The field will be extremely competitive come Saturday (Mike Jortberg photo)
The Favorite
Who's that team in bright yellow at the front of the race?
Naperville (Neuqua Valley)
Top 7: Scott Anderson (Sr.), Jake McEneaney (Sr.), Jeremy Hayhurst (Sr.), Zach Kinne (So.), Jackson Jett (Sr.), Josh Mollway (Sr.), Matt Milostan (Sr.)
Going wire-to-wire ranked at the top of rankings means a lot-it means being good on paper before the season, it means being good on the course during the season, it means never being defeated, and the dominant Wildcats from Neuqua fit the bill as the heavy favorites entering the race in Peoria this Saturday. Their sectional performance at West Aurora was not their strongest by any measure-but a 1-2-3 finish from Jackson Jett, Matt Milostan and Josh Mollway still made a 25 point performance an easy victory. Finishing 16th overall in trainers was Jake McEneaney, who has been their front runner all year long. His low stick can be an important safeguard against a possible pack implosion-which still seems unlikely based on their incredible consistency of greatness all season long. Neuqua's performance at state can determine how we will talk about this team relative to other great teams in Illinois history. They will certainly want to take care of business at Detweiller, but barring a disaster, we should be seeing Neuqua Valley on top of the team podium at about 4:00pm on Saturday afternoon.
The Trophy Contenders-
Who's that team who didn't let injury stop them?
Arlington Heights (Hersey)
Top 7: Jacob Krupa (Sr.), Josh Methner (Fr.), Sam Svienty (Sr.), Nate Mayo (Jr.), Jack Fredian (Jr.), Quinn Cunningham (Jr.), Ryan Buch (So.)
Hersey could not catch a break this year. Top runner Ryan Theisen suffered a stress fracture and is out for the season, and Ryan Buch was held out of a couple meets after collapsing during the dual meet with Prospect (and had a fever of 101 degrees this weekend). No matter for the Huskies, led by Jacob Krupa, who once again were Mid-Suburban League conference champions and a consistent top 10 team in 3A, and have high expectations for themselves at state.
"We did not run well at the Sectional and still finished 3rd by only a point," says coach Jay Renaud. "All seven runners were in a terrible position at the mile mark-I'm not even sure we were in the top 5 teams." Despite this, Hersey ran side-by-side with strong MSL rival Prospect and has set themselves up well to succeed at state, no matter what adversity they may face. Hersey is a solid bet to finish top 5 at Peoria this Saturday.
Who's that team who is running hot at the right time?
Chicago (Whitney Young)
Top 7: Keduse Worku (Sr.), Sam Rivera (So.), Clayton Mendez (Jr.), Anthony Tuman (Sr.), Charlie Nevins (So.), Evan Radomski (Sr.), Brandon Dokliev (Sr.)
Whitney Young appeared to be among the logjam at Niles West before the race began. The logjam of top teams indeed was real, as only 4 points separated the 2-5 teams. However, the Dolphins separated themselves from the pack in emphatic fashion, and won the sectional for the Chicago Public League's first ever sectional victory in this current format. CPL champion Keduse Worku and sophomore sensation Sam Rivera have been revelations for coach Billy Poole-Harris, a much needed improvement for Whitney Young as Clayton Mendez suffered inconsistency this season due to a variety of obstacles. However, a promising performance from Mendez at Niles West may indicate that he is ready to run like the all-stater we have seen in the past. This could be a scary prospect for the Dolphins' competitors at state. Watch for Whitney Young to make a serious run for the top 5.
Who's that team who destroyed expectations in a pack?
Downers Grove (North)
Top 7: Alec Danner (Sr.), Jacob Ridderhoff (Jr.), Matt Moravec (Jr.), Ryan Birkmeier (Jr.), Andrew Marek (Sr.), Sam McCool (Jr.), Nick Chudzik (Jr.)
