Last season, Maine South boys' cross-country coach Greg Nordahl predicted his team would finish in the top 10 at the Class 3A state meet.
He was close – the team finished 13th without its top runner.
This season, a lot of experience and talent is back for the Hawks.
Senior Reese Jordan, the team's top runner last season, suffered an injured foot in the postseason. But even with that setback, he still ran in the sectional meet to get the team to the state meet. He also was seventh in the Class 3A 1,600-meter run last year.
“This summer has been a fantastic summer for him – no issues or problems,” Nordahl said in an email interview. “He has led all workouts, his foot is healed, and he is going to be an all-state athlete.”
The other top runners are expected to be seniors Brian Shanahan and Alex Ortwig and juniors Brandon Christopher and Jake Mellema.
“If we are fortunate enough to remain healthy we will again make it to state and we will be top 10,” Nordahl said. “Our (one through four) are better than last year, and we have some good competition in (five through seven) that will make us strong.”
SCHAUMBURG
New girls' coach Kristen Zillmer has one of the state's top runners to work with, as Saxons junior Madison Marasco is coming off placing 16th at the Class 3A state meet and fourth in the sectional meet.
“She is a very hard-working young lady. She comes to practice every day ready to work hard and is always wondering what things she can do to become better,” Zillmer said in an email interview. “Madison puts in a lot of extra time and is very dedicated to the sport. As a result, she is in great shape for this time of the year and is eager to start competing.”
The coach said all the members of the team's top-seven runners who took second in the regional are back, Zillmer said, with freshmen Katie Smith and Victoria Treni possibly making an impact.
MAINE EAST
The Blue Demons girls' team finished third in the Central Suburban League and has two all-conference performers in senior Kajal Modi and sophomore Kayla Gregorio.
Other top returners are senior Hannah Flood and juniors Keren Parra and Laura Pokorski.
“We don't have a very large team, but what we have is quality,” coach Scott Schultes said in an email interview. “The girls are working hard and will see great improvement throughout the season.”
MAINE WEST
Seniors Lesley Bux and Brooke Gorski and sophomores Danica Roque and Jocelyn Pantoja are the top returners from last year's girls' squad. Other 2015 letterwinners back this season are sophomores Sarah Magnoni and Vanessa Reyes, juniors Karina Estrada and Nicole Palarz, and senior Cynthia Olivar.
“Although we have a smaller team this year the new runners are really doing a great job logging in the miles," coach Andrew Trotter said in an email interview.
The runners are coming off a strong summer running program, which will benefit the regular season. One of our team goals: be competitive in conference and get at least three all-conference runners.
On the boys' team, the top returners are seniors Cesar Soria and Richard Sevcic, and juniors Derek Pace, Angel Soria, Vrutik Patel and Donny Johnson.
“We will be thin at the varsity level, but hope to be improved from last year's team which finished sixth in the (Central Suburban League) North,” Trotter said. “We have our best freshmen group in several years, so we should be better down the line.”
Note: Not all information requests were returned by press time.
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