Glenbard West, Naperville North again hunting a state title

It has been a magical run for the Glenbard West girls cross country team the last two years.

One season after Madeline Perez set the all-time state record in the Class 3A finals at Detweiller Park in Peoria, the Hilltoppers turned back Naperville North in its bid to repeat as state champions last fall.

It was the first state championship for a girls program at Glenbard West in more than 30 years.

Glenbard West and Naperville North are once again in the hunt for state supremacy after their respective championship performances at sectionals.

"We have to focus on running our best," said Glenbard West coach Paul Hass, who boasts returning all-staters Lindsay Graham and Lisa Luczak at the top of his lineup. "Lindsay has to keep on doing what Lindsay has been doing."

Graham is one of three entering the Class 3A finals with both an individual regional and sectional title.

Luczak is back in form after missing much of the regular season.

"A psychological boost is what (Luczak) provides the team," Hass said.

Naperville North, meanwhile, makes its 24th consecutive appearance at the state finals this weekend.

The Huskies needed a tiebreaker to defeat city and DuPage Valley Conference rival Naperville Central at the league championship three weeks ago.

But the Huskies have been unassailable with dominant wins at the West Chicago regional and St. Charles East sectional.

Elly DeTurris is the leader for the Huskies. The program has been third, first and second during the seniors' tenure at Naperville North.

Naperville North coach Dan Iverson has a dozen possible members to contend for a fifth state championship in program history.

Freshman Sarah Schmitt, Judy Pendergast and sisters Claire and Emily Hamilton were all in the top 11 at St. Charles East last weekend.

"Whether we finish first, second, third or fourth, I will be happy with it," Iverson said.

Hinsdale Central, the champion at Marist last weekend, features Alexa Haff and reigning track state champion Annie Zaher (1,600-meter run), has also been prominently mentioned as a top contender.

"Hinsdale Central and Naperville North are both extremely talented," Hass said. "That's been our focus all along - being our best at the state meet."

In addition to the three sectional team champions from the area, Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, Wheaton Warrenville South and York made the state cut.

Naperville Central Aislinn Hicks will not have the services of senior Katie Hoffman, who has never recovered from a stress fracture.

"Rachel (Hoffman) is questionable," Hicks said of the Hoffman triplets' health issues. "Nikki (Hoffman) is going to run. Losing an all-state returnee in Katie and the DVC champion in Rachel is pretty tough. We have two girls who are going to step up. We will be ready to run Saturday morning."

Hicks likes the chances of her sister school.

"Naperville North is coming off a fantastic run at sectionals," Hicks said. "They are ones I would put my money on."

"We have evolved to the point where we have four No. 1 runners," Iverson said.

Glenbard South, Montini and Wheaton Academy are three of the 25 Class 2A schools seeking to deny Yorkville a fourth consecutive state championship.

"Yorkville is definitely the team to beat," said Montini coach Pete Connolly. "I only started coaching a few years after they (went to three classes). Ironically, though, this is the deepest field at the top Class 2A has ever had."

Marist provided quite a sneak preview for the boys Class 3A finals as Sandburg turned back defending state champion Hinsdale Central and Neuqua Valley.

"Our expectations are we are going to go down there and run the best race we have run all year," said Neuqua Valley coach Paul Vandersteen, whose program makes its 14th straight appearance. "Carl Sandburg, Hinsdale Central and us have been there all year (in the coaches' poll)."

Neuqua Valley has been in the top 10 for eight consecutive years, including two state titles.

The West Suburban Silver will be well-represented as usual, and Glenbard West seeks its first state trophy since the 1960s.

"Our goal is to be in the top five," Glenbard West coach Kyle Nugent said. "I think we have a chance to sneak into the top three. Sandburg is the team to beat."

York will seek its unprecedented 28th state title after a disappointing finish last year.

Naperville North and Naperville Central have finished first or second at their last three competitions: the DuPage Valley Conference championship, the West Chicago regional and the St. Charles East sectional.

Jon Klaiber and Kerry Gschwendtner paced the Huskies' championship at St. Charles East one week after Geoffrey McCollough and Scott Hicks did likewise for Naperville Central the week before at West Chicago.

Fenton, Glenbard South, Hinsdale South and St. Francis made the state cut in Class 2A.

St. Francis' Scott Nelson has directed teams downstate 24 times during his 27-year career at the Wheaton school.

"(Defending champion) Yorkville and Illiana Christian are the teams to beat," Nelson said. "Unless they run badly, they are going to be battling it out for the title."

Montini will represent the area in the boys Class 1A finals.