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2021 IHSA Class 3A XC Regional Preview

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ILXCTF - Mike Newman   Oct 22nd 2021, 4:01pm
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2021 IHSA Class 3A XC Regional Preview

 

By Michael Newman [email protected]

 

The road to Detweiller Park starts at 12 regional sites across the state on Saturday. Here is a glimpse of what to watch for in these regional meets.

The first six (6) placing teams and the first five (5) runners who are not members of the advancing teams in each regional will advance to sectional competition at the site to which they are assigned.

 

Hinsdale Central Sectional

Oswego East Regional

Girls – This could be one of the tougher 3A regional races on Saturday with seven teams capable of grabbing the six sectional qualifying spots. #2 Naperville North won the DuPage Valley Conference Meet 29-48 ahead of #11 Naperville Central last week. The two teams will make it to the sectional meet. #9 Batavia ran their best race of the year last week in winning the DuKane Championships with best races yet to come. #15 Oswego East and #21 Metea Valley both ran great in their respective conference races and will challenge for top six spots. #24 Oswego displayed good pack running behind their #1 runner Audra Soderlind and could be among the top six in this race. Neuqua Valley and Benet Academy would advance to sectionals if they were in any other regional. They could have trouble advancing out of this one. The individual race should be dynamite led by DuKane Champion Katrina Schlenker of Batavia. Soderlind of Oswego, Lucy Westlake of Naperville North, Louisa Diamond of Benet Academy, Liv Phillips of Naperville Central, and Sarah Maggio of Metea Valley all have good chances of finishing in the top three.

Boys – The storyline is different in this race with six teams into sectionals with average races and two teams needing their best race of the year to get into that group. The main thing to watch is the packing of the top three teams in this race. #3 Oswego displayed some great pack running in winning the Southwest Prairie Conference Meet last Friday led by Ethan Forsell in the front. The Panthers need their top 5 runners at least in the top 15 with a 32 second split to win the team title. #7 Waubonsie Valley and #9 Neuqua Valley were separated by five points last week at the DuPage Valley Conference with the Warriors winning by five points. Waubonsie Valley should have a split under 30 seconds on their top five on Saturday with Aidan Oster in their lineup. It was 38 seconds last week in their conference meet led by Angel Solis and Ethan Marshall. Those two runners should be in the top 10. Waubonsie will need 5 runners in the top 10 to get close to Oswego. Noah Schalliol led Neuqua Valley to a 36 second split on their top five runners. They will need that split to come down and Schalliol and Ryan Palmer need to be ahead of Waubonsie’s top two runners to finish ahead of their conference rival. #27 Naperville Central was without top five runner Luke Noren last week. The Redhawks could solidify a qualifying spot with their top five runners in before 35th place. Oswego East did not have one of their top runners Alex Das race last week in their conference race. If Das is not racing with teammate Parker Nold, it could make it interesting if the Wolves advance. Naperville North should advance but will have West Aurora and Benet Academy in their rearview mirror. The individual race is wide open with Nold, Gabe Ryan of Naperville North, Forsell, and Schalliol all capable of winning the individual title.

Lyons Township Regional

Girls – If the Oswego East Regional is not the toughest 3A Girls regional, this race on Lyons Township’s South Campus 5k course should be. The individual race should be fascinating to watch led by Josephine Welin of Oak Park-River Forest. She ran 17:34 to win the WSC-Silver on this course last Saturday. It could be faster especially with the runners in this field. Evelyn Hett of Jones Prep was held out of the CPL race last week. She did run 17:01 at Naperville Twilight and should be ready to go. Katie McCabe of Hinsdale Central and Catherine Sommerfeld of Lyons Township finished in the top 5 on this course last week. Both should be among the leaders in this race. Sophomore Nikki Chopra of Whitney Young could step up into the spotlight in this race after finishing second last Saturday at the CPL championship. #5 Oak Park-River Forest and #7 Hinsdale Central were within three points of each other last Saturday at WSC-Silver. Either team could end up winning in this race. #10 Lyons Township has a solid pack behind Sommerfeld. The Lions could get closer to the front in this race and be a surprise for the win. #13 Downers Grove North has been solid with their packing all year and will also advance. Three Chicago schools will fight for two sectional spots with Whitney Young, Jones Prep, and Lane Tech all vying for those positions.

