BEECHER
Athletes to watch: Katrina Zubi, Jr; Larissa Swanson, Jr.; Katie Darabaris, Sr.; Liz Meyer, Sr.; Abby Bultema, Jr.; Paige Wehling, So.
Outlook: If the Bobcats can dodge the injury bug a little better than they did a year ago, Beecher could advance its entire team to the Class 1A meet in November. Zubi, Swanson and Darabaris were all at less than their peak physically in 2009, but are ready to go now. Coach Pam Deery foresees plenty of competition within her 14-member squad, which she hopes will prep Beecher for a rugged sectional. Though just a sophomore, Wehling could play a big role.
Quote: "I think we're going to have a nice, solid year. We have a really, really hard sectional, so our girls know what they have to do." -- Deery
BLOOM TWP.
Athletes to watch: Monica Chavolla, Sr.; Joanna Sanchez, So.
Outlook: The absence of the graduated Roche sisters, Janina and Janalis, leaves a big hole in the Blazing Trojans' lineup. Bloom will also miss Tara Gonzalez, another impact performer in both cross country and track. Chavolla and Sanchez are this year's top runners, but coach Huey Johnson knows some youngsters must develop rapidly in order for his team to again reach the level of achievement that has been its recent calling card.
Quote: "The girls will be in a rebuilding phase. We could be in for a very long season unless we get a good group of ninth- and 10th-grade girls that are willing to work." -- Johnson
CRETE-MONEE
Athletes to watch: Kayleigh Legno, Sr.; Dana Jenkins, Sr.; Mia Foy, Sr.; Teja Foy, Jr.; Tayler Whittler, Jr.; Grace Flowers, Jr.
Outlook: Don't be fooled by the presence of a few seniors - the Warriors are extremely young in 2010. Upperclassmen Jenkins and Mia Foy are running cross country for the first time, as are Teja Foy, Whittler and Flowers. That means Crete-Monee will rally around four-year veteran and team captain Legno, one of only three returnees from last fall's squad, which featured three now-graduated sectional qualifiers.
Quote: "Some of the new team members have experience running middle distance during the track season and look quite promising. We will know more after we face conference teams at invitationals early in the season." -- coach Lisa Werner
HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR
Athletes to watch: MicKayla Jones, Jr.; Vicky Garcia, Jr.; Eileen Whited, Jr.; Mia Larrieu, Sr.; Caitlyn Flanagan, Sr.; Katherine Puckett, Jr.
Outlook: The Vikings generated some late-season momentum and wound up second in their regional. They then took 18th at the sectional, but H-F coach Betsy McCabe has designs on an improved finish there in 2010. Many key runners are young, but Garcia, Whited and Jones already have varsity experience and will join Larrieu to give the Vikings a solid nucleus. H-F's prospects will be enhanced if either Flanagan or Puckett can become a steady factor.
Quote: "We have a good group of girls that have a couple years' worth of experience. My goal will be to guide them away from the mentality of novice runners and toward the challenge of being competitive runners that want to take their ability to the next level." -- McCabe
ILLIANA CHRISTIAN
Athletes to watch: Chloe Porter, Jr.; Ashley Dekker, Sr.; Kaitlyn Holesinger, Sr.; Megan Zwier, Sr.
Outlook: Conference and regional titles, second-place sectional finish and a state berth for the team - just another typical year for the Vikings under veteran coach Deb Top. And things could be even better for Illiana Christian in 2010 as Porter leads a talented quintet of returnees. Freshmen Alexa Beezhold, Emma Pawlowski and Monica Smits are all on Top's radar screen, too, and some heretofore unknown upperclassmen may also contribute.
Quote: "Adding a first place to sectionals would be great, and a higher finish at the state meet as well. (But) our main focus, as always, will be on developing each runner and having each athlete show continuous improvement as the season goes on." -- Top
MARIAN CATHOLIC
Athletes to watch: Ellen Quinn, Sr.; Amy Ziems, Sr.; Helena Mierzwa, Jr.
