INSIDE CROSS
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Athletes of the Week

Calvin Quarterman

McHenry, jr.

Quarterman took 16th at the Peoria Central Invitational to lead the Warriors to second place in the 55-team meet.

Quarterman ran 15:13 on the Detweiller Park course, which will host the IHSA State Cross Country Meet next month.

York won the team title with 117 points. McHenry had 158 points to take second, 30 points ahead of third-place Rolling Meadows.

Katie Adams

Marengo, jr.

Adams won Antioch’s Pat Harland Invitational race Saturday at Fox River Park in Silver Lake, Wis., to lead the Indians to first place as a team.

Adams’ time of 18:42 was only 4 seconds off her course record set in 2009. Indians coach R.J. Meyer said Adams was cruising in the first half of the race before she took off. Meyers said Adams felt if she had pushed it harder earlier in the race, she easily could have broken her own record.

“Katie’s running like she did as a freshman when she beat [Woodstock’s] Kayla Beattie at the regional,” Meyer said. “She’s a much stronger runner now. She’s healthy and doing everything right. It’s going to be fun watching her finish this season.”

Beattie won the Class 2A state championship in 2009 and 2010. Adams was the only runner to finish ahead of Beattie in that postseason series.

Noteworthy

Marengo rolling: Marengo’s girls team qualified for the Class 2A state meet and won the Big Northern Conference title for the first time last season. Meyer said he thinks this team is even better.

Adams and sophomore Allie Sprague lead the way, but the Nos. 3 through 7 spots are deeper than last year’s team. Freshman Lexi Olson has been running third, usually followed by Paige Malinowski and Katie St. Clair. Freshmen Kitty Allen and Claire Cowan round out the top seven.

“Our [Nos.] 4 through 7 runners have been a good pack,” Meyer said. “Katie and Allie have been running together the first part of the race, then Katie figures when it’s time to take off. But Allie keeps up with her real well.”

Meyer said if the Indians stay healthy, they should be able to repeat in the BNC. They also should have a great shot to qualify for state again.

In September, Marengo took second in Class 2A at the Peoria Woodruff Invitational, which is run at Detweiller Park, the site of the IHSA State Cross Country Meet. The Indians plan on making a return trip next month.

This week’s top meet

Harvard Invitational

10 a.m., Rush Creek Forest Preserve

Crystal Lake South (boys), Hampshire, Faith Lutheran and the host Hornets are the local teams competing in the relay race. Two-person teams run two legs each of 1.5 miles, then the scores are added together for team scores.

“We encourage creativity with batons,” Harvard coach Brett Willhoit said. “We hand out awards for the most creative batons. Typically, this meet is a week before everyone’s conference meets, so it’s a fun way to end the regular season.”

– Joe Stevenson

joestevenson@shawmedia.com