It is expected to be somewhat rainy, but we do not know how much it will effect conditions
The qualifying teams: #1 Naperville North, #2 Yorkville, #3 Downers Grove South, #4 Edwardsville, #5 Wheaton-Warrenville South, #6 Barrington, #7 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West), #8 Hinsdale Central, #9 Minooka, #10 LaGrange (Lyons Township), #11 Batavia, #12 Lockport, #13 Mt. Prospect (Prospect), #14 Lincolnshire (Stevenson), #15 Lisle (Benet Academy), #17 Elmhurst (York), #18 Oswego, #19 Oswego East, #21 New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central), #22 Cary-Grove, #23 Palatine, #25 Naperville Central
Let's meet the teams:
Aurora (Waubonsie Valley) Sectional-
Naperville North
Head Coach: Dan Iverson
2016 state meet finish: State Champion
Pre-season rank: #1
Final regular season rank: #1
Probable starting line up:
| Sarah Schmitt (Sr.) | 1 | 17:17 |
| Alex Morris (Jr.) | 2 | 17:38 |
| Hannah Ricci (Sr.) | 3 | 17:51 |
| Claire Hill (Jr.) | 4 | 18:06 |
| Megan Driscoll (Jr.) | 5 | 18:40 |
| Audrey Mendrys (Fr.) | 6 | 18:59 |
| Maggie Gamboa (Fr.) | 7 | 19:02 |
-The undisputed #1 team in all of Illinois. The Huskies were ranked #1 in the country at one time but now are listed #3. Perhaps they will race with a chip on their shoulders. They will not take this championship for granted as they were favored in 2015 and finished second to Minooka. But this collective group is much different than the '15 squad with two front runners in Sarah Schmitt and Alex Morris and a strong pack behind it. We possibly could the best ever performance among a great field of teams.
Batavia is a team destined to be a top 10 team if they can keep their pack together behind Mia Gianfrancesco and Marygrace Golden. Those two are capable of all-state honors which makes their low stick numbers a good set up for success.... so who will take the Oswego city battle? Oswego to the regional round and East was better at sectionals. Both have solid packs and know one another well. It will probably come down to the final stages of the race for a top 15 finish. Naperville Central is in the boat running under 45 seconds on five scorers.
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Granite City Sectional-
Yorkville
Head Coach: Chris Muth
2016 state meet finish: 2nd
Pre-season rank: #3
Final regular season rank: #2
Probable starting line up:
| Alyssa Edwards (Sr.) | 1 | 16:52 |
| Helena Kleronomos (Fr.) | 3 | 17:16 |
| Emily Eberhart (Jr.) | 5 | 17:35 |
| Olivia Borowiak (Jr.) | 6 | 17:40 |
| Hailey Simmons (Fr.) | 11 | 17:48 |
| Sara Klemm (Fr.) | 13 | 17:57 |
| Nicole Greyer (Jr.) | 29 | 18:29 |
-It was supposed to a closer contest with #4 Edwardsville in the field but it was not. The big emergence of Alyssa Edwards followed by freshman star Helena Kleronomos did the Tigers in. But let's not forget the strong supporting cast that produced six girls under 18:00. The Lady Foxes are the second best team in Illinois and will have their eye on the title as the main goal.
Minooka
Head Coach: Kevin Gummerson
2016 state meet finish: 3rd
Pre-season rank: #9
Final regular season rank: #4
Probable starting line up:
| Emily Shelton (Sr.) | 2 | 16:54 |
| Vivian Van Eck (Jr.) | 7 | 17:41 |
| Katelyn Gall (Jr.) | 16 | 18:07 |
| Julia Dames (So.) | 20 | 18:15 |
| Emily Ellis (Sr.) | 28 | 18:27 |
| Amanda Wilson (So.) | 33 | 18:34 |
| Maddie Olenick (So.) | 65 | 19:46 |
-The team's top runner Emily Shelton has run solid but may have had that empty sibling feeling. Ashley Tutt and Mackenzie Callahan graduated. Shelton has adapted now and so has Vivian Van Eck. They showed off well at sectionals ahead of Edwardsville. The rest of the scorers stepped up.
Edwardsville had a down race at sectionals. Maybe the Tigers were a bit overconfident after such a great run this season. Abby Korak and Melissa Spencer ran well. But it was the 3-7 runners that were spread too far apart. They will need to come together if they envision a top 5 finish on Saturday.
