By Michael Newman

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Here is a look at the five 2A sectional meets that took place throughout Illinois Saturday.

Kaneland Sectional @ Kaneland HS, Maple Park

All eyes were on this meet as some the top 2A teams readying themselves for next week’s state meet. It was closer than expected in the Girls race. Yorkville had been dominating their 2A competition this season. The outcome Saturday was a little bit closer. #1 Yorkville used a 38 second split from first runner Skyler Bollinger (6^th) and Maggie Klemm (23^rd) to win the Girls Sectional title with 72 points. #4 Belvidere North finished second with 89 points paced by the individual win by Jenna Lutzow. The sophomore broke away from Caitlyn Allen (Marengo HS) in the final stretches to win the race in 17:12 on the Kaneland campus course. Allen finished second five seconds behind. Lutzow’s sister Carley finished fifth to help Belvidere North. Kortney Schart (Lakes HS, Lake Villa) and Vivian Overbeck (Vernon Hills HS0 finished 3-4.

Many good teams were left home in this sectional race as ten top 25 teams had qualified out of regional competition. #5 Crystal Lake Central used a 28 second five runner split to take the third qualifying spot with 105 points. #3 Lake Forest, led by the eighth place finish by freshman Emma Milburn, qualified for the state meet finishing fourth ten points behind Crystal Lake Central. Last year’s 3^rd place state finisher #7 Vernon Hills took the fifth and final qualifying spot finishing with 137 points. #17 Kaneland ran their best team race of the season but finished sixth with 171 points.

The story was the same in the Boys race as seven ranked teams were on the starting line. 2013 2A state champions Yorkville showed that they were ready for the defense of their title in this race. Top ten finishes by Jake & Luke Hoffert, and Trevor Wills paced the top ranked Foxes to the sectional title with 67 points. The Hoffert brothers broke away from Shane Williamson (Vernon Hills HS) to go 1-2 with Jake winning in 14:48. His brother Luke was second less than two seconds back (14:50). Williamson was another six seconds back in third place.

Willis ran a PR of 15:14 to help his team with a ninth place finish. Yorkville’s 1-5 split was only 64 seconds. Paced by the third place finish by Williamson and tenth place finish by Tyler Smith pushed #4 Vernon Hills to second place with 110 points. Jack Aho finished 4^th to lead #8 Grayslake Central to a third place finish ten points behind Vernon Hills. #7 Crystal Lake Central finished fourth with 134 points behind the sixth place finish by sophomore Cole Barkocy. #20 Prairie Ridge, who was the seventh ranked sectional team, used a 37 second split on their five scoring runners to grab the final qualifying spot with 162 points. Kaneland ran a great race on their home course finishing sixth eight points behind with 170 points. #10 Belvidere North and #11 Sterling failed to get out of this tough sectional finishing seventh and eighth respectively.

East Peoria Sectional @ Illinois Central College

Maryjeanne Gilbert (Notre Dame HS, Peoria) showed that she will be the runner to beat at next week’s 2A race. The Notre Dame junior dominated the race running 16:41 to win by 65 seconds over second place Abby Jockisch (Dunlap HS). Lauren Whitehouse (Mahomet-Seymour HS), Miranda Krusiwyk (Dunlap HS), and a surprising Mya Shannon (Morris HS) rounded out the top five.

#2 Dunlap held off #8 Peoria Notre Dame 83-88 for the Girls Sectional title behind the top five finishes by Jockisch and Krusiwyk. The Eagles were without Francesca Verville who was held out of this race. The freshman is a runner has been with Abby Jockisch all season. Peoria Notre Dame had a solid 2-5 split of 45 seconds behind Gilbert.

It was close for the final three qualifying positions. Only 13 points separated the next four spots. #10 Normal University punched their ticket to Peoria with a third place finish behind the seventh place finish by Shannan Supan. The Pioneers scored 137 points. #19 Washington was only four points back in fourth place scoring 141 points. The surprise of the meet was LaSalle-Peru. The unranked champions from the Morris Regional placed three runners in the first twelve to grab the final qualifying spot with 143 points. Lincoln-Way West finished sixth missing qualifying for state by six points. #22 Normal West was one point behind in seventh with 150 points.

#2 Mahomet-Seymour used top five finishes by Alex Keeble and William Wolf to win the Boys sectional race with 62 points. Keeble won the individual race by four seconds ahead of Alexander Bruno (University HS, Normal). Keeble’s winning time was 15:01. The Bulldogs had a 62 second split on their first five.

#16 Normal University finished second with 91 points behind the finishes of Bruno, Eli Hill (7^th), and Jack Franklin (12^th). #5 Metamora was without top five runner John Crotteau. The Redbirds still took third with 115 points behind top ten finishes by Jake Gillum (3^rd), Matt Wipfler (5^th), and John Mangold (10^th). #15 Bartonville Limestone scored 145 points to qualify in fourth place.

#24 Peoria Notre Dame took the final qualifying spot with 181 points. A young Normal West team missed qualifying finishing sixth seven points behind Notre Dame.