Boys – The runners are there to see a repeat of last week’s WSC-Silver finish with Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central and his teammate Colby Revord challenging Roy Llewellyn of Downers Grove North for the individual title. Throw in Charlie McLawthorn of Lyons Township who finished fourth here last week and place Hunter Whitney of Lane Tech who won the Chicago City Championship on Sunday and you will have a great race. The team battle has possibly eight teams challenging for six sectional spots. Two teams will leave this course disappointed. #2 Hinsdale Central ran a great race last week in winning on this course. The Red Devils are the favorite in this race. #5 Downers Grove North and #6 Lyons Township were behind Hinsdale last week and could be closer with better packing races. #18 Oak Park-River Forest will need another race similar to last week’s race when they got close to York to solidify a sectional spot. #20 Jones Prep is running great after winning the Chicago City Championship and will challenge to race again next Saturday. #25 Lane Tech will need to duplicate their city race to make it to Hinsdale. St. Ignatius Prep needs to move their pack up just five spots per runner this week to advance. Berwyn-Cicero Morton could be the surprise team with Daniel Chavez and Alex Bacci finishing in the top 10.

Sandburg Regional

Girls - #6 Downers Grove South should roll to the team win in this race. The Lady Mustangs were without one of their top runners Sophia McNerney in their conference win last week. McNerney, along with Holly Johnson and Kelsey Casella could take the first three places. Sandburg, led by Lily Molloy and Ava Giblin, are the team that will chase after Downers Grove South. Not much suspense with top six qualifiers with Stagg, Bolingbrook, Mother McAuley, and Reavis expected to advance.

Boys – Top ranked Sandburg will be the team to beat Saturday at Midlothian Meadows. Sandburg with their top lineup led by Declan Tunney and Brock Rice will score under 20 points in this meet. This program has substituted their runners in their regional race. If the Eagles do that, they could still win and advance. #26 Downers Grove South and #28 Bolingbrook are the teams that will be challenging for the second spot. Stagg should advance but it could be close between Argo, Shepard, and Reavis for the final two spots. Tim Neumann of Downers Grove South should challenge Tunney and Rice for the individual race title.

 

Hoffman Estates Sectional

Schaumburg Regional

Girls – The 11 teams in this field get a tour of next week’s sectional course at Busse Woods. Five teams are almost certain to make it back next week. It could be up to three teams that fight for the final spot. #3 Prospect looked great last week in winning the MSL title on this course and should again be the team favorite. #25 Palatine, Jacobs, and Fremd with good races should advance back to this course. It is wide-open for the final spot between Schaumburg, Conant, and Dundee-Crown. It could be a 1-2 finish for Prospect with Lily Ginsberg and Hailey Erickson leading the way. Barrington’s Scout Storms and Abby Jordan of Palatine are runners that you could see in the front.

Boys – The Boys race will not have the suspense for the six qualifying sectional spots. Six teams look solid in advancing. #12 Palatine had a solid pack in winning MSL last week and should be the team to watch in this race. #17 Barrington and #23 Prospect will challenge for the second sot and could reach Palatine for the team win. Jacobs, Fremd, and Conant appear to be the other teams that will advance to the sectionals. Joey Furlong of Barrington and TJ Garland of Prospect will be challenged by Palatine’s Mason Krieg and Jack Casaccio for the individual regional win.

Glenbrook South Regional

Girls – This race could be extremely interesting especially for who wins the regional team title. Morgan Mackie and Maeve Norman did not run for #20 Loyola Academy in their GCAC Championship race win. A full line-up with 5 runners in the top 20 could give Loyola the win in this meet. It will be #19 New Trier for the win if Loyola is not at full strength with Samantha Fellman and Beatrix Gilson finishing in the top 10. #29 Hersey could get into the top two and should qualify led by Anna Harden. It is wide-open for the next three spots Glenbrook South, Evanston, Wheeling, and Glenbrook North all going for those last three sectional places. The individual race should be a good one with Harden being challenged by Glenbrook North freshman duo Maria Polyakov and Juliet Frum for the regional title.

