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2019 IHSA State Cross Country Championships - Class 2A Boys PreviewPublished by
2019 IHSA State Cross Country Championships - Class 2A Boys Preview
By Michael Newman
What a crazy race this could be as the gun fires for the start at high noon. The individual race might be mellow dramatic. Sam Lange of Morton High School is the only Class 2A runner to run under 14:48 at Detweiller Park three different times this fall. He could run away with race. There are a couple of runners could make it close including Belvidere Sectional champion Charlie Smith of Antioch, Andrew Farmer of Burlington Central, Wilson Georges of Limestone, Austin Adams and Daniel Occhipinti of Kaneland, Brooks Harlan of Centralia, Eli Ward of Waterloo, and Dan Weizeorick of St. Francis. Four teams will challenge for the Class 2A State title including Kaneland, Morton, Dixon, and St. Ignatius Prep. Here is a look at the top 26 Class 2A Boys team that will race on Saturday.
Maple Park (Kaneland)
Preview – The Knights looked to be the huge favorite when we entered regional meet competition two weeks ago. A seven point win over a strong Dixon team last week at Belvidere shows that this meet could be closer than people think. The strength that Kaneland has over the rest of the schools is Austin Adams and Daniel Occhipinti in the front. Adams is one of the most improved runners in the state and will challenge for the individual win. Both runners should be in the top five in this race. Those single digit points in a field over 200 runners will mean so much when figuring out the team scores. Ethan Walker stepped into the #3 spot last week after running #4 for most of the season. A key will be if Walker along with Isaiah Dallal can stay within 35 seconds of Adams. The team’s split was 74 seconds in last week’s race. Kaneland does have the aces in the hole with Adams and Occhipinti in the front. They can not afford a split over 72 seconds on their top five if they want their dreams to come true with a state meet finish.
Chicago (St. Ignatius Prep)
Preview – I think we forget to mention this Chicago Catholic League team when we talk about team championship contenders even though they were ranked #2 towards the end of the season. The Wolfpack glided to state running their JV team in winning their regional. They also faced a good St. Francis team winning by 23 last week. St. Ignatius has the runner Jacob Flynn that will get his team low numbers in the first 15 places. Sophomore Brian Moore stepped up last week to finish 26 seconds behind Flynn. I would keep an eye on him in this race. He was the team’s fifth runner in their league championships three weeks ago. This team is deep with five sophomores in the top seven in the sectional race. That does not include Liam Linnen who was the team’s second runner in the league meet. The key is the Wolfpack’s split on their top five. It was 49 seconds last week and could go as low as 38 seconds in this weekend’s meet. A reminder that Kaneland easily won ahead of St. Ignatius early in the season at First to the Finish. This is a different St. Ignatius team that will toe the line on Saturday.
Morton
Preview – This is the one team that has been on fire over the past few weeks. I would not count them out of contention for a trophy on Saturday. It helps that they have Sam Lange in the front leading the way. The senior has been almost untouchable in races this year and will be the big favorite in the Class 2A race. The thing to watch from this team is the pack behind Lange. Cade Zobrist has been the team’s second runner most of the season. He was 55 seconds behind Lange last week. He just needs to be 48 seconds behind Lange in this race. The split between Zobrist and fifth-runner last week Keegan Anderson was only 34 seconds. The difference maker for this squad is closing that pack to be within 28 seconds of each other. The Potters have been dominant if the second half of the season by addressing their pack running. Those two little cuts put this team in contention for a trophy. If things work out right, possibly a state championship trophy.
Dixon
Preview – The Dukes are perhaps the most dangerous among the top four teams in the race if they can keep their pack together. In their dominant race on this Detweiller Park course at the beginning of October, Dixon had a 38 second split between #1 runner Brock Dregenberg and #5 runner Aidan Johnson. In their sectional race last week at Belvidere, Johnson was the team’s seventh-runner. Thomas Sitter was the team’s fifth runner 66 seconds behind Dregenberg. Dixon had everything under control last week with a 31 second split on their top four runners. That split was only 19 seconds in their first Peoria race. Dregenberg should finish in the top 15. Christian Seagren was 15 seconds back of Dregenberg. He will need to cut that margin to 10 seconds if he wants to finish in the top 25. The key will be their split through five that will need to be at 45 seconds or quicker for this team to contend for a state championship.
