Top Returning Teams

[sparky791]

Okay enough with the celebrations. Time to start thinking about next year. ;D

Several top ten teams have a lot coming back next year.

Winnebago 4 back-2 in top 5
Elmwood 5 back-4 in top 5
Robnison 5 back-3 in top 5
PBL 3 back-2 in top 5
Marquette 5 back-3 in top 5
Shelbyville 5 back-4 in top 5
RC 6 back-4 in top 5
Beecher 6 back-4 in top 5
Tolono-Unity 2 back-2 in top 5
Oregon 3 back-1 in top 5

11-20 teams
Carlinville 6 back-4 in top 5
Westmont 5 back-4 in top 5
Sherrard 4 back -2 in top 5
Knoxville 2 back- 2 in top 5
Cumberland 5 back-3 in top 5
Nashville 2 back-1 in top 5
Tremont all 7 back
Eldorado 4 back-4 in top 7
Lawrenceville 6 back-5 in top 5 back

Looks like we will see some familar teams up front again with Bago, Elmwood and Robinson all returning some firepower. If any of those slip up you have Marquette Shelbyville, RC, and Beecher ready to sneak in. Looks like Oregon, PBL, and Tolono have some work to do. Look for Westmont, Tremont, and Cumberland to make moves up much like Marquette did this year. Lawrenceville has Morris, but are going to need rest of team to move up significantly if they want to crack top ten.
Look for other teams to emerge that just missed getting to state from tough sectionals like the ACC and PBL sectionals. St. Joseph-Ogden and Bureau Valley come to mind.
Any others I am missing?
Should be another exciting season!

[benmanion]

Sparky791 - How would you rank the teams for next year (today)? It appears that, not counting any newcomers, that Elmwood, Shelbyville, RC, Beecher, & Lawrenceville could be pretty tough. All these seem to have at leat 5 returning and 4 or more in the top 5, with Lawrenceville essentially bringing back the same team as this year.

Dbandre what are your thoughts?

[sparky791]

benmanion said:

Sparky791 - How would you rank the teams for next you (today)? It appears that, not counting any newcomers, that Elmwood, Shelbyville, RC, Beecher, & Lawrenceville could be pretty tough. All these seem to have at leat 5 returning and 4 or more in the top 5, with Lawrenceville essentially bringing back the same team as this year.

Dbandre what are your thoughts?

This is pretty raw. Soley based on this years post season. Just off the top of my head without much research.

1. Winnebago-They always reload.
2. Elmwood-They have the best four guys back.
3. Robinson-Bring back 5 team places under 100 points.
4. Beecher-Had an off day. Look for them to come back strong.
5. Shelbyville- Good young team that will get better.
6. Westmont-Good young team that will get better.
7. Carlinville-Only lose 1 out of top five. Good pack.
8. Rockford Christian-Rehfeldt leads way.
9. Cumberland-Very good team that had a off day at state.
10. SJO-Return 5 of 7. Just missed out of tough PBL sectional.
11. Bureau Valley-Return 5 of 7. Great coaching.
11. Tremont-With Thompson and Boyle. Great coaching. Look out
12. Illini Central-Good team that returns 5 of 7.
13. Ottawa Marquette-Losing two in top four will hurt.
14. Lawrenceville-Need others beside Morris to score better.
15. Urbana U-High-Return a solid nucleus.
16 Eureka-Very young team that returns 6 od 7. Great coach.
17. Petersburg Porta-Return 6 of 7.
18. Sparta-Return all 7 runners.
19. Spring Valley Hall-Return 6 of 7.
20. Anna-Jonesboro- 6 of 7 return. Won regional.

Again, this is pretty raw. Tried to pick 5 teams from each sectional. Not easy, especially in south.
Does not count runners from junior high. Following teams have runners coming in around 12:00 minutes or under that I know about: Tremont 4, St. Joseph 3, Robinson 2, Elmwood 1, Shelbyville 1, Beecher 1, Westmont 1, Carlinville 1.
Those are from iesa state meet. I know several other teams don't compete in iesa, like winnebago. Incoming runners will change things.

[benmanion]

Which teams will have freshman next year that will be contributing significantly right away?

[runningonempty]

I think you might have RC a little low, I would be suprise if they don't finish in the top three next year. Bago will lose a lot of fire power this year.

[sparky791]

runningonempty said:

I think you might have RC a little low, I would be suprise if they don't finish in the top three next year. Bago will lose a lot of fire power this year.

You might be right on RC. But I am just going off of state performances for the most part and the top of my head. I just looked a little closer. Look at what places are returning for teams like Robinson, Carlinville, Beecher, Westmont, and Shelbyille just to name a few I had ahead of R.C. All of those team stack up pretty good against Rockford Christian. If you add scores up of actual guys returning you come up with:

Shelbyville 291
Westmont 291
Carlinville 314
Robinson 334
Beecher 337
R.C. 338

Of course that is not taking out seniors that will be gone. That would be a factor..Pretty close between all schools. Like I said, a pretty rough draft.

[Stoic Warrior]

sparky791 said:

runningonempty said:

I think you might have RC a little low, I would be suprise if they don't finish in the top three next year. Bago will lose a lot of fire power this year.