Boys - #4 New Trier looks to be the team to beat in this meet led by maybe all 7 runners in the first 13 led by individual race favorite Nick Falk. #16 Hersey and #21 Loyola Academy will make it to the sectional meet. So should Niles West, Evanston, and Glenbrook South. The individual race is sneaky good with Falk challenged by Loyola’s Spencer Werner and Aidan Simon, along with Sean Safford of Hersey for the individual win.

Libertyville Regional

Girls – The individual race should be a fun one to watch. Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich and Aly Negovetich of Grant pushing each other’s pace will be a great race to watch. Mia Pasha of Warren, Sheila Tucker of Libertyville, Danielle Jensen of McHenry, and Kristin Loftus of Lake Zurich are also in this talent packed field. #26 Libertyville, with Tucker, Bree Ponchak, and Margaret McGormley in the top 10, gives this team the edge for the regional title ahead of Lake Zurich and Warren. It is close for the next three spots between McHenry, Grant, and Zion-Benton. Stevenson could be close for the sixth spot but on the outside looking in.

Boys – This race is a repeat of the North Suburban Conference race where #15 Lake Zurich edged #21 Warren 29-41 for the team title. It could be closer in this meet. Warren has the advantage up front with individual race favorite Luke Wiley and David Lara going 1-2. Lake Zurich has a solid pack led by Danny Burns and Dylan Myers. Lake Zurich wins again if they win the individual race matchups between their third, fourth, and fifth runners. Libertyville and Highland Park will challenge for the third-place spot. It will be close between Grant, Stevenson, and McHenry for the final two spots.

 

Lake Park Sectional

Proviso West Regional

Girls – Top ranked York should win this regional race putting their first 6 runners in the top 9. Bria Bennis was the team’s top runner last week. Will it be one of their other top five runners including Katherine Klimek or Brooke Berger that jumps into the #1 spot. It could be a “pack-it-up” race for the Dukes on Saturday. #8 Glenbard West ran great last week in the WSC-Silver and has the edge ahead of #12 Maine South for the second spot. There could be a drop off before Glenbard West, Taft, Willowbrook, or Elk Grove crosses the line. Glenbard West’s Audrey Allman was just seven seconds back behind Josephine Welin in the conference race and should be the big favorite in this race. Sofia Acuri of Maine South could break up the York pack finishing in the top five.

Boys - #10 York is the only ranked team in this race and will be the big favorite scoring under 20 points possibly going for a perfect 15-point total. Ethan Summer was under the weather in last week’s conference race when he finished 30th. He has run 14:42 for three miles and should lead the York pack that will include Jeff Luka and Garrett Schwan. Maine South with Luca Arcuri and Joey Karlesky will individually challenge the York pack. The Hawks will be challenged by Glenbard West for the second spot. Five teams challenging for the final three spots could happen with Glenbard East, Taft, Willowbrook, Elk Grove, or Leyden all able to finish in one of those three final places.

St. Charles East Regional

Girls – #16 St. Charles East and #17 St. Charles were separated by one point for second and third last week at the DuKane Conference Meet. The two city rivals will challenge for the win in this race. #27 Wheaton-Warrenville South did not run a great race last week finishing behind those two schools. They could make it closer running for the team title on the Northwestern Medicine XC Course. South Elgin, Bartlett, and Wheaton North are all solid and are close to top six locks to qualifying. Grace Schager of Glenbard North is the runner to watch in this race with Naomi Ruff of South Elgin close behind. Bella DiCrosta of S. Charles North, Nicole Poglitsch of Wheaton-Warrenville South, and Jenna Buchanan of Bartlett are runners you should see in the front pack.

