A cooperating weather forecast as well as great fields should mean fast times in Palatine

By Michael Newman

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Winter is over. Spring is here we hope.

The weather should be advantageous for the runners scheduled to compete at the third edition of the Distance Night in Palatine will be looking for fast times. Some of the fastest distance runners from Illinois with some class runners from Wisconsin are ready to run fast after two weeks of less than spring-like temperatures the past two Saturdays.

Here is a look at each of the events that will take place Saturday night. The first race at Chic Anderson Stadium on Palatine High School’s Campus will begin at 7:00 PM. The championship races will start at 9:00 PM.

Meet Website | Meet Program

Girls Distance Medley

Meet Record – 2016 – Yorkville – 12:42.01

2018 US Outdoor Best – Oak Ridge CA – 11:42.85

Preview – The meet record should fall in this event. Naperville North has loaded up their lineup with a 12:15 seed time. Claire Hill, Alex Morris. Hannah Ricci, and Sarah Schmitt have the talent to dip under 12-minutes in this race. All four will be running individual races earlier in the day at the Sue Pariseau Invitational at Glenbard West.

Hoffman Estates, Dunlap, and Batavia are all seeded under 13-minutes. These three teams should be fighting for the second spot. It is hard to see anyone catching the Lady Huskies Saturday night.

Boys Distance Medley

Meet Record – 2017 – Shepard – 10:30.30

2018 US Outdoor Best – Great Oak CA – 10:10.64

Preview – Three teams from the tough WSC-Silver Conference should challenge for the event championship with all three of those teams under the meet record. 3A State Cross Country champion Downers Grove North has loaded their team in this event with Jacob Ridderhoff, Brendan Lockerby, Ryan Birkmeier, and Miles Christensen part of the Trojans’ quartet.

York could be a surprise in this race with Charlie Kern, Jackson Bode, Daniel Klysh, and Sean MacGregor part of their group. Hinsdale Central was a last-minute entry and should challenge these two teams up front with Alec Hill, Colin Yandel, Neil Cumberland, and Sean O’Connell part of the group for the Red Devils. Any of these three teams could win running under 10:20.

Also keep an eye on Normal University, Mundelein, Hersey, and Whitney Young that could challenge for a top three spot if one of the front running team falters.

Girls 800 Meter Run

Meet Record – 2017 – Stephanie Kriss, Highland Park – 2:12.83

2018 US Outdoor Best – Caitlin Collier, The Bolles School FL – 2:04.87

2018 Illinois Best – Madison Marasco, Schaumburg – 2:11.44 (Indoors)

Preview – Highland Park’s Stephanie Kriss was the surprise in this race last year as she ran a meet record 2:12.83 in the second of the three race sections. The sophomore enters the event with the third fastest time in the state indoors or outdoors when she ran 2:11.83 to finish third at Illinois Top Times 3A race. With Madison Marasco concentrating on the 1600 Meter Run in this meet along with Enyaeva Michelin and Katelynne Hart not attending this meet, all eyes will be on Kriss.

Rachel Hickey of LaSalle-Peru controlled the pace in winning the last section of the race and finishing second overall. She won the Illinois Top Times 2A race running 2:16.50. Hickey is stronger than she was last year. A time in the 2:12’s would not be a surprise from this senior. Gillian Fiene of Illiana Christian finished just behind Hickey at Illinois Top Times and could challenge for the win. New Trier’s Savannah Noethlich & Marne Sullivan along with Neuqua Valley’s Mikenna Robinson have the speed to challenge up front for the win.

Section 2 of this event could see a runner under 2:15 as it is led by Anna Miller of Hoffman Estates, Bella Pisani of Hinsdale Central, and Payne Turney of Clinton.

Boys 800 Meter Run

Meet Record – 2017 – Arthur Santoro Jones College Prep – 1:54.86

2018 US Outdoor Best – Luis Peralta, Passaic NJ – 1:50.62

2018 Illinois Best – Quemarii Williams, Danville – 1:55.39

Preview – The win in the championship section of this event could come down to has the best kick with the meet record in jeopardy. A winning time under 1:54 is a possibility. Wes York of Waubonsie Valley is the leading returnee finishing second in this race a year ago. York likes to pick off his competition on the second lap. We will see if he can move up a spot in this year’s race. Riley Wells of Rockford Christian is the defending 1A state champion and could be the one runner to watch. He has a ferocious finish (one of the best in the state) and could push this race under last year’s record time (1:54.86).

Grant Jensen of Prairie Ridge has a 1:53 personal best along with a seasonal best of 1:57.41 at the Illinois Top Times Championships. He will be a threat in this race. Argo’s Alvaro Barajas is coming off a strong race last week at the Urbana Open where he ran 1:56.23. He could take that time lower in this race. Another runner that could be a factor in the end should be Geneseo’s Nick Swartzendruber. He has a best of 1:56.78 along with 400-meter speed under 50 seconds. Brandon Schnitker of Nashville and Ed Worthem of Fremd are two of a huge pack that could find themselves near the front possibly near 1:55.

