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Here is a look at each of the 15 2A regional meets that will take place across Illinois on Saturday. The top six teams and next five individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the sectional meets on November 1.

Bensenville Fenton Sectional

Arlington Heights St. Viator Regional @ Melas Park, Mt. Prospect

Girls (10:00 AM) – St. Viator, Fenton, and Chicago Noble Street Charter – Bulls will be the teams that will be up front. Maris Mastrodomenico (St. Viator HS, Arlington Heights) and Anastasia Rodriguez (Noble Street- Bulls Prep, Chicago) should be among the front runners in this race.

Boys (11:00 AM) – Fenton and St. Viator will challenge for the regional team championship. Axel Nava (Fenton HS, Bensenville) and Jacob Bonanotte (St. Viator HS, Arlington Heights) will be the runners to watch in this race.

Chicago University Regional @ Washington Park

Girls (2:00 PM) – Chicago University should roll easily to the regional title. Chicago Noble Street-Munchin will be the best team among the rest for the second spot. U-High’s Elsa Erling should be the favorite in this race.

Boys (2:30 PM) – It should be the same story in the Boys race with host Chicago University the team favorite. Walmer Saavedra (Lindblom HS, Chicago) was second at the Chicago City Championships last Saturday. He will be the big favorite in this race. Jacob Meyer (University HS, Chicago) should be Saavedra’s chief competition.

Deerfield Regional

Girls (1:30 PM) – It is funny that almost all of the teams in this regional are in or close to Chicago. They will all have to travel to Deerfield to qualify. #9 Latin School is the big favorite in this meet. It would not surprise me if they score 25 points or under in this regional. Deerfield, Regina Dominican, Mather, Payton Prep, Resurrection, and Lake View will all challenge for the other five qualifying spots. Abigail Nadler (Latin School, Chicago) should be the favorite in this race. Abbey Osborn (Deerfield HS) could be her chief competition.

Boys (2:30 PM) – It should be a close battle between #18 Chicago Latin and #25 Deerfield for the team championship. Both teams run tight packs. It will come down to which team’s fifth runner will cross the line first. Elmwood Park, Mather, and Payton Prep should be the next teams to qualify. Charles Nash (Deerfield HS), Jacob Silverman and Simon Ricci (Latin School, Chicago), and Robel Yemane (Mather HS, Chicago) will challenge for the individual championship.

Decatur MacArthur Sectional

Danville Regional @ Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood

Girls (11:00 AM) – It should be a close team battle for the regional championships between Charleston and host Danville. Salem, Mattoon, and Taylorville should take the next three spots. Mercedes Elliott (Danville HS) and Rebecca Kaefring (Centennial HS, Champaign) finished 3-4 at last week’s Big 12 Meet and should be the favorite in this race. Grace Oetting (Charleston HS) will also be towards the front.

Boys (12:00 PM) - #17 Salem just edged #19 Charleston 50-51 at Monday’s Apollo Conference Meet. It could be a close race between these two teams and #16 Danville for the team championships. The Vikings ran a tough race last Saturday at the Big 12 Championships finishing second. Taylorville and Champaign Central should be in the next two spots. It could be Mattoon challenging Effingham and Champaign Centennial for the final qualifying spot. Caleb Hummer (Danville HS) showed he is 100% destroying the field at Big 12’s running 14:42. He will be the big favorite at this regional. Carl Way (Danville HS), Brenner Webster (Salem HS), Lawrence Curtin (Taylorville HS), and Colton Bell (Charleston HS) will challenge for the second spot.

Jacksonville Regional @ Community Park

Girls – The top four teams are in this sectional led by Central State Eight Conference Champion #19 Chatham-Glenwood. #23 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Jacksonville, and Springfield should be close behind. It could be a close individual race with Aly Goff (Springfield HS), Alexandria Singleton (Civic Memorial HS, Bethalto), Emma Chelsvig (Jacksonville HS), and Demi Dixon (Glenwood HS, Chatham) challenging for the win.

Boys - #7 Springfield continue to run better as evidenced by their Central State Eight win. The Senator should be the favorites in this regional. #12 Chatham-Glenwood and #16 Springfield Sacred-Heart Griffin could be close in this team race. Jersey should be the next team after those three. Heath Warren (Springfield HS) and Landon Skelly (Glenwood HS, Chatham) will be the front runners for the regional championship.

Troy Triad Regional

Girls (10:00 AM) – This could be one of the most wide-open regional races in the state on Saturday. Breese Mater Dei, Troy Triad, and Highland are the top teams to watch out for. Highland’s Allison Zobrist, in her first race of the season, was her team’s fifth runner at last week’s Mississippi Valley Conference Meet. With her in the mix, it could push Highland to a regional win. Carbondale, Mascoutah, Marion, and East St. Louis Senior will challenge for the other three qualifying spots. Abby Richter (Triad HS, Troy) and Kate Bushue (Mt. Vernon HS) will be the top runners in this race.