Outlook: The Spartans find themselves in a completely different situation than their male counterparts at the school in regard to personnel. Whereas the guys have several roster spots to fill, Marian's girls should be at full strength since only one senior was part of last year's team. Quinn, Ziems and Mierzwa lead the way, but coach Tim Sovereign expects some others to make a splash as well. If that happens, look for a noticeable upswing.
Quote: "Obviously, improving in our (East Suburban Catholic) conference is a huge goal since we finished at the bottom in '09. We also hope to stay competitive in our regional." -- Sovereign
SETON ACADEMY
Athletes to watch:Ebony Bailey, Brittany Mitchell.
Outlook: Like the Seton boys, females at the school are participating in cross country for the first time. As is true with a number of south suburban girls programs, the Sting are fighting a low-numbers battle. Seton was unable to post a team score at its opening meet against three Indiana schools, but Bailey did give it a second place finish as an individual. Athletic director Deon Tolliver is in charge of both Sting squads.
THORNRIDGE
Athletes to watch: Ranita Anderson, Sr.; Tracee Wise; Tiffany Taylor, So.; Dasia McCain, Fr.
Outlook: While fellow District 205 members Thornton and Thornwood scramble to fill roster space, Falcons coach Al Llorens has available to him one of the largest girls cross country squads seen at Thornridge since the early 1990s. Anderson is a returning sectional qualifier and Wise should be solid as well. Llorens also has high hopes for youngsters Taylor and McCain, the latter of whom is a track athlete running in the fall for the first time.
Quote: "I have about 20 girls so far and many of them are new, which bodes well for the future of the program. Last year was our first year back from the co-op team era and we had two sectional qualifiers, so we expect a vastly improved team this year." -- Llorens
THORNTON
Athlete to watch: Martiza Najera, Sr.
Outlook: Four-year runner Jekelia Flowers has graduated, leaving an already-skimpy roster in search of leadership. Najera is the individual likely to provide it for second-year coach Carolyn Estes, but the picture gets fuzzy beyond her. Searching for reinforcements won't be easy - even if more runners arrive, they'll likely be novices to the sport.
Quote: "Martiza Najera (was) the (entire) team (at the start of practices), so the month of August was spent trying to convince girls that cross country is fun." -- boys coach Vince McAuliffe
T.F. NORTH
Athletes to watch: Shaquita Harris, Jr.; Porcha Shadd, Jr.
Outlook: Staff cutbacks in District 215 have Tim Bankston pulling double duty as he adds the Meteors girls squad to his list of coaching duties. That means T.F. North's schedule will be loaded with coed meets. Bankston wishes female interest in cross country rivaled that of the school's males - just six girls were out by mid-August, and the final roster total might only be half of the boys team's - but the coach will do his best with what's available.
Quote: "We've been kind of focusing on the kids in the building who look like they're kind of athletic. We'll train them and get them ready for cross country as we try to build this program up." -- Bankston
T.F. SOUTH
Athletes to watch: Patty Stellfox, Sr.; Cruzita Arambula, Jr.; Jessica Fierce, So.; Breanna Barajas, Sr.; Vanessa Lopez, So.
Outlook: Stellfox, an all-conference selection and sectional qualifier, is again the Rebels' linchpin. Unlike in his first season, however, second-year T.F. South coach Steve Nelson has more proven commodities available to him right at the outset. Arambula and Fierce also advanced out of the regionals and, like the boys team at South, the girls squad should also be helped by arrivals from the new feeder program at Memorial Junior High.
Quote: "I'm looking forward to a very successful season. The girls have been running harder this summer than they did in the past (and) we are ready to take the next step." -- Nelson
THORNWOOD
Outlook: How rough is it for second-year Thunderbirds coach Rachael Poorman? As the start of the 2010 season loomed, she was still overseeing an unsettled program. Attendance at preseason practices was very sporadic and Poorman wasn't quite sure how Thornwood would adequately compensate for the loss of several veterans.
Quote: "I do not have any girls who have attended practice more than once. We graduated a lot of seniors (from) last year and I have not yet found the girls to replace them." -- Poorman
-- Compiled by Times Sportswriter Ken Karrson
