By Michael Newman

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The next two weeks should be exciting in Class 1A. Both team competitions are wide open. The individual races are the exact opposite as defending champions Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony HS, Effingham) and Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian) look like the runners to beat.

 

Here is a look at each of the sectional meets that will take place in five sites throughout Illinois.

 

 

Decatur St. Teresa Sectional @ Hickory Point Golf Course

 

Girls (10:00 AM)

 

Individuals – It is hard to see anyone defeating Anna Sophia Keller (St. Anthony HS, Effingham) in this race. The sophomore defending 1A state champion has not lost a cross country race against Illinois runners in her high school career. She ran 17:22 to easily win her regional meet last weekend winning by more than two minutes. The one runner that will be the closest is Arielle Summitt (University HS, Urbana). She started the season winning the First to the Finish Invitational in 17:27. Keller defeated the freshman in the SJO Spartan Classic by 41 seconds over the two mile distance. Since the two will be meeting again at next week’s state meet, the key will be to see how close Summitt gets to Keller.

 

This is a good field with as many as 12 possible all-state runners in this race. Other runners that I would keep an eye on Annemarie Michael (University HS, Urbana), Nicole Bagwell and Taylor Renfroe (Unity HS, Tolono), Madison Tutich (Monticello HS), Faith Houston (St. Joseph-Ogden HS), Megan Bailey (Mt. Zion HS), Lauren Evelti and Bree Tschosik (St. Teresa HS, Decatur), Chloe Spann (Shelbyville HS), and Colleen Madden (Carlinville HS).

 

Teams – This is the toughest 1A sectional in the state. Eight ranked teams are in this field with only five going to Detweiller Park. #1 St. Joesph-Ogden moved to the top spot in the DyeStat Illinois 1A rankings by winning the St. Thomas More Regional ahead of then #1 Urbana University. The Spartans has a solid front two runners led by Abby Fisher and Faith Houston. Their five runner split last week was 53 seconds. If their pack starts with a runner in the first 10 with the same kind of split, this team could end up on top. #3 St. Teresa has won the state meet the last four years. The Bulldogs have been getting better during the season and look like they have the runners that could make it five. Lauren Evelti and Bree Tschosik should be in the top six in this race. Their key will be keeping their first four closer together. Their five runner split most of the season has been near 110 seconds. That needs to come down for this team to win the sectional team race.

 

#5 Monticello seems to be peaking at the right time after finishing second at the St. Thomas More Regional last week. Madison Tutich leads the Sages, She could be in the top six in this race. The 2-5 split for this team last week was 43 seconds with an overall split of 72 seconds.  Monticello will place in the top two if Tutich finishes towards the front with a split of under 63 seconds. If was a bit of a surprise that #6 Urbana University finished third last week at the St. Thomas More Regional after being the top team in the state since the middle of September. The Illiniweks will get low numbers from Arielle Summitt and Annemarie Michael. Expect those two runners in the top three in the individual race. Their split from 3-5 last week was 54 seconds. The three runners need to be within 15 seconds of each other this Saturday. If that pack can stay within 2 minutes of Summitt and Michael, this team could leave Hickory Point with the team championship.

 

#8 Tolono Unity has a solid chance of being the final qualifying team out of this sectional. Nicole Bagwell and Taylor Renfroe are two runners that should finish in the top ten in this race that will give their team a boost. Just like Urbana University, their 3-5 split is near 55 seconds. If that split can come down to 40 and the five scoring runners stay within 130 seconds of each other, the Rockets could be punching a ticket to Detweiller next weekend. #12 Shelbyville would qualify out of any of the other four sectional meets in this classification. The problem is they are in the toughest one. Chole Spain and Molly Yockey should be in the top 14 individually. If the split for this team needs to be near 120 seconds to place in the top five. #16 Litchfield had a solid 66 second runner split through their first four runners led by sophomore Brianna Travis. The gap between four and five was close to two minutes. That split needs to come down for this team to be close to the top five. #20 Mt. Zion jumped into the rankings this week after a fourth place finish at Carlinville. Megan and Anna Bailey should qualify individually. The Braves split last week on five runners was over four minutes. In this sectional, it needs to be lower for chances of qualifying.

