Scouting Northwest girls cross country
Girls cross country / Mid-Suburban League meet
Where: Busse Woods
When: 10:30 a.m. Saturday
Host: Fremd
2009 team champion: Prospect
2009 individual champion: Olivia Jones, Buffalo Grove
What to watch: With five of the top 15 teams in the state, including No. 1 Schaumburg and No. 2 Palatine, this meet will offer plenty of excitement. Individually, Prospect sophomore Brooke Wolfe has been dominant this season.
Teams forecast: Schaumburg and Palatine are ranked 1-2 in the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches poll. Palatine narrowly defeated Schaumburg 26-29 at a dual meet Sept. 8, but 10 days later the Saxons edged the Pirates in taking first at the Peoria Notre Dame Invitational by 8 points. Round three is set for Saturday.
Schaumburg: The Saxons have gone 4-for-4 during the invite season, winning at Lake Park, Peoria Notre Dame, Bartlett, and Sterling. Senior Karen Lesiewicz, senior Britten Petrey, and senior Colette Falsey give the Saxons a huge advantage up front. All three are interchangeable with any one of them capable of winning the race. Sophomore Hannah Coombs and junior Kelsey Steenstrup have stepped up big and have helped solidify the Saxons attack. Schaumburg last won the MSL title in 2002. Keep an eye on Coombs. The sophomore has quietly put together a solid season and has kept close to the Saxons fantastic trio. “You can turn up the smoker, it's going to be hot. But there is only one team that we can control and that's us, said Schaumburg coach Jon Macnider, who will be retiring at the end of the year.
Palatine: The Pirates have gone 3-for-4 during the invite season, winning at Hinsdale Central, Palatine, and Metamora and finishing second at Peoria Notre Dame. If any team can match Schaumburg's front three, it may be Palatine. Senior Courtney Brown, junior Emily Schulte, and sophomore Tess Wasowicz lead the Pirates' attack. Palatine is hoping to bridge the gap between the front three and the back pack. It will help to have a healthy Becca Sund and Sarah McIntosh. Keep an eye on Sund. The senior battled illness during September but is healthy now. She is hoping to pick up her fourth all-MSL award. One key note: Palatine finished second in the MSL last season but went on to win the Class 3A state title. “It's definitely one of the toughest conferences in state and we're proud to be a part of that. Things are looking better for us and we're getting healthy, said Palatine coach Joe Parks.
Other teams to watch: Sophomore Becca Batliner and junior Ella Tracy lead No. 6 Barrington; the key for the Fillies is their pack. Wolfe and sophomore Lauren Poplawski lead No. 11 Prospect. The Knights are hoping to narrow the gap between their front and back packs. Sophomore Kelly Breen and senior Emi Sudo lead No. 12 Fremd. The Vikings have been very consistent this season, and may be a year away from challenging for the MSL title. Rolling Meadows and Hoffman Estates will also be in the mix.
Key runners:
Brooke Wolfe, Prospect The Knight sophomore has won the Fenton, Lake Park, Palatine, and Peoria Central Invites this season. She seems to have a feel of making her move at the right time.
Karen Lesiewicz, Schaumburg The senior has plenty of closing speed, and will make it interesting down the home stretch.
Christina Gastfield, Rolling Meadows The senior cannot be overlooked, she runs her best at the big meets.
Courtney Brown, Palatine The quiet Pirate senior has been making plenty of noise this season. Brown will be looking to match the front runner moves on Saturday.
Colette Falsey, Schaumburg Another Saxons senior with closing speed. Falsey took first at the Peoria Notre Invite.
Lauren Poplawski, Prospect The Knights sophomore surprised many with her third-place finish at the Palatine Invitational. Could she have one more surprise up her sleeve?
Other runners to watch: Becca Batliner (Barrington), Haley Goers (Hoffman Estates), Britten Petrey (Schaumburg), Salena Clohisy (Hersey), Kelly Breen (Fremd), Emily Schulte (Palatine), Tess Wasowicz (Palatine).