IHSA Class 1A State Series – Five XC Regional Meets to Watch This Weekend

By Michael Newman                                                                                                                                                                          

It will be a shock if any of the 30 ranked teams in Class 1A make it out of any of the 15 regionals that will take place on Friday and Saturday. This weekend is the first of two steps of making it to the state meet at Detweiller Park on November 4.

We looked at five regionals in Class 1A looking at one regional in each sectional for previewing.

Good luck to all teams and runners that will be competing this weekend.

Sullivan Regional @ Tabor Park, Sullivan

Boys Ranked Teams - #1 Tuscola, #18 Decatur St. Teresa, #21 Clinton, #22 Tolono Unity, #24 Cerro-Gordo-Bement; Girls Ranked Teams - #1 Tolono Unity, #10 Shelbyville

Regional Notes – This could be a great Boys team race at Sullivan with five ranked teams in this race. No team will touch #1 Tuscola on Saturday. I think what you could see from the Warriors is a tempo paced race. There are good teams here. Tuscola could still score a perfect 15 points in winning. St. Teresa has improved throughout the season. They should challenge for the second spot along with Clinton and Tolono Unity. The final three qualifying spots could be close with Monticello leading the challenge. The Sages did not have their top runner Xander Anawaty did not run last week. Without him in their lineup, Monticello could be surpassed by Cerro-Gordo-Bement, Carlinville, Gillespie, and Shelbyville for a sectional qualifying spot. You expect one of five Tuscola runners up in front of this race led by Will Foltz, Jackson Barrett, and Josiah Hortin. There are quality runners in this race led by Dylan Howell and Will Fusion of Cerro Gordo-Bement, Evan Cook of St. Teresa, Drew Moser of Clinton, and Camden Quarton of Litchfield.

Just as in the Boys race, top ranked Tolono Unity is the big team favorite in the girls race. The Rockets could have 5 runners in the top 10 in this race. Shelbyville is having a good season and should be the closest to Unity. Clinton has not had their top runner Lexi Lord in their lineup since the end of September. The Maroons have good dept and should advance to Decatur along with Monticello and St. Teresa. Litchfield, Tuscola, and Arthur-Lovington are three teams that will challenge for the final two qualifying spots. Katie Foltz of Tuscola will be the big favorite in this race in this tune-up for next week’s sectional race against Isabella Keller. Erica Woodard, Emily Decker, and Mackenzie Pound are probable top five finishers in this race. Shelbyville’s Tessa Bowers ran 17:18 last week at Detweiller Park and could challenge for a top 3 finishes in this race. Her teammate Lily Woolery will challenge for a top five finish.

Peoria Notre Dame Regional @ Donovan Park, Peoria

Boys Ranked Teams - #3 Elmwood, #4 Eureka, #7 Peoria Notre Dame, #8 El Paso-Gridley, #25 Princeville; Girls Ranked Teams - #3 Eureka, #7 Peoria Notre Dame, #8 Knoxville, #11 Elmwood, #14 El Paso-Gridley, #15 Lowpoint-Washburn

Regional Notes – Most of these 1A teams have not run on this hilly course at Donovan Park. We could see some of the probable qualifiers hold back runners to have them ready for next week at Elmwood. There are six ranked teams in the girls race. Eureka is the hottest team in this regional and could challenge for the win with Meika Bender this team leading under 50 points. Peoria Notre Dame, Knoxville, and El Paso-Gridley all could challenge for the win. They are locks to advance out of the regionals. Elmwood and Lowpoint-Washburn are ranked among the top 15 in the Class 1A Rankings and should both advance. Princeville and Tremont both have good teams. Only one team can advance unless they tie. Meika Bender has won her last two races at Amboy and last week at the HOI Championships. Watch for her as the favorite in this race with Alyssa Higgins of Knoxville, Nellie Mellick and Caroline Wettstein of El Paso-Gridley, and Bre Lehman of Eureka some of the runners you could see in the front.

The Boys regional race is one of the toughest to diagnose with four teams ranked in the top 10 challenging for the win. Eureka has Andrew Perry and Brady Monk that could challenge for the win and lead the Hornets to a team title. Elmwood was within nine points of Eureka at Amboy. The Trojans had a good 2-5 pack that could give them the win in this race. El Paso-Gridley and Peoria Notre Dame also have the talent to come away with the win. Princeville ended the season ranked #25 and should advance. Deer Creek Mackinaw could be close to the Princes and advance. Three teams will challenge with the seventh spot with Illini Bluffs, Tremont, and Fairbury Central those squads.