 

Boys (10:45)

 

Individuals – Jon Davis (Oakwood HS, Fithian) put more meat in his meet schedule this season adding the Richard Spring Invitational and the Palatine Invitational. The purpose of that was to get him ready for the state series and the meets beyond that. His 14:51 course record in winning the St. Thomas More Regional shows that he is on pace to do some great things over the next few weeks. If there is anyone that will be close to Davis, it will be Eric Ponder (Tuscola HS). Ponder was able to stay with Davis through the 1 ½ mile point before the Oakwood junior put the hammer down winning by 19 seconds. This sectional race again will be a great race between two great runners.

 

I would not stop with Davis and Ponder. This is a good deep field. Matt Norvell (Monticello HS) and Andrew Warnes (Unity HS, Tolono) should finish in the top five. Curtis Reed (Mt. Zion HS) has the potential to be with the leaders as well. Other runners that should be towards the front include Marcus Skinner (Shelbyville HS), Mohammed Hosseini (Mt. Zion HS), Cory Landon (Carlinville HS), Noah Tennison (Robinson HS), Nick Porter (Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS), and Grady Wilkinson (Mt. Carmel HS).

 

Teams - #1 Monticello and #2 Tolono Unity have faced each other the last three weeks with the two teams trading places the in those meets. Last week’s regional meet had Monticello winning by nine points. It will be that close again this week. Monticello has worked on getting their five runner split down. Last Saturday it was 31 seconds. Part of that was the Matt Norvell was a little closer to second runner Zach Mesplay than he usually is. A split of 40 seconds with Norvell in the first five still could get the Sages the win. Tolono Unity has no seniors in their top seven which bodes well in the future. The future is now for this team as they have the runners to win the state meet. Andrew Warnes will be towards the front. The Rockets have solid 2-5 pack. Their 2-5 runners were within 7 seconds of each other last week. Unity will finish ahead of Monticello if their pack can start before Monticello’s third runner crosses the line.

 

#7 Shelbyville is a sneaky good team that could cause some havoc for Monticello and Tolono Unity. Marcus Skinner will be towards the front of the race. Tyler Pasley has emerged as a top runner in his sophomore year. He could finish in the top 12 in this race. Their split was 78 seconds last week. That will be good enough to qualify. If they get closer with that split to close to 60 seconds with Skinner up front, then it could make the top three very interesting. #11 St. Joseph-Ogden has the solid pack that will need a solid race from their five to advance. Austin Earp or Brennan Guido have been the front runners for this team all season. You can expect the same on Saturday. One of those two runners needs to be in the top 15 with their split near 50 seconds for a top five finish.

 

It gets interesting from here. There are ten schools that are ranked in this sectional. It could be close with five possibly six schools shooting for the fifth and final qualifying position. #13 Paxton-Buckley-Loda has Nick Porter that should be in the top ten in this race. Their overall split was 105 seconds last week with a 54 second 2-5 split. Both splits need to come down for this team to advance. #15 Mt. Zion ran a strong race last week at the Carlinville Regional finishing second. Curtis Reed and Mohammed Hosseini will be in the top seven in this race. Their five runner split was close to four minutes last week. If it is that big again this weekend, it could be tough for the Braves to advance. #16 Robinson has come on strong the past couple of week winning their conference meet and then placing in the top five at the Patriot Invitational. The Maroons were ten points ahead of conference rival Teutopolis in last week’s regional meet. Noah Tennison should finish in the top ten. Their five runner split needs to be near 80 seconds for this team to have visions of running at the state meet.

 

#18 Carlinville has a good leader in Cory Landon who should qualify individually. With four freshmen in the top seven, the success that this team is having this season will give them a jump start for next season. #20 Teutopolis jumped into the rankings this week. Lucas Probst leads this team. If their split gets close to 80 seconds with Probst closer to Robinson’s Noah Tennison, then they could be a surprise. #21 Urbana University has a solid pack led by Marshall Allston-Yeagle. Their split of 67 seconds is good but with no runner in the top 20 makes the chances of qualifying for Detweiller Park tough to do.