The Trojans from Downers Grove North have proven throughout the year that they are Neuqua's biggest challenger. Although they were shut out by Neuqua Valley at the Naperville Twilight invitational, coach John Sipple has his runners prepared to run at state, and their convincing win at a deep Marist sectional is confirmation. Alec Danner and Jacob Ridderhoff are certain all-state contenders, but a solid race from Downers could mean even more of the pack shooting for the top 25. The pack's split has inflated a little bit as the season as progressed, but this is to be expected when races get faster (and the Marist Sectional was blazing). Downers has aspirations beyond the state meet but they are focusing on wrapping up the silver trophy this weekend and possibly surprising the state.
Who's that team with the two runners at the front?
LaGrange (Lyons)
Top 7: Danny Kilrea (Jr.), Vince Zona (Sr.), Dan Palmer (Sr.), Alex Pall (Sr.), Charles Harders (Jr.), Roland Van Tassel (Sr.), Colin Costello (So.)
Lyons Townships finished 26 points behind Downers Grove North at Marist, much more of a margin than they would hope for. Lyons has the Trojans' number through the first runners, an advantage accentuated by the front running of Danny Kilrea and Vince Zona. But DGN's 31 points from their 4-5 catapulted them ahead of Lyons, who accumulated 67 points from their 4-5. This stands as the Lions' biggest obstacle and the race at around 60th place at the state meet could determine Lyons' spot on or off of the podium. Going another year without a conference title soured the end of the regular season for Lyons but they are hoping to run the state meet well, knowing they are in full control of meeting their own high expectations.
Lake Zurich is a team ready to challenge for the state title (Itai Epstein photo)
Who's that team that is a runner away from a state championship?
Lake Zurich
Top 7: Brian Griffith (Sr.) Matt Pereira (Sr.), Kyle Griffith (Sr.), Patrick Burns (Jr.), Eric Metzger (Sr.), Jacob Bieniek (Jr.), Sean Ginn (Jr.)
There were an abundance of questions about the Bears entered the season, and not too many of them have been answered to this point. We know what to expect from Brian Griffith, Matt Pereira, Kyle Griffith and Patrick Burns. Brian and Pereira have been closer than not, especially towards the tail end of the season, and Kyle has never followed from too far behind, while Burns has stayed within about 20-30 seconds of this front pack. As expected, the problem for the Bears has been the fifth runner. Eric Metzger has been that man most of the season, although Jacob Bieniek was the fifth at the Waukegan sectional. Lake Zurich has won some big meets this year, most significantly the Palatine Invitational, where Metzger kept the pack split to 68.4 seconds. It was almost 80 second at Waukegan, and while the Bears still won handily, this will not do the job getting a trophy at state. Lake Zurich could be in a dogfight with Lyons Township for third place, a race that could actually be won for the Bears at the fourth runner matchup. That is, if their #5 doesn't accumulate too many points.
Who's that team who gets their whole pack in faster than anyone else?
Mt. Prospect (Prospect)
Top 7: Jack O'Donnell (Sr.), Jack Terry (Jr.), James Riordan (Sr.), Sean Sanaghan (Sr.), Nate Cozine (Jr.), Jack Hempleman (Jr.), Andy Reimann (So.)
Prospect had no runners at the Waukegan sectional high enough to qualify as individuals in their own right, but they also had their fifth runner finish 14 places (!) before any other fifth runner. Their 24 second split on 5 (as well as 27 on 6) earned the Knights second place at sectionals and their first defeat of rival Hersey all year. Their seven deep pack approach has heavily offset their lack of a true frontrunner, and like Hersey, has make Prospect one of the most consistent teams this year. Coach Mike Stokes says the team will be aiming to put their first two (Jack O'Donnell and Jack Terry) under 15:05 and the rest under 15:20. A heavy front-loaded state pack means that Prospect will have to run some personal bests to get top 5, but expect the Knights to show up as they have done all year long.
The Chasers-
Who's the best private school in the state?
Aurora (Marmion Academy)
Top 7: Charlie Zimmer (Sr.), Michael Ronzone (Jr.), Sean Galle (Jr.), Andrew Lifka (Sr.) Jack Brewster (So.), Jimmy Milder (Sr.), Jack Harron (So.)
Big improvements from Charlie Zimmer and Sean Galle have made Marmion Academy, now 2-time Chicago Catholic League champion, a power out of the West Aurora sectional. "The boys did a great job of showing up and doing what they needed to do in order to advance," said coach Dan Klatt. "I was impressed by their grit as a few of them felt less than their best but still found a way to get it done. Our five man has been changing each week, and Jack Brewster stepped up and took his turn when we needed him most."
