2A Girls State XC Championship Preview
Date: 11/9/13
Location: Detweiller Park; Peoria, IL
Course: 3.0 miles
Race time: 11am
Awards Ceremony: 1pm- Detweiller Park pavillion
The qualifying teams: #1 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), #2 Yorkville, #3 Normal (University), #4 Crystal Lake Central, #5 Vernon Hills, #6 Lake Forest, #7 Maple Park (Kaneland), #8 Chatham-Glenwood, #9 Mahomet-Seymour, #10 Springfield, #11 Dunlap, #12 Highland, #13 Mattoon, #14 Washington, #15 Marengo, #19 Aurora (Rosary), #20 Normal Community West, Chicago Jones Prep, Chicago Payton, Chicago (University), Elmwood Park, Lombard (Montini), New Lenox (Providence Catholic), River Forest (Trinity), Riverside-Brookfield.
Meet the key teams:
Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South)-
Head Coach: Brian Webb
2012 state finish: 4th
Pre-season rank: #5
Final season rank: #1
Probable starting line-up: Diane Lipa (So.), Rebecca Sippel (Jr.), Caroline Arlasky (Jr.), Elizabeth Niedert, Abby Schlenker (Fr.), Bailey Reese (Sr.), Jayme Schlenker (Sr.).
Road to state: Wheaton Academy Regional- 1st, Wheaton Academy Sectional- 2nd
Outlook: This is a strong but underrated team only because Yorkville and several others have shined a bit brighter much of the past few years. However, the Raiders are coming on strong now and will be a team that must be recognized. Some of the lack of notoriety has been the team’s doing with injuries and no-shows in some big clash meets. Lipa has not been at 100% at times during the season. She appears to be at her best now after finishing second to Mailin Struck (Sr., Riverside-Brookfield). Sippel has been an important piece to the team’s plan this season and she will need to be closer to Lipa because the high scoring split is a major concern.
Yorkville-
Head Coach: Chris Muth
2012 state finish: State champions
Pre-season rank: #1
Final season rank: #2
Probable starting line-up: Skyler Bollinger (So.), Kelsey Leedy (Sr.), Erin Reynolds (So.), Maddie Dearborn (Fr.), Rebecca Jasutis (So.), Julia Schultz (So.), Kaelyn Scull (Sr.).
Road to state: Wheaton Academy Regional- 2nd, Wheaton Academy Sectional- 1st.
Outlook: The Lady Foxes road to a third straight title will be a bit more bumpier than anticipated because injuries to several key runners such as Summer Pierson (So.) has slowed them down. “We have not run our best race as a team yet this year, and we expect that to happen this Saturday at the state meet,” said a confident coach Muth. “Every team has little injuries throughout their team at this point in the running season, and we are no different. Our girls are going to run tough and are very excited for the opportunity to compete against the best in the state.” The key of course to all of this will Bollinger who hasn’t been as dominant this season as everyone had expected. That may change on Saturday.
Normal (University)-
Head Coach: Lester Hampton
2012 state finish: 2nd
Pre-season rank: #2
Final season rank: #3
Probable starting line-up: Shannan Supan (So.), Sydney Billingsley (Sr.), Advika Kamatar (Fr.), Sarah LaFayette (Fr.), Nadia Khusro (Fr.), Katie Reeves (Fr.), Lauren Rosenthal (Sr.), or Ashley Lafayette (Jr.).
Road to state: Metamora Regional- 1st, Normal West Sectional- 4th
Outlook: Something just isn’t right with the Lady Pioneers when you consider this a premier team in the classification. The scoring unit has not produced a dynamite performance thus far this season. Billingsley and Supan are stout runners who must return the team back to its rightful place on Saturday’s starting line. They both are reining all-state runners who are expected to be amongst the cream of the crop. Ashley Lafayette should be back in the starting line-up after suffering a knee injury earlier in the season. If everything comes to fruition for the Pioneers, they should be back in trophy hoisting business.
