Sep 08, 2017

More Meets

First to the Finish Invitational

Detweiller Park Peoria, IL

Sep 9, 2017

3A-
Boys: #1 Downers Grove North, #5 Hinsdale Central, #7 LaGrange (Lyons Township), #8 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West), #10 Downers Grove South, #11 Winnetka (New Trier), #14 Edwardsville, #17 Park Ridge (Maine South), #18 Carpentersville (Dundee-Crown), #20 Yorkville, #22 Chicago (St. Ignatius)

The skinny: Nearly of the state's top ranked teams go at it in this early season affair. It will be the first big meet for many of the state's elite squads including top ranked Downers Grove North. The US #5 Trojans are defending champions who beat Lyons pretty decisively. It will be interesting to see how they attack this race without a top man Jacob Middlehoff. We could all five scorers among the top 25. Other quality teams will be Hinsdale Central and Lyons Twp.

Individually, watch out for senior Danny Kilrea of Lyons. He is the #1 ranked 3-miler in the country at the moment. He is the big favorite here and the last time he ran at Detweiller he clocked 14:08 for second place in the state. Clayton Mendez (Sr., Whitney Young) should be a strong candidate to challenge Kilrea.

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Girls: #1 Naperville North, #2 Downers Grove South, #3 Yorkville, #4 Hinsdale Central, #6 LaGrange (Lyons Twp.), #7 Edwardsville, #8 Barrington, #9 Minooka, #11 Batavia, #17 Naperville Central, #18 Winnetka (New Trier), #23 Hoffman Estates, #25 Lockport Township.

The skinny: It should be a great individual race when you think about it. Evanston senior Enyaeva Michelin has been on a roll since the outdoor and summer track season. She opened up her cross season last weekend at the Hinsdale Hornet-Devil Invitational with a sterling runner-up finish to the state's best runner sophomore Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West. Expect defending champion senior Jocelyn Long of Barrington to fiercely fight to keep her title. Minooka senior Emily Shelton was second here last year. She will be motivated by finishing a distant third behind Michelin last weekend at Hinsdale. Watch for Naperville North senior Sarah Schmitt to standout with the leaders. She won the Pleasant Valley Invite, IA last weekend.

Last year's winner team winner Naperville North escaped narrowly over Minooka 81-82. Although the Huskies won easily against two nationally ranked teams last weekend in Iowa, they should expect another close affair with the likes of four to five top 5 ranked teams. It will be a great test for Downers South who has a great pack.

2A-

Boys: #2 Normal (University), #3 Danville, #5 Maple Park (Kaneland), #7 Sycamore, #9 Dixon, #10 Metamora, #12 Riverside-Brookfield, #13 Belvidere North, #15 Normal West, #16 Lansing (Illiana Christian), #18 Lake Villa (Lakes), #20 Elmwood Park, #21 Rock Island (Alleman), #22 Vernon Hills, #24 Mt. Zion.

The Skinny: Senior Jacob Gebhardt of Sterling is ready to show off the incredible track season that he had last spring. Let's see if he can roll on the cross country course this early. Kaneland senior Matthew Richtman will be up for the count when it's all said and done. Add in Normal U's Jared Schuckman for good measure.

Normal U High is the defending champion and will face stiff challenges from Danville, Kaneland and more. The field is tough and it will be the first big competition for virtually everyone listed.

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Girls: #1 Dunlap, #2 Belvidere North, #3 Vernon Hills, #6 Maple Park (Kaneland), #7 Waterloo, #9 Dixon, #12 Metamora, #13 Washington, #14 Normal (University), #15 Riverside-Brookfield, #16 Chicago (Latin), #17 Lake Villa (Lakes), #18 Troy (Triad), #21 Canton, #22 Metamora #25 River Forest (Trinity)

The Skinny: Arielle Summit (Sr., Urbana University) is now in 2A. She should be among the elite in a crowded field. But if there is a heavy favorite should she run is Rockford Boylan senior Grace McLaughlin. She had a monster track season that was arguably the second best to Katelynne Hart this past spring. McLaughlin did not race FTTF last year but she did go on to place third at state. Watch for her to shine bright as the sun on Saturday.

1A-

Boys - #2 Athens, #3 Elmwood-Brimfield, #7 Carlinville, #8 Rockford (Christian), #9 Deer Creek, #10 El Paso-Gridley #11 Tremont, #13 Eureka, #18 Chillicothe (IVC), #20 Rock Falls, #22 Decatur (St. Teresa), #24 Urbana (University)

The Skinny: Athens is coming of age as a program led by senior Wyatt McIntyre. McIntyre ran just 15:38 in placing second last year. Part of the issue was a mud slick mess that bogged everyone down. It now appears the course will be fine. Look for fast times right out of the gate for Wyatt and Company. Rockford Christian is defending champion and will need to rebound from a smarting last weekend.

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Girls - #2 Williamsville, #5 Eureka, #9 El Paso-Gridley, #11 Johnsburg, #13 Decatur (St. Teresa), #15 Stanford-Olympia, #16 Westmont, #17 Beecher, #18 Rock Falls, #19 Lansing (Illiana Christian), #20 Rockford Christian, #21 DeeMack, #23 Elmwood

The Skinny: Williamsville should be the team to watch in this one. They will work to get over the top against a solid field. The key is the scoring pack which needs to be around the 1:10 mark. Individually, six of the top 10 return but no clear cut favorite. Maya Stovall (Jr., Macomb) returns as the top returner.

FTTF Time schedule-

Girls A	Unlimited	9:00 AM	50	5
Boys A	Unlimited	9:40 AM	50	5
Girls AA	Limit 10	10:20 AM	50	5
Boys AA	Limit 10	11:00 AM	50	5
Girls OPEN	Unlimited	11:40 AM	50
Boys OPEN	Unlimited	12:20 AM	50
Girls AAA	Limit 10	1:00 PM	50	5
Boys AAA	Limit 10	1:40 PM	50	5

Last Year's Meet

Venue Records: Detweiller Park

Meet Records

Virtual Meets

Build a Virtual Meet: High School Girls High School Boys

Lake Park Lancer Invitational

Lake Park CC Course Roselle, IL

Sep 9, 2017

Boys:

3A: #24 St. Charles East; 2A: #11 Deerfield

Girls:

3A: #5 Glenbard West, #10 Maine South, #16 Schaumburg

This will be a tune up for the Peoria Notre Dame Invite which will occur on September 16. For the girls, it was Glenbard West who dominated behind the dynamic duo Katelynne Hart and Lindsey Payne. They should face little resistance outside of themselves. It is ACT weekend and there may be some key athletes out... the boys field is of an emerging variety. St. Charles and Deerfield should be the top teams along with Chicago Jones. This is the 3A state sectional field and expect teams running on it to take keen notes.

Last Year's Meet