 

Edwardsville – Metro East Lutheran Sectional @ SIU-Edwardsville

 

Girls (10:00 AM)

 

Individuals – The individual championship talk starts and ends with two Red Bud High School runners Keri Burmester and Deanna Deterding. Burmester won the tough Chester Regional last week by 19 seconds ahead of teammate Deterding. If there are runners that could get close to the two, the one to watch should be Kara Martin (Herrin HS).She was 15 seconds behind Deana Deterding last week. She should be closer this Saturday. Emily Marler or Lindsay Mank (Freeburg HS) are two runners that could finish also in the top five. Other runners to watch for up front include Grace Rowan (Althoff HS, Belleville), Leslie Drone (Hamilton County HS, McLeansboro), Maura Farrell (Herrin HS), and Ashley Brenning (Sparta HS).

 

Teams - #7 Freeburg is the big favorite in this sectional meet. The Lady Midgets could have potentially three runners in the first ten led by Emily Marler and Lindsay Mank. Their split on five last week was 106 seconds. Expect it to be lower this week. The firepower that this team has finds it tough to see anyone in this sectional getting within 40 points of them.

 

There are two other teams that are ranked in the top 25. #19 Herrin defeated #22 Carterville for the first time last week at the Chester Regional. Kara Martin and Maura Farrell should be in the top six to lead Herrin. If their split gets near 200 seconds, this team could get close to Freeburg. I still think they are a lock to qualify. Carterville has a solid first four led by Scarlett DeRouse. Their 4 runner split was near 110 seconds last week. Their gap between four and five is big. That needs to come down if they want to finish second on Saturday.

 

There are five teams that should battle for the final two qualifying spots. Murphysboro and Sparta finished within a point of each other last week at Chester. They look to be the two teams that could make it in. Sparta has a good front runner with Ashley Brenning. Their 2-5 split is near 80 seconds. If that pack starts near 25^th place, this team could qualify. Taija Nelson and Molly Groinger lead Murphysboro. If one of those runners can place in the top 12 with a split near 180 second on five runners, then this team has a chance to advance. Belleville Althoff has been racing well this season but not running their full top seven in meets making it hard to read this team. Their second place finish behind Freeburg last week shows that this team could make it to the starting line at Detweiller Park. Red Bud has the solid first two runners in Keri Burmester and Deanna Deterding. Their 3-5 pack could be too far back for this team to qualify. Harrisburg could be the surprise in this meet. They have a good pack led by Taylor McDaniel. Do not be surprised if this team finishes as high as third in this sectional. Also watch for Roxana and Frankfort to possibly find their way into the first five.

 

Boys (10:45 AM)

 

Individuals – The one runner that I would keep an eye on in this sectional meet is Corbin Kakac (Fairfield HS). The senior finished 34^th last year at the state meet but bounced back in track finishing 4^th in the 3200 last spring. His 15:59 that he ran last week at Benton shows that he is ready to be in the top 15 at state next week. First, he needs to advance. He should and will be the favorite in this race. Harrison Thomas (Carterville HS) has been a surprise during the year and will be one of the runners to push Kakac. Other runners that I would watch include Jonathan Kraus and Charlie Parrish (Freeburg HS), Kristian Avise-Rouse (Colombia HS), Dylan Huether (Sparta HS), and Taijahn Nelson (Murphysboro HS).

 

Teams - #9 Freeburg should also be the BIG favorite in the Boys race also. Led by Jonathan Kraus, they have a solid first five that could place 5 runners in the first 17 in this meet. I would not say it is a total toss-up for the next four qualifying spots. Sparta has defeated Nashville the past two weeks but by margins less than five points. Sparta could have two runners in the first ten led by Dylan Huether and Trevor Buckner. A five runner split of under 83 seconds could get this team the second qualifying spot. Nashville has the good front runner with Jordan Love. The team has a good pack also with their split at 68 seconds at last week’s regional meet. If Nashville’s 3-5 pack can start before that of Sparta’s, they could finish ahead of their conference rival. After these two teams, that is when it gets a little murky.