Chester Regional @ Randolph State Recreation Area, Chester

Boys Ranked Teams - #2 Benton, #6 Pinckneyville, #30 Murphysboro; Girls Ranked Teams - #18 Pinckneyville

Regional Notes – The Boys regional race is a rematch of last week in the SIRR Mississippi Division race where Benton almost double scoring only 23 points head of Pinckneyville’s 44 points> the two team stand out ahead of the rest of this field. Gavin Genisio of Benton and Isaac Teel of Pinckneyville were separated by 15 seconds in last week’s race. The Rangers continue to improve heading into the final three weeks led by Genisio and Gabe McLain and Cole Buchanan possibilities to finish in the top five. Don’t be surprised if Benton has all of their scorers in the top 12. Both teams are locks to advance. Murphysboro, Steeleville, and DuQuoin are the next pack behind the first two and should not be threatened in the top five. New Athens and Nashville could clinch the final two spots with normal races. Red Bud close be close to getting into the top seven.

No suspense in the Girls race. All the possible teams racing could make it to Benton next week. Only six teams have scored in meets during the regular season. Pinckneyville should place all 5 runners in the top 10. The Pirates scoring under 30 points for their regional win is a good possibility. Murphysboro and DuQuoin are locks for finishes in the top three. Miah Gilmore of Pinckneyville and Vanessa Teel of Pinckneyville are the runners to watch up front in this race.

Bureau Valley Regional @ Walnut Middle School, Walnut

Boys Ranked Teams - #14 Riverdale, #15 Erie-Prophetstown, #26 Sterling Newman Catholic; Girls Ranked Teams - #19 Sherrard, #28 Erie-Prophetstown

Regional Notes – This was thought to be a rebuilding season for Riverdale after finishing second in the state in 2022 and losing three all-state runners to graduation. The Rams instead have reloaded with their eyes set on a regional title and another trip to Peoria. It will be a close race with Erie-Prophetstown for the team title with both teams able to put all of their top five in the top 20. The two teams could be separated by five points. There are three more teams that are sectional locks with Sterling Newman Mercer County, and Rock Island Alleman looking to the Oregon Park West trip. Kewanee Wethersfield is a step ahead of Sherrard and Bureau Valley for one of the two qualifying spots. There are no real individual favorites in this race. Charlie Link of Erie-Prophetstown has the slight edge with Braeden Bode of Riverdale and Karson Shrum of Wethersfield among the runners you will see in the front in this race.

Sherrard enters this meet as the top ranked Girls team in the Oregon Sectional. The Tigers have a good pack up front led by Madison Mathis and Anna Churchill that could have 4 runners in the top 10. Erie-Prophetstown is the only other ranked team in this race and will advanced by possible top five finisher Sarah Link. Riverdale and Cambridge should be locks to advance in this regional along with Rockridge and Rock Island Alleman. Kewanee Wethersfield has the edge for the seventh qualifying spot ahead of Mercer County and Orion. The individual race should be great with Kennady Anderson of Kewanee Wethersfield and Emily Downing of Cambridge up front challenging for the win.

Westmont Regional @ Westmont HS

Boys Ranked Teams – None; Girls Ranked Teams - #24 IC Catholic Prep; #27 Montini Catholic

Regional Notes – IC Catholic Prep and Montini Catholic are the only two ranked Girls teams in this race and could be between 5 to 7 points within each other. Montini Catholic may have the edge in this race with race favorites Sydney Gersten and Ashlynn Lindt leading the way. IC Catholic Prep, led by Graziella Narcisi and Kelsey McDonough, will need to get five runners in before Montini’s fourth runners to win this meet. Regina Dominican will finish in the top three but could separate those top two teams led by Nora McCabe finishing in the top 5. Willows Academy, Timothy Christian, Harvest Christian Academy, and Lisle all should qualify. They could be ahead of the remaining teams by 100-points.

There are no ranked Boys teams in this race. Montini Catholic most likely be without their #2 runner in this meet Hugh Flannery who has not raced since September 23. The Broncos still are ahead of the rest of the field and could win with placing 5 runners in the top 12. Nolan Ferris leads the field and this team in this race and should be the big favorite in winning the individual race. Timothy Christian and Harvest Christian are the two teams that could challenge Montini. Lisle and Westmont are good bets to advance to Kankakee for the sectional meet. It is hard to tell which teams will advance in the final two qualifying spots.