1A Girls Team Preview: Who will stop Decatur St. Teresa’s Dynasty?
Three-time defending state champion Decatur (St. Teresa) was four points away from seeking a fifth straight title if one considers their 2009 second finish to Winnebago 127-123 as evidence. In that race, St. Teresa had an opportunity to win but the Indians closed out the final half-mile out in fine fashion to complete their five-peat. So the big question to ask: “will Decatur win again?” On paper it looks like their dynasty could come to an end as other teams have finally stocked their rosters and now appear ready to battle.
In the grand scheme of things, a lot of superpowers are losing athletes and opening up new opportunities for other schools to qualify for state. On a trophy contending level, however, it appears that there will be more of the same as a lot of good teams hold on to a fair amount of their star runners. That is not to say the order from last year isn’t subject to change.
1. Monticello (2012-2nd place State Finals)
Possible roster: Hannah Houska (Sr.) 18:07, Emily Foley (Sr.) 18:22, Maggie Utgaard (Jr.) 18:54, Madison Tutich (Jr.) 18:54, Audrey Duncan (Jr.) 18:55, Katie Douglas Monticello (So.) 21:03, Kathleen Tracy (So.) 21:03.
Season outlook: One cannot ask for more than what this team has this year. Monticello return their top seven that featured five girls who ran under 19 minutes in last year’s state meet. Although Decatur St. Teresa is still the team to beat, the Sages appear to have what it takes to end the Bulldogs dynasty. The name of the game this season is going to be depth and strong pack running up front in championship caliber races.
Coach Remmert's Take: "Our girls team got second at state last year, and our boys team was 11th at state. Given that all but one runner of our boys and girls varsity teams are returning, it reinforced to me how critical getting it right will be this go round. I saw some subtle things last year I would like to improve upon, but also how important it will be for us to stay healthy. I'm excited about the upcoming season, but I've learned you can't count on anything. I've been attending the state meet for 30 years now and it's always the teams that are able to stay healthy/injury free that win the day, and there are always surprises team-wise, and individual-wise who show up when it truly matters most. It isn't always the best runner or team that wins but the best prepared. That's my goal. I believe our greatest strength this year is our experience. Both of our teams have been through this multiple times before now. How that translates throughout the season in terms of their leadership in pushing each other and in November in terms of their heart is yet to be determined. There are some weak spots too though and we need to make a commitment throughout the year to improving.My goal as a coach is to keep the kids healthy, but also to get them properly prepared. I've always said you can't coach passion, so whether or not we reach our goals will be determined by how well they bring that each day. Running is a daily commitment and there are a thousand different variables that need to be mastered. We often have a core group with that passion, but a larger group that seems to want to sit on the fence and allow themselves to be victimized until they find the passion. There are some meets that I personally view as measures of how our season is going. One early test for me, for example, is the Peoria Woodruff Invitational on September 14 held on our state course."
2. Decatur (St. Teresa) (1st place state finals)
Possible roster: Rachel Devereux (Sr.) 17:46, Bree Tschosik (Jr.) 18:23, Lauren Evelti (So.) 18:33, Emily Burgener (Jr.) 19:13
Season outlook: With the graduation of state champion Ivy Handley and key contributors Megan Burgener and Kelsie Wujek, the Bulldogs may need to be magicians to pull a rabbit out of the hat in order to obtain a fourth straight title against some loaded teams. As it stands, Coach Todd Vohland has a great top three that’s on par with anyone in the classification. However, the Bulldogs fourth runner, while good, poses a sizeable gap that is going to hurt them noticeably. There is no doubt that this team can put together a solid fifth runner to close out races. This may be the difference between continuing a dynasty and losing one.
Coach Vohland's Take: "We feel we had a good summer, our numbers are down a little, but we think we've improved. [Our strengths are] good Sr. leadership, motivated group that have been around success, and hope to write their own story. We hope to qualify for state and put ourselves in position to challenge for a trophy. I think there will be a lot of really good teams in Class 1A, but Rochester and Monticello are clearly ahead of the curve."
3. Rochester (3rd place state finals)
Possible roster: Taylor Bartolozzi (So.) 17:57, Meagan McNicholas (So.) 18:00, Krissy Finley (Sr.) 18:21, Amanda Nelson (Sr.) 19:31, Annie Gegen (Fr.).
