Girls cross country: Schaumburg sectional scouting
Girls cross country / Class 3A Schaumburg sectional
Where: Busse Woods (Elk Grove)
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Host: Schaumburg
What to know: Top five teams and top seven runners from non-qualifying teams advance to the Class 3A state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria on Nov. 8.
Quick picks: Palatine is on a roll and is a prohibitive favorite to win a third consecutive sectional title and 18th overall. Jacobs senior Lauren Van Vlierbergen is a two-time state medalist, including a fourth-place finish in Class 3A last season. She will set the tone and will be the individual favorite on Saturday.
Team outlook: It starts and ends with Palatine. The Pirates have been dominant in winning the Mid-Suburban League title and a regional crown on back-to-back weekends. Junior Kelly O'Brien is Palatine's No. 1 runner, and senior Amy Kieliszewski has been a difference-maker. She finished fourth in the MSL and third at the regional meet, elevating her performance to an all-state level. Senior Megan Beach, senior Kara Burton and junior Sam Lechowicz have the potential to finish in the top 25, which will be hard to match. Schaumburg has the pieces, but it is a matter of putting it together on the same day. The Saxons took second in the MSL and won the Hoffman Estates regional title with senior Ali Gutt leading the attack. Gutt has rebounded from an early season setback to pace the Saxons. Sophomore Ellie O'Connell is showing signs of her all-state potential and freshman Lauren Kubinski has also had an impact this season. The remaining three qualifying spots are wide open among six teams, with rising Hoffman Estates leading the pack. Senior Alondra Aguirre stepped up big at the regional to pace the Hawks to second place, with junior Carly Dagen pushing the second wave. Libertyville placed third at the North Suburban Conference meet, but senior Kristi Del Prato returned to the lineup last weekend and combined with freshman Melissa Manetsch and freshman Avryl Johnson to help guide the Wildcats to a regional title. Fremd has a strong front three led by senior Ayako Higuchi, who won the Hoffman Estates regional title. The Vikings like to run from behind but will need their back pack to close the gap with its front runners. Lake Zurich won the NSC title and followed up with an impressive second-place finish at the Palatine regional. Junior Caitlin Shepard has been impressive, and the Bears have a tight chase pack which could propel them to a top-five spot. Barrington will be looking to rebound from a disappointing regional performance. The Fillies finished fourth in the MSL and will lean on junior Lauren Conroy to set the tone. Warren will also be in the hunt for a state qualification, with senior Becky Haight leading the charge. Prospect, Conant, Wheeling, and Buffalo Grove will also be competing in the 18 team field
Runners to watch:Lauren Van Vlierbergen, Jacobs: Van Vlierbergen has earned a combined five state medals in cross country and track and field. She won the Class 3A 800 title last spring and also has finished in the top 10 in Class 3A for cross country the past two seasons. Her speed showed at the Palatine regional when she pulled away in the final mile to secure the title with second-fastest time on the Deer Grove East course. The Eagles senior is on the short list to contend for the Class 3A title this season and will enter Saturday's sectional as the favorite.
Kelly O'Brien, Palatine: O'Brien is also building a pretty impressive running resume. She finished sixth at the Class 3A cross country state meet last season and also added two state medals in track, including a second-place finish in the Class 3A 1,600. She added to her accomplishments by winning the MSL cross country title this fall. The Pirates junior challenged Van Vlierbergen for the first 2 miles at the Palatine regional meet and will be in the hunt on Saturday.
Ayako Higuchi, Fremd: Higuchi has a bit of unfinished business. Last season she fell ill during the postseason and missed qualifying for the state meet. She came back in the spring to earn two state Class 3A track medals, including a third-place finish in the 1,600. The Vikings senior has finished second in the MSL for cross country the past two seasons and won the Hoffman Estates regional this season. Higuchi loves to run from behind and will be in the thick of things on Saturday.
Kaitlyn Ko, Buffalo Grove: Ko is no stranger to the spotlight. Last fall Ko won the MSL title and earned her second all-state medal in cross country with a seventh-place finish in Class 3A. Injuries have been a challenge for the Bison senior this season, but she is on a roll after winning the Libertyville regional title.
Lauren Conroy, Barrington: Conroy won the MSL title in 2012 and went on to finish 19th in Class 3A. Injuries put a drag on her sophomore campaign, but the Fillies junior has put together a strong ending this year. She finished third in the MSL this year and figures to be in the thick of the things at the sectional.
Amy Kieliszewski, Palatine: Kieliszewski has excelled the past two weeks, finishing fourth in the MSL and then taking third at the Palatine regional. The Pirates senior's performance has lifted her up to all-state level.
Brooke Wilson, Prospect: Wilson has had a breakout sophomore season, including taking fifth in the MSL and then adding a second-place finish at the Hoffman Estates regional. The gritty sophomore dealt with an iron deficiency last season but is running strong this season and was just nipped at the finish line by Higuchi at the regional meet.
Other runners to watch: Palatine: Megan Beach, Sam Lechowicz, Kara Burton; Schaumburg: Ali Gutt, Ellie O'Connell, Caroline Kurdej, Lauren Kubinski, Erin Falsey; Fremd: Katie Escobar, Anita Grudzien; Barrington: Jocelyn Long; Hoffman Estates: Alondra Aguirre, Meagan Biddle; Conant: Sydney Davis; McHenry: Lauren Opatrny; Libertyville: Melissa Manetsch; Lake Zurich: Caitlin Shepard; Warren: Becky Haight; Crystal Lake South: Kiley Brittan; Grant: Madison Romig.
- Michael Eaken