Wheaton Academy Sectional @ Kress Creek Farm, West Chicago

#3 Illiana Christian won the Boys Sectional title with 59 points placing their first four runners in the top eight. Nick Fiene won the individual race in 15:02 seven seconds ahead of Charlie Nodus (Hinsdale South HS, Darien). The Vikings had a 31 split on their first four including Collin DeYoung (3^rd), Nick Wondaal (4^th), and Tom McGuire (8^th). Their overall split was 86 seconds.

#13 Hinsdale South edged host #9 Wheaton Academy 79-81 for second place. The Hornets also had Roman Drabchuk (5^th) in the top five behind Nodus. Wheaton Academy had a 49 second split on five paced by top ten finishes by Jacob Robelski (6^th), Jonah Jones (7^th), and Brandon Lach (9^th). Glenbard South has been coming on strong at the end of the year. Their efforts paid off with a fourth place finish with 149 points. Ten points separated the next three teams for the final qualifying spot. St. Francis had a 23 second split on their first four runners to garner the final spot with 167 points. Riverside-Brookfield finished sixth missing qualifying by four points. Bremen finished seventh six points behind RB.

It was thought that it would be close in the Girls race as six very good teams would battle for the five qualifying team spots. That story never materialized as there was a fifth place tie between #13 Montini Catholic and #21 Aurora Central Catholic whom both scored 110 points. Both teams will run at next weekend’s state meet.

Rebecca Sippel (Glenbard South HS, Glen Ellyn) won the individual race running 17:49 on the three mile course. She was four seconds ahead of second place Karina Liz (Aurora Central Catholic HS).

#6 Lemont could be a surprise team in the 2A state field next week. The Indians looked strong winning the sectional championship with only 45 points. They placed five runners in the first thirteen led by the third place finish by Taylor Campos. Their overall split on their five scoring runners was only 45 seconds.

14 points separated 2^nd to 4^th places in the team standings. #12 Glenbard South finished second behind Sippel’s win and the sixth place finish by Caroline Arlasky. Nazareth Academy, who had been in the top 25 most of the year, ran their best team race so far this season to place third with 88 points behind the ninth place finish by Claire Ramsey. Host #15 Wheaton Academy placed fourth earning a state qualifying berth behind Annika Pearson’s eighth place finish.

Decatur MacArthur Sectional @ Hickory Point GC, Decatur

Caleb Hummer (Danville HS) proved that he is ready to challenge for the 2A individual state championship. He won the sectional title running 14:46. He was 36 seconds ahead of second place Lance Mueller (Waterloo HS). Landon Skelly (Glenwood HS, Chatham) finished third two seconds back.

#6 Springfield dominated the team race placing their first four runners in the top 14 to win the sectional title with 68 points. Heath Warren and Logan Besalke finished in the top ten with 7^th and 9^th place finishes. Their overall split was only 31 seconds. #18 Danville placed second with 129 points. #25 Charleston bounced back from a sub-par regional performance to finish third with 152 points.

Central State Eight rivals #14 Chatham-Glenwood and #19 Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin battled for the final two qualifying spots both scoring 162 points. Glenwood was placed fourth based on the sixth runner tie-breaker. #23 Champaign Central finished sixth and missed qualifying by eight points. #17 Salem was seventh three points behind Champaign Central.

#18 Chatham-Glenwood used a 10-11-13 finish by Demi Dixon, Kerraline Wurl, and Erica Rideout to win the Girls Sectional title 103-110 ahead of #20 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin who were paced by a fifth place finish by Meghan McClain. Charleston surprised some by finishing third with 140 points. Jacksonville qualified fourth scoring 149 points behind the eighth place finish by Emma Chelsvig. A bigger surprise was the fifth place finish by Highland. The Bulldogs were without all-state runner Allsion Zobrist all season. They stepped up to score 159 points led by Jayden Shelton’s ninth place finish. Springfield placed three runners in the first 12 but missed qualifying finishing seven points behind Highland in sixth place.

Megan Shaffer (Mattoon HS) won the individual title running 18:02 on the fast 3 mile course. Grace Oetting (Charleston HS) finished three seconds behind in second place. The individual field was deep as Rebecca Kaefring (Centennial HS, Champaign) was the final individual qualifier in ninth place.

Bensenville Fenton Sectional

#9 Latin School dominated the Girls team competition putting their first five runners in the top nine to easily win the sectional title with 25 points. Abigail Nadler led Latin with the individual win running 18:37. Her teaamate Sophia Lancaster was 19 seconds back in second place. Deerfield finished second with 97 points behind the fourth place finish by Abbey Osborn. Chicago University placed third scoring 106 points. Payton Prep scored 119 points to place fourth. Regina Dominican edged Elmwood Park 146-147 for the fifth and final qualifying position.

#21 Deerfield won the Boys Sectional title placing five runners in the first seventeen scoring only 42 points. Three runners placed in the top ten led by Charles Nash (2^nd), Billy Anderson (4^th), and Ben Chambers (8^th). Host Fenton took the second qualifying spot 85-95 ahead of #22 Latin School. Payton Prep qualified for the state meet placing foruth with 134 points. Only five points separated the next four teams. St. Viator and Elmwood Park tied for fifth with 161 points. Both teams qualified for the state meet. Lindblom and Chicago University were next with 166 points. Both teams missed qualifying for state by five points. Walmer Saavedra won the individual race in 15:33. He was eleven second ahead of Deerfield’s Charles Nash.