Season outlook: Here is another team that can potentially thwart the St. Teresa powerhouse! The Rockets return their top three plus their fifth, as well as gain a solid incoming freshman. That’s five! If Megan McNicholas steps up as expected then this team potentially has the best top three in the classification. Their fourth best returner may hurt their chances at overall victory from the minute plus gap, but that shouldn’t stop them from getting a trophy if all goes well. The Rockets will need to prove themselves along the way in order to be taken seriously as a title threat. They will get that chance against Monticello and Decatur (St. Teresa) on the first weekend in September at the First To The Finish Invitational.
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4. St. Joseph (S-J Ogden) (10th place state finals)
Possible roster: Alyssa Pridemore (Sr.) 18:35, Abby Gawthorp (So.) 19:23, Abby Fisher (Jr.) 19:23, Jessica Kassuelke (Jr.) 19:50, Emma Melchior (So.) 19:51, Veronica Brooks (Jr.) 20:59, Sara Melchior (Sr.) 21:36, Murelle Plotner (Fr.).
Season outlook: This team, depth-wise, is looking crisp. If this season is marred with sickness and injuries classification wide, look for this team to stand out. The Spartans return their top seven, plus a sub-13:00 incoming freshman Murelle Plotner for good measure.
5. Petersberg (Porta) (5th place state finals)
Possible roster: Maria Brauer (So.) 18:07, Adrienne Brauer (So.) 19:10, Anna Tamborski (So.) 19:36, Taylor Ivey (Jr.) 19:44, Allison Cummings (Jr.) 20:56, Devan Burris (Jr.) 21:54.
Season outlook: This team has good depth as they return everyone except #1 runner Mackenzie Griffin who graduated. This is going to hurt the Lady Jays somewhat. There may be a significant gap at the #5 spot. It will need to be solved before the state series begin.
6. Tolono (Unity) (20th place state finals)
Possible roster: Taylor Renfroe (So.) 19:15, Laura Seiler (Sr.) 19:44, Rhoda Brucker (Jr.) 20:19, Sisay Eisenmenger (Jr.) 20:32, Sonya Walsten (Sr.) 20:37, Kenzie Dodds (Jr.) 20:51, Cynthia Marstahler (Jr.) 24:36, Nicole Bagwell (Fr.), Heaven Davis (Fr.).
Season outlook: The Unity fans have to love the fact that their then dark horse team qualified for state out of the fifth place position last year. The Rockets now have the necessary big meet experience under their belt and should be a viable top 10 opponent this season. They also gain two exceptional freshmen who ran under 12:20 for two miles to compliment the returning top seven.
7. Winnebago (8th place state finals)
Possible roster: Rachel France (Sr.) 18:09, Cheyenne Moore (Sr.) 18:57, Emily Walden (Jr.) 20:32, Gracie Caltagerone (Jr.) 20:50, Cassie Gray (Jr.) 21:02.
Season outlook: With 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 returning, the Indians have strength and a good front runner in Rachel France to content as a legitimate top 10 team. However, if they cannot shore up the gap between 2-5, this team will remain as they were last year.
8. Rock Falls (4th place state finals)
Possible roster: Katie Anderson (Sr.) 18:23, Sandra Gomez (Sr.) 18:58, Makaley Velazquez (So.) 19:09.
Season outlook: The Lady Rockets could fall lower in the rankings if not for Katie Anderson, Sandra Gomez, and Makaley Velazquez. The trio should be able to keep their afloat throughout the post-season. Hopefully, some promising junior varsity runners can step up and fill out the roster.
9. Downs (Tri-Valley) (6th place state finals)
Possible roster: Jess Clark (Sr.) 18:01, Kate Saulcy (Jr.) 19:21, Heather Halverson (Sr.) 19:30, Annie Crumbaugh (Jr.) 20:03.
Season outlook: The Lady Vikings are one of those teams with muscle, but just not the bodies. The #5 position is going to hold them back from doing anything much better than this place. It’s very likely, however, that this team does have decent JV reserves since their seventh finisher last year went 21:24.
Coach Schneiders Take: The training for our top runners has been outstanding. Jess Clarke and Heather Halverson attended the sub 5 camp. We will not set goals, but take it one week at a time to keep improving. If we do our best, runners from other schools are only there to help us do better. Our new meet this year will be the First to the Finish race in Peoria. I think it is September 14th."
10. Rockford (Lutheran) (12th place state finals)
Possible roster: Emma Fenelon (Sr.) 19:05, Michaela Heit (Jr.) 19:36, Claire Mesa (Sr.) 19:36, Paige Bradley (Jr.) 20:48, Michaela Richardson (Jr.) 21:29.
