St. Thomas More is continuing its run to the destiny the cross-country program is seeking.
"Since I walked into the STM doors, this is definitely the team I was hoping to get to," third-year Sabers coach David Behm said.
A year ago, St. Thomas More enjoyed its best season — to date — in boys' cross-country, placing fourth in the Class 1A state meet.
Champion Mount Zion and runner-up Unity had five seniors running among the top five positions. Third-place Monticello had four seniors among its five scoring runners.
Behm's Sabers had one senior in the lineup. Six of the top seven from last year are back.
When last year's state meet concluded, the Sabers' goals were set.
"It was in our minds, we wanted to be in position where we are racing for a state tile," Behm said. "That's what our goal is. It certainly helped them to run (at state) the way we ran."
Others recognize the potential. In the first issuance of the state rankings this week, dyestat.com placed the target on the back of the Sabers, ranking the boys' team No. 1 in Class 1A.
All-stater Nick Hess is back and is a junior. He is part of what could be a tight four-runner pack at the top of the order.
"Any of our top four can be in contention to win some races," Behm said. "It will be interesting to see who is up front."
Based on last year's state finish, Hess would be followed by senior Sean Kelley, junior Sam Powers and senior Jacob Helfrich.
"Oddly enough, all of our top four have held or currently hold a school record at a distance event," Behm said.
Hess owns the top cross-country time as well as the 1,600 and 3,200 marks in track. Powers has the 800-meter record on the track.
Other state cross-country veterans back include junior Brendan Remington and junior Christian Wilson. Two talented freshmen, Josh Stricklan and David Horn, are trying to find a spot in the varsity lineup, though Behm said "they have some developing to do."
After a breakout sophomore season, Helfrich suffered through an injury-plagued junior year.
"Last year, he ran with a torn ligament (in his foot)," Behm said. "He has gotten good, solid training in, and we're taking care of that foot.
"He has been a front-runner since fifth grade. He's a tough kid but getting the mental part back is the big thing for him."
For all of his squad members, Behm emphasized not to overtrain.
"What I preach is go out and run a consistent 40 or 50 miles (weekly), rather than 70 and then have to sit out with injuries," he said. "We spent the summer getting in a consistent number of miles."
Besides a strong corps of five juniors, there's strength in the freshman class, where there are six more prospects.
St. Thomas More will be one of more than a dozen schools competing in Saturday's Chrisman Cowchip Classic. The first race will start at 9 a.m.
Deja vu
When St. Joseph-Ogden won both of its boys' cross-country state championships (1991 and 1992) and its only girls' cross-country state crown (1990), the head coach was Jim Acklin.
Now the school's superintendent, Acklin also is returning as the head coach. He is in charge of the Spartans' boys' team. Kristin Allen is the SJ-O girls' coach.
Acklin has six lettermen on his roster, including four of the team's top seven from last year's third-place regional team: junior Corey Thompsen, senior Drew Knipfer, junior Braydon Crozier and sophomore Nick Poff.
Interest in the sport is at an all-time high. There are 28 prospects on the boys' team, and Acklin said, "That's as many as I've ever coached."
Among the team's newcomers is senior Jon Crawford, a senior who is projected as a top-seven contributor. Crawford is a former soccer letterman.
For Acklin, his return to coaching has been like Old Home Week.
"Seven athletes (from the boys' or girls' teams) are children of former students," Acklin said, "in some cases, both parents."
Challenging more records
Last year, when he secured all-state honors in Class 3A, Danville's Johnny Leverenz ran the school's all-time best 3-mile time for sophomores (15 minutes, 1 second). This year, he is taking aim on the all-time mark for juniors, a time (14:45) set 36 years ago by Mark Chase. The Vikings' all-time record (14:32), established in 2002 by senior Ricky Alvarez, also could be within his reach.
Meanwhile, his sophomore mark may be in jeopardy. Caleb Hummer has targeted that time.
On the girls' team, senior Kimberly Carter is seeking her fourth consecutive record. In 2009, she set the school record for freshmen (20:07). A year later, Carter established the mark for sophomores at Danville (19:31), and she followed up with the top time as a junior (19:02), which is also the all-time school record.
