Van Vlierbergen leads Jacobs to regional title
Jacobs junior Lauren Van Vlierbergen, seventh in the state last year in Class 3A, began her run to Peoria for 2013 with the individual championship at Saturday’s Class 3A Hononegah regional.
Van Vlierbergen finished the race in a time of 17 minutes, 22 seconds to lead the Golden Eagles to 34 points and the team championship. Huntley was second with 53 points and Larkin also qualified for next Saturday’s Waubonsie Valley sectional by finishing fifth with 147 points.
Senior Kayla Giuliano (19:32), sophomore Alexandra Lorenz (19:52), junior Molly Barnes (19:56) and junior Taylor Bona (19:58) also scored points for Jacobs.
Huntley was led by junior Kelly Meehleib (18:50). Sophomore Katie Mitchell (19:39), junior Sabrina Celli (19:59), senior Jenni Carlson (20:35) and senior Savannah Henn (20:51) also scored for the Red Raiders.
Senior Sara Fischer (20:44) was Larkin’s top runner, with freshman Tanya Franco (22:08), sophomore Janet Guadarrama (22:10), senior Yenitza Castillo (22:11) and sophomore Kira Fox (22:16) also scoring for the Royals.
Class 3A at Wheaton North: Streamwood (95 points) finished fifth at the Class 3A Wheaton North regional to advance to next week’s sectional at Waubonsie Valley. Sabres coach Dennis Lau had a lot to like, starting with Gabby Juarez taking third overall, just 1 second behind St. Charles East’s Torree Scull.
“That was the goal,” Lau said of running with Scull. “Now that you are up there you have to start running with the girls. The goal at the end of the day is we want to make it to state. You have to start zoning in on some of the girls. She challenged Torree all the way to the end. She didn’t wait until the end to start her kick.”
Lau also has hopes of Addie Kelly qualifying for state individually after the junior took eighth in 18:37.
“I want you to race the full three miles,” Lau said. “Same with Addie. We want her with the leaders. That was exactly the plan. Addie and Gabby we really want to see them make it through. The sectional course is not going to be about time, it’s going to be about place.”
Lau said Samantha Harding is getting healthy, and the junior ran an 18:49 to take 12th.
“Sam is starting to build confidence,” Lau said. “She went from the high 19s to (18:49) today. We’re starting tapering, the girls are getting healthier now, they are getting confidence now, they are peaking at the right time. This is great. These girls are doing their home work, they are working hard, and it is starting to pay off.”
Bartlett finished sixth with 161 points to advance as a team. Junior Jess Wittmayer was 17th in 19:02 to lead the Hawks.
South Elgin also qualified four runners — senior Taylor Warrick, sophomore Samantha Czuprynski, senior Brittany Carson and sophomore Megan Vickrey each moved on for the Storm.
Geneva won the team title with 42 points and St. Charles North senior Ashley England was the individual winner in a time of 17:37.
Class 3A at Palatine: Cary-Grove finished third with 100 points to advance as a team to next week’s Schaumburg sectional. Crystal Lake South also advanced, finishing fourth with 112 points. Junior Morgan Schuilz (17:56) led the Trojans, while freshman Caitlin Bruzzini (18:50) was CL South’s top runner. Dundee-Crown senior Anabel Aguirre Michel also advanced as an individual with a time of 20:18. McHenry junior Lauren Opatmy won the race in a time of 17:28. Palatine won the team title with 28 points.
Class 2A at Burlington Central: Burlington Central advanced senior Katie Bush (13th, 19:28) and junior Courtni Neubauer (36th, 20:32) to next week’s Belvidere sectional. Hampshire junior Hannah Sztukowski also advanced, finishing 28th in 20:22. Crystal Lake Central won the team title with 47 points and Vernon Hills sophomore Vivian Overbeck was the individual winner in a time of 18:18.
Class 1A at Aurora Christian: Harvest Christian finished fourth with 92 points to advance as a team to next week’s Lisle sectional. Junior Valeries Richter (7th, 19:49) was the Lions’ top finisher. St. Edward freshman Megan Kremer (7th, 19:39) and her sophomore sister Katie (37th, 22:25) also advanced as individuals.
John Radtke and John Lemon contributed to this report