1A Boys State Preview: Elmwood Is Ready To Spike Its Foes

Edwardsville (Metro-East Lutheran), Elgin (Harvest Christian Academy), Gillespie, Glen Carbon (Father McGivney), Kewanee (Wethersfield), Murphysboro, Rockford (Lutheran)

Outlook: Last year's state champion Tuscola did not make the dance, and pre-season #1 Benton is here, but they are severely depleted of personnel to make a run for a trophy. Still, this field is very good, as 22 of 25 ranked teams will toe the line at Detweiller Park. 

Top-ranked Elmwood is the team to watch despite not winning a trophy since 2018. The Trojans are accustomed to winning trophies; seven have been of the first-place variety. They will line up in spikes a handful of times this season, ready to earn their eighth crown.

Elmwood started the preseason in the #4 spot and fluctuated in the top 10 until the conference championship. They have traditionally started the season off in a development mode, plotting and charting things as they progress. For example, in the season's first major competition, the First To The Finish Invitational, the Trojans placed sixth with 224 points. They were significantly behind the winner, Eureka and their 167-point total. The key to winning there was the fifth runner. Eureka had one of the best-producing anchors in the field. However, as legend has it, head coach Gregg Meyers got his team primed and ready for the championship run once the clock hit October. 

A part of the team's legendary status is the team's transition from racing in training shoes to spikes. The Trojans took down then #1 Eureka at the Peoria Notre Dame Regional. 

Winning a state title will not be a slam dunk for Elmwood. Aurora Central Catholic is a team that is clearly in the trophy picture after being lathered up from a strong competition schedule. They have raced quite a bit, typical of Class A schools. At the FTTF Invite, the Chargers just narrowly missed out on winning the title, losing to Eureka by two points. The scoring split was 1:04 compared to 1:08 for the Hornets. The season's final tune-up at the Amboy Invite was a close battle between Elmwood (55), Winnebago (59), and the 62 points that the Chargers produced. This is a young team led by Jack Swiatek (Jr), Ben Bohr (So), and John Reinbold (Fr), all who have broken 16:00. But the key to winning it all and a trophy will come down to the fifth man, either Cal Reinbold or David Valencia (Sr.).

Eureka is a team that sat in the catbird seat for a significant period before falling to Elmwood on successful weekends leading up to the state championship. Tucker Hinkle (Sr) is the team's top runner, and with a scoring split around 1:10-15 on average, it will be prudent for him to run around 15:00 for the team to lock down a trophy.

Winnebago has a history of winning titles and trophies. Ironically, the last one came in 2013 as runner-up to Elmwood 161-167. Could we possibly see deja vu? The Indians will have star Nicolai Martino (Sr) in the chamber. Martino is an ultimate low stick after winning the FTTF Invite in 15:00. After him, there is major concern about finishing off races. The Indians scoring split has run south of 2:00 on occasions. It must be under 90 seconds if they hope to be a trophy recipient.

Watch out for Rockford Christian in this trophy talk after winning the rugged Rockford Alleman Sectional. The Lions are poised to do something big on Saturday. They have steady runners in Andrew Kurien (Sr) and Evan White (Jr). They will be in the all-state mix, which is a good start but a 12-15 second scoring split at the three to five runner positions.

Last year's individual race winner was as scripted as it could be, with two-time champion Gavin Genisio of Benton easily running away with things and producing the fastest merged time of the day in 14:12. Genisio's predecessor "Goob" Gabriel Mclain is now a senior and ready to shine. This will be the last hurrah for the McClain family, who has given everything to the Benton program. His older sister, Amelia Mclain, was a standout runner and placed third in 2018, and his father, Brenton Mclain, recently wrapped up an extraordinary coaching career.

Goob has chosen his races selectively, competing at the Richard Spring Invite (14:39/4th) and Forest Park XC Festival (5K--15:14) and earning his first sectional championship on his home course in 14:09 (2.92 miles). Mclain will have plenty of motivation in his final appearance at Detweiller.

Max Kirby (So., Peoria Notre Dame) is the former freshman phenom who earned all-state honors in his first rodeo. This time around, aside from leading his team to a high placement, is the notion of him among the heavyweights. Kirby has run 14:58 on the Detweiller (surrogate home course) at this conference championship. He has the potential to chop off about 15-20 seconds, which should be good enough for him to be among the top five performers.

Nicolai Martino will have double duty in leading his team to the best possible placement for team trophy considerations and possibly be the closest threat to McClain. "I am looking forward to this weekend and going against [Gabe] Mclain," Martino said. They ran at Detweiller this season but not at the same invitationals. The Clash of Titans will be something to watch.

Chaz Oberkfell (Jr., Gillespie) has won three races this season, including the Cumberland Sectional. He has a personal best of 15:00 and will be in the running for a high all-state finish.