There has been nothing flashy about Marmion's success this year. Michael Ronzone and Zimmer have been solid as a 1-2 all season, and Andrew Lifka has joined Galle as a dependable scorer. The Cadets aim to finish in the top 10, and with the right mix of season bests, could find themselves higher than tenth as Peoria.
Who's the team who...? Well, actually, you know who they are
Elmhurst (York)
Top 7: Charlie Kern (Jr.), Sean MacGregor (Jr.), Ethan Kern (Fr.), Liam Hill (Sr.), Danny Honquest (Jr.), Joe Evely (Jr.), and either Jackson Bode (Jr., health) or Daniel Klysh (Fr.)
We are still getting used to life without Joe Newton in Illinois, and his absence from the state meet as a coach will be a loud absence. But the Long Green Line finished third at the Niles West sectional and find themselves at state once again. Adversity found York all throughout the sectional race-Ethan Kern fell, but found his way back into the pack. Jackson Bode ran despite sickness, and mustered up a 42nd place, before being taken to the IC and receiving a pneumonia diagnosis. His status for Saturday is questionable, but not questionable was York's determination this past weekend.
"I was very proud of the effort our boys put into the race," said coach Charlie Kern Sr. "We made an incredible leap forward by demonstrating our love for each other and the well being of our team." This is a much different looking York team from what we are used to but this matters not to the young squad led by the phenom Charlie Kern Jr. For a team that traditionally runs its best at state, we fully expect York to show up big time and made its mark.
Who's that team who have quietly run fantastic all year?
Hinsdale (Central)
Top 7: Blake Evertsen (Sr.), Ryan Doorhy (Sr.) Sean O'Connell, Ethan Planson (Sr.), Neil Cumberland (Jr.) Jan Erik Naess (Sr.), Sam Fathizadeh (Sr.)
Hinsdale Central is only two years removed from its back-to-back state championships, as both favorite and underdog. This fact alone has not been enough to garner much attention for the Red Devils, who has had to compete with the compelling stories offered by conference rivals Downers Grove North and Lyons Township. A strong race from York means Hinsdale, never falling out of the top 10 in the state, only mustered a fourth place at conference. That's what we get when you compete in one of the best conferences in the country-but despite all of this, Central has run well all season, following in unison with their frontunner, Harvard recruit Blake Evertsen. Evertsen is coming off a tough 8th place finish at Marist, a victim of the blistering pace set by Danny Kilrea. The Devils, still, where only 12 points behind Lyons' Township and could actually close that gap a little bit at state since they hold the fifth runner advantage over the Lions. At face value, it may seem that the Red Devils have un uphill battle to find themselves in the top 5, but they may be closer than we think.
Who's the team who took the most complicated route to state?
Park Ridge (Maine South)
Top 7: Reese Jordan (Sr.), Tommy Brady (So.), Brandon Christopher (Jr.), Alex Ortwig (Sr.), Brian Shanahan Sr.), Jake Mellema (Jr.), Sean Dempsey (So.)
Maine South held a top 10 preseason spot, ran poorly to start the year and fell out of the rankings, then got its act together and is once against a top 10 team! Emerging performances especially from Tommy Brady and Brandon Christopher helped the Hawks win the Central Suburban League and finish second (by a thin margin over third) at the Niles West sectional. Like a small handful of other teams, the Hawks' real problems start and end at the points that runner #5 accumulates. Pre-injury, Brian Shanahan was one of the team's top runners, and now is the key for Maine South at the 2016 state meet. Shanahan was 53rd, 75 seconds behind strong front runner Reese Jordan, and this was barely good enough for second as a team. South has a high ceiling and a high floor as a team, and has an outside shot at top 5 if some improvement on the pack is made quickly. The low stick from Jordan is a big help, too.
Who's that Orange team joined at the hip?
Wheaton (W. Warrenville South)
Top 7: Aleksei Sorokin (Sr.), Kyle Thompson (Sr.), Scott Maison (So), Sean Maison (So.), John Keys (Jr.), William Hauenstein( Fr.), Dylan Kropp (Sr.)
