The end result of blood, sweat, and tears for three deserving teams are state championship trophies
From a team perspective, 2014 is looking like a year of excellent top runners. Many teams have two or three runners who can run in the 19-minute range or below. However, in order to make it or break it for a majority of these teams is either finding a solid fifth runner, or getting their fifth runner from last year down.
The top ten teams of this year are all a variety of teams that are either teams that have a solid pack of five or more runners, like Carterville, Eureka, and St. Joseph (Ogden). Or they have one or more very strong runners, such as Petersberg (Porta) and Urbana (University). While there are many familiar programs contending for the trophy, very few of those teams have a combination of a strong pack and front runners, so at this point of the season, all the trophies are pretty much up for grabs. It will all depend on which runners in which packs improve the most.
10. Aurora (Central Catholic)
2013 final placement: 17th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Karina Liz (Jr.) 19:10, Irene Crown (Sr.) 19:21, Stephanie Hall (Jr.) 20:39, Olivia James (Sr.) 20:43, Amy Brouch (So.) 20:51, Emily Ziegler (Sr.) 20:53.
Snap analysis: Central Catholic returns all of last year's varsity seven. While the Chargers finished a little low last season, expect a higher finish this year. A 1:43 split between their top six shows some very nice potential.
9. Carterville
2013 final placement: 14th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Aurora Breeden (Sr.) 18:54, Kami Hankins (Jr.) 19:19, Megan Adams (So.) 19:39, Madison Meyer (Jr.) 20:25, Scarlett DeRouse (Sr.) 20:47, Kelly Adams (Sr.) 23:21.
Snap analysis: Carterville returns a nice pack including Breeden who looks to be a potential all-stater. Not only do the Lady Lions look to repeat their success as sectional champions, but also crack into the top ten at Detweiller this year.
8. Eureka
2013 final placement: 10th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Quincy McSweeney (Sr.) 19:02, Mercer Mack (Jr.) 19:34, Steffani Wiegand (Sr.) 19:44, Ashlyn Lockart (Jr.) 19:52, McKenzie Walz (So.) 20:10, Meaghan Beatenhead (Sr.) 20:20, Meghan Waller (So.) 20:39.
Snap analysis: The Hornets return their whole varsity team that really showcased their success at sectionals. And their top seven split was 1:39. If anybody besides last year's number one runner McSweeney can step up into a more threatening front runner, Eureka will be in position to make some serious noise in late October and early November.
7. St. Joseph-Ogden
2013 final placement: 6th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Abby Fisher (Sr.) 19:25, Keely Smith (So.) 19:27, Emma Melchior (Jr.) 19:37, Abby Gawthorp (Jr.) 19:56, Jessica Kassuelke (Sr.) 21:12, Kamry Orcutt (Jr.) 21:58, Faith Houston (Fr.).
Snap analysis: Alyssa Pridemore's near all-state marks will be missed, and unless one of their young runners really steps up, they do not look to have a similar low scorer. However, this is not to say the Lady Spartans do not have trophy potential. On the bright side, they return all six of their other varsity girls, and look to get freshman standout, Houston, which means they could very possibly have five runners under twenty minutes. Not many 1A teams this year look to have that privilege, and it may give them the edge they need to trophy.
6. Petersburg (Porta)
2013 final placement: 8th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Adrienne Brauer (Jr.) 17:33, Maria Brauer (Jr.) 17:34, Anna Tamborski (Jr.) 20:01, Keely Miller (Jr.) 20:21, Katherine Pickerill (Jr.) 21:22, Allison Cummings (Sr.) 21:32, Natalie Beard (So.) 21:55.
Snap analysis: This team had a very interesting year last year. The school experienced some district changes that ended up making a Detweiller showing from the Blue Jays questionable. To make matters worse, Adrienne did not run in the middle of the season. But once they hit the IHSA tournament series, they qualified for state and did not look back, as they found a nice young pack to really not put the low points scored by two healthy Brauers in vein. This year they return everybody, and look to be a trophy contender for the years to come.
5. Tolono (Unity)
2013 final placement: 5th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Taylor Renfroe (Jr.) 18:44, Sisay Eisenmenger (Sr.) 18:45, Nicole Bagwell (So.) 18:56, Rhoda Brucker (Sr.) 21:03, Savannah Day (Fr.).
Snap analysis: For a potential top five team, they do not return a lot of bodies, which may make this pick seem questionable. But the Rockets have a lot power on the front line with Renfroe, Eisenmenger, and Bagwell. Freshman ace Day will be the crashing the party as she ran 12:01 for two miles and should give Unity four very strong front runners, which was the key ingredient to their 5th place finish last year.
4. Urbana (University)
2013 final placement: 11th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Annemarie Michael (So.) 17:50, Berit Hudson-Rasmuss (Jr.) 19:28, Tori Aber (So.) 20:03, Katie Tender (Jr.) 20:05, Ha-il Son (So.) 20:27, Maya Dutta (Sr.) 20:52, Arielle Summitt (Fr.)
Snap analysis: Now here's a team that finished outside the top 10 last year. However, this year they are really looking to trophy. Not only do they return six of their top seven, but because they get Summit (as explained in the individual rankings), who really has shown promise and looks to be the second punch for this team after Michael. That plus their strong pack is really making the Illineks look strong.
3. Kewanee -Wethersfield
2013 final placement: 4th place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Kirstie Ramsey (So.) 17:57, Kaitlyn Cline (Jr.) 19:12, Olivia Draminski (Jr.) 19:24, Kylie Cline (Sr.) 19:50, Dana Baele (Sr.) 19:51, Joycelyn VanAntwerp (Jr.) 21:02.
Snap analysis: The strong and surprising end to last year's season for the Flying Geese, plus their returning roster, says it all. With Chicago (Latin) up in 2A, a trophy this year for Wethersfield seems very likely to say the least.
2. Rochester
2013 final placement: 2nd place 1A State Finals
Possible Roster: Taylor Bartolozzi (Jr.) 17:47, Meagan McNicholas (Jr.) 18:57, Madeline Campbell (So.) 19:06, Annie Gegen (So.) 19:45, Abby Reichen (Sr.) 19:56
Snap analysis: Despite losing front runners Krissy Finley and Amanda Nelson, Rochester will return enough reinforcements to be a superior team. It would be a contradiction to say they won’t be as good as last season. Still the Rockets should be solid enough to put some serious heat on St. Teresa, and if so, they may have the capacity to take the winning trophy from them.
1. Decatur (St. Teresa)
2013 final placement: Four-time defending state champion
Possible Roster: Lauren Evelti (Jr.) 18:40, Bree Tschosik (Sr.) 18:42, Kelsey Cleary (Jr.) 18:57, Ashton Jerger (Jr.) 19:33
Snap analysis: The St. Teresa Bulldogs have been winning 1A state since the beginning of the second decade of the 21st Century. Coach Todd Vohland has only lost three contributors from a year ago. Remember this is a program that has triumph over all of the 1A competition the past four seasons. They even fared well against 3A powerhouse Palatine at the Metamora Invite. The Bulldogs are in a league of their own, and they plan to keep it that way. Part of their success is the ability to reload after graduating strong pieces such as the graduated Rachel Devereux, Audrey Vandercar, and Cailin Jerger. But the depth of last year's powerhouse should once again rear its head this season. They return their bottom four of their varsity roster and still look to win their fifth straight state championship. This is all on the very sound assumption that the Bulldogs come up with a fifth runner by November, which really seems like a walk in the park for this marquee program.