Crystal Lake Central-
Head Coach: Anthony DeStephano
2012 state finish: 7th
Pre-season rank: #3
Final season rank: #4
Probable starting line-up: Maddie Dagley (Sr.), Kelly Doerr (Fr.), Janine Orvis (Fr.), Mary Fleming (Jr.), Brooke Larsen (Jr.), Rachel Kautz (Jr.), Avery Robertson (Sr.).
Road to state: Burlington Central Regional- 1st, Belvidere Sectional- 1st
Outlook: Going into this season, this team was expected to contend for a state title or at the very least a trophy. However, things began to change when star junior Sami Staples went down with a foot injury. Staples valiantly tried to come back and even raced several times but could not do the job. She is out now and Dagley has stepped forward as the lead runner. Doerr has also stepped up as a first year runner- finishing just one second behind Dagley at the sectional meet. Don’t be fooled by the scoring split of 1:10 at sectionals as it could be a bit misleading because the top four girls produced a 24-second spread. Hopefully, in a state meet situation the fifth runner doesn’t become an issue as it usually would.
Vernon Hills-
Head Coach: Suzanne Richert
2012 state finish: 12th
Pre-season rank: #13
Final season rank: #5
Probable starting line-up: Vivian Overbeck (So.), Cassie Lira (Sr.), Samantha Hershman (Jr.), Lexi Reich (So.), Melanie Rogers (Jr.), Lauren Kim (Jr.), Shannon Skeoch (So.).
Road to state: Burlington Central Regional- 2nd, Belvidere Sectional- 3rd
Outlook: Overbeck and Lira placed in the top 10 at sectionals because they ran solid races. The rest of the scoring split was spread out a bit too far to catch up to Marengo and the winner Crystal Lake Central's packs. They have one more opportunity to drop their scoring pack down and get up with the other top squads on Saturday.
Lake Forest-
Head Coach: Steve Clegg
2012 state finish: None- competed in 3A classification in 2012.
Pre-season rank: None
Final season rank: #6
Probable starting line-up: Claire Yandell (Sr.), Emma Allen (Jr.), Gabrielle Simeck (Sr.), Nora Burgener (So.), Kelsey Schmidt (So.), Katie Condon (So.), Haley Click (Fr.).
Road to state: Burlington Central Regional- 3rd, Belvidere Sectional- 4th
Outlook: The Scouts moved from 3A to 2A and rewarded themselves with an outstanding season and an opportunity to fight for one of the three state trophies that will be handed out on late Saturday afternoon. Yandell and company will need to close the scoring a bit more if they want one of the trophies.
Maple Park (Kaneland)-
Head Coach: Doug Ecker
2012 state finish: 6th
Pre-season rank: #6
Final season rank: #7
Probable starting line-up: Victoria Clinton (Jr.), Brianna Bower (So.), Erika Carlson (Sr.), Abby Shaw (Fr.), Aislinn Lodwig (Jr.), Sydney Strang (Sr.), Anna Piazza (Sr.).
Road to state: Burlington Central Regional- 4th, Belvidere Sectional- 5th
Outlook: The Knights return back to Peoria a much different team than last year because Clinton and Bower are not running as well as predicted. Clinton is the defending state champion and is in danger of not even placing in the top 25. However, success for this team could happen if they tighten up their scoring pack more and get it under 45 seconds.
Chatham-Glenwood-
Head Coach: Mike Garber
2012 state finish: 8th
Pre-season rank: #11
Final season rank: #8
Probable starting line-up: Demi Dixon (Fr.), Kirsten Aydt (Sr.), Kerraline Wurl (So.), Erica Rideout (Jr.), Cassady Garner (So.), Kerryn O’Reilly (Sr.), Marisa Rios (Fr.).
Road to state: Jacksonville Regional- 1st, Decatur MacArthur Sectional- 2nd
Outlook: Can the Titans be their name sake on race day after nearly defeating a solid field that included Highland, Mahomet-Seymour, and Mattoon. Dixon is the team's ace and all-star candidate who lead the scoring pack under 1:00.