 

Fairfield could be the surprise of this field. They have the individual favorite with Corbin Kakac. They also easily won the Benton Regional with only 24 points. Their 2-5 split needs to be within 95 seconds of Kakac (last week it was 109) for this team to make it into the first five. Carterville also has the good front runner in Harrison Thomas. Their overall split was at 180 seconds last week. That needs to come down for this team to advance. Pinckeyville finished 20 points behind Carterville last week at Chester. The key for this team is to have a runner in the first 15 for advancement to Peoria. Red Bud has a solid pack with a split under 60 seconds last week. They could qualify for state if the pack moves up a little. A runner between 20^th to 25^th places would be a big plus. Colombia and Murphysboro would be teams that I would also keep an eye on.

 

Elmwood Sectional @ Maple Lane Country Club

 

Girls (10:30 AM)

 

Individuals – Which one of the Brauer sisters be towards the front at the end of this race on Saturday? Maria Brauer has been the runner up front for Petersburg PORTA all year. Her sister Adrienne is close behind. It would not surprise me if the two sisters are 1-2 in this race. Nicole Beebe (Canton HS) could be the one runner to push the pace. She ran 17:31 to win on the 2.95 mile Farmington course last weekend. She ran 18:05 at Detweiller Park two weeks ago in her conference meet showing she has the wheels to run up front.

 

Other runners that I would keep an eye on up front in this race include Anna Tamborski (PORTA HS, Petersburg), Madeline Campbell (Rochester HS), Maddie Eck (Springfield Lutheran HS), Carly Garnett (Illini West HS, Carthage), Ryan Block (Knoxville HS), Ericka Hibser (Lewistown HS), Cassie Mundekis (Midwest Central HS, Manito), and Shelby Siltman (Olympia HS, Stanford).

 

Teams – Only three points separated #2 Petersburg PORTA and #4 Rochester at last week’s Quincy Notre Dame Regional Meet. The outcome should be just as close between these two area rivals. PORTA has a strong front three with Maria & Adrienne Brauer and Anna Tamborski. The key for the Bluejays is to have their front three in the first six along with their fourth and fifth runners in before Rochester’s fifth runner. Rochester has a strong pack. Last week’s five runer split was only 48 seconds. This team could pass by PORTA if Taylor Bartolozzi is closer to teammate Madeline Campbell.

 

I think the next two teams could be locks to Peoria also. #10 Rock Island Alleman ran a solid 42 second split last week in defeating then #4 Eureka at Farmington. Kaytlyn Golding should be in the top 10 for the Pioneers. If that happens and their split stays close to their regional time, then this team will be in. #11 Eureka did not run their best race last week at their regional race. Watch for the Hornets to bounce back in this sectional race. Quincy McSweeney and Steffani Wiegand give Eureka a solid first two that was ahead of Golding last week. They need to have their 3-5 pack starting ahead of Alleman’s for this team to finish in the top three.

 

Host #14 Elmwood-Brimfield has a leg up for the fifth and final spot. Their five runner split has been strong all year. It was 50 seconds last week. If their pack, led by Kendra Gorham, just moves up a little in this meet, they could sneak into the first four. #21 Macomb won their own regional last week led by the 3-4 finish of Karla Mendoza and Ashley Plumb. Their split on five was 157 seconds last week. That needs to come down for chances of qualifying for the state meet. #25 Liberty ran a great race last week finishing third behind PORTA and Rochester. Katelyn Obert leads this young team. Just like Macomb, their split could be too big to advance to Peoria. Monmouth-Roseville, Canton, and Bloomington Central Catholic would be other teams that I would keep an eye on.

 

Boys (11:15 AM)

 

Individuals – This will be a wide open race with no clear favorite. Tyler Johnson (Pleasant Plains) has been consistently up front most of the season in 1A meets. I would expect him to be towards the front again on Saturday. Behind Johnson there are 10-12 solid runners that could win this race. Matt Osmulski (Elmwood-Brimfield HS) looked strong in winning his regional race at Farmington. Other runners that I would watch towards the front include Nathan Ault (Monmouth-Roseville HS), Michael Gleason (Rochester HS), Lucas Lingle (Canton HS), Wilson Pflederer (Tremont HS), Connor Stine (Olympia HS, Stanford), Hunter Cobbley (El Paso-Gridley HS), Nate Herridge (Elmwood-Brimfield HS), and Austin Jackson (Mercer County, Aledo).

