BOYS
BLOOMINGTON - The 2010 IHSA Boys Cross Country State Finals mark the 65th annual season of the boy’s state final meet and the 41st year it will unfold at Detweiller Park in Peoria. The 2010 state meet also marks the fourth under the three-class format. All three boy’s races on Saturday, November 6 will cover the three-mile course, with the Class 1A race starting at 10 a.m., the Class 2A race at noon and the Class 3A race at 2 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Newman edged Canton by a single point for its first state title in school history a year ago, but neither team is back in the team field in 2010. Elmwood, the 2007 1A runner-up and 2008 state champ, won its Sectional despite not having a Top 5 runner, but returns senior Ryan Bybee (16:09 Sectional time), who placed 11th individually in the state in 2008. Sophomore Grant Nykaza (15:30) and senior Griffin Nykaza (15:20) led Beecher to the top Sectional team score in the state, as the brothers finished first and second individually in the race, respectively, and make the Bobcats a top title contender. Westmont and senior Henry Arndt (14:51) will try for their third consecutive Top 5 finish in the state.
Rockford Christian senior Justin Rehfeldt (14:46) won the Class 1A individual crown a year with a time of 15:06 and will look to become the first repeat champion of the three-class era after recording the state’s top Sectional time in Class 1A. Hall senior Scott Janusick (14:50) was edged by Rehfelft at Sectionals and will join Marquette senior Evan Darm (14:55) in trying to run him down at the state meet.
CLASS 2A
Defending Class 2A champion Belvidere North enters as the favorite, as many believe the nationally ranked squad may be the best in the state regardless of class.
A pair of sophomores (Tyler Yunk-15:31, Paxson Menard-15:47) placed first and second, respectively, at Sectionals for the Blue Thunder, while defending Class 2A individual champion Paul Zeman (15:55) is still Belvidere North’s runner to beat in his senior season. Normal University and Springfield both won Sectional team titles in 2010 and return to the state meet after placing second and third, respectively, a year ago. Normal University is paced by seniors Ryan Rutherford (15:10) and Alex Parlette (15:21), while junior Michael Clevenger (15:04) paces Springfield.
Zeman is the defending champ in the class and Clevenger posted 2A’s top Sectional time in the state, but there will be a number of challengers to the individual throne, including Mattoon senior Joe Calio (15:11) and Monticello junior Steve Schroeder (15:26). Mt. Zion also boasts a pair of contenders in juniors Caleb Abfall (15:16) and Joe Fritzsche (15:28).
CLASS 3A
The Class 3A state title has resided in Naperville the past three years, as Neuqua Valley won the state meet in 2007 and 2009, while Naperville North grabbed the 2008 trophy. Both teams return to the 2010 field, along with 26-time state champ York, who placed second in 2007 and 2008. Taylor Soltys (15:59) leads Neuqua Valley, while sophomore Jimmy Qiao (15:33) and senior Jack Driggs (14:53) led Naperville North and York, respectively, at Sectionals. Oak Park-River Forest and New Trier both finished in the Top 10 in the state a year ago and are receiving national acclaim in 2010, while O’Fallon is also expected to contend behind senior Michael Scolorici (14:48).
Sandburg junior Lukas Verzbicas (15:09) is the defending state champion and will be running in his final IHSA state championship, as he will graduate early this spring. Verzbicas is one of the most hyped high school runners in the country and could challenge for the state meet record. Edwardsville junior Garrett Sweatt (14:46) is one of three (Verzbicas, Driggs) Top 10 individual returnees from a year ago and like United Township senior Cody Webster (14:45), will try to end Verzbicas’ repeat bid.
GIRLS
BLOOMINGTON - The 32nd annual and 2010 edition of the IHSA Girls Cross Country State Finals will take place at Detweiller Park in Peoria on Saturday, November 6. Detweiller Park has hosted the girl’s state race every season since its inception in 1979, including 2007 when the sport shifted to a three-class system. All three girl’s races will cover the three-mile course, with the Class 1A race starting at 9 a.m., the Class 2A race at 11 a.m. and the Class 3A race at 1 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Winnebago has owned the small school race over the past six years, having won six straight team titles since 2005, including all three 1A races since the move to three classes in 2007. The Indians did not qualify for the field in 2010, leaving the door open for programs like 2009 runner-up Decatur St. Teresa and Elmwood, who has finished second or third the past four seasons. St. Teresa returns junior Ellen Devereux (18:17 Sectional time) and adds her freshmen sister Rachel (18:32), while Elmwood is led by junior Rachel Brune (18:52). Freeburg will also challenge for the title behind the one-two junior sister tandem of Kristen (19:01) and Caitlin Busch (19:30), who individually placed second and fourth, respectfully, in the state a year ago.
The graduation of two-time champ Kelly Curran means a new individual champ will be crowned for the first time since 2007 (Olivia Klaus of Eureka). Another Eureka runner, junior Kalla Gold (18:44), could be poised for a title run after placing eighth a year ago, while sophomore Alex Van Hoof (18:05) is following Curran as the next Bloomington Central Catholic star. Bishop McNamara senior Aimee Sims (18:27) is another Top 5 finisher from 2009 who is back in the state final field.
CLASS 2A
Yorkville and junior Ali Hester (18:02), fifth individually a year ago, could be the favorite to unseat defending state champ Springfield after finishing second to the Senators a year ago. Springfield will again be in the mix with junior Kirby Hale (17:34) back to try improve on last year’s fourth-place individual finish, but the Senators will have to top Madz Negro (17:30) and Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, who edged the Senators by nine points in Sectional action. Woodstock could also be a factor behind the return of defending individual state champ Kayla Beattie (17:03), who will vie to become the sixth repeat champ in state history, and her freshman sister Maura (17:54).
Although the defending state champ will again be in the pack, only three Top 10 finishers from a year ago return in Class 2A in 2010. Peoria Notre Dame senior Megan Dahlquist (17:36) could be a runner moving up in the individual standings this year, as could Wheaton St. Francis senior Kelly McShea (17:59), River Grove Guerin senior Eryn Fallon (18:20) and Crystal Lake Central junior Kelly McNeely (18:23).
CLASS 3A
Palatine won its seventh overall state title and first since 1996 a year ago and the Pirates will be in the hunt again behind the return of senior Courtney Brown (17:31). Palatine bested Schaumburg and senior Karen Lesiewicz (17:45) by ten points at Sectionals, but many believe that the Saxons could be the top team in 3A. New Trier sophomore Courtney Ackermann (17:26), sixth individually a year ago, and the Trevians will have something to say about who takes the top spot in the team standings, while Wheaton Warrenville South will look to build on last year’s third-place finish behind sophomore McKenna Kiple (17:48). Downers Grove North could be a title darkhorse, as the Trojans weren't ranked during the regular-season, but posted the top Sectional score in Class 3A behind Top 5 finishes from senior Samantha Fry (19:04) and sophomore Gabrielle Hesslau (19:10).
Four of the top seven individual finishers from the state meet a year ago return in 2010, including runner-up Christina Gastfield (17:52) from Rolling Meadows. Neither Gastfield, Lockport junior Megan O’Brien (19:03, 5th in 2009) or Naperville Central junior Amanda Fox (18:06, 7th in 2009) won their Sectional race in 2010, so expect them to be pushed in the individual standings by Normal Community West sophomore Emily Brelsfoard (17:19), Geneva senior Kelly Whitley (17:20) and Prospect sophomore Brooke Wolfe (17:20).
- Source: Illinois High School Association
Cody