Wheaton (St. Francis)
Preview – The teams in the next 10 positions are close together. Anything could happen on Saturday. I just see St. Francis the leader of that pack. Call it a hunch, but this group has showed improvement over the past couple of weeks. The Spartans had 61 second split on their top five runners in their second-place finish last week at Fenton. Dan Weizeorick has been the team’s top runner with the potential to finish in the top 10 in this race. Chris Covone was 14 seconds behind the front last week with Luke Orwig nine seconds back. Both runners 20 seconds or less behind a top 10 Weizeorick would mean big things for this team. This team is quiet but has a deadly punch with their two through four pack that will have other teams taking notice. Their second and third runners could be in the top 35. If their top five split can stay under 50 seconds, St. Francis could be the surprise team in this race.
Metamora
Preview – This team has the “yo-yo” effect. They won their regional two weeks ago and finished second in their conference meet the week before that. The Redbirds finished fifth last week at the Bloomington Sectional almost not advancing to state. Adam Gilbreath-Glaub and Ian O’Laughlin have run close to each other the past three weeks and could be among the top 15 in this race. The split between those two runners and the pack was 36 seconds in their conference race was 36 seconds. That split in the sectional race was 61 seconds. Both top five splits were similar between 92 to 94 seconds. It was the middle that needs to get closer for Metamora to challenge for a trophy. A conference race achieves that. A sectional type race could have them outside of the top 10.
Aurora (Marmion Academy)
Preview – Another team that I would keep an eye on for a possible trophy. The Cadets have the potential to have Alex Carlson and Andrew Zangler to finish un the top 25. There are not too many other things that are noticeable about this team. Their top five split has averaged near 56 seconds in their past three meets. The pack behind their top two runners has been within 47 seconds in those races. Getting that split to under 40 seconds would help. Also having Carlson and Zangler within three to five seconds will help their team scoring more than they think.
Bloomington
Preview – The key for the Purple Raiders in their pack and split of the first three runners in Saturday’s race. Bradyn Olmstead should be the top runner. Success happens when Drew Gibson and Evan Turnbull can stay within 15 seconds of Olmstead. Their top five split dipped over 60 seconds (62 seconds) in their sectional race. Having Olmstead near the top 20 with a split at 50 seconds or under could move Bloomington closer to the top five.
Chatham-Glenwood
Preview – The Titans are in pack mode since losing their #1 runner Graham Turk for the season due to injury. The top five split led by Cameron Smith was 21 seconds at regionals and then jumping to 31 seconds in last week’s sectional. The team only had a nine second split in their conference win. That would be fantastic if they could accomplish that. It could be more reasonable if Smith, Thomas Herbst and freshman Drew Verenski can stay within 10 seconds of each other with two of the runners in the top 50. That could help get this squad into a top five spot.
Peoria (Notre Dame)
Preview – One of the bigger surprises of all the five sectionals last weekend was the performance of Peoria Notre Dame in their sectional race. The Irish finished second in that race with eyes on a top 10 finish on Saturday. Patrick Couri has been the teams fourth or fifth runner down the stretch but stepped up as the team’s top runner at Maxwell Park. The team had a 37 second split with Couri leading the way in 15th. Notre Dame runs a good pack race and we might not see any of the Irish in the first 40. A split similar to how they have bee running gets them within the first 10 teams.
Burlington (Central)
Preview – The Rockets could place anywhere from the top 10 to below 15 in this meet. It depends what happens with the pack. Anthony Farmer will be one of the individual favorites in this race after finishing third last week at Belvidere. Gio Martinez is the team’s #2 runner and finished 40 seconds behind Farmer, 14 seconds ahead of third runner Robert Perry. 44 seconds later, here comes their pack. The gaps are big with the split between their second and fifth runner last week at 82 seconds. The top five split was over two minutes last week. Getting that spread under 95 seconds on their top five could have this team rocket towards the top.
Sycamore
Preview – A team that seems to peak just at the right time. Sycamore showed that last Saturday as they finished third at the Belvidere Sectional. The name of the game for the Spartans was smart pack running and they displayed that in their sectional race. The gap between #1 runner Aaron Trier and #5 runner Eric Handel was a nifty 33 seconds. A similar split, with Trier or Bryce Guerrettaz in the first 40 moves this team up into the upper portion of the standings.