 

Teams – Defending 1A team champion #3 Elmwood-Brimfield is peaking once again at the right time. They dominated the Farmington Regional scoring 32 points and placing four runners in the first seven. That 4 runner split was only 15 seconds. Their split on five runners was 69 seconds. They should be okay with that kind of split in winning this sectional. That will need to come down for the state meet.

 

I think there are three teams that could be solid in for qualifying behind Elmwood-Brimfield. #10 Rochester dominated the Quincy Notre Dame Regional scoring only 26 points. Michael Gleason is the front runner for the Rockets that should be in the top five individually for this race. Their split should stay under 60 seconds. If that happens, they should solidify that qualifying position. #12 Pleasant Plains finished second behind Rochester at Quincy and should be in the top five teams in this meet. Tyler Johnson give his team low numbers up front. Their 2-5 split of 71 seconds last week needs to go under 60 seconds with the pack staying within 55-60 seconds of Johnson to challenge Rochester. #14 Tremont has the strong front runner with Wilson Pflederer who could be in the top seven. Their 5 man split was 71 seconds last week. Don’t be surprised if they challenge Rochester for the second spot in this meet.

 

It should be tight for the final qualifying spot with possibly 10-15 points separating teams 5 through 8. #22 Macomb has a solid first three led by Cameron Brock. If they have a five runner split near 60 seconds with a runner between 18^th to 20^th places, this team could make a Peoria trip. #23 Monmouth-Roseville will get low points from Nathan Ault. Their pack split needs to decrease in order to surpass Macomb. Connor Stine leads #25 Stanford Olympia. Their 2-5 split will be the key. If it goes near 40 seconds, then this team could get the last qualifying spot. El Paso-Gridley only finished three points behind Olympia last week at Farmington. With more runners in this meet, they could jump into the fifth spot led by a good front first three led by Hunter Cobbley.

 

Lisle Sectional @ Lisle Community Park

 

Girls (10:00 AM)

 

Individuals – Daly Galloway (Gardner-South Wilmington HS) is a lock to win the girls race at this sectional meet. She started the season running 17:27 at the First to the Finish Invitational and followed that up with a strong finish at the Palatine Invitational and a win at the Ambit Invitational. It is hard to see anyone coming within 45 seconds of this sophomore.

 

The battle will be for the second spot in this race. Runners that I would watch include Isabella Wolke (Liberty Christian Academy, Arlington Heights), Becca Wert (Aurora Christian HS), Maeve Dunaway (Willows Academy, Des Plaines), Katie Kleinert (Central HS, Clifton), and Valerie Richter (Harvest Christian Academy, Elgin).

 

Teams – Not as wide open as it appears since there are no ranked teams in this sectional meet. Chicago Christian is the top ranked team in this sectional and should be the favorite. They live by the pack. Last week’s first four runners split was only 11 seconds. The gap between 4 and 5 could hurt. It was 87 seconds last week. Westmont is another team that has emerged during the year energized by the addition of five freshmen to the top seven. Their pack led by Imogene Asa has been near 60 seconds most of the year. It needs to stay close to that time in order to making a Peoria trip. Willows Academy looked strong in winning the Luther North Regional last week. Maeve Duanaway should be in the front on Saturday. Their 2-5 split was only 20 seconds last Saturday. That kind of split will boost them to the top of this meet.

 

North Shore Country Day has a good front runner in Kayla Robinson. Their split between their fourth and fifth runner was 87 seconds last week. That needs to come down in order for this team to be Peoria bound. Harvest Christian will have Valerie Richter and Nygia Pollard who will give them low numbers. Harvest’s third runner will need to get in before Westmont’s fourth in order to place in the top two. Last week the difference was 16 seconds. Clifton Central won the Kankakee McNamara Regional behind strong runs by Katie Kleinert and Andrea Pace. Their split on five needs to come down to 140 seconds for a chance to run together as a team. Prairie Central finished 12 points behind Clifton Central. It would not surprise me if they finish among the first four teams this Saturday.

 

It is going to be a close top five. I would also watch for Herscher, Beecher, and Aurora Christian to challenge for a top five finish at Community Park.