Boys (10:45 AM) – Waterloo, Carbondale, Mt. Vernon, and Troy Triad should be among the top teams in this regional. Lance Mueller and Cole Rodenberg (Waterloo HS), Ryan Krause (Triad HS, Troy), and Micah Cherry (Carbondale HS) will be the top runners in this race.

East Peoria Sectional

Galesburg Regional @ Lake Storey Park

Girls (10:00 AM) - #2 Dunlap will be challenged by #10 Peoria Notre Dame for the regional team title. Host Galesburg and Geneseo will be the next two teams. The top runner in the state Maryjeanne Gilbert (Notre Dame HS, Peoria) is the favorite in this race. She will be pushed by Abby Jockisch and Francesca Verville (Dunlap HS).

Boys (10:45 AM) - #13 Rock Island Alleman dominated in their win at the Western Big Six conference meet. They will look for a repeat performance in Saturday’s race. #21 Bartonville Limestone and #24 Peoria Notre Dame should challenge the Pioneers for the title. Dunlap did not run their best race of the year finishing fifth at the Mid Illini Conference Meet. They could be a surprise. The individual race is wide open with Thomas Thornton and Matt Carr (Limestone HS, Bartonville), Phillip Copeland (Dunlap HS), and Patrick Bruch (Notre Dame HS, Peoria) among the favorites.

Morris Regional

Girls (10:00 AM) – Joliet Catholic, LaSalle-Peru, and Lincoln-Way West will challenge for the regional championship. Natalie Krol (Lincoln-Way West HS, New Lenox) and Megan Krolak (LaSalle-Peru HS) will be in front leading the pack in Saturday’s race.

Boys (11:00 AM) – Crosstown rivals Lincoln-Way West and Providence Catholic will battle for the regional championship with Morris and LaSalle-Peru challenging. Diamonte Ugebesia (Rich East HS, Park Forest) and Mitch Feehan (Lincoln-Way West HS, New Lenox) will battle for the individual regional title.

Normal University Regional @ Maxwell Park

Girls (10:00 AM) – There was only a one point difference between #9 Normal University and #17 Mahomet-Seymour at last week’s Corn Belt Conference Meet. The two teams will be the co-favorites in this tough regional. #22 Washington is a young squad that could surprise along with Metamora and Normal West. Lauren Whitehouse (Mahomet-Seymour HS) will be pushed by Shannan Supan (University HS, Normal), Sara Piller (Normal West HS), Bre Farley (Bloomington HS), and Kara Jacobs (Washington HS) in the individual race.

Boys (11:00 AM) – This should be a great team race between #2 Mahomet-Seymour and #5 Metamora. Both teams dominated their conference races last week and should be within 10 points of each other in this regional. #22 Normal University, #23 East Peoria, and Normal West make this regional a tough one. The individual race should be equal to that of the team race. Alex Keeble (Mahomet-Seymour HS), Eli Hill and Alexander Bruno (University HS, Normal), Brent Carius (Morton HS), Matt Church (East Peoria HS), and Jake Gillum & John Mangold (Metamora HS) all could be potentially all-state runners in two weeks. Keeble is the favorite in this great race.

Maple Park Kaneland Sectional

Antioch Regional @ Fox River Park, Wilmot WI

Girls (10:00 AM) - #3 Lake Forest will be the big favorite in this meet. #25 Richmond-Burton is coming off of a strong race at the Big Northern Conference Meet and could be a surprise in this meet. Emma Milburn (Lake Forest HS) is having a great freshman season. She will be pushed by Kortney Schardt (Lakes HS, Lake Villa) and Breanne Retherford (Richmond-Burton HS) in the individual race.

Boys (10:50 AM) - #10 Grayslake Central should have an easy time in this regional meet. Lake Forest and Richmond-Burton should challenge each other for the next spots. Mark Myers and Matt Mekaelian (Lake Forest HS) will challenge Jack Aho (Central HS, Grayslake) for the regional individual championship.

Belvidere Regional

Girls (10:00 AM) – It was a close team race last week at the NIC-10 Conference Meet when #7 Belvidere North only defeated an improving #14 Rockford Boylan by only nine points. The two teams will challenge each other again in this regional race. #8 Marengo is also running better as they showed in winning the Big Northern Conference meet. They could come out on top in this meet. Sterling, Dixon, and Sandwich should be the next three teams in. The individual race should be strong also with Caitlyn Allen (Marengo HS) and Jenna Lutzow (Belvidere North HS) pushing each other for the regional championship. Grace McLaughlin and Delaney Appino (Boylan Catholic HS, Rockford), Carley Lutzow (Belvidere North HS), Mercedes Sanchez (Sterling HS), and Courtney Seagren (Dixon HS) will push also for the front in this race.

Boys (10:40 AM) - #9 Belvidere North and #13 Sterling will be the teams to beat in this regional race. Dixon and Boylan Catholic will be among the teams challenging for a qualifying spot. Eryk Yunk (Belvidere North HS) should be the favorite in the individual race with Jon Landis and Jacob Gebhardt (Sterling HS) close behind.

