Girls cross country: Palatine produces winning answer

Palatine's girls cross country team had plenty of questions marks surrounding its team entering the season.

The Pirates had graduated a pair of all-state runners, were dealing with some nagging injuries and were breaking in four runners that were new to cross country.

But the Pirates answered all their questions on an overcast but pleasantly warm late fall morning.

Palatine placed five runners in the top 26 positions in rolling to the team title with 74 points at the Class 3A Waukegan sectional on the winding and challenging Waukegan Sports Park.

Hersey also had a nice run in securing second place with 90 points, followed by Stevenson (143 points), Grant (159 points), and Schaumburg (170 points).

All five teams advance to the Class 3A state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria next Saturday. The Class 3A girls race will begin at 1 p.m.

"We've had some pieces that were question marks early," said Palatine coach Joe Parks. "But the goal is to get better and better as you go, and we have seen the pieces come together."

Palatine earned its 18th sectional title and qualified for its 17th consecutive state meet.

Barrington's Jocelyn Long wasted little time in taking command of the race on the challenging course.

The Fillies junior cruised through the first mile in the lead and didn't flinch in the muddy and winding back part, powering home with a strong finish and entering the chute in 17:08.87 to secure the individual title.

Prospect senior Brooke Wilson (17:11.95) and Schaumburg junior Maddie Marasco (17:15.12) followed closely in going 2-3.

"I knew I had to get out fast," said Long. "I just wanted to push the entire race, it was a challenge but it was fun."

Wilson, the two-time defending Mid-Suburban League champion, hung tight with Long throughout but could not recover from the first-mile deficit.

"She definitely got out a lot harder in the first mile," said Wilson. "I'm not surprised - she has a lot of speed. The course was a lot different than anything that we have run on before."

Marasco also had an impressive run in keeping pace with Long and Wilson.

"I just wanted to get out fast and then settle in my pace," Marasco said. "It was definitely challenging in the back part, especially with the curves, but I just wanted to get into my zone."

Palatine was definitely in its zone on Saturday, powered by a fourth-place finish from senior Danya Lloyd (17:41.74).

Sophomore Liz Lechowicz (17:58.60) added an 11th-place finish, with junior Lauryn Simons (18:33.52) and sophomore Kate Lechowicz (18:37.04) adding 18th and 19th place. Senior Anna Buckstaff (18:55.03) completed the scoring for the Pirates by taking 26th.

"We've been working for this the entire season," said Lloyd, who along with the Lechowicz twins are competing in their first year of cross country. "In the beginning of the season a lot people were counting us out, so we kind of rallied around being the underdogs. Today we ran as a team."

Hersey also had a big run on Saturday, with senior Sarah Harden (17:53.58) leading the way with an eighth-place finish.

Senior Hailey Bowes (18:12.98) and sophomore Teagen Beckley (18:17.58) kept the line moving by taking 12th and 13th. A pair of freshmen sealed the deal, with Katie Fredian (19:01.85) and Erin Barton (19:01.98) going 30-31.

"We are very excited," said Harden, who leads the first Huskies team to state since 2009. "This has definitely been our goal for a long time. We just wanted to go out and run like we've been running."

Schaumburg also punched its spot for the state meet with a nice run on Saturday.

Marasco led the charge with her third-place finish, and she was followed by junior Lauren Kubinski (18:27.86) in 16th. Junior Rachel Vaccaro (38th, 19:11.33), senior Ellie O'Connell (62nd, 19:35.99) and freshman Katie Smith (65th, 19:38.60) completed the scoring for the Saxons.

"The girls ran tough," said Schaumburg first-year coach Kristin Zillmer. "We just keep moving up. If we keep progressing the sky is the limit next week."

Long and Wilson both qualified individually and will be joined by Fremd senior Linda Varele (18:29.29), who placed 17th for the Vikings.

Crystal Lake South senior Cailtin Bruzzini is peaking at the right time. The Gators senior won her second consecutive Fox Valley Conference title two weeks ago, and on Saturday she qualified for her second consecutive state meet.

Bruzzini got off to a strong start and navigated the tough Waukegan Sport Park course in 17:47.83, earning a fifth-place finish.

"I feel like I'm starting to peak," said Bruzzini who finished 41st in Class 3A last season. "I think I'm definitely a stronger runner than I was last year."

Dundee-Crown junior Sylvia Waz (18:23.98) also will be advancing to the state meet after securing a 14th-place finish on Saturday.