2012 IHSA 3A Cross Country

[DVC76]

Camps are kicking off and summer training is starting. Lets get the discussion going. Teamwise and individuals.

Who are the favorites, dark horses, who will be the season's big suprises?

[Phenom Man]

Team race will MOST LIKELY be a fight for 2nd and 3rd as York looks to be a huge favorite. After York though, the race is wide open. Whoever can bring in a strong 5th, make their 10:10 runners into 15:20 runners, and put in big summer miles has a chance to trophy. At this point, you can't count any team out of the race, and you certainly can't name any team the 2nd and 3rd best team right now.

Individual race is a much closer matchup in front, but the early favorite has to be Jack Keelan. After him, Alex Riba and Patrick Perrier will provide a strong challenge. They won't be challenged much midseason and can focus on the peaking for the state meet. The front runners from York will also challenge strongly. Milling got 15th last year, and despite a track season without any real breakout race, I think he can challenge for the state title. However, despite Milling being the number one runner for York last year, you can't deny that Nathan Mroz's improvement has been great and should contend to be the number one runner on the team and in the state.

Other runners with good track times could surprise people. Guys like Billy Bund, Quentin Shaffer, and Micah Beller have kinda made a name for themselves in track, but we'll see how it transfers over to cross country. I'll have a full summer preview up later, probably this weekend after I get back from vacation. I won't talk much about my personal predictions. I'm more or less going to cover the returners and returning potential for each team. It's impossible to make good predictions this far out. There is still a whole summer of training, and we all know that summer is where champions are born. There are two trophy spots wide open this year for any team willing to put in the work.

[Leftfielder]

3A Later
2A Cleavenger
1A Schroeder

[ghost]

Originally Posted by Leftfielder

3A Later
2A Cleavenger
1A Schroeder

Like the predictions, they are definately the heavy favorites.

[WUMBO]

Team (spot of returning runner) (score of returning runner)

Palatine (6) (103)
O'Fallon (1,2,6,7) (2,17,72,153)
Neuqua Valley (3,4,7) (34,37,151)
York (1-5) (11,16,23,42,59)
Buffalo Grove (4,6,7) (35,149,165)
Mt. Prospect (1,2,7) (15,33,100)
Sandburg (1,6) (24,77)
Barrington (2,4,5,6,7) (18,85,124,126,137)
St. Charles North (3,5,6) (70,91,131)
Naperville North (1,2,4,5,6) (20,48,75,96,122)
New Trier (3,5,6) (74,116,120)
Lake Zurich (3,4,6,7) (79,94,115,147)
Minooka (1,3) (12,82)
Aurora West (2,4,6,7) (43,81,154,162)
Lyons (1-5,7) (40,67,76,90,101,113)
Hinsdale Central (1,5) (50,104)
Wheaton North(3,4,6,7) (89,97,129,160)
Loyola (3,5,7) (11,130,146)
Niles West (6,7) (172,174)
Plainfield South (2,4,5,6,7) (60,93,121,138,139)
Lane Tech (2,4,5) (36,133,148)
Plainfield East(2,3,4,5) (78,92,110,125)
Wheaton Warrenville South (1,2,4) (41,45,119)
Edwardsville (2,5,6) (127,171,176)
Lincoln Way Central (1-7) (88,117,159,161,164,166,173)
Pekin (1,2,3,4,6,7) (168,169,170,179,180)

Other teams to watch for are : Fremd, Maine South, Downers Grove North

York - Clear favorite
O'Fallon - Riba and Perrier should both be top 10
Naperville North - I think that they return 5 of their 7 from last year
Lyons - Return all but their 6th from the state meet
Barrington - Return 5
Neuqeua Valley - Return 3
Mt. Prospect - Have their top 2 from state last year also their 7th
Plainfield South - Return 5 runners

[Col Crunch]

3A
1 O'Fallen
2 Naperville North
3 Mystery Team
4 York
5 Aurora West

2A
BN

1A
St. Thomas More

at NXNMW
1. Indiana
2. BN
3. York (wildcard to finals)

[runxc94]

Darkhourse pick to be all state will be Alex Mimlitz of York. If he can stay healthy he is a huge threat this kid has insane talent and is at a program that can make up for all the time he's missed. Also Marcello Burbano of Lane Tech could make the jump he was 50th last year at the state meet with a time of 15:16. 15:00 is usually the standared for 3A all state and him making a jump like that is very possible.

[Phenom Man]

Originally Posted by WUMBO

Team (spot of returning runner) (score of returning runner)

Palatine (6) (103)
O'Fallon (1,2,6,7) (2,17,72,153)
Neuqua Valley (3,4,7) (34,37,151)
York (1-5) (11,16,23,42,59)
Buffalo Grove (4,6,7) (35,149,165)
Mt. Prospect (1,2,7) (15,33,100)
Sandburg (1,6) (24,77)
Barrington (2,4,5,6,7) (18,85,124,126,137)
St. Charles North (3,5,6) (70,91,131)
Naperville North (1,2,4,5,6) (20,48,75,96,122)
New Trier (3,5,6) (74,116,120)
Lake Zurich (3,4,6,7) (79,94,115,147)
Minooka (1,3) (12,82)
Aurora West (2,4,6,7) (43,81,154,162)
Lyons (1-5,7) (40,67,76,90,101,113)
Hinsdale Central (1,5) (50,104)
Wheaton North(3,4,6,7) (89,97,129,160)
Loyola (3,5,7) (11,130,146)
Niles West (6,7) (172,174)
Plainfield South (2,4,5,6,7) (60,93,121,138,139)
Lane Tech (2,4,5) (36,133,148)
Plainfield East(2,3,4,5) (78,92,110,125)
Wheaton Warrenville South (1,2,4) (41,45,119)
Edwardsville (2,5,6) (127,171,176)
Lincoln Way Central (1-7) (88,117,159,161,164,166,173)
Pekin (1,2,3,4,6,7) (168,169,170,179,180)

Other teams to watch for are : Fremd, Maine South, Downers Grove North

York - Clear favorite
O'Fallon - Riba and Perrier should both be top 10
Naperville North - I think that they return 5 of their 7 from last year
Lyons - Return all but their 6th from the state meet
Barrington - Return 5
Neuqeua Valley - Return 3
Mt. Prospect - Have their top 2 from state last year also their 7th
Plainfield South - Return 5 runners

Add Niles North, Geneva, and Lake Park to your teams to watch.

[Fitzxc27]

Originally Posted by Col Crunch

5 Aurora West

I admire your commitment to the WA bandwagon.

My very poorly thought out rankings for now:
1a. York
1b. O'Fallon
3a. Naper North
3b. Neuqua Valley (not returning as much, but they'll find a way)
5. Lyons
6. Barrington
7. Prospect
8+. everyone else

[Col Crunch]

Originally Posted by Fitzxc27

I admire your commitment to the WA bandwagon.

There is still room for more.

Go Tomcats...err... Wildcats? I think it is some kind of cat... Thundercats?