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Maine South, New Trier sending both of their teams to state
Skokie Saturday 10-27-12 Sectional winner #52 Madeline Perez from Glenbard West leads second place finisher York's #297 Emma Fisher is the girl's sectional cross country race at Niles West HS in Skokie Saturday afternoon. | Kevin Tanaka for~Sun-Times Media.
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SKOKIE — Defending Class 3A girls cross country champion New Trier is heading back to the state meet next week, but not as sectional champs.
The Trevians (68 points) were edged out by Glenbard West (60) at Saturday’s Niles West Sectional. Lake Park (75), York (134) and Maine South (138) rounded out the list of automatic qualifiers for state, which takes place Nov. 3 at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.
New Trier senior Courtney Ackerman was her team’s highest finisher (fourth, 17 minutes, 13.17 seconds), sophomore Mimi Smith was sixth (17:27.67) and senior Jessica Ackerman was ninth (17:38.94).
“Glenbard West and Lake Park are extremely tough,” New Trier coach John Burnside said. “We’ve had a hard time beating them all season. We knew what we were getting ourselves into (at sectional). But we’d much rather see them now and get in there and see what everybody has and where we need to improve. The last thing you want to do is coast into the state meet. We know we have to be better.”
Other Pioneer Press-area individual state qualifiers included Fenwick sophomore Olivia Ryan (seventh, 17:27.89), Oak Park-River Forest junior Erin Schrobilgen (12th, 18:02.91), Glenbrook North senior Valerie Bobart (13th, 18:19.39) Fenwick junior Briana Daley (14th, 18:23.80), Oak Park-River Forest senior Haley Thompson (22nd, 18:41.84) and Glenbrook North senior Katherine Weber (28th, 18:48.69).
On the boys side, York (29) easily captured the title, as its runners came in second, third, fourth and fifth.
Maine South was second (70 points), New Trier came in third (119), Lane placed fourth (165) and Glenbard West was fifth (168) to earn the state meet berths.
St. Ignatius senior Jack Keelan won the race (14:44.86).
The top Pioneer Press-area finisher was Maine South senior Jon Vaccaro (sixth, 15:17.74), whose Hawks squad heads to state after narrowly missing out last season.
“Our goal is to be a top-five team with a chance for a trophy (top three),” Maine South head coach Greg Nordahl said.
Other Pioneer Press-area qualifiers were Niles North senior Micah Beller (ninth, 15:27.81) and Glenbrook North senior Dan Cheung (13th, 15:43.57).
Pick up your local Pioneer Press newspaper on Thursday to read more about the Class 3A cross country state meet.