Girls 3200 Meter Run

Meet Record – 2016 – Dakota Roman, Batavia – 10:42.38

2018 US Outdoor Best – Katelynne Hart, Glenbard West – 10:02.56

2018 Illinois Best – Katelynne Hart, Glenbard West – 10:02.56

Preview – One of the most intriguing events to watch on Saturday night. There are six runners that have run faster than 11-minutes in the championship section at this distance. Melissa Manetsch of Libertyville has the top seed time (10:46.13) having run that last season at the state meet. Manetsch is coming off a 10:48.40 time in winning the Illinois Top Times Championship in March.

It is wide-open after that. 2A State Cross Country Champion Jenna Schwartz of Waterloo ran 10:57.01 in this race last year. She has run 11:03.46 at this distance as well as 5:06.52 for 1600-meters. She is ready to drop her PR down into the 10:40’s for this race. Dunlap “wonder-freshman” Campbell Petersen ran 10:57.07 last week in winning at Bloomington and is also capable of winning this race. Petersen’s teammate Ayah Aldadah ran under 11-minutes in this race last year. We could see the same type of effort in this race.

Argo’s Abby Lopez is the mystery heading into this meet. The sophomore has only run this distance three times at this distance with her best at 10:56.11 at the end of February. It would not be a surprise if she wins this race. Judah Christian’s Laura Krasa ran a “solo” 11:10.81 in winning the 1A race at the Illinois Top Times Championships. It will be interesting to see how much faster she runs with a pack around her. Brenna Cohoon of Downers Grove South ran under 11-minutes in this race last year and will certainly be near the front.

Palatine’s Kate Lechowicz and Anne Marie Jordan, Belvidere North’s Gianna Sagona, and Yorkville’s Alyssa Edwards and Olivia Borowiak are runners that we could see under 11-minutes as well as fighting for top five finishes. The meet record of 10:42.38 could fall in this race especially with the talent in this field.

Boys 3200 Meter Run

Meet Record – 2017 – Clayton Mendez, Whitney Young – 8:59.46

2018 US Outdoor Best – Michael Mooney, Broomfield CO – 8:50.96

2018 Illinois Best – Danny Kilrea, Lyons Township – 8:56.84

Preview – The excitement was in this race last year as Clayton Mendez went under 9-minutes for the first time to set the meet record as well as winning this race. Matthew Meinke of Neenah WI could have his sight on a faster time. The junior finished his indoor season on a high note earning All-American honors twice at the New Balance Indoor Nationals twice finishing fourth at 5000-meters and fifth in the 2 Mile Run with a 9:06.37. This is his first outdoor race of the season. We could see a sub-nine from him in this race.

There is plenty of Illinois talent in this race despite that the big four (Kilrea, Mendez, Jacobs, Kinne) are not in this race. Conor Perreault of Niles North is having a great senior season with his last race a win at Illinois Top Times. The senior ran 9:15 in that race. We could see him run faster on Saturday. Charlie Parrish of Freeburg has come on strong having run 6:09.78 in the 2000 Meter Steeplechase as well as 9:17.74 at Arcadia in this distance two weeks ago. Parrish is running with greater confidence making him a bigger threat in this race.

Tommy Brady of Maine South ran 9:17.81 at Illinois Top Times and is ready to drop under 9:10. Tyler Cushing of Bolingbrook was one of the surprises at this distance during the indoor season and could be one of the runners pushing the pace up front. It would not be a surprise if Jack McNabola of Francis Parker is up front in this race. He finished third in the 1A Illinois Top Times race and could be in the top three in this meet.

Mathias Powell of Mahomet-Seymour ran under 9:20 indoors and will be a threat in the front. Matthew Blanco of Oswego East, Brett Gardner of Lincoln-Way East, and Josh Methner of Hersey are some of the runners to watch near the front in this race.

Girls 1600 Meter Run

Meet Record – 2016 – Megan Biddle, Hoffman Estates – 4:54.29

2018 US Outdoor Best – Caitlin Collier, The Bolles School – 4:47.47

2018 Illinois Best – Katelynne Hart, Glenbard West – 4:43.81 (converted from 1 Mile Indoors)

Preview – It’s hard to know where to start for this preview of this event. The field in the last section of this race is state quality. Pick a name from the 16 runners that will toe the line. Any of them could win.

Olivia Niziolek of Maine South is the defending champion in this event having run 4:54.85 in that race. She did not race indoors but started her season running 5:12.73 last week at Wheaton North. Jocelyn Long of Barrington will be near the front with seed time of 4:57.97. She showed that she is ready for this race having run 10:39 for 3200-meters last week at Barrington. Peyton Sippy of Janesville Craig WI will be a runner to watch. She ran 5:00.21 to finish fourth at last year’s Wisconsin D1 State Meet. She has the talent capable of winning.

