Scouting Report: Prospect Girls

Illinois XC 2012: Scouting Reports
Todd Grasley

The past three seasons the Prospect girls cross country team has finished 6th, 5th, and 5th. The team loses three of its top seven starters to graduation, but returns one of the top distance runners in the state in senior Brooke Wolfe. Wolfe had a stellar 2010 campgain placing fifth at the 3A Illiinois State Cross Country Championships, 28th at Footlocker Midwest, and 18th at Nike Nationals before an injury slowed her down her junior season. Slowing down for Wolfe meant a 16th place finisih at state. This year, she is healthy, ready to contend for an individual title and put Prospect back on the podum. Joining Wolfe will be fellow senior Laura Poplawski who finished 58th at state and was the team's number three runner, junior Rachel Henk, and sophomore, Hannah Getchsman.

On the track, Wolfe had a great season dipping under five minutes for 1600 meters. She ran 4:59.98 at the Lake Park Girls Sectional. Wolfe also ran a season best time of 10:56.21 to win the Mid Suburban League Girls Championship. Laura Poplawski showed her speed outdoors with a sixth place showing at the state meet in the 800 meters running 2:13.80. The school's 4x800 meter relay also placed third at state. Perhaps, the biggest downer for Prospect this season is not having junior Christina Santiago. Santiago ran track for the Knights and has a faster season best in the 1600 meters (4:58.00) thatn Wolfe. She was a member of the 4x800 meter relay team as well, but has opted to play tennis over running cross country. 

Depth will definitely be a factor in how far Prospect goes in 2012. New Trier is pretty much a lock to take home the 3A title. Wheaton Warrenville South and Naperville North are strong contenders for the second and third spots. It will be a tough battle to overtake them, but it is definitely not out of the question to improve on their fifth place finish from a year ago.



Coach Wurster Says...

"Our team is not as deep as the past, so we need to be spot on, but that's what we train and spend all our time trying to accomplish anyway.  No freshmen or newcomers came in to help our varsity this year.  We were hoping we'd get All-Stater (4 x 800 and 1600) Christina Santiago to join, but she is sticking with tennis."

"Our team is looking pretty good and we have the same goals we had last year - division, conference, sectional champions, state trophy, and NXN qualifier.  We made the first 3 but fell a little short of the last 2 last year. As much as we like to earn medals and trophies at our other meets during the season, they are all just stepping stones to those listed above."

2012 Returner's Top Times

Three Mile XC


Prospect High School 611
  1) Brooke Wolfe   16:59.44 4
  2) Lauren Poplawski   17:58.20 76
  3) Rachel Henk   18:26.00 148
  4) Hannah Getschman   18:36.00 188
  5) Katrina Leeney   18:37.91 195
  Average Time: 18:07.51 -- Total Time: 1:30:37.55 -- 1-5 Split: 1:38.47
  6) Stephanie Aubry   18:44.15 219
  7) Ellen Siefke   20:06.16 698

Girls 3200 Meter Run
10:56.21 Wolfe, Brooke Mid Suburban League Girls Championship 2012-05-04
11:50.01 Leeney, Katrina IHSA 3A Lake Park Girls Sectional 2012-05-10
11:50.51 Getschman, Hannah Champaign Central Girls Invitational 2012-04-21
12:10.75 Siefke, Ellen IHSA 3A Lake Park Girls Sectional 2012-05-10

Girls 1600 Meter Run
4:58.00 Santiago, Christina IHSA Girls State T&F Championships 2012-05-17
4:59.98 Wolfe, Brooke IHSA 3A Lake Park Girls Sectional 2012-05-10
5:35.52 Henk, Rachel Champaign Central Girls Invitational 2012-04-21
5:40.80 Stokes, Tara Champaign Central Girls Invitational 2012-04-21

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