Freshman Mercedes Elliott, who ran a 5:30 mile time as an eighth-grader, could pass Carter's mark for ninth-graders, and sophomore Emily Cleveland hopes to challenge the mark for 10th-graders.
Chargers on the move
Centennial's boys' team retains four of last year's top five runners. Coach Greg Walters has an abundance of other candidates seeking positions in the top seven.
"In addition to having more runners than varsity spots available, this group has more running knowledge than any team I have previously coached," Walters said. "This is a very serious, dedicated group who has a high fitness level and has set very high goals."
Senior Aaron Miller's fitness level has him on pace for a sub-15:10 time by season's end. Miller's top 3-mile time last season was 15:59.
Bulldogs blend old, new
Mahomet-Seymour's boys' cross-country team returns 15 lettermen, but there's competition for spots beyond the veterans.
Senior Matthew Chupp, sophomore Trevor Hanlon and sophomore Jackson Powell are in cross-country for the first time. In addition, six freshmen are in the mix after helping the eighth-grade team to a fourth-place state finish last fall.
In all, head coach Neal Garrison is working with 26 boys.
Two for one
Bismarck-Henning's eight-member girls' cross-country team features five athletes who are in two fall activities. Maddie Winkler and Brittany Taylor are playing volleyball in addition to running. Becca Winkler is playing soccer for the Hoopeston Area/Bismarck-Henning cooperative team as well as running.
Morgan Morris is a cheerleader, and Ellen Dulin is a Devilette.
Notebook items
Junior Jaki Vipond, the No. 2 runner last year at Urbana Uni High, transferred to Centennial and will be one of the Chargers' top three runners. ... Central's girls' program has increased its roster size from where it was six years ago (four runners) to its current turnout (19 runners). The team leader is junior Hannah Wright, a two-time state qualifier who logged more than 400 training miles during the offseason. ... Prairie Central's numbers have increased from 11 two years ago to 30 this season. ... Clinton junior Hannah Miles has cross-country as one of her three fall activities. She's also in swimming and a cheerleader. ... Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman junior Wyatt Avenatti will try to continue a family tradition. The past four Vermilion County winners were from his family, brother Matt. ... LaSalette, which will hold tryouts Sept. 9, is seeking a threepeat at the North Vermillion (Ind.) Invitational. ... Mahomet-Seymour's girls' team has two returning letter winners, but one is senior Tessa Hanlon, who is sidelined with a stress fracture. ... St. Thomas More's top returning girls' runner, senior Theresa Welle, has her freshman sister, Julia, on the team. They could be the Sabers' top two runners. ... The largest group of runners belongs to the Sullivan/Okaw Valley co-op program. Between the boys' and girls' teams, there are 64 squad members, with at least 14 in each of the four grade levels.
Boys’ Nifty Fifty: Area runners to watch
NAME SCHOOL YR.
Bryant Anderson St. Joseph-Ogden Jr.
Nimesh Avashia Champaign Central Jr.
Wyatt Avenatti Georgetown-RF/Chrisman Jr.
Byron Brinkley Georgetown-RF/Chrisman Sr.
Chase Connelly Bismarck-Henning Jr.
Braydon Crozier St. Joseph-Ogden Jr.
Reis DeSantis Centennial Jr.
Ryan Egerton Rantoul Sr.
Caleb Farnsworth Georgetown-RF/Chrisman Sr.
Jesse Galaway Monticello Jr.
Kyle Gateley Unity Jr.
Nick Godsell Unity Jr.
Emerson Grey Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac Sr.
George Gunter Urbana Uni High Jr.
Jesse Hahne Schlarman Sr.
Andrew Hanselman Monticello Sr.
Jacob Helfrich St. Thomas More Sr.
Nick Hess St. Thomas More Jr.
Anthony Holmes Danville Sr.
Carter Huff Urbana Fr.
Caleb Hummer Danville So.
Grant Iverson Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr.
Josh Johnson Hoopeston Area Sr.
Ryan Johnson Sullivan/Okaw Valley Sr.
Danny Justice Hoopeston Area Sr.
Sean Kelley St. Thomas More Sr.
Drew Knipfer St. Joseph-Ogden Sr.
Johnny Leverenz Danville Jr.
Ryan Masters Prairie Central So.
Noah McClurg Clinton So.