Mahomet-Seymour-
Head Coach: Bonnie Moxley
2012 state finish: 22nd
Pre-season rank: None
Final season rank: #9
Probable starting line-up: Lauren Whitehouse (So.), Abigail Nielsen (Sr.), Olivia Meyer (Fr.), Isabelle Pommier (Sr.), Mariah McAnally (Fr.), Madison Buzicky (So.), Twinkle Mehta (Jr.)
Road to state: Champaign Centennial Regional- 1st, Decatur MacArthur Sectional- 4th
Outlook: The Bulldogs received a second place effort by Whitehouse at sectionals, but a lagging scoring gap may not be enough to offset her good deeds on Saturday. Top 15 finish is booked for this team.
Springfield-
Head Coach: Dan Devlin
2012 state finish: 9th
Pre-season rank: #9
Final season rank: #10
Probable starting line-up: Mads Nelson (Jr.), Aly Goff (So.), Jillian Cole (Jr.), Sophia Gullo (So.), Ellie Hamill (Sr.), Meredith Wells (Sr.), Jenna Maurer (Sr.).
Road to state: Jacksonville Regional- 2nd, Decatur MacArthur Sectional- 1st
Outlook: The winners of the MacArthur Sectional should be ready for a spectacular performance on Saturday. Nelson has been running well all season and she will be expected to carry her scoring pack to the finish line.
Dunlap-
Head Coach: Chris Friedman
2012 state finish: None
Pre-season rank: None
Final season rank: #11
Probable starting line-up: Abby Jockisch (Jr.), Chloe Gunn (Jr.), Emilie Olmsted (So.), Danielle Snarr (Sr.), Kristen Wu (So.), Ana Landon (Sr.), Garielle Reed (So.).
Road to state: Peoria Notre Dame Regional- 1st, Normal West Sectional- 2nd.
Outlook: The Lady Eagles are one of the season’s top undercards entering the year without much fanfare. The key has been the strong leadership of Jockisch. She has finished in the top five except for one meet this season. It is that type of front running that has propelled Dunlap to be a very good team. Of course, it helps to have a quality supporting cast led by Gunn. The gap between 3-5 runners was a mere five seconds and in most instances, this will mean success at any level.
Highland-
Head Coach: Doug Bradley
2012 state finish: None
Pre-season rank: None
Final season rank: #12
Probable starting line-up: Allison Zobrist (So.), Emily Holtzclaw (Sr.), SarahBeth Wiegman (So.), Taylor Prusa (Jr.), Courtney Hengehold (Fr.), Jayden Shelton (Jr.), Abbey Johnson (Jr.).
Road to state: Highland Regional- 1st, Decatur MacArthur Sectional- 3rd.
Outlook: Zobrist will compete in the state championship with her teammates after going the solo route and finishing 107th last year. She is a top 5-10 candidate this time around and the Bulldogs could be a top 10 caliber team at the end of the day.
Mattoon-
Head Coach: McLain Schaefer
2012 state finish: 20th
Pre-season rank: #19
Final season rank: #13
Probable starting line-up: Megan Shaffer (Jr.), Whitney Maninfior (Sr.), Victoria Drake (Sr.), Lexi Kremer (Jr.), Gillian Card (Fr.), Michaela Drake (Sr.), Annabelle Blanchette (Fr.).
Road to state: Champaign Centennial Regional- 2nd, Decatur MacArthur Sectional- 5th
Outlook: The team's soft schedule apparently didn't hurt them as they were able to squeeze out the final spot to Peoria. With that being said, the Green Wave have an opportunity to show everyone they are a quality team and improve on last year's 20th place finish. In order for that to happen, this team will need to decrease the huge scoring split that ran well past 2:00 at sectionals.
Washington-
Head Coach: Troy Walcott
2012 state finish: None
Pre-season rank: None
Final season rank: #14
Probable starting line-up: Haley Willis (Sr.), Ashlee Knott (Sr.), Kassidy Dexheimer (Fr.), Hailey Widder (Jr.), Hailey Tranchitella (Fr.), Brittney Wright (Sr.), Mariah Moore (Jr.).
