York Lady Dukes
AT A GLANCE
Conference West Suburban Silver
Home course East End Park, Elmhurst
2007 results 3rd in WSS, 3rd at regionals, 7th at sectionals
Coach Annette Schulte
Top returners
Meghan Frigo jr.
Shreya Singh sr.
Stephanie Huster so.
Olivia Arista sr.
Promising newcomers
Kayla Spencer fr.
Shari Lund fr.
Michelle Frigo fr.
Nina Vujasinovic so.
Melanie Dunne so.
Meghan Fry jr.
Kallie Klatt sr.
KEY MEETS
Sept. 25 vs. Glenbard West Lady Dukes play host to conference dual
Oct. 4 at Wheaton North Invite Chance to go up against top competition as regular season comes to a close
Oct. 18 at WSS meet Lady Dukes battle in one of state’s top conference meets
OUTLOOK
The Lady Dukes have leadership and experience with the return of two-time state qualifier Meghan Frigo, Singh, Arista and Huster. Meghan Frigo just missed an all-state finish by placing 26th last year. Singh ran on the state teams in 2005 and 2006 and Arista was a state runner two years ago.
Added into the mix, though, are five talented underclassmen capable of making an impact.
“We have a much younger bunch, which is great,” Schulte said. “I am hoping that they grow and they have a bright future.”
Spencer, Lund and Vujasinovic were in the Lady Dukes’ top five at their season opening meet at St. Charles East, while Michelle Frigo — Meghan’s younger sister — was in the top seven. The team finished third.
The biggest expectation Schulte has for the team is staying healthy. Doing what they can to prevent injury, getting the right sleep and eating well.
After that?
“The next thing I expect is that they all have a committment to the team,” Schulte said. “A committment to attendence. A committment to their attitude. And a committment to their effort everyday. If they do that and take care of those things, then everything else will take care of itself.”
Immaculate Conception Lady Knights
AT A GLANCE
Conference Suburban Catholic
Home course Eldridge Park
Coach Jeff Fredrickson (3rd year)
Top returners
Natalie D’Agostino so.
Megan Barnish sr.
Gabriela Montiel so.
Promising newcomers
Alejandra Reyes fr.
KEY MEETS
Oct. 10 at Elmwood Park Measuring stick for Lady Knights as they gear up for regionals
Oct. 14 vs Aurora Central Catholic and Driscoll Last dual meet before SCC Meet.
OUTLOOK
The major question is what D’Agostino can do for an encore in her second season of cross country. As a freshman, D’Agostino won the regional, placed fourth at the sectional and brought home a top-10 finish at the Class 1A state meet. With another year under her belt, coupled with the graduation of some of the top runners in the smallest class, she could be in for a top-five finish in Peoria this fall.
Another leader on the team is Barnish, who enters her fourth year on the varsity. The senior advanced to the sectional last year after placing 11th at the Luther North regional. Montiel is another returning sectional qualifier after finishing 26th in the regional last fall while Reyes is the team’s lone newcomer.
With only four girls on the roster, the Lady Knights will once again not be earning team scores at meets.
Timothy Christian Trojans
AT A GLANCE
Conference Private School League
Home course 1061 S. Prospect Ave., Elmhurst
Coach Dick Zylstra (16th year)
Top returners
Katie Dirkse sr.
Leah Bosman sr.
Samantha Goedeke sr.
Julie Schram so.
Natalie Kuick sr.
Promising newcomer
Tessa Bosman fr.
KEY MEETS
Oct. 18 at PSL Championships Most important race prior to regionals
Oct. 25 at Class 1A Luthern North Regional Trojans won a regional title last year and hope to sustain their postseason success
OUTLOOK
With the Trojans returning five of their seven top runners from 2007, this group should have a great chance to be special. Last year’s team took third place at the Glenbard South regional, which qualified TC for the Jones sectional and led to excellent individual production.
After coming in 23rd place in 19:55 at the sectional, Dirkse qualified for the state meet in her first season running cross country. The Trojans’ soccer standout went on to match her 19:55 time in the state meet which was good enough for 114th place. And considering that Dirkse is still learning how to race in terms of pace and pushing herself, Zylstra believes her best is yet to come.
Look for Leah Bosman, Goedeke, Kuick and Schram to complement Dirkse with their experience while Tessa Bosman, who also plays volleyball for TC, should progress as the season rolls along.
Glenbard East Rams
AT A GLANCE
Conference DuPage Valley
2007 results 5th in DVC, 5th at regionals, 17th at sectionals
Coach Tydra Davis
Top returners
Colleen Fahey sr.
Brittany Frazier sr.
Haley-Joy Wareham jr.
Casey Angst sr.
Christen Grumstrup sr.
Promising newcomers
Krystle Eskridge jr.
Maggie Angst fr.
Eric Mrazek fr.
Melissa Stachelski fr.