Aaron Miller Centennial Sr.
Brady Musson Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac Sr.
John O’Brien Schlarman Sr.
Sam Powers St. Thomas More Jr.
Brian Rice Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac Jr.
Tyler Rubarts Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr.
Ethan Russell Mahomet-Seymour Jr.
Jonathan Schaap Mahomet-Seymour Sr.
Vinay Shanbhag Urbana Uni High Jr.
Alec Shedelbower Centennial So.
Kain Shirley Champaign Central Sr.
Tristan Smith Argenta-Oreana Jr.
Forrest Smoes Mahomet-Seymour Jr.
Matt Stock Hoopeston Area So.
Corey Thompsen St. Joseph-Ogden Jr.
Mason Wagner Bismarck-Henning Sr.
Corey White Champaign Central Jr.
Austin Woodard Unity Fr.
Jonny Yockey Urbana Uni High Jr.
Hayden Young Paxton-Buckley-Loda Sr.
Girls’ Nifty Fifty: Area runners to watch
NAME SCHOOL YR.
Hannah Bray Hoopeston Area So.
Veronica Brooks St. Joseph-Ogden So.
Madie Brown Hoopeston Area So.
Kimberly Carter Danville Sr.
Nicole Choquette Urbana Sr.
Emily Cleveland Danville So.
Aleah Combs Rantoul So.
Caroline Dodds St. Thomas More Jr.
Ellen Dulin Bismarck-Henning Sr.
Mercedes Elliott Danville Fr.
Emily Foley Monticello Jr.
Abby Gawthorp St. Joseph-Ogden Fr.
Carmen Gewirth Urbana Uni High So.
Gabrielle Greaser Centennial Fr.
Breanna Hale Georgetown-RF/Chrisman So.
Tessa Hanlon Mahomet-Seymour Sr.
Kaytlyn Hettmansberger Judah Christian Fr.
Morgan Holycross Bismarck-Henning Sr.
Hannah Houska Monticello Jr.
Holly Huckstadt Schlarman Sr.
Jen Hustedt Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr.
Caitlyn Ifft Prairie Central Fr.
Meghan Ingram Georgetown-RF/Chrisman Fr.
Paxton Johnson Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr.
Rebecca Kaefring Centennial So.
Jessica Kassuelke St. Joseph-Ogden So.
Regan Kelley St. Thomas More Jr.
Gabby Kozlowski Urbana Uni High Sr.
Sarah Larson Schlarman So.
Megan McKee Georgetown-RF/Chrisman Jr.
Abigail Nielsen Mahomet-Seymour Jr.
Cadisen Nuzzo Sullivan/Okaw Valley Fr.
Susan Ponder Tuscola Sr.
Aliva Powers Clinton Sr.
Alyssa Pridemore St. Joseph-Ogden Jr.
Hannah Robinson Sullivan/Okaw Valley Sr.
Laura Seiler Unity Jr.
Hannah Shinew Champaign Central Fr.
Jazmin Smith Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac So.
Olivia Smith Hoopeston Area Sr.
Sierra Steidinger Prairie Central Sr.
Madison Tutich Monticello So.
Jaki Vipond Centennial Jr.
Sonya Walsten Unity Jr.
Elizabeth Walter Prairie Central Jr.
Julia Welle St. Thomas More Fr.
Theresa Welle St. Thomas More Sr.
Lauren Whitehouse Mahomet-Seymour Fr.
Catherine Wright Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac Sr.
Hannah Wright Champaign Central Jr.