In a year headlined by teams adopting strong pack running, Wheaton Warrenville South is the best of the best. No ranked team ran single digit second team splits more times than South did, and their 19 second split at sectionals was one of the best in the state. This has been a recipe for success for one of the most surprising teams in the state, so do not expect them to abandon this philosophy at state. Their pack typically has been Aleksei Sorokin, Kyle Thompson, Scott and Sean Maison, and John Keys. Both Maisons fell at sectionals but rallied to remain the third and fourth runners. Says coach Chris Kuntz: "The kids run well together and really rely on one another. We have some decisions to make on our 6th and 7th runners-we feel we have depth and we can use any number of different runners in those spots." Wheaton South had the unfortunate circumstance of finishing second to DVC newcomer Neuqua Valley at conference, but have indeed beaten some of the best teams in the state elsewhere. They certainly will do that again on Saturday,
The Pack
Who's that solid team who Ray completely ignored at the season's start?
Geneva
Top 7: Tyler Dau (Sr.), Josh Rodgers (So.), Brian Kuehl (Sr.), Ryan Kredell (So.), Scott Creger (Sr.), Cole Montgomery (Jr.), Dave Creger (Sr.)
Now that Tyler Dau is back and running along with Josh Rodgers, the Upstate Eight conference champions are looking to cap an excellent season after being massively underrated to begin the year. Coach Bob Thomson: "For the boys, we finished in 3rd place as should have if you look at some of this season's meets. Overall, I am very pleased with how the boys performed in fact, I believe they stepped it up a bit and showed they belong in the state meet." Belong in the state meet they indeed do, ranking as high as #12 during the year and showing up big at meets like Palatine. Look for Dau and Rodgers to be mixing it up with the runners in the all-state positions.
Who's the team you can be sure will run well at state?
Winnetka (New Trier)
Top 7: Warren Blood (Sr.), Patrick Norrick (Jr.), Matt Burke (Sr.), Cooper Woolford (Sr.), Ryan Struckman (Jr.), Matt Roge (Sr.), Kiran Baakkonen (Jr.)
The Trevians only finished fourth points out of second place at Niles West, so don't be tricked by their fifth place finish into thinking they barely made state-New Trier is a team that belongs. Coach Dave Wisner describes his team as needing to stay self-aware during the race: "We are not a team with great leg speed so we have to be patient, stick together, and move as a team after the mile mark. Not surprisingly, this will be our strategy at state: to not get caught up in the early excitement and make sure we run our race. If we do that we have a shot at a Top 10 finish." Warren Blood has led the Trevians for a couple years now and will look to an all-state spot to finish his Trevian career. This varsity team is an experienced one, but New Trier's frosh/soph team this year demonstrated that the Trevians may once again be a force in 2017 and 2018.
Who's the new-look defending state champion?
Orland Park (Sandburg)
Top 7: Dylan Jacobs (Sr.), Martin Skucas (Sr.), Alex Symanski (Sr.), Robbie Sieczkowski (Jr.), Sam Rodriguez (Fr.), Nico Calderon (So.), Ben Cachares (Sr.)
Sandburg will probably not be grabbing its second straight title this year but that's okay-this completely revamped varsity team stepped up by earning a trip to Peoria with a sold fourth place performance at Marist. Dylan Jacobs set the tone for this team with an unbelievable race, and Sandburg does benefit from having him possibly score a point. The lack of experience hasn't seemed to matter for the Eagles, who would have won conference had Jacobs run, and they seem set to run for a top 15 spot. Expect coach John O'Malley to have prepared this squad for the pressures of state as well as any other team.
Who gives Wheaton South a run for 'best pack' in the state?
St. Charles (East)
Top 7: Jake Beno (Sr.), Cole Adesso (Jr.), Anthony Zilla (Sr.), Aidan King (Fr.), Dan Werner (Sr.), JB Sandlund (Sr.), Campbell Koch (Jr.)
