A preview of the IHSA Regional Meet from Michael Newman of DyeStat-IL:
Girls – 10:00 AM
The top two UEC teams #4 Batavia and #8 Geneva were only separated by 5 points at last week’s conference meet. It should be that close as the 2 teams face each other on the new course at Leroy Oaks Forest Preserve. Batavia’s had to come from behind in the last half of the race last week to earn the win. In looking back at past regional meets, it is possible that Geneva will not run all of their top 7 in this race. St. Charles North, St. Charles East, and Bartlett should advance out of this sectional. The individual race should be a repeat of last week’s conference meet with top 3 finishers McKenzie Altmayer (Geneva HS), Emma Stephens (Batavia HS), and Audrey Ernst (St. Charles North HS) leading the front pack.
Boys – 11:00 AM
UEC Champion #12 St. Charles East and CCL Champion #14 Marmion Academy should be close in the team competition. Marmion put 5 runners in the top 17 led by top 5 finishes by Michael Ronzone and Andrew Burroughs. Their top 5 split in that race was 38 seconds. The key for success for St. Charles East is getting their top four ahead of Marmion’s #3 runner in order to win this meet. St. Charles East only had a 24 second split last week on 5 in winning their conference meet. #21 Geneva has continued to improve finishing 2nd behind the Saints last week at the UEC. They had a 31 second split on 5 led by Tyler Lau that could put them in the regional championship conversation. East Aurora, Batavia, and St Charles North could be among the final 3 teams qualifying for sectionals. UEC champion Connor McCue should be the individual favorite in this meet.