Opportunity Abounds For Illinois, Indiana at NXR

By Michael Newman for DyeStat

mike@dyestat.com

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) announced Nov. 1 that it would have to move its state meet back one week, from Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, due to unfavorable flooding conditions at the National Trail Raceway State Course at Hebron, Ohio.

The postponement of the meet caused big problems for Ohio athletes who had entered the Nike Cross Midwest Regionals that will take place now a day after the state meet in Terre Haute, Ind.

Most of those athletes will compete in their state meet but not NXR. Traveling 400 miles and running two races within 24 hours would be nearly impossible. With Michigan teams unable to compete as teams in Terre Haute due to Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) rules, it will leave teams from Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana to compete for the two automatic team qualifying spots for December’s Nike Cross Nationals in Portland.

Illinois 3A state champion Wheaton-Warrenville South heads the field in the boys championship race and is a good bet to capture one of the two qualifying spots. Other Illinois teams such as Hersey, Neuqua Valley, York, St. Charles East, and Glenbard West were close together in last week’s state meet and could battle for one of the two qualifying spots. Indiana champion Carmel and Indianapolis Cathedral along with Missouri Class 4 state champion Rockhurst have a chance to break a possible Illinois sweep.

Conant Smith of Middletown OH was one of the five individual qualifiers in last year’s race. He was in the entries that were released Thursday morning. Smith finished eighth in last year’s Nike Cross Nationals race. How will he run if he goes out twice in as many days?

Cole Hocker of Indianapolis Cathedral won the Indiana state title on this course two weeks ago and will be one of the favorites in this race. A number of Illinois runners, including 3A state champion Josh Methner of Hersey and Tommy Brady of Maine South, could be among the top five individual qualifiers. 

It could be an Illinois team sweep in the girls race, especially after what happened in last week’s state meet in Peoria. Naperville North and Yorkville have raced each other three times this season with Naperville North winning two of the three meetings, including their third straight 3A state title. The two teams were within seven points and 10 seconds of each other in last week’s state race and are among the top teams in the nation. Naperville North’s team time of 84:50 was the fastest time ever by a group of top five runners on the Detweiller Park course by over a minute. Yorkville was under that mark also at 85:00.

It should be close again between these two teams with 15 points or less separating the two. Downers Grove South, third behind the two teams last week in Peoria, could be even closer in this race. Carmel IN looks to be the top non-Illinois team in this field with hopes of finishing in the top 10. Beavercreek OH is entered in this meet as of Thursday morning.

Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West IL is the defending champion and will be the favorite after winning her third straight IHSA 3A State championship. Her time of 15:59.9 was the second-fastest ever on the Detweiller Park state course. Fellow Illinois runners Katrina Schlenker of Batavia and Alex Morris of Naperville North were within 10 seconds of Hart last week and should push the Glenbard West junior again. Emma Wilson of Greencastle IN won the Indiana individual championship on the Lavern Gibson Course and should be a factor in this race. Taylor Ewert of Beavercreek, Ohio is entered (as of Thursday morning) and qualified for this race a year ago. If she runs, she will be coming off an Ohio state meet race 24 hours before this one. Perhaps she is good enough to win without giving a full effort and save something for Sunday.