Girls cross country season preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Cary-Grove

Coach: Mark Anderson (ninth season).

Last year’s finish: Fourth.

Top returners: Emily Cummings, sr.; Lindsay Young, sr.; Megan Cummings, jr.; Em Lane, jr.; Kathie Wollney, so.; Paige Freund, so.

Top newcomers: Amanda Barciszewski, sr.; Michelle Thimios, sr.; Jenna Kurz, so.

Noteworthy: The Trojans have a strong nucleus of experienced runners who have set the example for the younger ones. Anderson believes depth and competition for the varsity spots will make his team strong.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Shannon Schroeder (sixth season).

Last year’s finish: Third.

Top returners: Madie Edwards, so.; Rachel Bush, jr.; Molly Flood, so.

Top newcomers: Taylor Miller, sr.; Karen Vuglar, sr.

Noteworthy: The Tigers were four points from winning the IHSA Class 2A state championship last season and return three of their top runners in Edwards, Bush and Flood. Schroeder thinks Miller and Vuglar will give Central another strong top five.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Niki Lydon (10th season).

Last year’s finish: Fifth.

Top returners: Kristina Aubert, sr.; Marianne Collard, jr.; Nina Wajrowski, jr.; Erica Boorom, jr.; Lauren Keogh, so.; Sara Lejsner, so.

Top newcomers: Hannah Mitre, fr.; Gaby Garay, fr.; Emma O’Hara, fr.

Noteworthy: Aubert and Collard will be among the top runners in most races this season, but the Gators might lack the depth behind them to become a contender.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Tom Smith (30th season).

Last year’s finish: Fourth.

Top returners: Claira Himmel, jr.; Monique Robinson, jr.; Katie Gross, jr.; Emily Caliendo, sr.

Top newcomers: Allison Beck, so.; Natalie Himmel, fr.

Noteworthy: Kelsey Seiler, who graduated, will be sorely missed for her talent and leadership. The Chargers won the Class 3A Woodstock Regional last year, and Claira Himmel, Robinson, Gross and Caliendo played big roles for that team.

Huntley

Coach: Dana Burner (third season).

Last year’s finish: Second.

Top returners: Haley Loprieno, jr.; Delanie Dineen, jr.; Sara Scarbro, so.; Emily Kahl, so.

Top newcomer: Marilyn
McDougall, jr.

Noteworthy: The Red Raiders return a strong nucleus with Loprieno, Scarbro and Kahl. The problem is that Amy Kahl, Emily’s twin, recently had an appendectomy and will miss part of the season. If she returns later in the season and can run near top form, Huntley should be a contender for the FVC title.

Jacobs

Coach: Kevin Christian (third season).

Last year’s finish: Ninth.

Top returners: Jenn Tomany, jr.; Marcie Orjuela, so.; Monica Orjuela, jr.; Monique Marchwainy, sr.; Emmy Makridakis, sr.

Top newcomers: Susan Piotrowski, jr.; Sam Baran, fr.; Soryia Sabir, jr.

Noteworthy: Christian said Piotrowski has been the team’s best runner in workouts and the front-runner his team has needed for a couple of years. Marchwainy, Makridakis and Baran could help the Golden Eagles move up in the FVC standings.

Johnsburg

Coach: Chris Setzler (14th year).

Last year’s finish: 10th.

Top returners: Kelly McNeely, so.; Nell Langner, jr.; Danielle Slivka, sr.; Megan Lopez, sr.; Haley Moulis, jr.

Top newcomers: Melissa
McDonald, sr.; A.J. Conant, fr.

Noteworthy: McNeely was a Class 2A All-State runner in the 3,200-meter run in track, and Langner was an All-FVC runner last season. The numbers (12 girls on the team) are the best they have been for a while.

McHenry

Coach: Jim Wheeler (ninth season).

Last year’s finish: Eighth.

Top returners: Lizzy Gray, sr.;
Annie Foland, so.; Monserrat Yeverino, sr.; Rachel Broderick, so.

Top newcomers: Mariah Garcia, jr.; Quin Rogers, fr.; Liz Weber, fr.; Ashley Ernst, jr.