You might be right on RC. But I am just going off of state performances for the most part and the top of my head. I just looked a little closer. Look at what places are returning for teams like Robinson, Carlinville, Beecher, Westmont, and Shelbyille just to name a few I had ahead of R.C. All of those team stack up pretty good against Rockford Christian. If you add scores up of actual guys returning you come up with:

Shelbyville 291
Westmont 291
Carlinville 314
Robinson 334
Beecher 337
R.C. 338

Of course that is not taking out seniors that will be gone. That would be a factor..Pretty close between all schools. Like I said, a pretty rough draft.

I see where you are coming from Sparky. Just tough to go off State performance alone... RC's 3-4 guys are 16:25-35 guys and ran 16:50-17:00. Their replacement fifth man (lost their normal season 5th to a foot injury before conference) tyically ran 17:10-17:15, and he was passed up by their 6th man who ran 17:32 on Saturday... Not necessarily choking, but you have to keep in mind, they qualified no team in 2006, and the only guy on this year's squad who has state experience is Dustin Cook (04 XC, 05 XC). Rehfeldt is simply a superfrosh--and a hard working one at that, but Cook's state experience shined and he grabbed that last medal because of it. You have to keep in mind that in most cases, runners at State with little experience don't run their best races. Luckily RC still ran solid and stayed in the top ten.

A trophy in even this smaller class A will take a top ten runner and a guy in the top 30--or two all staters, two guys in the top 60, and a five man who can crack top 100. Robinson was a prime example of a what should be typical third trophy grabber. Shimer and Ulrich in 19th and 20th (23pts), Montgomery in 38th (22pts), Pinkston in 76th (52pts), and Jones in 109th (82pts). Robinson had a VERY solid 3rd man who had all-state potential, so that explains why they can still trophy with a 5th man that far back.

It will be awesome to see how some of these teams turn out next year. It sucks to know that you could have five guys at 16:10, 16:20, 16:30, 16:30, 16:40, and possibly not trophy even with the change in classes! Still a tough State meet for sure!

[redemption]

Although Winnebago loses Me, Newcomer, and Devine....#1, #3, and #5, our #7 runner was as good as Newcomer earlier in the year. He had a rough week before state and ran into some achilles problems through mid-season. Johnson also had some achilles problems early in the season. If they both stay injury free they will be a good 1-3 punch at the state meet and can most likely finish top 20 or even 15 next year if they get a lot of good training. Also our 6th man at state ran 16:40, the same as I did as a freshman. If he can get some good quality miles he should be able to shed about 40 seconds. If not that maybe more or less. So all Bago needs next year is a 5th man to step up.

[Stoic Warrior]

redemption said:

Although Winnebago loses Me, Newcomer, and Devine....#1, #3, and #5, our #7 runner was as good as Newcomer earlier in the year. He had a rough week before state and ran into some achilles problems through mid-season. Johnson also had some achilles problems early in the season. If they both stay injury free they will be a good 1-3 punch at the state meet and can most likely finish top 20 or even 15 next year if they get a lot of good training. Also our 6th man at state ran 16:40, the same as I did as a freshman. If he can get some good quality miles he should be able to shed about 40 seconds. If not that maybe more or less. So all Bago needs next year is a 5th man to step up.

Tedrick, I still remember watching you run the mile when you were a freshman in track. Couldn't believe that was you when I helped out at Bago Regionals this year. You're a beast dude! Keep the hair for track and sport a band. It shaves off a few seconds everytime.

Great XC season to you and your team. Good luck on the track.

[redemption]

stoicwarrior said:

redemption said:

Although Winnebago loses Me, Newcomer, and Devine....#1, #3, and #5, our #7 runner was as good as Newcomer earlier in the year. He had a rough week before state and ran into some achilles problems through mid-season. Johnson also had some achilles problems early in the season. If they both stay injury free they will be a good 1-3 punch at the state meet and can most likely finish top 20 or even 15 next year if they get a lot of good training. Also our 6th man at state ran 16:40, the same as I did as a freshman. If he can get some good quality miles he should be able to shed about 40 seconds. If not that maybe more or less. So all Bago needs next year is a 5th man to step up.

Tedrick, I still remember watching you run the mile when you were a freshman in track. Couldn't believe that was you when I helped out at Bago Regionals this year. You're a beast dude! Keep the hair for track and sport a band. It shaves off a few seconds everytime.

Great XC season to you and your team. Good luck on the track.

my best time was 4:47 at the Hawk classic. Then the sunday before conference which was on monday i stepped on a nail while paintballing and it almost went clear through my foot. I still ran the mile in 4:52...It hurt terrible though.

[Stoic Warrior]

redemption said:

my best time was 4:47 at the Hawk classic. Then the sunday before conference which was on monday i stepped on a nail while paintballing and it almost went clear through my foot. I still ran the mile in 4:52...It hurt terrible though.

It was the Hawk I saw you at. You and another frosh. Maybe Newcomer? Both in the mile though. Yeah, you were only 9-10 sec off my mile PR as a frosh. That 4:52 on a nailed through foot was probably close to a sub 4:40, right?