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Hinsdale Central Sectional-
LaGrange (Lyons Township)
Head Coach: Alex Lyons
2016 state meet finish: 5th
Pre-season rank: #8
Final regular season rank: #10
Probable starting line up:
| Emily Henkel (Jr.) | 3 | 18:15 |
| Kate Dickman (Fr.) | 8 | 18:42 |
| Marta Kogucki (Jr.) | 10 | 18:48 |
| Kirsten Meyer (Sr.) | 16 | 18:57 |
| Cara Paliakas (Sr.) | 22 | 19:04 |
| Lily Kedzuch (Sr.) | 30 | 19:29 |
| Maddie Cranny (So.) | 31 | 19:31 |
-Who would have thought this team would be this good so fast in two years under alum Alex Lyons? And not to mention that Sarah Barcelona has been out all season due to injury. Otherwise we could be talking about a possible top two placement. But a spot in the top 3 and certainly top 5 is real. Pack racing is a strength here and if they can intact during the final mile, anything can happen. Emily Henkel is racing will and is a sure sure top 15 finisher for her team. The Lions are going to shake up the final standings for sure.
Downers Grove South
Head Coach: Doug Plunkett
2016 state meet finish: 4th
Pre-season rank: #2
Final regular season rank: #3
Probable starting line up:
| Brenna Cohoon (So.) | 4 | 18:18 |
| Erin Reidy (So.) | 11 | 18:49 |
| Melissa Weidner (Jr.) | 12 | 18:49 |
| Kennedy Warden (So.) | 21 | 19:04 |
| Rebecca Diddia (Fr.) | 25 | 19:05 |
| Becky Versaskas (Jr.) | 29 | 19:17 |
| Gillian Thomas (Sr.) | 42 | 19:51 |
-Last year was the best ever season for the Mustangs. This year's squad is presumably better. They have run well all season long. The key without a knockout front runner is the pack. It deserted them somewhat at sectionals. But a bigger field like state could revive things. Look for Brenna Cohoon to continue to lead the way.
Hinsdale Central is one of the most consistent teams in state history. The Devilettes have two proven runners in seniors Grace McCabe and Reilly Revord. Add in her sister McKenna Revord who is a sophomore. Top 10 is written all over this team.
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Hoffman Estates Sectional-
Barrington
Head Coach: Deb Revolta
2016 state meet finish: None
Pre-season rank: #15
Final regular season rank: #6
Probable starting line up:
| Jocelyn Long (Sr.) | 1 | 16:57 |
| Molly Fitzpatrick (Fr.) | 5 | 17:41 |
| Alyssa Norris (So.) | 12 | 18:13 |
| Katherine Shein (Fr.) | 33 | 18:41 |
| Anne Berquist (Fr.) | 35 | 18:42 |
| Eve Hoeltgen (Jr.) | 43 | 18:55 |
| Sophie Hoeltgen (Jr.) | 98 | 20:16 |
-After missing state last year as a team, the Fillies have come back with a vengeance. Coach Revolta quickly retooled her program around star Jocelyn Long. Newcomer Molly Fitzpatrick has been sensational this season. The pack has shown strength and should be ready for a top 5 finish on Saturday.
Mt. Prospect (Prospect) coach Pete Wintermute breathe a sigh of relief after advancing to state after two hard break sectional performances. Great team work over the final mile was the key.
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Roselle (Lake Park) Sectional-
Wheaton-Warrenville South
Head Coach: Rob Harvey
2016 state meet finish: 14th
Pre-season rank: #19
Final regular season rank: #5
Probable starting line up:
| Samantha Poglitsch (Fr.) | 4 | 17:22 |
| Mia Rucoba (So.) | 7 | 18:00 |
| Haley Ansiel (So.) | 11 | 18:14 |
| Laurel Moneysmith (Jr.) | 13 | 18:16 |
| Kaitlyn Nenninger (So.) | 16 | 18:18 |
| Sarah Kulkarni (Jr.) | 18 | 18:21 |
| Becca Hauenstein (Fr.) | 22 | 18:27 |
-The Tigers are perhaps the state's most underrated team coming in barely in the top 20 rankings. Coach Harvey has molded his program similiar to Naperville North where depth is the focus. In due time we will see a few front runners that will take things up another notch. That may come in 2018. But for this weekend, the Tigers are going to spoil some times trophy chances. We may see an all state athlete or two from the squad.
Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West) has been three girls strong all season with Katelynne Hart, Lindsey Payne, and Katie Hohe. They potentially all could be in the top 15. Hart and Payne may be 1-2 if things fall in place. As far as the rest of the team, it appears to be a long shot at a team trophy because of the 5th runner. The Hilltoppers somehow need to find a stop gap in that position... New Trier is ready for a top 10-15 finish.