Better bring a big bus to sectionals

The Tri-Cities Area boys and girls cross country teams will be well represented Saturday at sectionals, as most local schools either qualified as a team or are sending individuals.

Both squads from Geneva, St. Charles North, Kaneland, Aurora Central Catholic and Aurora Christian are running as teams, and Rosary and Batavia boys are running as a unit as well.

Individuals from Marmion and St. Charles East boys along with West Aurora and Batavia girls will represent their respective teams. West Aurora's boys team is the only squad that is completely finished for the season.

Here's a closer look at who is going where Saturday, with everyone hoping to qualify for the state meet Nov. 3 at Detweiller Park in Peoria. This is the first year the schools have been divided into three classes.

Girls cross country

Class 3A:ŒGeneva, St. Charles East and St. Charles North is heading to the Schaumburg sectional at Busse Woods No. 17 as a team while Batavia and West Aurora are each sending one runner.

The Vikings, Saints, North Stars and Bulldogs are all coming out of the St. Charles East regional, where Geneva won, thanks to its young lineup led by freshmen Kelly Whitley (first), Liza Tauscher, Rachel Hammond and Tess Ehrhardt.

The last time Geneva qualified as a team was in 2004, when it placed fifth in the state.

"I don't think they've had their best meet yet," Geneva coach Bob Thomson said. "I have all the confidence in the world in them."

St. Charles East's Lizzy Hynes won the race at LeRoy Oakes for her third consecutive regional crown on a course-record time of 17:24.4. Hynes and the rest of the Saints, led by Grace Gordon, Gina Bartindale and Rachel Rawson, placed third.

The North Stars went fourth behind Stephanie Strasser, and Alexa Sampson was Batavia's lone qualifier. The Bulldogs placed sixth.

West Aurora's lone representative is Charlotte Smith, who placed 36th at the East Aurora regional. The Blackhawks were ninth as a team.

Class 2A:ŒAurora Central Catholic, Rosary and Kaneland are all heading to the Belvidere sectional Saturday.

ACC had 5 runners in the top 10 and won the Princeton regional. Valerie Cintron and Jamie Nagel went first and second, respectively, as Jaclyn Nagel, Alexis Anthony and Madison Hester all placed in the top 10 for the Chargers.

Rosary came in fourth with Haley Euting's sixth-place finish leading the way. This will be the Royals' second sectional appearance.

"I think this is a very tough sectional for Class AA," Rosary coach Vic Mead said. "Ten teams (who are ranked) are in this sectional, so that doesn't make it an easy one. We are just excited to be going."

At the Rock Falls regional, Kaneland took fifth, as Andi Streng and Lisa Roberson paced the Knights.

"We are happy to run (at Belvidere)," said Kaneland coach Doug Ecker, whose team visited the course Tuesday. "Our goal at the beginning of the season was to make it to the sectional. We'll run the best we can."

Class 1A:ŒAurora Christian is hosting the sectional at Oakhurst Forest Preserve Saturday after dominating the Seneca regional.

The Eagles placed first with a perfect score of 15, as Deanna Jimenez placed first, followed by Kaitlin Bellak (fourth) and Anna Morgan (fifth).

Last year, the Eagles placed third at sectionals and sixth in the state.

"I think we'll place second," Aurora Christian coach Priscilla Copple said. "Winnebago is definitely going to win. Byron is the favorite, but I think we can beat them."

Boys cross country

Class 3A:ŒThree local teams and three individuals from non-qualifying teams are running in the Schaumburg Sectional at Busse Woods No. 17 Saturday.

The teams are Geneva, St. Charles North and Batavia and the individuals are John Deutsch from St. Charles East and Josh Stein and T.J. Heffernan from Marmion.

At the St. Charles East regional, Geneva placed second, St. Charles North third and Batavia fourth.

Kevin Sparks, Greg Adelman, Evan Ehrhardt, Andrew Nelson and Kevin McDowell led the Vikings.

Geneva placed 18th in the state meet in Class AA last season.

"The best thing the boys have going for them is that they've been here before," Thomson said. "They know what this is all about. They've been there and done that. There are no surprises here."

St. Charles North's top runners were Chris DeSilva, Mike Strasser and Scott Speare. Jared Klein led the way for the Bulldogs.

Stein took second overall and Heffernan placed 12th at the East Aurora regional, where the Cadets fell short and placed seventh overall. This was the first meet all season Stein has placed second. He won all the other meets he participated in.

Stein placed 54th at last year's Class AA state meet.

"Obviously, Schaumburg is one of the toughest sectionals in the state," Marmion coach Bob Rebensdorf said. "But Josh, having gone downstate last year, is in good position (to go back) and T.J. has a shot as well. We'll see what happens."

Deutsch came in 21st for the Saints at the regional, who fell short in seventh place overall.

Class 2A:ŒAurora Central Catholic and Kaneland are heading to the Belvidere sectional Saturday after both teams placing third in their respective regionals this year.

Kaneland grabbed the third spot at the Rock Falls regional after Kevin Huml (ninth) and Matt Reusche (12th) led the way for the Knights.

The Knights, who have not qualified for sectionals since 2002, checked out Belvidere's course Tuesday.

"It's a fine course," Kaneland coach Chad Clarey said. "It's pretty open. The wind might be a factor if Saturday is a windy day. The boys liked it."

The Chargers did their damage at the Princeton regional, where Max Gilbert and Dan Kottenkamp led the way in the third-place showing.

Class 1A:ŒAurora Christian is hosting the sectional at Oakhurst Forest Preserve Saturday.

Aurora Christian advanced to the sectional after placing second in the Seneca regional. Aaron Dettman placed seventh and Dan Risdall placed eighth as the Eagles' top two runners. Three more placed in the top 16.

The Eagles have never had a boys team qualify for state.

"We are hoping for fifth," Copple said. "There are two teams we have to make sure we beat -- Westmont and Ottawa-Marquette. We've run our best races at Oakhurst."