Madison Marasco of Schaumburg only has a 5:03.51 best from last year’s race but could be a factor in this race. She does have that 2:11.44 time on her resume for 800-meters making her a threat if she is in position entering the final lap. Grace McCabe of Hinsdale Central is another runner to watch. She runs smart waiting for the right time to make her move. She ran 5:01.06 indoors in winning Batavia Distance Madness but does have that 4:57.39 for a full mile last June at Magis Miles that could make her a difference maker in this race. Isabelle Christiansen of Oswego is healthy after a cross-country season littered with injuries. She has run 4:59.45 at this distance and will not be a surprise if she is in front at the end of this race.

Corinna Pena of Neuqua Valley is having a great final high school season having run 4:59.45 indoors. She could go under five-minutes in this race. Freshman Marianne Mihas of Latin School ran 5:01.27 at the Florida State Relays in March and could be close to the front in this race. Samantha Poglitsch of Wheaton-Warrenville South is another freshman to watch. She has been dropping her time in every race with a 5:04 indoors and defeating Niziolek last week at Wheaton North. Keep an eye on her in this race.

The quality continues with Madison Diercks of Belvidere North, Taylor Frommer of Hononegah, Katherine Olsen of DeKalb, Isabelle Sparreo of Stevenson, Erin Reidy of Downers Grove South, and Franny Verville of Dunlap all in this concluding section of this event. Audrey Ernst of St. Charles North is finally healthy having missed cross-country season due to an injury. She ran 5:04 indoors. Ernst could be a surprise in this race.

We could see a sub-five in the second section with a top-flight field headed by Yorkville’s Emily Eberhart & Helena Kleronomos along with Lauren Katz of Vernon Hills.

Boys 1600 Meter Run

Meet Record – 2016 – Sean Torpy, Sandburg – 4:08.64

2018 US Outdoor Best – Jericho Cleveland, Volcano Vista NM – 4:09.81

2018 Illinois Best – Zach Kinne, Neuqua Valley – 4:15.47 (Indoors)

Preview – Again, where do we start in describing this Boys race. This field is loaded with top runners from Illinois and Wisconsin in the last field. Danny Kilrea of Lyons Township and Clayton Mendez of Whitney Young are the class of this field and are running their first 1600 of the outdoor season. They showed their fitness level at Arcadia two weeks ago with Kilrea running 8:56 and Mendez running 9:00 for 3200-meters. Mendez has a 4:11.68 personal best from last year’s Midwest Distance Classic win. Kilrea ran 4:12.68 at last June’s Magis Miles. Drew Bosley of Homestead WI is fitness ready having run 8:59 at Arcadia and one of the many runners will be factors in this race.

Jacob Gebhardt of Sterling has the top seed time of 4:09.10 and will be a factor in the front. He ran 4:14.51 to finish fourth in this race last year. We could see him run faster than that time on Saturday night. Jared Schuckman of Normal University has a 4:13.06 personal best entering this meet. Ansiel Fellman of Kenosha Bradford WI ran 4:19.38 two weeks ago at Wisconsin’s Indoor State Meet and ran 4:16.56 at the Lake Michigan Invitational in March. He will be one of the many runners to watch in the front.

The class of 1A Illinois runners are in this field with Wyatt McIntyre of Athens and Logan Hall of Arthur-Lovington ready to run under 4:16 in this race. Fox Valley Conference rivals Jack Becker of Crystal Lake South and Zach Albrecht of Jacobs should also be close to that 4:16 time. Thomas Shilgalis of Naperville Central ran 4:18.42 at Stanford at the end of March. He will be near the front in this race.

Don’t overlook Sam Rivera of Whitney Young and Charles Harders of Lyons Township. Both had good indoor seasons. Both could sneak up on the others in this field in this race. Sean Maison of Wheaton-Warrenville South ran 4:18.98 to win at Batavia Distance Madness in March. His time could go lower in this race. Anthony Hurgoi of Dundee-Crown should surpass his 4:20.16 personal best in this race. Caleb Easton of Middleton WI was one of the top runners of his team this fall that made it to the Nike Cross Nationals. I would watch for him in this race.

The second section of this race should also be powerful with a winning time of 4:18 or faster possible. Austin Knight of Carterville and Rory Cavan of Glenbard West are the top two seeds in that race. Also watch the Freshman 1600 Meter Run race as York’s Colin Hill, Ryan Bloomquist of Janesville Craig WI, and Mathew Olech of Harvest Christian Academy are the top three seeds. They could come close to the 4:28.67 meet record that York’s Ethan Kern established last year.