Season outlook: The Lady Crusaders is a team with five of their varsity back (1, 3, 4, 5, and 7). This squad may be able to move up as the season progresses. The scoring pack will need to get faster in big packs at big meets.
11. Monmouth (Monmouth-Roseville) (13th place state finals)
Possible roster: Destiny Smith (So.) 19:05, Maddie Dulin (Jr.) 19:41, Dyesha Taylor (So.) 19:43, Griselda Gandarilla (Jr.) 20:36, KaLee Pringle (So.) 22:07, Shaniah Anderson (So.) 22:30
Season outlook: This team returns 2-7, but unfortunately suffers from a high scoring fifth man. They’re still above average in terms of state competition.
12. Henry (H.-Senachwine) (15th place state finals)
Possible roster: Jillian Monier (Jr.) 18:32, Ronna Pettis (So.) 19:26, Melanie Yanke (Jr.) 19:53, Erin McKee (Sr.) 20:46.
Season Outlook: The Lady Mallards return 1, 2, 3, and 6 along with a good leader in Jillian Monier as well as a decent second and third runner. The fourth spot needs work and the fifth runner will need to improve.
13. Byron (7th place state finals)
Possible roster: Kelsey Hildreth (Sr.) 18:53, Brianna Williams, (So.) 19:25, Aya Bridgeland (Jr.) 19:45
Season outlook: Obviously this team’s going to need some JV help (but a nicely packed bunch suggests they have it) to actually hold true to this ranking. But if they do, they’ll be a competitive team.
14. Elmwood (11th place state finals)
Possible roster: Kendra Gorham (Jr.) 19:27, Mariah Dunniway (Sr.) 19:46, Hannelore Book (Jr.) 20:01, Gab Nelson (Sr.) 21:02.
Season outlook: With 3, 4, 5, and 7 returning with decent times, this team just manages to stay relevant in the top fifteen rankings. While they don’t return everybody, Elmwood’s a vast enough running community that it’s safe to assume they’ve got the JV to fill for that roll. Everyone associated with their program know the girls will run the races they need when the time comes.
15. Champaign (St. Thomas Moore) (19th place state finals)
Roster: Regan Kelley (Sr.) 19:29, Julia Welle (So.) 20:00, Sophie Collard (Jr.) 21:17, Morgan Carmien (So.) 21:34, Caroline Dodds (Sr.) 22:10
This team returns their 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. Their state cross country resume does not suggest high placing (though another qualification seems very possible), but their 2nd place state finals performance in the 4x8, just three seconds behind St. Teresa without a single senior that competed, suggests possibly otherwise. Keep in mind that 4x8 performances don’t always mean that a team’s going to be good at cross country.
Dark Horses (unranked in alphabetical order):
Carterville (16th place state finals) Roster: Kami Hankins (So.) 19:04, Aurora Breeden (Jr.) 19:15, Ashlee Childers (So.) 20:11, Maddi Meyer (So.) 21:22, Ashtyn Hunt (Sr.) 22:02, Anna Spoerre (Sr.) 22:17.
Returns 1, 2, and 4-7. This team unfortunately suffers from a huge gap that prevents it from a top fifteen ranking (it might finish the same place as last year). But this team could surprise with its depth.
Chicago (Latin) (18th place state finals) Roster: Victoria Bianco (Sr.) 17:53, Abigail Nadler (Jr.) 18:04, Jessica Kubert (So.) 22:41, Francis Kelleher (Jr.) 22:58, Shania Kaplan (Sr.) 23:30
Returns 1, 2, and 5-7. That’s five with a one-two punch, but with their other 3 as high in times as they are, they’re not going to place too high at state, but count on this team to hit road to Peoria again.
Edwardsville (Metro East Lutheren) (23rd place state finals)
Roster: Karley Schley So 19:57, Gretchen Engelbrecht (Jr.) 20:29, Lauren Moehle (Sr.) 22:11, Amanda Schack (Jr.) 22:40, Annie Redden (Jr.) 23:55.
Either the boys or girls team (or both) in this school generally seem to find a way to state out of their sectional. This team returns 2, 3, and 5-7, so they shouldn’t be any worse than last year. But whether they finish in the top fifteen at state is the big question.
Elmhurst (Timothy Christian) (6th place Lisle Sectional)
Roster: Hannah Bosman (So.), Abby Dykema (Sr.), Christie Mittlestaedt (Sr.), Alexis Hoogendoorn (Sr.), Nicole Terpstra (So.), Heidi Huiner (Jr.).
