Fox Valley cross country weekend
Boys cross country
The marquee matchup Saturday is at Emricson Park in Woodstock where 2-time defending champion Cary-Grove figures to battle it out with Dundee-Crown for the Fox Valley Conference championship. D-C is looking for its first league crown since the 1990s. "We're going to have to run our best race to beat them and I'm sure it's true of them as well," said Cary-Grove coach Layne Holter. "It should be a good battle." Phil Fairleigh is Cary-Grove's top runner, while Kai Rikardsen and improved senior Bill Roth (missed junior year due to injury) are key contributors as well. Sophomore Anthony Manfrin leads the way for D-C. Paul Smith has been a consistent No. 2 for the Chargers. "We're spitting images of each other," said D-C coach Tom Smith of his team and Cary-Grove. "They are running well. We are very similar." Bartlett will host the Upstate Eight Conference meet at Sunset Park. The host Hawks have been led by senior Alex Infusino and Josafat Gonzalez. Hampshire will host the Big Northern Conference meet on the grounds of its new high school and Marmion will host the Suburban Catholic Conference meet.
Girls cross country
Bartlett sophomore star Alyssa Schneider is looking forward to Saturday's UEC meet at Sunset Park in Bartlett. She'll get a chance to race Lake Park standout Lindsay Flanagan (10th in the state last year and now regarded by some as the state's top-ranked runner this season) once again. "I haven't raced against her since Peoria (invitational earlier this season). She was about 40 seconds faster. I'm looking forward to it. I've gotten a lot faster than last year." Woodstock, Crystal Lake Central and Huntley have been mentioned as key contenders going into the FVC meet in Woodstock. Huntley recently placed 5 girls in the top 10 at an invitational at Genoa-Kingston. Crystal Lake South junior Kristina Aubert will be looking for her first career FVC title after 2 straight runner-up finishes. Hampshire standout Holly Plichta will get to run on her home course during the Big Northern Conference meet. Winnebago, Rockford Lutheran and Burlington Central are key contenders there. Central is led by the trio of Maggie Gannon, Markelle Turk and Katie Puccio. But the Rockets, Class 2A state qualifiers a year ago, must contend with 'Bago and Lutheran - regarded by many as the top two teams in the state in Class 1A. "It will be good to see that kind of competition in the conference," said Central coach Vince Neil. "The key for us will be our 4 and 5 runners, Lili Castillo and Meghan Thommes, closing down the distance between them and our 1, 2 and 3. We're mentally and physically ready."