Road to state: Metamora Regional- 2nd, Normal West Sectional- 1st
Outlook: There was not much talk about this team during the pre-season or even after the races began to shape the season other than Knott placing 125th last year in the state meet. The Lady Panthers competed in the First to the Finish Invitational but didn’t really open any eyes with a 13th place finish in the 2A race. It wasn’t until late in the season at the Metamora Runnin’ Red Invite and then a close second at the Mid-Illini Conference meet that a state berth became a reality. Washington is definitely a team peaking at the right time. After winning the Normal West Sectional, the possibility of a top 5 finish on Saturday could be a dream come true. Willis and Knott will be team’s key foot spokeswomen at Detweiller Park.
Marengo
Head Coach: R.J. Meyer
2012 state finish: 5th
Pre-season rank: #4
Final season rank: #15
Probable starting line-up: Kitty Allen (Jr.), Allie Sprague (Sr.), Katie St. Clair (Sr.), Kaylin Punotai (Jr.), Ashlynd Broling (Fr.), Sarah Shefcik (Fr.).
Road to state: Sterling Regional- 1st, Belvidere Sectional- 2nd.
Outlook: The scoring gap is big as 1:27 at sectionals show, but having two front runners will dispel that disparity. Allen and Sprague are now jelling and should do wonders for the Indians in the scoring department. If the middle-distance minded Sprague can hang in there for two-plus miles, the Indians will be in for a great finish in the team standings. Allen is a shoe in for all-state honors after placing 16th last year and returning to form a year later. Top 10 finish for the Indians.
Aurora (Rosary)
Head Coach: Vic Mead
2012 state finish: none
Pre-season rank: none
Final season rank: #19
Probable starting line-up: Madison Ronzone (So.), Shea Vero (So.), Emi Martin (Jr.), Abby Hammer (Sr.), Abby Michel (Sr.), Anna Ward (Sr.), Emma Knudtson (Sr.).
Road to state: Wheaton Academy Regional- 3rd, Wheaton Academy Sectional- 4th
Outlook: The document on Rosary before the start of the season was nothing other than a fine 9:35 4x800m performance last track season. None of the girls from that relay are on this cross country team. It wasn’t until the Suburban Christian Conference Championship when the Royals finished a close second to Wheaton Academy and beating a then ranked Montini Catholic that they were taken seriously. Ronzone has taken the team top runner spot but Vero and Martin have been running close to her. The key for the Royals success on Saturday will be the fifth runner position to be tightened up. If this happens, then a top 15 finish could be in order.
Normal Community West-
Head Coach: Steve Destri
2012 state finish: None
Pre-season rank: #14
Final season rank: #20
Probable starting line-up: Sara Pillar (Jr.), Andrea Gordon (Jr.), Amanda Gerwick (Jr.), Emily Koranek (So.), Gracie Ecker (Fr.), Bailey Fillipponi-Holstein (Jr.), Jamie Eganhouse (Fr.).
Road to state: Metamora Regional- 3rd, Normal West Sectional- 3rd
Outlook: Pillar or Gordon- pick your poison and whichever one that you choose could be fatal in trying to stop them from executing the team game plan. The plan was Detweiller or bust. The team got refocused and dedicated after missing out last year (only Emily Brelsfoard competed). It was a timely process but two solid front runners and a quality scoring pack has made the comeback year a good one.
Key individual qualifiers/race thoughts: Kelsey Schrader (Sr., Dekalb), Maryjeanne Gilbert (So., Peoria Notre Dame), Maura Beattie (Sr., Woodstock), Meghan Carroll (Sr., Arlington Heights St. Viator)- the individual race may be one for the ages with Mailin Struck's return. If you recall at the First of The Finish Invite back in early September, Struck was lulled into thinking she had to run an extra lap due to lap runners plodding past the finish line. Beattie was in that race but a considerable distance back and ultimately won when Struck continued to run beyond the finish line. There will not be any confusion this time as a supreme field is set for Saturday. It is doubtful if anyone can challenge the unthinkable 16:02 mark that Glenbard West's Madeline Perez put up last year, but a solid effort all round will be expected.