Girls cross country: Scouting the Fox Valley area

South Elgin's girls cross country team is coming off a strong 2020 season with a returning group hoping for more.

The Storm won the Upstate Eight Conference meet, took third in regionals and their eighth-place finish at sectionals was their best ever.

No. 1 runner Naomi Ruff, juniors Angelica Harris and Roberta Morales, and seniors Lexi Blondin and Caroline Croft were all part of that squad.

"I am hoping to continue our success from last year," Storm coach Jorie Bartholomew said. "We want to defend our conference championship and be able to be competitive in our regional meet and advance to sectionals as a team. The girls are eager for the chance to be able to compete in bigger invites this year. Many on the team have yet to experience that."

Elsewhere in the Upstate Eight, Streamwood brings back its No. 1 and 2 runners, sophomore Reyna Saldivar and senior Victoria Sinclair, respectively.

"Reyna and Victoria coming back this season is huge for us, but the addition of freshman Sophia Baumert really makes us a better team," coach Dylan Lau said. "The combination of Baumert, Saldivar and Sinclair along with the leadership of senior Nicole Barcenas allows us to improve from where we finished last year."

Elgin, second in the UEC last year, returns Dahlia Perez and Janey Bermeo.

"This year we hope to continue to grow as a program and individually," coach Alicia Knoll said.

Huntley finished second last year at the Fox Valley Conference meet, won a Class 3A regional in Rockford and took seventh at the Lyons sectional.

Three juniors - Breanna Burak, Brittney Burak and Molly Allen - are back, as are six of the top eight.

Seniors Genevieve Collatz, Madison Grubbs and Delaney Cairns along with sophomore Ava Allison and junior Brooke Garcia could all impact the 4-7 spots.

"The girls are looking forward to returning to their normal season schedule of meets," coach Matt Kaplan said. "If our team can keep our 4 and 5 runners close to the junior trio up front, this team will have a good chance at success when they reach the postseason."

Jacobs finished fifth in the 2020 FVC meet and third in the Rockford regional and only graduated one of its top seven. Kelly Carpenter qualified for the state meet and finished 49th in the unofficial state meet.

Now a senior, Carpenter took third in conference last year and also qualified for state in track. Senior Elisabeth Kania (11th in the FVC), senior Avery Mason, senior Ella Tamburrino, junior Addie Gorman and freshman Bailey Schwartz also will be in the Golden Eagles lineup.

"We should be a solid pack team who will be improved from last year," coach Kevin Christian said. "Bailey Schwartz put in a terrific summer and could be in our top five."

Dundee-Crown qualified for sectionals last year for the first time in nine years last season.

Juniors Melina Garcia and Kaylee Brodie return; Garcia was an all-conference runner last year, and Brodie just missed.

"(We're) a young group that returns all but one of our varsity runners from last year," coach Ronald Delarmente said. "We're hoping to compete and finish within the top half of the FVC and qualify for sectionals again."

Burlington Central coach Vince Neil liked the way his team progressed last year. They capped the season taking ninth at the Lakes sectional with Corryn Kester and Eli Kruse posting times that would have qualified for state in a normal season.

Kester and Kruse return; Kester was also a 4x800 relay state qualifier this spring in track. Morgan Schmidt is a new addition to watch, and Neil said he has several freshmen who can contend for a top seven spot: Abby Burke, Teagan Cathcart and Olivia Sutton.

"This fall we have had some newcomers to the team that I think will help strengthen our pack," Neil said. "Look for Corryn Kester and Michaela Kruse to be our front-runners with a solid pack looking to run with them. Our focus needs to be on the pack and running in a strong bunched team race."

Crystal Lake South won both regional and sectional titles in 2020.

"I was particularly proud of how our girls took ownership of their own training and preparation during a time of limited coaching contact," coach Ken Greenfield said. "I feel that has continued on into this summer's training."

The Gators did graduate three of their top seven; junior Bella Gonzalez, sophomore Abby Machesky, senior Addie Frisch, junior Gianna Pinta and senior Elise Gorman are back, and junior Anna McDermott was in the top 7 in 2019. Newcomers include Olivia and Victoria Pinta.

Greenfield said sophomores Colette Bacidore and Brie James have made particularly big jumps, and Gonzalez is coming off one of her best races in the track 3,200 sectional. Machesky also had a strong track season.

