Is Buffalo Grove for real? Yesss!

Throughout the girls cross country season there has been one burning question - is Buffalo Grove for real?

After all, the Bison had never qualified for a state meet and had finished 10th in the Mid-Suburban League in 2007.

But each week the Bison seem to have an answer for their skeptics

Buffalo Grove finished second in the MSL two weeks ago and followed it up by winning its first ever regional title.

Any remaining doubts were erased Saturday, when Buffalo Grove took first at the Schaumburg sectional with 95 points to earn its first trip to the IHSA state meet.

"Wow," said an exuberant Buffalo Grove coach Sara Cleveland of her team's performance. "That was a shock to me. It was an incredible race and I could not be more proud of the girls."

Buffalo Grove placed 5 runners in the top 39, besting MSL champion Palatine (102 points). Prospect (123 points) ran its best race of the season for third place.

Hoffman Estates (156 points) and Schaumburg (160 points) rounded out the top five giving the MSL a clean sweep of team state qualifiers for the meet Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

Warren's Heather Olson took first individually, crossing the line in 17:22, followed by Hoffman's Melissa Schmidt (17:25.10) and Palatine's Sarah McIntosh (17:25.85). BG's Olivia Jones (17:37.50) took fourth, with Prospect's Annette White (17:42.95) securing fifth place.

Jones again led Buffalo Grove. The freshman has shown nerves of steel throughout the season and kept the Bison humming.

"We didn't know what to expect," said Jones of the Bison steady climb throughout the season. "It's all been new to us and we're just as surprised as anyone else."

Sophomore Sarah Peluse (18:14.15) secured 14th place for BG, followed by senior Erin McGrath (18:22.45) who finished 18th for the Bison.

Junior Cari Geyer (18:29.25) and senior Erin Cleary (18:51.05) completed Buffalo Grove's scoring by taking 20th and 39th place.

"It makes it so much easier when you do it as a team," said Peluse of the Bison pack. "Throughout the season the more we've done, the more I actually believed we could make it to state."

And BG made believers out of everybody on Saturday.

Palatine was a bit off its game, but the Pirates had five runners in the top 42 to earn a state berth.

"It wasn't a terrible race, but there are some things we can do much better," said Palatine coach Steve Currins, "We lost a bit of focus out there today."

McIntosh led the Pirates' charge, and junior Ruth Allen (18:10.35) secured 12th place. Sophomore Courtney Brown (18:17.80) added 16th place, with sophomore Becca Sund (18:41.55) and senior Tory Wright (18:55.55) completing the scoring.

"We'll definitely take today and learn from it," said Allen of the Pirates. "It opened our eyes to how much we do want this."

Prospect struggled to sixth place at the MSL meet, but the Knights found their groove on Saturday with an impressive third-place finish.

"I knew if we ran well we'd be in," said Prospect coach Dave Wurster whose team missed qualifying for state last season by 4 points. "But you wouldn't want it any other way."

White led the Knights and was followed by productive runs from Kasey Krum (18:25.35) and Emily Salzman (18:31.20) in 19th and 22nd.

Savannah Snead (18:31.20) recovered from an early fall to finish 37th, followed by Laura Maibeucher (18:53.40) in 40th place.

"We weren't as nervous," said White of the Knights' charge. "We let the pressure roll off our shoulders. If we have the same mentality we had this week for next week we'll do well."

Hoffman Estates qualified for the first time since 1993. Schmidt and Hannah Worman (18:02.40), who took 11th, led the Hawks.

Gabby Duenas (18:40.55), Haley Worman (18:47.90), and Kathy Kenley (19:43.10) finished 28th, 34th, and 81st to complete Hoffman's scoring.

"Our main goal since the beginning of the season has been to go to the state meet and run well," said Hoffman coach Kirk Macnider. "We knew if we ran a good solid race at sectional we could get the job done and that's what we saw today."

Schmidt briefly took the lead in the final mile but could not hold off Olson for the title. The junior has been one of the biggest surprises this season and didn't disappoint on Saturday.

"I just wanted to keep close to the lead pack and not let them get away from me," said Schmidt who ran a patient race. "I waited until they came back to me and I went."

Schaumburg and coach Jon Macnider have had an extended wait for a return to the state meet. But the Saxons' wait is over after they claimed fifth place.

Sophomores Britten Petrey (17:49.60), Colette Falsey (17:54.30), and Karen Lesiewicz (18:29.85) led the Saxon charge by taking 7th, 9th, and 21st place.

"We're back," said Lesiewicz who has made her own comeback after suffering a stress fracture in her left fibula at the beginning of the season. "Right now my mind kind of wants to go faster than my body, but I'm feeling good."

Nora Ferguson (19:07.65) and Kelsey Steenstrup (19:29.75) took 53rd and 70th place to aid the Saxons who will be making their first trip to state since 2002.

"It's unbelievable," said Macnider of his team that will be making its 19th appearance at the state meet. "The team really came to run today, they have put in over 7,500 miles as a group to get 3 miles at Peoria and now we got it."

Individually Rolling Meadows Christina Gastfield (17:48.05) took sixth to qualify. Gastfield led in the opening mile before settling in the chase pack.

Other individual qualifiers included Hersey's duo of Ashley Martin (17:52.75) and Salena Clohisy (17:59.15), who finished 8th and 10th.

Barrington's Rebecca Tracy (18:12.65) took 13th followed by Conant's Kali Dalton (18:16) and Elk Grove's Gina Erbacci (18:18.90), who qualified in 15th and 17th.