 

Boys (11:00 AM)

 

Individuals – Tanner Chada (Aurora Christian HS) should be the favorite in this meet. Earlier in the year, he finished sixth at the First to the Finish Invitational. He also won at Amboy against some of the top 1A runners in the state. He should be challenged by Brandon Wilkerson (Tri-Point HS, Cullom). The senior won at Kankakee last Saturday. He also ran 15:24 two weeks ago at Detweiller Park in the Patriot Invitational.

 

Other runners that I would watch include Sirlaurence King (Leo Catholic HS, Chicago), Nick Dea and Anthony Alessi (Westmont HS), Tyler Pacana (Montini Catholic HS, Lombard), Jake Adams (Harvest Christian Academy, Elgin), Peter Conroy (Northridge Prep, Niles), and Jake Chisausky (Peotone HS).

 

Teams - #25 Westmont did not run their best race of the season last week at Aurora Christian when they finished third. The Sentinels have been ranked in the 1A top 25 all season. Nick Dea, Anthony Alessi, and Mitch Perrotta give Westmont a solid first three. Their 1-5 split needs to be near 100 seconds to win this sectional. Harvest Christian used a 52 second 1-5 split to win at Aurora Christian ahead of Westmont last week. Jake Adams could finish in the top ten in this meet to lead this team. A similar regional split with Adams perhaps ahed of Westmont’s Mitch Perrotta could seal a win. Beecher ran strong at Peoria Heights two weeks ago and followed that up with a regional win at Kankakee. They will need a runner in the first 10 along with their 1-5 split near 60 seconds to advance to Peoria.

 

There are possibly ten teams that could finish in the top five in this meet. Montini had a strong race last week finishing just ahead of Westmont. A state meet qualifying berth could happen if their split stays under 75 seconds with Tyler Pacana finishing in the first seven. DePaul Prep could be the big surprise this season. They ran a 67 second split last Saturday in winning at Luther North. A runner in the first 15 could put DePaul in a qualifying position. There are a number of teams that could make it to Peoria. Watch for Northridge Prep, North Shore Country Day, Peotone, Tri Point, and Peotone with chances of making it into the first five.

 

Oregon Sectional @ Oregon Park West

 

Girls (10:00 AM)

 

Individuals – Kirstie Ramsey (Wethersfield HS, Annawan) should be the favorite in this race. She has been among the top five in all of the meets she has competed in this year including her regional win last week at Rock Falls. Demi Johnson (Illinois Valley Central HS, Chilicothe) finished 11^th earlier this season at First to the Finish. The last two weeks she has come on strong finishing third at her conference meet and then winning last week at Peru. The one surprise in this field could be Abigail Jones (Marian Central HS, Woodstock). It could be a benefit that she raced against mostly 2A and 3A runners this year. She ran 18:18 at the ESCC Meet to finish fifth two weeks ago. The 17:32 that she ran on the 2.85 mile course to win at Winnebago shows that she could challenge Ramsey for the win.

 

Other runners that I would keep an eye on in this meet include Eva Bruno (Seneca HS), Megan Grady (Amboy HS), Paige Aurit (Marquette Academy, Ottawa), Haley & Regan Weidner (Bureau Valley HS, Manlius), Jillian Monier and Ronna Pettis (Henry Senachwine HS), Corrie Reiley (Erie-Prophetstown HS), Delaney Pruitt (Johnsburg HS), and Michaela Heit (Rockford Lutheran HS).

 

Teams – Seven ranked teams will vie for five qualifying spots in this sectional. #9 Kewanee-Annawan Wethersfield are the highest ranked team in this meet and will be the favorites. The Flyin’ Geese have the strong front runner in Kirstie Ramsey. Their 2-5 split was 47 seconds last week in their regional win when they put five runners in the first ten. Wethersfield could run the same type of race and run away with the sectional win. #13 Seneca will also be in the mix for the sectional championship. Eva Bruno should be in the top five. Six runners in their top seven are either freshmen or sophomores. Their pack on five needs to stay under 120 seconds for this team to advance. #15 Illinois Valley Central finished second behind Seneca at Peru. Demi Johnson will give her team single digit points. Their split on five runners is big. Putting four runners in the first 28 could push this team to a state meet appearance.