Hampshire brings back its top seven led by individual sectional qualifier Cortney Kriens. Coach Ryan Hollister said Grace Murphy and Emma Johnson also stood out last season, and sophomore Masuma Moosvi was their most improved varsity runner last year.

"I'm excited to see her race as a sophomore," Hollister said. "Cortney's positive attitude and fantastic work ethic will make her a great addition to any college program. We had an extremely dedicated, young team (last year). With all seven of our top runners returning along with a strong freshman class, I'm expecting there to be some fierce competition for varsity spots. I'm hoping that competition will drive us to be more competitive in the (FVC)."

St. Charles East won both DuKane Conference and regional championships last season. The Saints have a solid core including junior Morgan Sandlund, sophomore Marley Andelman, junior Brooklyn Walker, junior Eleanor Clark and seniors Ava Abbott, Gia Klasa and Hannah Kilpatrick.

"We're going to be building through the season and looking to run our best when it counts for the postseason," coach Brad Kaplan said. "The team is excited coming off of track to have a great cross country season."

Sophomore Sarah Hahn and seniors Lily Ryan and Kelsey Olson return for Geneva. Coach Peter Raak also expects Agnes Bolender, Lauren Verdecchia, Lila Storaasli, Mckenna Metes and Julianna Longo to be in the top seven with Cassidy Pagano one of the newcomers to watch.

"This will be a year of growth for the team, but thankfully we do have some good seniors to lead the way," Raak said. "We have a good crop of sophomores that we will need to step up and continue to play a big role on varsity. Also with a small team, we will need to stay consistent and healthy with our training."

St. Charles North finished third in conference, second at regionals and fifth at sectionals last year, graduating two of its top five.

Seniors Rachel Price, Bella Dicrosta and Audrey Sheehy return as does sophomore Katherine Erickson.

"We look to be as strong as we were last year," North Stars coach Shari Hayes said. "Bella has continued to improve from last cross country season. Rachel and Bella should be towards the front of most meets."

West Aurora has four sectional qualifiers returning: Daizy Lustrup, Devon Tomas, Maritza Carlos and Kendall Byrne. Coach Tony Rizzo said he's also excited about adding 3 hardworking freshmen to that mix with Baily Geni, Avery Littlejohn and Isabelle Smith.

"All those runners had great summers and we are excited to see where things fall when it comes to racing," Rizzo said. "We are looking forward to competing in a regular atmosphere this season. As resilient as athletes are, the dual meet atmosphere from last season wore on all of us, and we are excited to be competing in invitationals."

Kaneland won the I-8 conference meet and qualified for the 2A sectional where they finished eighth last year.

Senior Caroline Nosek and juniors Rose Dallal, Lindsey Andrae and Jacqueline Nettnin return.

"We are a fairly young team so it will take time to see how far and fast they can progress," coach Doug Ecker said. "There is some talent and they are a great group of girls to work with."

Harvest Christian has had some bad luck with No. 1 runner, junior Annika Learned, recently involved in an accident and will most likely miss the entire season.

Senior Ella Richter, who would have been the No. 3, missed the entire track season with a back injury and will probably miss most of the cross country season, according to coach Steven Bland.

Bland said junior Eva Camp will lead the Lions, and the rest of the lineup will be made up of sophomores and freshmen. Those include Emma Leslie, Gloria Gonzales, Caitlyn Terrien, Emily Pfister and Aila Tatina.

Rosary won the Class 1A sectional at Harvest Christian last year, and took second at the Shazam end of season championship.

The Royals return No. 1 Lianna Surtz, No. 3 Olivia Kunio, No. 4 Katie Ubertino, Ava Ketterman and Vivian Wyler. Newcomers will fill in the No. 2 and 5 spots, freshmen Chiara Surtz and Natalie Goettsch, respectively. Seniors Maria Panagakis and Grace Ixpata also return.

Coach Vic Mead is hoping for a top-five state finish.

Aurora Central Catholic placed 8th at the Class 1A Harvest sectional with two state qualifiers: Isabella Orosco and Maggie Dervis.

Orosco returns as the anchor of the program after posting an all-state finish on the track in the 400. Katelyn Dineen is the returning No. 3 runner, and Mayeula Rodriguez and Anna Laura Ponce also return from the top seven.

Senior Kiley Baloun is in her first year of cross country after state qualifying on the track last spring, and freshman Cayla Oldenburger is another newcomer to watch for the Chargers.