FVC meet sure to be a wide-open affair

The phrase "pick 'em" is frequently used in National Football League betting circles when a game is to close to predict a favorite.

And pick 'em may be the safest way to go when trying to predict a favorite in tonight's Fox Valley Conference girls track and field meet at Cary-Grove (field events at 4 p.m.; running finals at 6 p.m.).

"It's going to be another great meet, much like the McHenry County meet was," said Huntley coach Shawn Nordeen. "It is so hard to pick a winning team, much less who will follow them in the place standings at the end of the night."

Host Cary-Grove won the McHenry County meet by three-quarters of a point over Huntley and is led by the likes of Kelly McCoy (100 hurdles), Lindsay Young (800) and Carly Loeffel (high jump, 400), along with Emily Cummings (1,600, 3,200), Lizzy Dyrek and Tori Sandstrom. The Trojans benefit from a deep lineup.

"It is the depth in each event that has won us several meets," said Cary-Grove coach Mark Anderson. "We have seven freshmen running varsity who have the maturity and racing instincts of upperclassmen."

Anderson sees a number of teams that can be in contention for the title.

"Huntley, Woodstock and (Crystal Lake) South should all be strong," said Anderson. "They all have some talented athletes who can win events. We're strong as well and have some good depth. We just need to fight and dig for every single point and place we can get."

Nordeen's Red Raiders are paced by the likes of Amy Fanella (36-9 in the triple jump and 44.4 in the 300 hurdles), Denita Brown (59.7 in 400), Cortney Wilkerson (120-5 in the discus), Marilyn McDougall (1:02 in the 400) and Haley Loprieno (2:27 in the 800). Huntley's 3,200 relay team of Loprieno, Brown, Sara Scarbro and Bri Roeser has gone as low as 9:57, while the 1,600 team of Fanella, Abbey Shaw, McDougall and Brown are at 4:07.

"I believe we are going to be playing the underdog approach with Cary-Grove again," said Nordeen. "Myself, including the girls, really like being in this position. It makes us push so much harder in our events knowing that it's going to come down to a fight for every point we can get. The all-important sixth-place finishes are going to be very important for many teams. There is no better way to win, no matter which team it is, a big meet like this when you know how close it's going to be. There are going to be some great races to watch."

Alexis Wells (12.5 in the 100 and 26.0 in the 200), Marianne Collard (2:20 in the 800) and Kristina Aubert (3,200 standout) lead defending conference champion Crystal Lake South.

"We hope that we achieve some personal-best times and distances at the meet," said South coach Christy Tenopir. "We hope to be competitive and finish in the top half of the conference."

Jacobs has a host of athletes who have steadily improved throughout the season. That group includes seniors Kat Makridakis (36-4 in the shot and 113-0 in the discus) and Ali Durkin (15.8 in the 100 and 49.6 in the 300 hurdles), along with sophomores Oliva Mayer (32-8 triple jump) and Bethany Muscat (5-2 high jump) and freshman Lauren Wallace (27.5 in the 200). The Golden Eagles' 1,600 relay team of Durkin, Aleta Wurfel, Soriya Sabir and Stacie Weinert has also made progress.

Dundee-Crown's Kelsey Seiler has already run under state-qualifying time in the 3,200 (11:30) this season.

Upstate Eight: The U-46 contingent of Bartlett, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin and Streamwood will head to Neuqua Valley today for the Upstate Eight Conference meet (3:30 p.m. field events; track events begin at approximately 4 p.m.).

Bartlett's 3,200 relay team of senior Alexa Tovella, sophomore Alyssa Schneider and freshmen Cortney Kingsmill and Taylor Crawford are hoping to break 9:50. Schneider (5:10) and Sam Salinas (5:24) will compete in the 1,600, while Salinas will double up in the 3,200 (11:30). Kayla Cox (5-0 high jump), Becca Cronin (46.9 in the 300 hurdles and 37-5 1/2 in the triple jump) and Katie Lauesen (32-3) shot put are also key contributors for the Hawks.

"We're simply going in with the mindset of improving our times and marks and doing our best while having fun," said Bartlett coach Beth Emody.

Elgin is paced by Fatima Diabate, who has gone 34-8 in the triple jump. Larkin, which has resumed classes after being closed the first 2 days of the week by the swine flu outbreak, will compete in the meet. The Royals are led by Nadiyah Spencer and Britney Whitehead. Streamwood's Megan McGlone owns the area's top mark in the triple jump this season (35-2).

Big Northern: Burlington Central will host the Big Northern Conference meet today on Rocket Hill (field events at 4 p.m. and finals scheduled for approximately 5 p.m.).

Central coach Aaron Wichman has been impressed with his relay contingent. The 3,200 relay team of Katie Puccio, Hannah Williams, Maggie Gannon and Markelle Turk has gone as low as 10-flat. The 400 team, which includes Jordan Maisto, Caille Thommes and Vanessa Perez is at 51.63, while the 1,600 team of Gannon, Puccio, Pereze and Meaghan Thommes has run as fast as 4:15.

Turk (11:50 in the 3,200), Gannon (2:21.50 in the 800 and 5:18 in the 1,600), Alexa Tovsen (12.53 in the 100, 1:01.50 in the 400 and 27.5 in the 200) and Perez (47.90) in the 300 hurdles should also contend in their individual events.

"We have quite a few athletes who I believe can become conference champions," said Wichman.

Wichman knows the meet will have no shortage of standout performers.

"Byron is going to be the team to beat," said Wichman. "They won the indoor conference title and are deep at almost all of the events. Oregon and Winnebago should be tough in the distance events and Hampshire has some good long sprinters. If we are going to be successful we will need to double up points in all events on the track and score as many field-event points as we can. Our field event performers have really improved as the season has progressed and we are looking forward to seeing what they can do."

Holly Plichta (12:06 in the 3,200 and 5:40 in the 1,600) and Cassie Kruse (5:40 in the 1,600) give Hampshire a pair of key distance runners. Tiffany Phu (1:01 in the 400), Liz Sicheri (2:35 in the 800), Jeanna Ballard (51.0 in the 300 hurdles) and Autumn Chomenko (51.0 in the 300 hurdles) are also key individual performers for Hampshire.

Chomenko, Phu, Kruse and Sicheri have gone 10:18 in the 3,200 relay, while the group of Chomenko, Phu, Kruse, Sicheri/Ballard has run as low as 4:15 in the 1,600 relay.

"The meet will be like the Indy 500 and the Kentucky Derby - a lot of excitement and a few surprises," said Hampshire coach Patti Nihells. "The teams in the conference are very strong. Central and Byron have more depth than some of the others. We hop that with our veterans and our newbies that we will compete to be in the middle of the pack."

Others: Elgin Academy will compete in the Independent School League meet at Benedictine University in Lisle Friday. Sarah Parker leads the way for the Hilltoppers in the long jump (defending conference champion) and the 200. Westminster Christian will head to Chicago Christian for the Private School League meet on Friday, while St. Edward will participate in the Suburban Catholic Conference meet at Aurora Central Catholic today.