 

#17 Henry-Senachwine could be in the mix for a team championship Saturday in Oregon. They finished third last Saturday at Peru without front runner Ronna Pettis. With Pettis and Jillian Monier in the top ten and a top five split near 88 seconds could put this team on the Detweiller Park starting line. #18 Woodstock Marian should be the surprise team in this meet. As mentioned in the individual preview for this meet, Marian has run against larger schools most of the year. That will pay off now in state series time. Abigail Jones, Shelby Truckenbrod, and Grace Knudsen could all finish in the top 12. It would not surprise me if this team is within 5-10 points (or better) of Wethersfield). #23 Winnebago finished behind Marian last week in their own regional. Hannah Insko leads her team that ran a 61 second split last week. If Insko can finish in the first 15 with a split near 55 seconds, this team could sneak into the first five. #24 Erie-Prophetstown will have the front runner in Corrie Reiley. Their 2-5 pack needs to move a little closer to Reilly for this team to have a chance in qualifying as a team. Byron, Newman Catholic, Bureau Valley, and Fieldcrest will challenge also for top ten finishes.

 

Boys (11:00 AM)

 

Individuals – This could be one of the best 1A races outside of Decatur. The field is a strong one. Nathan Smith (Winnebago HS) and Nick Monkemeyer (Rockford Christian HS) finished within a second of each other last weekend at Winnebago. The week before it was Monkemeyer in front. The two will challenge each other for the sectional championship. Brayden Hamblen (Rock Falls HS) has been consistently up front in all of his races this season. He should also push for a top five finish along with his teammate Seth Williams. Al Baldonado (Hall HS, Spring Valley) has flown under the radar most of the season. He should be in the top five mix also. Bryson Reyes (Newman Catholic HS, Sterling) could be the dark horse in this field along with Ethan Stanley (Mid County HS, Galva).

 

Other runners that I would keep an eye on up front include Roland Aguilar (Kewanee HS), Matt Stelmasek (Johnsburg HS), Phillip Nordgren (Hiawatha HS, Kirkland), Ross McCormick (Seneca HS), Chris Ahers (Newman Catholic HS, Sterling), and Levi Schmillen (Fieldcrest HS, Minonk).

 

Teams – The team race in this sectional is lights out with three of the top six 1A teams toeing the starting line. Four spots out of the five are pretty solid. The top three teams (#3 Rockford Christian, #4 Winnebago, and #6 Johnsburg) ran a close race last week at Winnebago. Rockford Christian and Winnebago tied with Johnsburg only eight points back in that race. It should be that close this time around.

 

Rockford Christian has perhaps one of the top runners in the state with Nick Monkemeyer. Still, their split was only 52 seconds at last week’s regional race. If the 2-5 split can stay within 15 seconds, the Royal Lions could leave Oregon with the Sectional championship. Nathan and Nathan Ambrose will give Winnebago a strong presence up front. Winnebago matches up well with Rockford through the first four runners. The 28 second split between 4 and 5 hurt last week. That gap needs to diminish for Winnebago to win this meet. Even though Johnsburg finished only one point behind Rockford Christian at first to the finish and close to the above two teams the last couple of weeks, this team is underrated. That could change in the next few weeks starting Saturday. Matt Stelmasek and Noah Miller should finish in the top ten in this meet. Their 3-5 pack just needs to move up 8 seconds for a sectional win.

 

Another underrated team is #8 Sterling Newman who is solid in making it to state. The Rock Falls regional champion has the potential to have four runners in the first twenty. Their overall split of 74 seconds needs to be cut down to near 61 seconds for them to contend for a top three finish in this race.

 

I think it will come down to two teams going after the final qualifying spot. #17 Rock Falls has Brayden Hamblen and Seth Williams leading them. You can expect both runners to finish in the top seven individually. The gap between Williams and the 3-5 pack needs to close to 85 seconds for this team to advance. #19 Galva Mid County has flown under the radar most of this season. They will challenge Rock Falls for the final spot. Ethan Stanley has the potential to finish in the first seven. Their 2-5 split last Saturday was 67 seconds. That split needs to be cut down by ten seconds for this team to qualify.

 

 

Good luck to all runners, coaches, and fans this Saturday!