Woodstock Regional @ Emricson Park

Girls (10:00 AM) – This could be one of the toughest regional races in the state with five ranked teams in this field #1 Yorkville will be a tough team to beat. #4 Vernon Hills and #6 Crystal Lake Central will be close pushing the Foxes. #16 Woodstock and #20 Kaneland could be a surprise team in the first three. Prairie Ridge, Burlington Central, and Hampshire will push for the final qualifying spot. The individual race should be tough as well. Skyler Bollinger (Yorkville HS) and Vivian Overbeck (Vernon Hills HS) should be the runners to watch out front. Kate Jacobs (Woodstock HS) should be close behind with Erin Reynolds (Yorkville HS) leading the next pack.

Boys (11:00 AM) - #1 Yorkville has the top guns up front with Jake and Luke Hoffert and should be the team favorite in this race. #4 Vernon Hills has the athletes to challenge. #8 Crystal Lake Central and #14 Prairie Ridge are strong and should capture the next two positions. The battle for the final two spots will come down to four teams battling: Kaneland, Sycamore, Woodstock, and Burlington Central. Jake and Luke Hoffert should take the first two places. Tyler Smith and Shane Williamson (Vernon Hills HS), Clay Musial (Central HS, Burlington), Trevor Wills (Yorkville HS), Adam Millburg (Sycamore HS), and Filip Pajak (Prairie Ridge HS, Crystal Lake) will all in the next pack challenging for third.

West Chicago Wheaton Academy Sectional

Aurora Rosary Regional @ Marmion Academy, Aurora

Girls (1:00 PM) – If the Woodstock Regional Girls race is tough, this race could be just a touch nastier. Out of the top ten teams ranked in this sectional, nine will toe the line in this race. Seven teams are ranked in the 2A top 25. One good team will not make it to the sectional race next week. #5 Lemont has been running better and better with every race and should be tough to beat. #12 Montini and #13 Glenbard South are peaking at the right time also and could give Lemont a run for their money. #15 Wheaton Academy will need a closer pack to advance to the sectional. #18 Rosary and #20 Aurora Central Catholic have two great front runners but will need their packs to step up. #23 Nazareth Academy will need Claire Ramsey in the first eight in the race and their 5 runner split under 60 seconds for this team to advance. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a tie for sixth? Hinsdale South and IMSA have good teams and could play a factor in the team outcome.

The individual race is just as loaded as the team race is. Karina Liz and Abby Fioresi (Aurora Central Catholic HS), Madison Ronzone and Emily Martin (Rosary HS, Aurora), Gianna Salzbrunn (Montini Catholic HS, Lombard), Claire Ramsey (Nazareth Academy, LaGrange Park), Rebecca Sippel and Caroline Arlasky (Glenbard South HS, Glen Ellyn), Gretchen Pearson (Wheaton Academy, West Chicago), and Beata Drozda & Bridget Kunkel (Lemont HS) all should be up front making the team dynamics extremely interesting.

Boys (approx. 1:30 PM) - #6 Wheaton Academy has the strong pack and will be tough to stop in this race. #20 Hinsdale South does have a good team to get close to the Warriors. St. Francis and Glenbard South could also challenge for the second spot. Jonah Jones and Brandon Lach (Wheaton Academy HS, West Chicago) should challenge Charlie Nodus (Hinsdale South HS, Darien) for the regional individual title.

Lansing Illiana Christian Regional @ North Creek Meadow

Girls (10:00 AM) – This is a toss-up with Tinley Park, Bremen, Oak Forest, and Illiana Christian all battling for the team championship. Emily Lilly (Tinley Park HS), Alyssa Gilman (Oak Forest HS), and Elyssa Patricks (Illiana Christian HS, Lansing) should challenge for the individual championship.

Boys (11:00 AM) – Host #3 Illiana Christian is the huge favorite and should score under 20 points in this meet. Bremen is a good squad and should take the next spot. Illiana’s Nick Fiene, Collin DeYoung, and Nick Wondaal should be the favorites in this race.

Riverside-Brookfield Regional @ Sundown Meadows Forest Preserve, Countryside

Girls (10:00 AM) – Riverside-Brookfield and Solorio Academy could be the top teams in this regional meet. Hailey Jurgens (Riverside-Brookfield HS) should be the individual runner to watch in this regional.

Boys – (11:00 AM) – Host Riverside-Brookfield ran a strong second at the MSC-West meet on Saturday and should be the team to beat in this race. Solorio Academy has been running better the past few weeks. They could surprise in this race. Matt Armenta (Riverside-Brookfield HS) should be challenged by Mauricio Galvan (Kennedy HS, Chicago) and Kevin Landa (Solorio Academy) for the individual title.

Good luck to all teams, athletes, coaches, and fans on Saturday!