2A-
Boys field: #3 Morton, #4 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge), #5 Riverside-Brookfield, #6 Maple Park (Kaneland), #7 Deerfield, #8 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), #9 Champaign Central, #11 Belvidere North, #13 Bethalto (Civic Memorial), #14 Sycamore, #15 Chicago Payton, #17 Lincoln, #18 Dunlap, #21 Chicago Mather, #22 Vernon Hills, #24 Woodstock
-Looks like quality across the board and an early test for many of the teams featured. There doesn't seem like a true favorite but more of who has the best pack and low scoring five. However, Prairie Ridge and Riverside-Brookfield have runners capable of winning and dragging their teammates along.
Girls field: #2 Lake Villa (Lakes), #6 Dunlap, #8 Dixon, #9 Normal (University), #10 Washington, #13 Vernon Hills, #14 Lake Forest, #17 Normal West, #18 Lagrange Park (Nazareth), #19 Mt. Zion, #22 Morton, #23 Mahomet-Seymour, #24 Metamora, #25 Morris
-Lakes is the favorite here and if they win the sweepstakes they may rise to the top of the rankings next week. Dunlap will fight with the other top 10 teams for a right for a trophy.
Boys to watch:
Owen Forberg (Sr., Richards)- This kid is receiving high praise despite not racing yet. Plus, his best three mile time is only 15:36. However, based on the 4:12 mile from the track season and the amount of training reported over the summer, something good is bound to happen. We are going to bet the house on Forberg.
Cooper Marrs (Jr., Riverside-Brookfield)-Placed second in his first three-mile plus race last weekend at the Lyons Invite. Marrs should be ready to stand out and trump his third place finish here last year. He took third last year in 15:05.
Dale Johnson (Jr., Sterling)- Not quite a household name yet but has a pretty solid resume which includes all-state honors in 15:04. Johnson has raced three times this season with two wins and a second place finish to top rated Riley Newport.
Will Gelon (Jr., Prairie Ridge)- Ran 15:28 at Detweiller at Dark so he is primed to show out in the season's biggest invite to date.
Evan Nosek (So., Kaneland)- Ran just one race on the season and that was a third place effort at the Sycamore Invite behind Newport and Johnson. Nosek was one of the state's top freshmen last year. Expect to see more of the mature racing come out on Saturday.
Girls to watch:
Tatum David (Sr., Richland Co (Olney)- Over top returner last ran 16:04 here as a freshman at the state meet. After producing a new sub 10:00 3200m during the spring, there is optimism that David's season debut is going to be very special.
Natalie Bierbaum (Fr., Normal University)- It appears that we have another star freshman on hand. Bierbaum came out of the gate to win the Detweiller at Dark in July. She has kept pace during the regular season which includes a 17:05. She will receive her first major test against David and a few other top notch individuals.
Rachel Soukup (Sr., Prairie Ridge)- First identifiable race of the season at a state standard distance. Soukup should be in the low to mid 17:00s if she executes well.
Becca Heitzig (Jr., Lincoln)- There has been speculation of respect toward Heitzig. Thus far she has proved to be more than a half-miler. She has two wins on the early season including a swift 17:17 PB at the Rochester Invite.
Zoe Carter (So., Normal University)- Could be the state's top tandem with Bierbaum. Carter will get an opportunity to showcase her talent on Saturday.