academy Flight Night on Friday night is loaded in the Girls Meet with six ranked teams. Ava Parekh of Latin School after her win Wednesday in Naperville is registered to race in the Girls Varsity race along with teammate Mia Kotler. Brooke Johnson of Lake Zurich should be Parekh’s chief competition along with Catie McCabe of Hinsdale Central, Lily Ginsburg and Haley Erickson of Prospect, and Sofia Acuri of Maine South.

This long weekend ends on Monday with the Columbus Day Invitational in Amboy with three of the top 5 teams in 1A with #1 Winnebago, #3 Monticello, and #5 Rosary. The individual race should be great on this tough 2.9-mile course with Lianna Surtz of Rosary, Grace Erb of Winnebago, Mabry Bruhn and Estella Miller of Monticello, and Carly Manchester of IC Catholic Prep. Haley Heair of East Dubuque is registered for this meet and could make her seasonal debut on Monday. Elmwood leads the teams in the Boys race with Mason Stoeger of Fieldcrest and Brock Loftus of Amboy the top individuals to watch.

The Prairie Central Invitational offers up the top 2 runners in Class 1A with Drew Rogers of Herscher coming off his win at Naperville racing against long time friend and rival Ryder James of Paxton-Buckley-Loda. The Girls race should also be great with Anna Perry of Eureka challenging Kate Ahmari of Urbana University for the win. Toledo Cumberland Invitational offers up a wonderful team dual between Arthur-Lovington and Benton. The individual race of Gavin Genisio of Benton and Eli Mojonnier of Bismarck-Henning should be a great challenge for both runners.

The Runnin’ Red Invitational at Black Partridge Park in Metamora offers up team races loaded with ranked teams. Top ranked Morton in 2A will be challenged by Palatine, Oswego East, and Mahomet-Seymour in the Boys race. Wilson Georges of Limestone will get a good challenge from Oswego East’s Tanner Doud and Alex Das in the individual race. 3A Palatine, 2A’s Dunlap and Normal University, and 1A Tolono Unity will be the teams to watch in the Girls race.

Oswego after a week off will be the Boys team to watch with Fenwick and Chatham-Glenwood in the Sterling Invitational. Riley Newport of DeKalb and Ethan Forsell of Oswego will be runners o watch individually. Chatham-Glenwood’s pack will be challenge by Dixon and Dixon in the Girls race.

Here are listings of meets that will take place this weekend in Illinois.

Loyola Academy Flight Night @ Loyola Campus, Glenview (Friday)

Boys Teams – 3A #17 Hersey, 3A #18 St. Ignatius Prep, 3A #26 Prospect, 1A #1 Latin School, Marquette University WI, Leo Catholic, Whitney Young, Loyola Academy, New Trier (JV)

Girls Teams – 3A #3 Prospect, 3A #8 Loyola Academy, 3A #10 Maine South, 3A #11 Hinsdale Central, 3A #21 Lake Zurich, 2A #5 Latin School, Whitney Young, Evanston, New Trier (JV)

Amboy Patriot Day Invitational @ Shady Oaks Country Club, Sublette (Monday)

Boys Teams – 1A #13 Elmwood, 1A #16 Monticello, 1A #22 Sandwich, 1A #24 Amboy, 1A #30 Aurora Central Catholic, Abingdon-Avon, Beecher, Byron, Clifton Central, Delavan, East Dubuque, Erie-Prophetstown, Farmington, Franklin, Freeport Aquin, Iroquois West, Putnam County, Hinckley-Bog Rock, Kankakee McNamara, Kewanee, Knoxville, Lanark-Eastland, Bureau Valley, Johnsburg, Mendota, Minonk Fieldcrest, Morrison, Oregon, Ottawa Marquette, Rock Falls, Seneca, Indian Creek, Sherrard, Sterling Newman Catholic, Stockton, Rockridge, Tremont, Westmont, Winnebago, Aledo Mercer County, Polo

Girls Teams – 1A #1 Winnebago, 1A #3 Monticello, 1A #5 Rosary, #14 IC Catholic Prep, 1A #20 Rock Falls, 1A #23 Seneca, 1A #30 Sherrard, Abingdon-Avon, Amboy, Aurora Central Catholic, Beecher, Byron, Clifton Central, East Dubuque, Elmwood, Erie-Prophetstown, Farmington, Franklin, Iroquois West, Kankakee McNamara, Kewanee, Knoxville, Lanard-Eastland, Bureau Valley, Johnsburg, Mendota, Minonk Fieldcrest, Monticello, Morrison, Oregon, Orion, Ottawa Marquette, Sandwich, Indian Creek, Sterling Newman Catholic, Stockton, Rockridge, Tremont, Westmont, Winnebago, Mercer County, Polo.

Runnin’ Red Invitational @ Black Partridge Park, Metamora

Boys Teams – 3A #14 Palatine, 3A #24 Oswego East, 2A #1 Morton, 2A #9 Glenbard South, 2A #10 Mahomet-Seymour, 2A #14 Springfield, 2A #19 Peoria Notre Dame, 2A #23 Bartonville Limestone, 2A #25 Metamora, 2A #27 Dunlap, 1A #3 Normal University, 1A #7 Stanford Olympia, Bloomington, East Peoria, Geneseo, Lincoln, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Macomb, Illini Central, Moline, Normal Community, Pekin, Peoria Richwoods, Rochester, Rock Island, Springfield Lanphier, Washington, Champaign Central

Girls Teams – 3A #27 Palatine, 2A #4 Dunlap, 2A #9 Normal University, 2A #14 Mahomet-Seymour, 2A #16 Morton, 2A #17 Peoria Notre Dame, 2A #22 Metamora, 1A #2 Tolono Unity, 1A #13 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, 1A #16 Stanford Olympia, Bloomington, Dunlap, East Peoria, Geneseo, Glenbard South, Lincoln, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Macomb, Moline, Normal Community, Pekin, Bartonville Limestone, Peoria Richwoods, Rochester, Rock Island, Springfield Lanphier, Springfield, Washington, Champaign Central.

