The scene from last year's Palatine Invite was fast and furious (Colin Boyle image)
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2015
Location: Deer Grove East Forest Preserve; Palatine, IL
Girls schedule: F/S 9:25am; Varsity 10:20am; Girls JV 11:20am
Key teams: 3A- #3 Wheaton-Warrenville South, #4 Barrington, #8 Winnetka New Trier, #10 Palatine, #12 LaGrange Lyons Township, #13 Park Ridge Maine South, #19 Libertyville, #23 Mt. Prospect (Prospect), Wilmette (Loyola Academy), Lake Zurich, Downers Grove North; 2A- #1 Yorkville, #3 Vernon Hills, #5 Crystal Lake Central, #18 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge); Louisville Assumption, Mountain Brook, AL
Meet record: Kaylee Flanagan (Lake Park) 16:49
The meet skinny: The Palatine Meet of Champions is a massive meet featuring a ton of the state's marquee teams and individuals. As well there are a few featured teams from Alabama and Kentucky. The course was changed from 2.95 miles in 2010 to 3.0 miles.
Meet outlook:
The first weekend of the Autumn Equinox promises to be pleasant in the lower 70s at its peak and sunny. These conditions for most athletes are idea and it should make for fast times.
Over the past seven years it has been either the host Palatine or Assumption of Louisville, KY who walked away as team champions. Unless something out of the ordinary changes, look for Yorkville to fight Wheaton-Warrenville South for top honors.
Yorkville has been the top ranked 2A team for the past several years but somehow they haven't been given their just due respect. But after winning four consecutive state title and won impressively several weeks ago at the First To The Finish Invitational against the then state's overall best team Naperville North, some measure of spotlight has to shine bright on the Foxes. No longer does this team have its front runner Skyler Bollinger. She moved to California to join the power house Great Oak, California team. But Yorkville somehow has become a more dangerous program with junior Alexis Grandys leading the charge. But the key ingredient is the emergence of now upperclassmen Maddie Dearborn and Summer Pierson. Both of these young ladies have been healthy and energetic in their team's ascent. Dearborn returned back to Yorkville after spending just a semester at IMSA. Pierson is just… injury free. Don't forget the squad is loaded with some great young and talented sophomores and freshmen led by Allyssa Edwards and Olivia Borowiak. The Lady Foxes used all of the above at their disposal to dominate the FTTF with a 23 second scoring split. It could happen again on Saturday.
Wheaton South has traditionally been one of Illinois top girls cross country teams, but somehow they have been overlooked in favor of Naperville North, Hinsdale Central, Glenbard West, and Palatine. Ironically, though, it should be pointed out that head coach Rob Harvey and Naperville North head man Dan Iverson are very good friends. Wheaton South in many ways have mirrored their program in the same fashion as the Huskies in terms of having a good front runner assisted by strong pack play. This blue print so far this season has produced favorable results. The Tigers placed second at last weekend's massive Richard Spring Invitational. Harvey is especially excited about Saturday's tilt. "We're excited to race at Palatine. There is great competition from the state and the Midwest," said Harvey. He added: "The great competition will allow us to take another step to becoming the best team we can in November." Junior Sara Atkins will lead a very dangerous team into battle on Saturday.
Barrington has been a team on the rise this season. The Fillies appear to be on their way back to the top of the MSL after missing out on the state championship sweepstakes a year ago. This team beat a strong and highly ranked Batavia team earlier in the season at the St. Charles East Leavy Invitational; it was just two weekends ago the Fillies handled their own at the FTTF placing fourth in the 3A race. And most recently (Thursday 9/24) they handed Palatine their first dual meet loss in 55 attempts- first win over the Lady Pirates since 2006. This Saturday will be another test for Barrington with Yorkville in the field. Can the Fillies led by sophomore standout Jocelyn Long take a bite out of the Foxes dominance? It will come down to the fight in the trenches. The scorers from 2-5 will need to fight their way to the top in the final mile- especially the team's #5 runner.
The host Palatine will be one of several teams looking to improve after so-so results thus far this season. Lead runner senior Kelly O'Brien has been running well but her supporting cast is still emerging. The back of the pack has not been as strong as some had wanted and that appears to be one of the main issues. The relief is on the way despite some setbacks from a few key runners. It may not happen on Saturday though for the Lady Pirates.
Look out for top ten ranked New Trier to get keep their progress going. For the first time in many moons the Trevians do not have a front runner. Senior Oona Jung-Beeman has the top team mark at 17:49; the pack has run in the low 40 seconds in several big contests.
Maine South has to be taken seriously after finishing third and fifth in two consecutive major invitationals. So if the trend continues we could see another top 3-5 finish. Senior Kalina Gardiner has team best but the Hawks have eight girls running under 19:00.
Watch for Vernon Hills, Crystal Lake Central, Lyons Township, Libertyville, and Prairie Ridge to run well.
Kelly O'Brien is the defending Meet of Champions titlist
The individual race will be closer than you think-
O'Brien is back as the defending champion but so is third placer Daly Galloway (Jr., Gardner South Wilmington). O'Brien held off a hard charge from former New Trier standout Mimi Smith late in the final stretch to win her first major championship. That victory seemed to propel O'Brien into the elite status of Illinois girls distance running. O'Brien has since become of the most dynamic runners of a myriad of distances (see her track resume). Her season best is 17:14 at FTTF.
Galloway is undefeated on the season despite not hitting her stride as of yet. She won the FTTF Class A race in 17:23 by over 35 seconds. The impending battle with O'Brien should be intense since they both have are parallel in terms of time and success. Daly's personal best is 16:52 from last year.
Long is a runner on the rise since staying healthy through the track season. The former emerging runner placed second at FTTF in a sizzling 16:49. Although she lost on Thursday to O'Brien in a dual meet, the tables could be turned in a heartbeat on Saturday. Long could easily become a MOC titlist.
Fellow MSL standout runner Brooke Wilson (Jr., Prospect) is about to shed her emerging status and become a person of interest in the cross country running game. Wilson clocked 10:51 last spring to take the runner up medal at state in the 3200m. The rise has continued this fall after running 17:11 at the Harvey Braus Invitational. Now the key is being able to mix things up with O'Brien, Galloway, and Long from the halfway point on.
Others to watch:
- Isabelle Sparreo (So., Stevenson)- 17:08 at Richard Spring Invite is nothing to laugh at. It is downright serious business
- Vivian Overbeck (Sr., Vernon Hills)- One of the top runners in Class 2A
- Caitlin Shepard (Sr., Lake Zurich)- Emerged from many runners shadows with an impressive performance at last weekend's Richard Spring Invite
- Allison McGrath (Jr., Wheaton-Warrenville South)- The Tigers #2 runner has run 17:42 this season