Alexis Grandys put the hurt on the competition on last year's anchor leg (Colin Boyle photo)
Girls 4x800-
Meet record: Schaumburg 9:22.68 (2011)
2016 indoor season best: Yorkville 9:23.60
Championship section teams: Minooka, Downers Grove South, Winnetka (New Trier), Hoffman Estates, St. Charles East, Naperville (Neuqua Valley), Yorkville, Downers Grove North, Geneva, Chicago Whitney Young, Wilmette (Loyola Academy)
-The season best is held by York who ran 10:03.89. In last year's edition, there were 23 teams that broke 10:00. So it is almost certain that the Lady Dukes will get knocked off of their perch by section 2 of 3 slated finals. Ironically, state power and state championship hopeful Schaumburg is in that penultimate section. Unless the Saxons get bumped up to the championship section from their seed mark of 9:55, this will be a race to closely watch. The "fast" section will be a barn burner for sure. Minooka rarely stacks their relay in the "triplets" era. But on this occasion expect to see Ashley Tutt, Mackenzie Callahan, and Emily Shelton go for broke. The Lady Indians finished in the runner up spot to Yorkville last year. Speaking of Yorkville, this is state championship squad in the making. Watch and see how things shape out in their loaded season debut. Lots of depth and talent is infiltrated among the Lady Foxes.
Could the meet record fall? It's possible and that will start with a fast opening leg under 2:17. Everything after that will take care of itself. Pushing the Lady Foxes and Indians will be Downers Grove North. The Trojans will have 2:12 800m specialist senior Emma Moravec ready. She will need full support from her teammates in order to make dreams a reality. New Trier, Neuqua Valley and the host Downers South cannot be left out of the sweepstakes.
Boys 4x800-
Meet record: Orland Park (Sandburg) 7:45.80
2016 state best: Sandburg 7:45.80
Championship section teams: LaGrange (Lyons Township), Chicago Whitney Young, Downers Grove North, Minooka, Orland Park (Sandburg), Naperville (Neuqua Valley), St. Charles East, Naperville Central, Geneva, Glenbrook North, Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West)
-The magical race led by Sandburg may be impossible to duplicate when you consider the Eagles ran the second fastest time in state history in terms of indoor (York's 7:42.60 is #1). The then US #1 time should hold on as the meet record. But let's not discount the collection of teams assembled here. The 4x8 is Illinois #1 track and field event and the national rankings bear that fact year in and year out. We should see another fast race with possibly five teams going under 8:00. If there is a favorite on paper it would have to be Whitney Young. The Dolphins have been bubbling like an active volcano to explode. The Chicago squad is deep too. When they ran a then state best several weeks ago, they only had two regulars in tow. Now a stack line up could possibly include four young men splitting sub 2:00. One of those legs is newly US #2 in the 3200m junior Clayton Mendez. Mendez mopped the competition with a lights out 9:01.89... state leader Lyons Twp comes in at 8:11. 98. That squad was of a "B" variety because Danny Kirea and Vince Zona was not on it. Inclusion of these two stallions means a tight tilt all the way with the leaders. Others for consideration will include Downers Grove North, Minooka, and Sandburg.