St. Charles East had a disappointing finish at sectionals and were only 7 points from finishing outside of the qualifying range. A tough finish from Cole Adesso, who finished dropping from 17th to 44th in just the last 600 meters, made the result too close for comfort for the Saints. Anthony Zilla has returned and Campbell Koch is recovering from sickness, so East hopes to ride the momentum of these developments to a strong finish at this state meet. Along with Geneva, St. Charles East has found itself high in deep, large invitationals, thanks to the help of its pack running. Jake Beno is also a legitimate front runner so this is one advantage the Saints have over some of the other pack teams in this race. Coach Chris Bosworth: "Our team goal is to be in the top 17 at the state meet. I believe that we are very capable of this goal. As long as we get decent position for the first turn, should accomplish our goal."
Whose pack is so good, they qualified with the highest scoring #1 runner?
Highland Park
Top 7: Jonathan Rosenfeld (Sr.), Jose Reyes (So.), Matthew Casey (Sr.), Nate Amster (Jr.), Alec Glazier (Jr.), Charlie Skurie (Sr.), Fitz Laurie (Jr.)
Jonathan Rosenfeld led the Giants at sectionals, but only finished 21st, significantly behind the individual qualifying mark. Alec Glazier, the fifth Giant, finished just 18 seconds after Rosenfeld to produce the tightest scoring pack among qualifying teams from this past weekend. Highland Park lost the Libertyville regional by just 4 points to Mundelein, meaning just feel just short of a main goal for the year. The Giants responded well, beating Mundelein at sectionals and advancing to state for the first time since 2012, when the team was led by Jonah Hanig. Highland Park, with a well executed race, could finish in the top half of the state meet.
Who's the team that surpassed the most expectations? That's
Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East)
Top 7: Noah Healy (Sr.), Scott Platek (Sr.), Brett Gardner (Fr.), Mike Trost (Jr.), Will Evans (Jr.), David Nino (Sr.), Jeremy Stajowski (Jr.)
Lincoln-Way East was no one near my radar at the
beginning of the year, which was a big mistake, and they have proven to be a
serious, disciplined cross country team with a solid core leading the team this
year to the state championship meet. This team has changed as much as any other
team since last season-the closing of Lincoln-Way North allowed East to absorb
a handful of impact runners, particularly Noah
Healy. Brett Gardner is one of
the top freshman in the state and he and Healy join Scott Platek in what is one
of the stronger top 3 groups in the state. Sickness has afflicted the
Griffins so it is unclear who the seventh runner will be, but even shorthanded
the Griffins are capable of a top 15
finish.
Who's the team wearing that familiar singlet?
Palatine (H.S.)
Top 7: Brian Leonard (Sr.), Ben Kontney (Sr.), Richard Jacobo (Fr.), Nate Izekski (Sr.), Art Oshinson (Jr.), Evan Eckels (Jr.), Joe Ahlgrim (So.)
Yes, the Palatine Pirates are back in the state meet! Palatine began the season unranked but started to string a collected of solid races to catapult them into the top 15 of the state, including Richard Spring and their home invitational. Palatine's strongest asset is their best runner, Brian Leonard, who finished just behind Matt Pereira for third at the sectional. Freshman Richard Jacobo has joined Ben Kontney within the pack and has given the Grant regional runner-ups a good boost. Palatine flexed an impressive streak of top 10 performances at Detweiller for several years, and although they have some work to do to get back to top 10 this year, they are headed on the right track.
Who's the team-
Minooka
Top 7: Soren Knudsen (Sr.), Mark Dames (So.), Matthew Mason (Sr.), Jack Sullivan (Sr.), Cody Hoshell (Jr.), Jason Hoffman (Fr.), Jordan Freese (So.)
Minooka was a little inconsistent throughout the year, but did perform well at big meets and none so far have been bigger than their sectional win at Edwardsville. With a front runner like Soren Knudsen, you can throw out any 1-5 split as an indication of their strength. Their 2-5 split at sectionals was just 22 seconds, so the placement of their pack in the pack at state is the primary determinant for their team placing. Minooka was ranked as high as #14 during the season, so they will be shooting for around that group on Saturday.
Who's that team that showed up BIG time to end up at state?
