By Michael Newman, ILXCTF.com Editor

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What will prevail on Friday and Saturday: the depth that Dunlap has or the possibility of six individual champions from Cahokia?

Both teams have the talent to win a state championship. Cahokia will be going for their fourth straight title. Dunlap would like to stop them with the 21 qualifiers that they will have at Charleston.

Here is a look at some of the teams that will contest for the 2A state team championship.

2A Teams to Watch

Dunlap

1^st – Dunlap Sectional

Qualifiers – 21 Total (17 Individuals, 4 Relays)

Overview – The number of total qualifiers for Dunlap maybe a little over-inflated considering their sectional not the strongest. However, the Eagles have showed this season how strong this team is. Dunlap does have the athletes to bring back a state championship back to their home town.

Three of their four relays have the top 2A times in the state. Those relays have the op 2A sectional times heading into this weekend. 32 to 38 points could cause problems for the rest of the teams in this meet. Kiara Pauli has one of the top sectional times in the 100 Meter Dash and could provide big points for her team. She also qualified in the 200 Meter Dash where she could score. Sarah Georgieff qualified in both hurdle races where she could score in the 300 Hurdles. Franny Verville and Ayah Aldadah qualified in both the 1600 and 3200 Meter Runs. Big points in the 1600 could lock the meet up for the Eagles. Jena Brooks could also score in the 800 Meter Run. Aanise Sajna could score in both horizontal jumps. With so many qualifiers, they can afford a few mistakes in the Friday morning prelims. If they have a bad Friday, it opens the door for other teams to step in.

Cahokia

1^st – Springfield Southeast Sectional

Qualifiers – 12 Total (9 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Overview – The Lady Comanches do not have the fire-power that Dunlap has, but they do have some quality numbers in that they could win their fourth straight 2A state team championship. Mariyah Hudson and LaQwasia Stepney enter this meet with four top sectional performances. Hudson has the top sectional times in the 100, 200, and 400 Meter Dash. She swept those evens her sophomore year in 2015. Hudson would like to repeat that on Saturday. Stepney and Hudson finished 1-2 in the Long Jump in their sectional meet. The event is loaded a state. Double digit points in that event will be huge.

Stepney has the top sectional time in the 100 Hurdles and will challenge defending champion Imani Carothers for the title. The sophomore also has the second fastest time in the 300 Hurdles and could provide some big points. She will also be a part of a 400 Meter Relay team that could finish third or higher on Saturday. Jayla Crosby could score in the 100 Meter Hurdles as well as Tamadja Rodgers picking up points in the Triple Jump. Their 800 Meter Relay may surprise some in this meet. The Lady Comanches will need to take care of business and they could come away with another state team championship.

Springfield Southeast

2^nd – Springfield Southeast Sectional

Qualifiers – 12 Total – (10 Individuals, 2 Relays)

Overview – The Lady Spartans have that tradition of strong state performances having won four team titles from 2010 to 2013. Southeast is in position to pick up one of the three state meet trophies on Saturday. Their 400 Meter Relay is third fastest in 2A and has a chance to win that event. Their 1600 Meter Relay is in the same position as the short relay and could pile up some big points.

There are three athletes that will need to have good weekends in order for Southeast to bring home a trophy. Serena Bolden should get points in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump. She also qualified for the 200 Meter Dash. It would be a bonus if she advanced from Friday’s preliminary round. Raven Moore has the second fastest sectional time in the 400 Meter Dash and should be a high placer. Moore also could be in the front in the 200 Meter Dash. Dontavia Howard qualified for both hurdle events and will need to qualify to the finals for both races for this team to challenge for the team title.

Maple Park Kaneland

1^st – Genoa Kingston Sectional

Qualifiers – 9 Total (6 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Overview – Kaneland was the 2A co-state champion last year. It could be tough for the Lady Knights to get into the top three considering how strong the three above teams are. They do have the talent to accomplish that. Cierra Kuipers is tied for the best mark in the Pole Vault and will be one of the favorites in that event. Nicole Sreenan qualified in both the 100 and 200 Meter Dash. It would help if she scores in both of those sprints. Sreenan will be a part of the 400 and 800 Relays which could also pick up some big points. Their 3200 Meter Relay is one of the tops in 2A and could come away with the win. Freshman Rachel Richtman is a runner to watch in the 1600 Meter Run where she could also pick up some big points.

Rockford Boylan

2^nd – Genoa Kingston Sectional

Qualifiers – 8 Total (7 Individuals, 1 Relay)

Overview – I think this squad is a top five team. They could move up. The distance races are their strength. Grace McLaughlin will be the big favorite in the 3200 Meter Run. She has the fastest sectional time by more than 30 seconds. Delaney Appino only qualified in the 1600 Meter Run. She could be the favorite in that race with McLaughlin close to her. Bridget Bishop has the possibility of scoring in both the Shot Put and the Discus. Kailey Hindes could pick up points in the 300 Hurdles. It would be a bonus if their 1600 Meter Relay squad advances to Saturday.

LaSalle-Peru

1^st – Mendota Sectional

Qualifiers – 10 Total (7 Individuals, 3 Relays)

Overview – This could be a top five team if everything breaks right. Rachel Hickey is the defending champion in the 800 Meter Run and is one of the favorites in that race. Hickey also qualified in the 1600 Meter Run. It is hard to see her in that tough double. Hickey will also be a part of a 1600 Meter Relay team that could finish fifth or higher. Shay Scheri has one of the top performers in the Long Jump where she could pick up some big points. We also see her score in the Triple Jump. Janell Bernardoni could pick up bonus points if she advances to the 400 Meter Dash finals.

Aurora Rosary

1^st – Glenbard South Sectional

Qualifiers – 8 Total (4 Individuals, 4 Relays)

Overview – Do not sleep on this team. A good Friday preliminary round could mean great things on Saturday. Brooke Delahanty will be one of the favorites in the 800 Meter Run. She will a part of the quartet in the 3200 Relay that could finish among the top five teams. Their teams in the 800 and 1600 Relays have the possibility of scoring. Claire Hengesbaugh could score in the 1600 Meter Run.

Chicago Morgan Park

5^th – Thornridge Sectional

Qualifiers – 6 Total (4 Individuals, 2 Relays)

Overview – The Mustangs only have six qualifiers in Charleston. The quality of those qualifiers could get this team into the top five. Olivia Strong and Corrine Parker could score in two individual events as well as helping their two sprint relay squads. Both could pick up points in the 100 Meter Dash. Strong could finish in the top three. Parker has the fifth fastest sectional time in the 200 Meter Dash. Both could pick up points in that sprint. Their 800 Meter Relay team will be one of the favorites in that event. It would be a bonus in the 400 Meter Relay team advances to Saturday’s final.

Decatur Eisenhower

4^th – Mattoon Sectional

Qualifiers – 6 Total (5 Individuals, 1 Relay)

Overall – Another team with a small group advancing to Charleston. Their scoring numbers could be big. Katina Marin has one of the favorites in the 100 Meter Dash having one of the top 2A times. Her sister Tina has the fastest 2A time in the 400 Meter Dash this season. She will challenge Cahokia’s Mariya Hudson and defending champion Elizabeth Drab for the title. Both Martin sisters are among the tops in the 200 Meter Dash where they could pick up some big points. Their 400 Meter Relay has the fifth fastest sectional time. You could see big points in that event. This squad cannot afford any mistakes on Friday and Saturday. Just one could drop them from a top five team down into the teens.