Scouting the Schaumburg girls cross country sectional
By Michael Eaken
Daily Herald Correspondent
Where: Busse Woods
When: 10:30 a.m. Saturday
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. 5.
Quick Look: Palatine, Prospect, Hoffman Estates, and Barrington will be vying for the sectional title. This one is really too close to call, but if pressed Prospect would be the choice. Prospect junior Brooke Wolfe is in a zone and will be going for her second sectional title.
Teams to watch: Prospect won the Mid-Suburban League title, Hoffman Estates and Palatine both won regional titles and Barrington has been hovering near the top all season. Two weeks ago these four teams were separated by only 16 points at the MSL championship. Prospect senior Lauren Maibuecher finished ninth at the MSL meet, but was held out of the regional. If Maibuecher is back Prospect should win. But four of Hoffman’s top five girls improved their times from the conference meet at the regional meet on the same course. The Hawks have been consistently good all season, and may just be peaking at the right time. Palatine may still be searching for a No. 5 runner, but its top four are tough to match and if its No. 5 runner hits it will take the title. And finally there is Barrington as it offers a solid pack that keeps improving. That pack has been knocking at the door all season, could it open this weekend? Schaumburg, Fremd, Lake Zurich will battle for the fifth and final spot.
Key Runners:
Brooke Wolfe, Prospect — The junior is on a roll. She shook off the early season rust and has won back-to-back titles at the MSL and regional meets. She loves to punish the final mile.
Haley Goers, Hoffman Estates — The senior has finished third or better in every meet she has ran this season. Goers is in position to pull out the victory.
Tess Wasowicz, Palatine — The junior was buzzing last Saturday in winning the regional title. Wasowicz showed some guts in not backing down to Wolfe in the MSL race.
Kelly Breen, Fremd — The junior set the early pace at the MSL meet before finishing in fourth. Breen is coming on strong to end the season.
Haley Worman, Hoffman Estates and Jessica Lincoln, Palatine — Both Worman and Lincoln ran solid races at their respective regionals. Lincoln finished three seconds in front of Worman at the MSL meet.
Hanna Winter, St. Viator — The junior has been flying under the radar all season, but her fourth-place finish at a rugged Hoffman Estates regional shows she has all-state potential.
Niles West 3A sectional
Leyden took fourth at the St. Ignatius regional and advanced to the Niles West sectional at 10 a.m. Saturday. Junior Danyla Segura leads the Eagles.