Oak Park (O.P.-River Forest)
Top 7: Irwin Loud (Sr.), Matthew Politis (Sr.), Matthew Vietzen (Jr.), Robert George (Jr.), Chance Bayles (Sr.), Peter Halloran (Jr.), Owen Savoy (Jr.)
Oak Park-River Forest seemed to be on the wrong side of a pack of contenders for the fifth qualifying spot out of Marist before the week. OPRF had not really made an impression all year long, where are Plainfield South, Downers Grove South, and Plainfield North were all rising. Yet, OPRF drove clear of these teams by a significant margin and was just a few points from beating Sandburg at the sectional. It has helped that Irwin Loud is slowly improving through the season, but the biggest help has come from Matthew Politis and Vietzen packing it up for a solid showing. Where a month ago, it seemed that OPRF would not be showing themselves at state, a top 15 spot is not out of the question for the Huskies. The success this week was not lost on coach Chris Baldwin, saying "We were very happy with our sectional performance. We knew that we would be in the hunt to qualify as a team if we ran our race well. It is a tough sectional meet, with some great teams. We want to have our best race of the season at the state meet."
Whose that team that's so close to putting it all together?
O'Fallon (H.S.)
Joey Black (Sr.), Chris Conrad (Sr.), Will VanAlstine (So.), Hayden Ybarra (Jr.), Matthew Gilster (Jr.), Lucas Capistrant (Jr.), Garret Blenkush (Jr.)
O'Fallon has had a handful of different looks for the varsity team this year-they barely escaped from Edwardsville with their conference victory, then finished halfway between Minooka and Edwardsville at the sectional for second place. Joey Black and Chris Conrad have provided the front score on a bit of a scattered basis, but can help give O'Fallon its best finish of the year if they can run their best races individually in unison. We have seen a wide range of performances from O'Fallon, which means we could see a performance like top 15 or so from the Panthers.
Who's the team who best used home meet momentum this year?
Naperville (North)
Top 7: Emerson King (Sr.), Matt Boelke (Sr.), Jake Allen (Fr.), Aidan Blecke (Sr.), Michael Schnell (Sr.), Tracey Gschwendtner (Sr.), Nick Trattner (So.)
The new hosts of the Naperville Twilight Invitational can mark their unique home meet as a turning point for the team's season. The Huskies finished 5th, the top half of the deepest top-to-bottom regular season meet all season long. By the end of the season, Naperville North was mixing it up with ranked powers Geneva and St. Charles East, and ended up beating the Saints for the fourth qualifier at West Aurora. We have been seeing the best from the Huskies recently so it is difficult to predict where they could end up, but they surely will be looking to be one of the highest finishers out of the West Aurora sectional.
Who is the team giving us a preview of a future power?
Edwardsville (H.S.)
Top 7: Franky Romano (Jr.), Roland Prenzler (So.), Jack Pifer (Fr.), Dan Powell (So.), Max Hartmann (So.), Zach Walters (Fr.), Todd Baxter (So.)
I will admit to relegating Edwardsville to a young, inexperienced team that would be good in the future. However, their performances this postseason have shown that the team is ready to compete now, and finished just season just on the cusp of the rankings after finishing second to O'Fallon at the Southwest Conference on a sixth runner tiebreaker. Franky Romano is a legitimate front runner and even could be in the all-state conversation. What's more is that he is the ONLY upperclassman on this team! State could be a bumpy experience for Edwardsville, a team clearly improving by the week, but that means we may see them at their best this weekend... and the best is yet to come.
Who's the team that will find their way to state regardless of circumstances?
Yorkville (H.S.)
Top 7: Zack Price (Jr.), Ben Summers (Jr.), Eric Naumann (Jr.), Patrick Black (Jr.), Alexx Nauman (Sr.), Alex Loos (So.), Matt Cox (Jr.)
Yorkville received an ingratuitous bump into 3A this season but responded by racing the highest level competition consistently throughout the year and keeping their pack to a 30 second unit. This turned out to be a recipe for success at the sectional meet as the Foxes comfortably fit in front of Normal Community West for the last qualifier to Peoria. 3A State poses a different level of competition for the Foxes than they have been accustomed to but the former 2A power has the chance to show they belong with the high division teams, some of the best in the country. Zack Price and Ben Summers led the lead at sectionals.