Boys - #19 St. Charles East and #24 Wheaton North were separated by one point at last week’s DuKane Conference Championships with St. Charles East the winner. It should be close in this race again between these two teams along with #30 Wheaton-Warrenville South also having the talent to challenge for the win. Geneva, South Elgin, and St. Charles North look to be the other teams advancing to Lake Park. It is hard to see anyone ahead of Micah Wilson of St. Charles East in this race. Michael Atkins of Wheaton-Warrenville South, Mitch Garcia of St. Charles East, and Wheaton North’s Ryan Schreiner and Ryan Zydek are some of the runners leading that pack.

Machesney Park Harlem Regional

Girls – Huntley and Rockton Hononegah are the teams to watch for the win in this race. It could be Huntley led by individual race favorite Breanna Burak along with top five finishers Brittney Burak and Molly Allen giving this team the edge. It will be close for the third-place finish with DeKalb, Hampshire, Elgin Larkin, and Rockford Guilford all challenging for that spot. All four teams should advance to the sectional meet. Breanna Burak will be challenged by Heather Durrant of Larkin for the individual win.

 

Quincy Sectional

East Moline Regional

Girls – 9 of the 11 schools in this regional will have to drive more than 100 miles to reach this regional site. Go figure. #4 Minooka is coming off a strong win last Friday at the Southwest Prairie Conference and could score under 30 points placing 5 runners in the top 12. Gabriella McCollom and Audrey Boles will be some of the leaders for Minooka in the front. #18 Yorkville and #23 Plainfield North are the next teams in order for second and third. Plainfield Central, Moline and Plainfield South could be the team advancing to Quincy next week. The individual race is open with McCollom, Boles, and Jocelyn Host of Minooka challenging Anna Hunter of Yorkville for the win.

Boys - #8 Minooka finished ahead of #13 Plainfield South and #14 Plainfield South at last week’s conference meet. The three schools should challenge each other for the regional title in this race. #29 Plainfield Central and Yorkville should make it out of this regional. East Moline, Joliet West, and Joliet Central should challenge for the sixth and final sectional position. Marcellus Mines of Joliet West ran a classic race last week at Channahon Park. He will be the favorite in this race challenged by Oliver Burns of Plainfield North, Zachary Balzer and Daniel Schalk of Minooka, and Camyn Viger of Plainfield South.

Andrew Regional

Girls – # 22 Lincoln-Way East and #28 Lockport finished 1-2 n last week’s Southwest Suburban Meet and should challenge for the win in this meet. Lincoln-Way West, Lincoln-Way Central, and Andrew should be sectional qualifiers. Romeoville and Homewood-Flossmoor will challenge for the final qualifying spot. Caroline Schoen of Homewood-Flossmoor is having a great junior season and is the race favorite. Kayla Shea of Lockport and Gianna Arizzi of Lincoln-Way West are the lead runners that will be leading the pack.

Boys – Four Southwest Suburban teams, Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East, Homewood-Flossmoor, and Lockport, are all close enough to challenge for the team win. Andrew and Lincoln-Way West look to be the other teams advancing. Caden Simone of Lincoln-Way Central and Nolan Rogers of Lincoln-Way East are the runners to watch to challenge for the regional title.

Normal Community Regional

Girls – The regional team title should come down to four teams. #30 Edwardsville has the lead runner in Emily Nuttall and a good pack that could have them as the favorite. O’Fallon finished behind Edwardsville at the Southwest Conference Meet and again will challenge their conference rival. Normal has a strong pack in the top 10 with Ali Ince, Olivia Hartke, and Abi Ziemer that could get them close to the top in the regional standings. Quincy, led by Anna Schuering, might sneak up on teams in this meet. Ince and Scheuring will challenge Peyton Schieppe of O’Fallon for the individual regional title.

Boys - #11 Edwardsville is the team to beat in this regional meet and could score under 35 points to accomplish that. Ryan Watts leads the Tigers and should be the individual favorite. Teammates Geordan Patrylak and Ryan Luitjohan could finish in the top five. Not too much suspense in the top six with O’Fallon, Quincy, Normal, Pekin, and Belleville East, along with Edwardsville should all make it to the Quincy Sectional. Watts will be challenged by Fiker Rosen of Quincy, Dylan Ybarra of O’Fallon, and Byron Jones of Belleville East for the individual title

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