Lisle (Benet Academy)
Preview - The Redwings easily won at Thornridge with a split of 27 seconds separating the first five runners. Niklas Anderson and Sean Donnelly lead this team and could finish among the top 35 runners. This pack is deceptive where you don’t see any Benet jerseys in the top and then poof their they are. I would not surprise me if they finish between 10 and 5. It would also not surprise me if Benet Academy finishes close to the top five.
Mascoutah
Preview – The strength for Mascoutah the past three weeks has been strong pack running. Their 36 second top five split in winning the pack heavy sectional in Decatur is evidence to the point. Kristen Knecht and Avery Cozzi were only separated by 15 seconds in the sectional race. The key for this team was their split from their third to fifth runners was only nine seconds. It could be tough for this team to finish in the top 10. Knecht or Cozzi would have to finish in the top 50 for movement to happen.
Mahomet-Seymour
Preview – This could be a dress rehearsal for the 2020 state meet for this team. The Bulldogs should not have any seniors on the line Saturday at noon. This team is young and hungry. Finishing in the upper half of the standings is a possibility. The team had a 52 second split in finishing third last week. Kyle Nofziger could be the surprise in this race finishing in the top 25. Jonah Singer and Nick Mies will complement him with a strong pack.
Springfield
Preview – The Senators did not have their best race of the season last week but still advanced to state. Kyle Boughter and Anthony Peralta were only separated by 10 seconds as their team finished fourth. Their top five split was 67 seconds. It was only 30 seconds in their conference race. Boughter was all-state last year and could repeat that effort. Peralta may surprise people with a top 25 finish of his own.
Centralia
Preview – The Orphans will look for a top 15 finish off strong front running from Brooks Harlan and Cory Fleeman. Harland won the sectional title at Decatur last week and should be among the top 10 runners in this race. Fleeman is a possibility to finish in the top 25. The team’s second through five split between Fleeman and Adam Moulder was 86 seconds in Decatur.
Troy (Triad)
Preview – Triad finished third last week at Decatur led by Drake Bleier. The team had a 41 second split at Hickory Point from Bleier to fifth runner Ben Walter. It was one of their top pack performances as a team this season. Their splits on five in their two Peoria races were 62 seconds and 56 seconds in the Peoria Invitational.
Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South)
Preview – The Raiders have come on strong since their meet at Metamora. South made it to state by finishing third at Fenton. The team packed it up only having a 29 second split on their top five compared to 45 to 50 seconds most of the season. Austin MacClure, Ethan Woods, and Ryan Allspach were within five seconds of each other in the Fenton race. Woods and Allspach have been the team’s top runners most of this season
Oak Lawn (HL Richards)
Preview – HL Richards was another team that made a surge at the end of the season finishing second in the Thornridge Sectional. David Olmos has been the team’s top runner this fall and could get close to a top 50 finish. The team had a 58 second top fie split. They may need to close that gap to finish in the top 20.
Chicago (Brother Rice)
Preview – The Chicago Catholic School makes it back to state advancing from the Thornridge Sectional finishing third. Jimmy Maguire and Eddie Burke were separated by only eight seconds. It was the teams top five split of 75 seconds that could prevent this team from moving up the ladder.
Chicago (Mather)
Preview – Mather becomes the only Chicago Public School to advance to Peoria after a circuit allowed a restraining order giving Chicago runners the opportunity to run. Kevin Gee is the team’s top runner. He finished 11th overall at Fenton. The team had a 73 second top five split in that race.
Oak Park (Fenwick)
Preview – The Friars make it back to the state meet after finishing fifth at Fenton. Part of qualifying had to due with a 31 second top five split off lead runner sophomore Zach Daley and freshman Grayden Hill.
Midlothian (Bremen)
Preview – The Braves made it to Peoria advancing out of the Thornridge Sectional placing fifth overall missing fourth-place by two points. Matthew Lovrich led a 10 second top four split to lead his team with a 19th place finish.
Arlington Heights (St. Viator)
Preview – A ruling by the IHSA on Monday put runners and teams that were displaced by Chicago Public School runners into the state meet. St. Viator was the only team effected as they finished sixth at Fenton. Patric Natindim is the team’s fifth runner. The team split in their sectional was 91 seconds.
Riverside -Brookfield
Preview – The Bulldogs finished fourth at Thornridge qualifying for the state meet. Sophomore Paul Proteau has emerged as the team’s top runner at the end of this season. Proteau finished 21 seconds ahead of Steve Haley in the sectional race. RB also had a 71 second top five split. More news |