Noteworthy: Broderick took 34th last season for the Warriors’ top finish in the FVC Meet. Wheeler said his team is small on numbers this season.

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Kelly MacDonald (12th season).

Last year’s finish: Seventh.

Top returners: Amanda Marwitz, sr.; Kyra Saley, sr.; Genna Hempen, jr.; Sam Nirva, jr.; Keri Rassmussen, jr.

Noteworthy: The Wolves have their top four runners returning from last season and could benefit in the postseason from dropping to Class 2A.

Woodstock

Coach: Marty Sobczak (29th year).

Last year’s finish: First.

Top returners: Elise Beattie, sr.; Kayla Beattie, jr.; Jenny Baier, so.; Natasha Hutchens, jr.; Sonja Hutchens, jr.; Haley Jacobs, jr.; Shannon Wise, jr.; Nicole Rhino, sr.

Top newcomers: Hannah Jacobs, fr.; Erin Sarich, fr.

Noteworthy: Woodstock lost junior Mary Kelley with Woodstock North starting its varsity team this season, but the Beatties will throw down low numbers in every race, so the Blue Streaks still could be one of the area’s top teams.

Woodstock North

Coach: Bruce Farris (first year).

Key runners: Mary Kelley, jr.; Nancy Julio, so.; Carly Belt, so.; Carmen Wilke, jr.; Madison Fant, fr.

Noteworthy: Kelley and Wilke ran for Woodstock’s varsity team last season. Kelley finished 11th in the FVC Meet and will provide a strong No. 1 runner and good leadership.

Big Northern

Conference

Hampshire

Coach: Patti Nihells (seventh season).

Last year’s finish: Seventh.

Top returners: Holly Plichta, sr.; Tiffany Phu, sr.; Rachel Neisendorf, sr.; Chelsey Fulbright, sr.; Margaret Wians, sr.; Caitlin Gass, sr.

Top newcomers: Liz Sicheri, so.; Cassie Kruse, so.; Bailey Leggo, jr.; Marissa Carrozza, so. 

Noteworthy: Plichta was ninth in the Class 2A State Cross Country Meet last year. Phu, Sicheri and Kruse were part of the Whip-Purs’ 4x800 relay team that took seventh in the Class 2A State Track and Field Meet in the spring.

Harvard

Coach: Jason Pedersen (fourth season).

Last year’s finish: Eighth.

Top returners: Denise Cisneros, sr.; Brittany Carr, sr.

Top newcomers: Shawn Widmayer, sr.; Ingrid Rendon, sr.; Kassidy Owens, fr.

Noteworthy: Cisneros will be looked to for leadership as a fourth-year varsity runner. Carr will be looking to improve from her junior season, in which she qualified for the Class 1A sectionals.

Marengo

Coach: R.J. Meyer (first season).

Last year’s finish: Did not have a full team.

Top returners: Ava Henning, jr.; Payton Meyers, so.

Top newcomers: Katie Sprague, jr.; Katie Adams, fr.

Noteworthy: The Indians graduated All-State runner Sarah Sprague, but freshman Katie Adams will step in and assume the No. 1 spot on the team.

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Keith Forth (10th season).

Last year’s finish: Fifth.

Top returners: Sidney Wilkins, jr.; Alaina Lancaster, jr.; Erin Naffziger, jr.; Sam Wilkins, so.

Top newcomer: Skyler Bayer, fr.

Noteworthy: Lindsey Wilkins graduated after taking third in the Class 2A Cross Country State Meet. Forth doesn’t think this team has any stars, but it might have better depth than in past years. The Rockets have 15 girls out for the team, the most in program history.

Suburban Christian Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Cass Creighton (first season).

Last year’s finish: Fourth.

Top returners: Julia Young, sr.; Teresa Manion, sr.; Allie Manning, jr.; Stephanie Carran, jr.

Top newcomers: Charlotte
Buettner, so.; Meg Van Der Bosch, fr.

Noteworthy: Along with the returning runners, Creighton likes several freshmen who have come out and have potential for the next few years.

– Joe Stevenson

jstevenson@nwherald.comSFlb