Coaches Corner
Prep sports coordinator Fred Kroner contacted every boys’ and girls’ cross-country coach from conferences in our area for their thoughts about the season, which started last week. Here they are, league by league:
GIRLS
Big 12 Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(81 points maximum; first-place votes in parentheses)
SCHOOL POINTS
Normal West (7) 79
Normal Community (2) 74
Champaign Central 51
Bloomington 50
Centennial 46
Danville 41
Urbana 31
Decatur MacArthur 17
Decatur Eisenhower 15
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Emily Brelsfoard, Normal West, Sr. 5
Carly Pederson, Normal C., Sr. 4
Nichole Choquette, Urbana, Sr. 1
Top New Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Danielle Beckstead, Bloomington, Fr. 1
Mercedes Elliott, Danville, Fr. 1
Hannah Shinew, Central, Fr. 1
Corn Belt Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(64 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
Normal U-High (7) 63
Olympia (1) 50
Mahomet-Seymour 46
Bloomington Central Catholic 39
Eureka 36
Pontiac 28
Prairie Central 16
Rantoul 10
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Alex Van Hoof, BCC, Sr. 6
Sydney Billingsley, Normal U-High, Sr. 1
Top New Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Erica Davies, Pontiac, So. 1
Shannan Supan, Normal U-High, Fr. 1
Okaw Valley Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(100 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
St. Teresa (9) 99
Monticello (1) 91
Unity 74
Shelbyville 67
Tuscola 66
Clinton 46
Sullivan 39
Central A&M 30
Maroa-Forsyth/W-L 25
Argenta-Oreana 13
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Megan Burgener, St. Teresa, Sr. 6
Ivy Handley, St. Teresa, Sr. 4
Rachel Devereux, St. Teresa, Jr. 1
Hannah Houska, Monticello, Jr. 1
Top New Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Taylor Renefroe, Unity, Fr. 1
Kelsie Wujak, St. Teresa, Sr. 1
Sangamon Valley Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(16 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
St. Joseph-Ogden (3) 15
St. Thomas More (1) 13
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 8
Clifton Central 4
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Alyssa Pridemore, SJ-O, Jr. 2
Theresa Welle, St. Thomas More, Sr. 2
Top New Runner
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTE
Abby Gawthorp, SJ-O, Fr. 1
Vermilion Valley Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(25 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
Hoopeston Area (4) 24
Bismarck-Henning (1) 21
Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac 15
Schlarman 9
Georgetown-RF/Chrisman 6
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Megan McKee, G-RF/Chrisman, Jr. 3
Madie Brown, Hoopeston Area, So. 1
Morgan Holycross, Bismarck-H., Sr. 1
Top New Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Cassidy Baugh, G-RF/Chrisman, Fr. 1
Jordynn Hardy, Bismarck-H., Fr. 1
Meghan Ingram, G-RF/Chrisman, Fr. 1
BOYS
Big 12 Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(81 points maximum; first-place votes in parentheses)
SCHOOL POINTS
Bloomington (6) 73
Normal Community (1) 66
Danville (1) 65
Normal West (1) 55
Centennial 54
Champaign Central 35
Decatur MacArthur 26
Urbana 18
Decatur Eisenhower 13
Top Returning Runner
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Johnny Leverenz, Danville, Jr. 9
Top New Runner
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Matt DeGroot, Normal W., Fr. 4
Corn Belt Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(64 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
Normal U-High (7) 63
Pontiac (1) 55
Mahomet-Seymour 50
Olympia 33
Eureka 32
Prairie Central 28
Bloomington Central Catholic 16
Rantoul 11
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Wes Ward, Normal U-High, Sr. 5
Zac Justice, Pontiac, Jr. 1
Okaw Valley Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(100 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
Shelbyville (9) 97
Monticello (1) 89
Unity 79
Sullivan 68
St. Teresa 61
Tuscola 53
Clinton 40
Maroa-Forsyth/W-L 27
Central A&M 24
Argenta-Oreana 12
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Andrew Hanselman, Monticello, Sr. 4
Alex Matlock, Shelbyville, Sr. 3
Jesse Galaway, Monticello, Jr. 1
Madison Velchek, St. Teresa, Jr. 1
Top New Runner
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTE
Austin Woodard, Unity, Fr. 1
Sangamon Valley Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(16 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
St. Thomas More (4) 16
St. Joseph-Ogden 12
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 8
Clifton Central 4
Top Returning Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Nick Hess, St. Thomas More, Jr. 4
Hayden Young, PBL, Sr. 1
Vermilion Valley Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
(25 points maximum)
SCHOOL POINTS
Georgetown-RF/Chrisman (21/2) 201/2
Bismarck-Henning (1) 19
Schlarman (11/2) 141/2
Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac 14
Hoopeston Area 7
Top Returning Runner
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Jesse Hahne, Schlarman, Sr. 5
Top New Runners
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YR. VOTES
Lane Avenatti, G-RF/Chrisman, Fr. 3
Dalton Edwards, Bismarck-H., Fr. 1
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