KEY MEETS
Sept. 30 at Naperville Central Tough DVC meet against host Redhawks and Naperville North
Oct. 4 at Peoria Invite Rams looking forward for road trip to site of state meet — Detweiller Park
Oct. 18 at DVC Meet Potential is there to improve on last year’s fifth place
OUTLOOK
The Rams have a solid core returning this season, and received an added boost with the addition of Eskridge, a transfer from Willowbrook, and some talented freshmen runners.
Eskridge, who moved during the summer, was the No. 1 runner for the Warriors the past two seasons. At the Rams’ first invite of the season, Eskridge and Maggie Angst were the team’s top two finishers (the Rams were eighth).
This coming weekend at the Kaneland Invite, Mrazek and Stachelski will make their debut in the varsity lineup.
Fahey, Frazier and Wareham were top-seven runners for the Rams at regionals and sectionals last year.
“It’s encouraging to have the seniors in the varsity lineup who have that leadership and experience,” Davis said. “And it’s also nice to have that fresh talent.”
Grumstrup was a state qualifier as a sophomore, but battled a broken toe and missed most of last season. She has not run much in the last year, but competed at the first meet at Katherine Legge Park and would give the Rams an added bonus to come back healthy.
“I think the expectations are a little higher this year,” Davis said. “We’ve told them they you can’t be successful in cross country with just a really good frontrunner. This year we have a much faster pack.”
Willowbrook Warriors
AT A GLANCE
Conference West Suburban Gold
Home course 1250 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park
2007 results 2nd in WSG, 5th at regionals, 19th at sectionals
Coach Margo Littlehale
Top returners
Lizzy Lundine so.
Althea Gatto jr.
Jamie Golba sr.
Erica Garcia sr.
Kirsten Rempala jr.
Promising newcomers
Katie Looby jr.
Taylor Luczak fr.
Sarah Eizenga sr.
Gina Sementa so.
Emily Rauch fr.
KEY MEETS
Sept. 20 at Argo Invite Always a competitive meet with good mix of area programs
Oct. 6 vs. Addison Trail Closing WSG dual as Warriors prepare for conference meet
Oct. 18 at WSG meet Warriors were second last year and likely will battle Downers South and Hinsdale South to keep that position
OUTLOOK
The Warriors’ lineup took a hit this season when standout Krystle Eskridge — who ran as a freshman — moved during the summer and is now attending Glenbard East.
That leaves the Warriors with no clear-cut No. 1 runner, but it’s a collective group that has the potential to still be successful.
Golba, Garcia, Rempala and Gatto are in their third season on varsity, while Lundine starts her second. The team then got a boost with the emergence of Looby, who had a solid summer and was a top-five scoring runner at the Warriors’ first invite at Lyons Township.
“We lost Krystle and that’s certainly a big loss,” Littlehale said. “But then you get a nice surprise with someone like Katie (Looby) stepping in and others stepping up.”
A strength for the Warriors is their ability to pack together, and if they stay healthy it should be another solid season.
“What’s exciting this year is how closely they are all running together,” Littlehale said. “Our 5-6-7 runners are so close to the top of the pack. We may not have that top No. 1 runner, but if we can keep our whole pack in front we’ll be in good shape.”
Montini Broncos
AT A GLANCE
Conference Suburban Catholic
Home course Knolls Park
2007 results 7th at Glenbard South Class 2A Regional
Coach Joe Mordente (5th year)
Top returners
Theresa Koelle so.
Mary Kate Mulkerrin so.
Kailyn Bailey sr.
Theresa Weber sr.
Promising newcomers
Erica Laviste fr.
Kelly Boyd fr.
Stephanie Kaefer fr.
KEY MEETS
Sept. 30 vs. Aurora Central Catholic and Rosary Key SCC meet
Oct. 14 at St. Francis Measuring stick for Broncos against Spartans squad that placed 10th at state a year ago
OUTLOOK
Young is the operative word when discussing the Lady Broncos, with the roster featuring one senior, one junior, two sophomores and a group of freshmen.
But despite the inexperience, Montini appears to possess a good amount of talent which could step to the forefront later in the fall.
Laviste, Boyd and Kaefer could turn out to be the team’s top three runners, though they have started the season running in frosh-soph meets. Koelle and Mulkerrin round out the top five with Bailey and Weber also hoping to contribute.
“It will be interesting to see how these young kids develop,” Mordente said. “I am imagining all of them will be on the varsity.
“I think time-wise, even with the three freshmen, we will probably have the best times we’ve ever had for a girls team in my five years I’ve been coaching. I think they will do better than any team I’ve had before.”
The Lady Broncos will be attempting to advance out of the regional for the first time in program history.
“We’d like to get out of the regional and maybe get one, two or three girls downstate,” Mordente added. “It will be exciting to see how much they improve and how far they can take themselves. If they stay healthy and keep improving, it will depend on how tough our regional and sectional is. But that would be our goal (advancing out of the regional) since we’ve never been able to do that.”
