Vernon Hills looking to come of age in Class 2A
It will not be an easy task, but the Vernon Hills girls cross country team is certainly a contender for one of the top three trophies today in the Class 2A state meet in Peoria.
The fifth-ranked Cougars’ young squad will start the 3-mile race at storied Detweiller Park at 11 a.m. with hopes of bringing home a trophy from the pressure-packed meet. The awards ceremony for Class 2A begins at 1 p.m.
Last weekend Vernon Hills ran to a best-ever, third-place finish at the powerful Belvidere sectional. In that meet, the Cougars (126 points) were outdistanced by a relatively small margin by team champion Crystal Lake Central (103 points) and runner-up Marengo (121 points).
Two-time defending state champion Yorkville could once again be the team to beat downstate after nipping fellow state-crown contender Glenbard South, 50-60, for the Wheaton Academy sectional title.
Vernon Hills’ pack was led by the dynamic duo of sophomore Vivian Overbeck and senior Cassie Lira at sectionals. Overbeck (56th in 2012) is the Cougars’ top returning runner of four returning runners from their 12th-place in the state team last year.
Lira did not compete downstate last fall. But junior teammate Samantha Hershman (67th), sophomore Lexi Reich (101st) and sophomore Shannon Skeoch (128th) all bring valuable state meet experience into today’s race.
Juniors Melanie Rogers and Lauren Kim were Vernon Hills’ fifth and sixth runners at sectionals.
“We have a great opportunity in front of us and this is their second year in a row going as a team so we have some experience,” said Vernon Hills coach Suzanne Richert, whose team placed second in the rugged North Suburban Conference this fall. “Anything is possible and their goal is to get a trophy. I think this is something the team can do if they all race well on the same day.”
Peoria Notre Dame sophomore Maryjeanne Gilbert (third in 2012) could have the inside track to the individual Class 2A title after posting a state-best 17:10 time at sectionals. Kaneland junior Victoria Clinton is the defending Class 2A champ, but she placed 11th in 18:31 at sectionals.
Class 3A
Odd-numbered years have been pretty good to the Lake Zurich girls cross country team recently.
The Bears’ 2013 squad is following in the footsteps of the 2011 squad, as the Bears won the North Suburban Conference championship that year before qualifying for the IHSA Class 3A state meet.
Last weekend at the powerful Schaumburg sectional Lake Zurich duplicated that feat, as the Bears placed fifth with 145 points to easily earn their second trip downstate in three seasons. The Bears also placed fifth the previous weekend at the rugged Palatine regional.
The Bears will take to the 3-mile Detweiller Park course in Peoria beginning at 1 p.m. with the Class 3A awards ceremony slated for 3 p.m.
Senior Meaghan Gelinas has been a great leader for the Bears since 2011 when she led that team with a 35th-place finish in the state as a sophomore.
Besides Gelinas, the current Lake Zurich team has two other runners who competed on that state-meet team, including juniors Katie Fabbrini and Nicole Syverson.
Sophomore Kristie Houghton has emerged as a very key No. 2 runner for the Bears at sectionals, while junior teammate Laura McNair has been a consistent No. 5 runner.
Lake Zurich’s top-seven pack at the sectional was rounded out by freshmen Jemma Kim and Maryjane Koza.
After his girls placed 19th in the state two years ago, Lake Zurich coach Ian Silverman is confident they can do well downstate if they stick to their winning formula.
“It we can do this again next week and a little better, we could go top 10. That is what we will shoot for,” Silverman said following the sectional meet. “The way (Gelinas) has been running lately (all-state, top 25) is a definite possibility.”
Defending state champion and Waubonsie Valley sectional champion Naperville North appears poised to successfully defend its state title in Class 3A, while Lake Park sectional champ Glenbard West could also make a serious bid at the first-place trophy.
Glenbard West senior Madeline Perez is the favorite to win back-to-back individual crowns, while Jacobs junior Lauren Van Vlierbergen (seventh in 2012) should also make a huge impact after taking first place at the Waubonsie Valley sectional.