The Yorkville Lady Foxes will take their talents to California this weekend
Friday Invitational Day-
Check out our quick snap preview of the action (meet detail in linear fashion- central time):
The Naperville (Neuqua Valley) boys will send the biggest ever fleet to Arcadia. The 13 member team is set to make a statement about its own program as well as the implications for Illinois. The team will contest of speed, distance and relays. Coaches Mike Kennedy and Paul Vandersteen will be having having fun in the sun, but don't get it twisted though. The veteran coaches will expect results before heading home.
- Girls 4x800 invitational (6:45p): Yorkville will get another shot at glory here. The potent line up featuring Nicole Greyer, Emily Eberhart, Julia Schultz, and Alexis Grandys look tough on paper. The Foxes placed 9th last year in a loaded field. Coach Chris Muth's team has been the #1 squad during the indoor season running 9:23.60 and going undefeated with an Illinois Top Times championship plaque. This field is extremely deep and the Foxes had better run their best line up in this one. Look for the US #1 9:11 to be displaced by the end of the meet. We are calling 9:17 for Yorkville.
- Boys 4x200 rated (7:20p): Neuqua Valley will deploy Myles Gascon, Dan Gaynes, Ryan Lukas, and Chris Muoghalu into action. The Wildcats should at least produce a top five mark state wide after the weekend results are tabulated. This is one unit looks to regain strength after a down 2015 campaign. Since depth is important for a team long term, let's see how things look without Jaquere Williams and Kevin Sager on it.
- The 1600 sprint medley relay is something that is rarely run in Illinois even in relay meets. The combination goes 200, 200, 400, 800. Sager, Gaynes, Williams, Isaiah Robinson should run a serious time. One would think a 3:30 number is respectable. Check in at 8:38 pm to see.
- Girls seeded 3200 (10:37p): Summer Pierson (Sr., Yorkville) will be good shape or will she after ran 11:01 during the indoor season. Perhaps a 10:50-55 is in the plan.
- Boys open 3200m #2 (10p): Matt Begeman (Sr., Lyons) is an emerging athlete from the deep Lions program. It just a season ago that he was essentially an utility athlete. Now after running 14:55 during xc and being an integral part of state and national championship teams, it is time for Begeman to shine. Last year's event winner ran 9:15 last year and if the conditions are right we could see 9:25 from Begeman.
- Girls 4x1600 (9:45p): Is it a glutton for Yorkville to come back in another Alexis Maddie Summer Nicole
- Boys 4x1600: Neuqua Valley and Lyons better be ready in this high powered race. Neuqua Valley will go with Patrick Wolak, Scott Anderson, Aidan Livingston, Connor Horn. The Wildcats should be able get in the top 10 somewhere; Lyons is a strong unit as well and with Connor Madell, Danny Kilrea, Vince Zona, and Andrew Best. Illinois will be heard loud and clear in this event.