Sterling Invitational @ Hoover Park, Sterling

Boys Teams – 3A #6 Oswego, 3A #28 DeKalb, 2A #2 Fenwick, 2A #16 Chatham-Glenwood, 2A #21 Sycamore, Dixon, East Moline United, Conant, Lanark Eastland, Princeton, Rochelle, Rock Island Alleman, Rockford Boylan, Rockford Guilford, Rockford Jefferson, Schaumburg, Sterling, Stockton, Pleasant Valley IA

Girls Teams – 3A #26 Oswego, 2A #2 Chatham-Glenwood, 2A #21 Dixon, 2A #30 Fenwick, Aurora Christian, DeKalb, East Moline United, Lanark Eastland, Kaneland, Princeton, Rochelle, Rock Island Alleman, Rockford Boylan, Rockford Guilford, Sterling, Stockton, Sycamore, Pleasant Valley IA, Zion-Benton

Wheeling Invitational @ Heritage Park, Wheeling

Boys Teams – 3A #16 Lake Zurich, 3A #19 Barrington, 1A #21 Northridge Prep, Carroll OH, St. Viator, Bartlett, Deerfield (JV), Maine West, Elgin Academy, Grant, Glenbrook South, Highland Park, Benet Academy, Fremd, Maine East, Rolling Meadows, Lake Park, Wheeling

Girls Teams – 3A #15 Barrington, 3A #23 Libertyville, Carroll OH, St. Viator, Bartlett, Maine West, Evanston, Westlake Christian, Highland Park, Hoffman Estates, Benet Academy, Fremd, Maine East, Lake Park, Schaumburg, Streamwood, Wheaton North, Wheeling, New Trier (JV)

Prairie Central Invitational @ Indian Creek Golf Club, Fairbury

Boys Teams – 1A #15 Herscher, 1A #18 Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 1A #25 Urbana University, 1A #27 Pontiac, Bloomington Central Catholic, Clinton, El Paso-Gridley, Eureka, Prairie Central, Henry-Senachwine, Hoopeston-Area, Midwest Central, Morris, Peoria, Peoria Heights, Plano, Pleasant Plains

Girls Teams – 1A #4 Eureka, 1A #7 Urbana University, 1A #18 El Paso-Gridley, 1A #25 Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 1A #26 Clinton, Bloomington Central Catholic, Prairie Central, Henry-Senachwine, Herscher, Hoopeston Area, Midwest Central, Morris, Peoria, Plano, Pleasant Plains, Pontiac

Orphan Invitational @ Foundation Park, Centralia

Boys Teams – 2A #20 Mascoutah, 2A #30 Marion, Bluford Webber, Breese Mater Dei, Cahokia, Carbondale, Centralia, East St. Louis-Senior, Effingham, Fairfield, Flora, Marion, Mt. Vernon, Salem

Girls Teams – 2A #25 Mascoutah, Bluford Webber, Breese Mater Dei, Cahokia, Carbondale, Centralia, East St. Louis-Senior, Effingham, Fairfield, Flora, Mt. Vernon, Odin, Salem

Liberty Invitational @ Uhland Acres, Liberty

Boys Teams – 1A #10 Hamilton West Hancock, Bushnell-Prairie City, Camp Point Central, Illini West, Liberty, Mendon Unity, Petersburg PORTA, Pittsfield, Quincy Notre Dame, Quincy, Riverton, Williamsville

Girls Teams – 1A #17 Williamsville, Bushnell Prairie City, Illini West, Liberty, Mendon Unity, Petersburg PORTA, Quincy, Quincy Notre Dame, Riverton, Hamilton West Hancock

Black Sail Invitational @ Belvidere

Boys Teams – Belvidere, Freeport, Genoa-Kingston, Harvard, Glenbard East, Marengo, Richmond-Burton, Rockford Auburn, Rockford Lutheran, Rockford East, West Chicago, Marian Central Catholic, Woodstock North.

Girls Teams – Belvidere, Freeport, Genoa-Kingston, Harvard, Glenbard East, Marengo, Richmond-Burton, Rockford Auburn, Rockford Lutheran, Rockford East, West Chicago, Marian Central Catholic, Woodstock North

East Alton-Wood River Invitational

Boys Teams – Carlinville, Collinsville, Columbia, O’Fallon First Baptist Academy, Greenville, Jersey, Litchfield, Piasa Southwestern, Red Bud, Staunton, Trenton-Wesclin, East Alton-Wood River

Girls Teams – Carlinville, Collinsville, O’Fallon First Baptist Academy, Gillespie, Greenville, Jersey, Litchfield, Piasa Southwestern, Staunton, Trenton-Wesclin, East Alton-Wood River

Toledo Cumberland Invitational

Boys Teams – 1A #5 Arthur-Lovington, 1A #12 Benton, 1A #14 Bismarck-Henning, #17 Tuscola, Effingham St. Anthony, Lawrenceville, Marshall, Mattoon, Neoga, Olney Richland County, Rantoul, Toledo Cumberland, Tolono Unity,

Girls Teams – 1A #11 Marshall, Arthur-Lovington, Benton, Bismarck-Henning, Effingham St. Anthony, Lawrenceville, Mattoon, Neoga, Olney Richland County, Rantoul, Toledo Cumberland, Tuscola