Class A Girls Sectional Previews by Alex Goodlab

Top 25 Individual Subjective Rankings

Edwardsville (Metro East Lutheran) Sectional-

Teams to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Breese (Mater Dei)

Belleville (Althoff Catholic)

Carmi (C.-White County)

Freeburg

Nashville

New Athens

Individuals to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Amelia McLain (Fr., Benton)

Ashley Gilmore (Sr., Freeburg)

Breanna Chandler (Fr., Freeburg)

Elyse Faust (So., Breese Mater Dei)

Gabrielle Alongi (Fr., DuQuoin)

Payton Dixon (Fr., Carmi-White County)

Sarozjani Hunter (Sr., Belleville Governor French Academy)

Overview: The favorite appears to be Freeburg but Breese Mater Dei and Belleville Althoff Catholic are capable of an upset. The individual battle has no established favorite, but Amelia McLain of Benton dominated in her regional win and now looks for a win in her initial sectional race. But expect Elyse Fraust, Breanna Chandler, among the other individuals named to give her a good contest.

Effingham (St. Anthony) Sectional-

Teams to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Carlinville

Decatur St. Teresa

Effingham St. Anthony

Litchfield

Monticello

Shelbyville

St. Joseph Ogden

Teutopolis

Tolono Unity

Individuals to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Ailey Mitchell (Fr., Shelbyville)

Anna-Sophia Keller (Sr., Effingham St. Anthony)

Alyssa McPike (So., Monticello)

Claudia Magnussen (Sr., Pana)

Faith Houston (Jr., St. Joseph-Ogden)

Fran Hendrickson (Fr., Champaign St. Thomas More)

Jordan Harmon (So., Tolono Unity)

Kara Weichman (So., Teutopolis)

Lauren Bowers (Jr., Shelbyville)

Payne Turney (Fr., Clinton)

Veronica Hein (Fr., Decatur St. Teresa)

Overview: Where do we start? Perhaps with the fact that definitely three, arguably four, teams that have top 15 finishing possibilities as well as likely some individuals with all-state potential are going home from this sectional. St. Joseph Ogden is the team favorite and Tolono Unity is the runner-up favorite. That much is obvious. But the 3-5 spots are indefinite between Decatur St. Teresa, Effingham St. Anthony, Litchfield, and others. Speaking of Effingham St. Anthony, three-time defending state champion Anna-Sophia Keller is the favorite; Claudia Magnussen, Jordan Harmon, and company will be among the leaders of the chase pack.

Elmwood Sectional-

Teams to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Eureka

Liberty

Stanford (Olympia)

El Paso (E.P.-Gridley)

Knoxville

Monmouth (M.-Roseville)

Springfield (Lutheran)

Williamsville

Individuals to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Abby Lewis (So., Fairfield)

Anna Heffren (Jr., Lewistown)

Caroline Jachino (Fr., Pleasant Plains)

Emma Argo (So. Eureka)

Katelyn Robbins (So., Liberty)

Maddy Eck (Jr., Springfield Lutheran)

Maya Stovall (So., Macomb)

Ryan Block (Sr., Knoxville)

Shelby Siltman (Sr., Stanford Olympia)

Overview: The main contenders for the team title will be Liberty and Williamsville, one a team with the strongest front runners the other a team with the strongest depth when it comes to pack running. The 3-5 spots are hard to pinpoint an exact order, but likely Stanford (Olympia) and Eureka will be among the three. Springfield (Lutheran) was a surprise team to get in last year with not much of a fifth runner, to then finish in the top eight at state. They could do it again this year...or a team with depth like El Paso outshines. The individual race could be a close call between Shelby Siltman, Katelyn Robbins, Maya Stovall, Emma Argo, and Caroline Jachino among others.

Lisle (Sr.) Sectional-

Teams to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Beecher

Clifton (Central)

Des Plaines (Willows Academy)

Elmhurst (Timothy Christian)

Herscher

Palos Heights (Chicago Christian)

Westmont

Individuals to Watch (listed alphabetically):

April van Ryn (Sr., Palos Chicago Christian)

Daly Galloway (Sr., Wilmington S. Gardner)

Faith Provost (So., Kankakee McNamara)

Hailey Janssen (So., Beecher)

Halle Nash (Jr., Westmont)

Isabella Wolke (Jr., Arlington Heights Christian Liberty Academy)

Jill Van Dyk (Sr., Palos Chicago Christian)

Jillian Milton (So., Herscher)

Kylie Lockwood (So., Herscher)

Overview: Palos Heights Chistian is the definite team favorite. Anyone's guess for the next four qualifying spots is as good as any. Same goes with Daly Galloway and the other contenders for the individual race.

Oregon Sectional-

Teams to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Amboy

Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central)

Elgin (Harvest Christian Academy)

Johnsburg

Annawan (Wethersfield)

Richmond (R.-Burton)

Rockford (R. Christian)

Seneca          

Individuals to Watch (listed alphabetically):

Audrey Harrod (Sr., Hinckney Big Rock)

Carina Collet (Sr., Seneca)

Emma Hildreth (Sr., Byron)

Haley Weidner (Jr., Bureau Valley)

Kirstie Ramsey (Jr.., Annawan Weathersfield)

Katherine Schneider (Sr., IVC)

Madison Franseen (So., Rockford Christian)

Nygia Pollard (Jr., Harvest Christian Academy)

Whitney Johnson (So., Annawan Weathersfield)

Overview: Team-wise, and individual-wise, Richmond (R.-Burton) definitely stands out. But Harvest Christian Academy, Rockford Christian, Amboy, and Chillicothe should make things interesting. And don't sleep on Kewanee Wethersfield who after a slow start to their season is making a late season rally to place second at the Rock Falls regionals. Individually there is no clear favorite, keeping in mind that the Winnebago regionals is a shorter distance than three miles and other regionals may have been slower courses.

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