Boys cross country: Northwest sectional preview

Posted October 25, 2007 11:00 pm

By Joe Esse Daily Herald Correspondent

Schaumburg Class 3A sectional

Where: Busse Woods

When: 11:30 a.m. Saturday

Team race: The competition should be fierce as 11 of the top 16 teams in the state will run. Naperville North, Wheaton North and York are the favorites to advance but they'll have to earn it. Schaumburg won the Lake Park regional and will try to use that momentum as it competes with Conant and Hoffman Estates. Geneva, St. Charles North, Waubonsie Valley, Lyons and Hinsdale South will also compete for a top-five spot.

Individual race: Junior Jeff Thode of Conant is coming off a first-place finish at Lake Park and will look to stay with York's duo of senior Tom Achtien and junior Steve Sulkin, as well as Naperville North junior Kyle Gibson and senior Chris DeSilva of St. Charles North.

Schaumburg senior Nathan Rutz and sophomore Pat Lesiewicz, Hoffman Estates senior Ross Goers and Conant's Tyler Fuchs could also be in the mix.

What they're saying: "You can't have any mistake. You have to have five guys run really well. If everybody does that it should be pretty interesting." -- Schaumburg coach Jim Macnider

"I think they just have to be on top of their race (to advance). The coaches adjusted the training schedule so we could peak at sectionals. We've been focused on this for two months." -- Hoffman coach Matt Dowd

"If I wasn't coaching this Saturday I'd be at Busse Woods. That competition is crazy." -- Leyden coach Brad Henning

Palatine Class 3A sectional

Where: Deer Grove East Forest Preserve

When: 11 a.m. Saturday

Team race: Palatine and Hersey should have no problem qualifying for state and will look to dominate the top of the race as they did at the Rolling Meadows regional (combined for first six finishers). Prospect and Barrington are expected to compete with DeKalb and upstart Dundee-Crown for the rights to travel to Peoria.

Individual race: Hersey senior Kevin Havel is once again the favorite going in. Palatine's Mat Smoody is the top challenger after finishing second to Havel the previous two weeks. Hersey junior Erik Stanton has been a revelation the past few weeks and will join Huskies senior Billy Wisser in the top pack. Palatine senior Kevin O'Brien will look for a high finish along with sophomore teammate Chano Bernardo

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