By 8 points, this team just missed qualifying state to 25th place finishing Beecher who loses a lot of depth this year (hence not even putting them on this list). Not only that, but they return everyone except their fifth runner, and if sectional distributions stay similar, 24th place.
Richmond (Burton) is out of their hair from going 2A this year. This all bodes well for this team to qualify for state.
Eureka (8th place Elmwood Sectional)
Roster: Mercer Mack (So.), Ashlyn Lockart (So.), Meagan Beatenhead (Jr.) Quincy McSweeney (Jr.), Steffani Wiegand (Jr.), Kinsey Herrmann (Sr.).
It is unfortunate that teams with depth get punished for being in tough sectionals. This is exactly the same situation that Eureka found themselves in last year, missing state by less than 20 points in a pretty tough sectional. This may be their year to shine, as they return their 1-6 which spanned from 19:09-21:44 during sectionals. This is not a team to sleep on, for if they fill up necessary gaps, they will be a competitive team not only looking to qualify for state, but finish strong place-wise.
Freeburg (21st place state finals)
Roster: Taryne Knuckles (Jr.) 19:31, Emily Marler (Jr.) 20:18, Emma Farley (Sr.) 21:02, Lauren Mank (Jr.) 21:08.
This team returns their 1, 2, 5, and 6. If this team finds a fifth runner that can stick with their pack of four, count on them to exceed expectations.
Johnsburg (14th place state finals)
Roster: Delaney Pruitt (Jr.) 18:47, Carly Wilson (Jr.) 19:40, Anna Fox (Jr.) 21:02, Maddie Shedbalkar (Jr.) 22:49.
With their 1, 2, 5, and 7 back, this team could potentially be the “dark horse” we all hope to thrive, with a fairly low scorer and everything. But that’s only if they get their fifth runner act together.
Kankakee (Mcnamara) (17th place state finals)
Roster: Cassidy Devenouges (So.) 19:14, Elizabeth Stam (Jr.) 20:2, Samantha Gonski (So.) 20:24 Laylah Funk (Sr.) 20:54, Rachel Peterson (So.) 21:34.
This team returns their best runner plus 4-7. Very likely a team we’ll see again at state finals.
Mt. Zion (6th place Effingham sectional)
This is a team that was good last year with front dogs like McKayla Harder, but unfortunately she suffered a stress fracture during cross country and ended up doing soccer in the spring. They also have a pretty good team, but missed state at a tougher sectional. She should be back come this fall, along with all five of their runners that ran at regionals.
Murphysboro (6th place Edwardsville sectional)
A team that missed qualifying state by 18 points, they return their entire varsity roster. Unfortunately, this team lacks a very prominent front runner, but if things play out right for them, they could go on the road to Detweiller Park this season.
Roxana (22nd place state finals)
Roster: Kyrston Scifres (So.) 19:58, Jessica Baggett (Jr.) 20:28, Sara Stogsdill (Sr.) 21:05, Peyton Young (So.) 21:30, Ali Henseler (Sr.) 22:15, Savanah Stogsdill (Jr.) 22:19
Here is another team that will be fighting in the south for a state qualification. It’s certainly questionable how high they’ll place, but with everyone in their varsity back except their first, another qualification to state seems under way.
Urbana (University) (7th place Effingham sectional)
Roster: Katie Tender (So.), Berit Hudson-Rasmussen (So.), Maya Dutta (Jr.), Carmen Gewirth (Jr.), Lea Slauch (Sr.), Jilli Walch (Sr.), Annemarie Michael (Fr.).
Just because of Annemarie Michael (see individual rankings), it was interesting to check this team out. Turns out they not only get a freshmen star, but they also return everyone except their third best. Another team that wasn’t cut slack at the tough Effingham sectional, this team has big potential to surprise many.
Woodstock (Marian) (7th place Oregon sectional)
Roster: Jessica Biggins (Sr.), Caroline Hellman (Sr.), Marisa Monbrod (Jr.), Olivia Dineen (Jr.), Emma Baumert (Jr.), Brie Baumert (Sr.).
Last but not least of the dark horses is Marian. This school missed qualifying out of Oregon by quite a long shot point-wise, but they return their whole varsity except number 7. Unfortunately, no team in that sectional district as faltered too much from last year, so it still won’t be easy to make it out for them if sectional assignments are anything similar. Nevertheless, this is a team that knows how to pack it and is going to keep front runner dependent teams in check