Midwest Week #8
Week ending Oct. 29, 2005
By Scott Bush, Midwest Region Editor
Boys
 
1. York, IL - The Dukes of York continue to showcase just how strong they are, even when their top two runners are not running up to their potential.  On Saturday at the Niles West Sectional (3.0 miles), York packed it up once again and took home the team title with a 28-60 score over MW #3 Glenbard South.  Placing their top five runners in the top ten spots, York finished with an amazing 24 second split 1-5, something which will come in handy next weekend at state.  As strong as York seems right now, they could be even better, as Eric and Matt Dettman have yet to really capture their fitness this season in a race, and Nick Kuczwara and Tom Achtein continue to improve rapidly.  This team continues to get stronger each week it seems. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet, Detweiller Park, Peoria, Illinois - Dyestat On-Site Coverage.
2. Eric Dettman - 14:54
4. Nick Kuczwara - 14:56
5. Matt Dettman - 14:56
6. Tom Achtein - 15:01
10. David Montgomery - 15:18
19. Mike Fry - 15:43
22. Lionel Montenegro - 15:44
 
2. Warren Central, IN - Finisihng the season undefeated in Indiana is a great accomplishment.  Winning the state title and doing so in impressive fashion is even a great accomplishment.  Warren Central had one of the best years ever in Indiana state history.  They raced hard all season long, beating a slew of very good teams.  They raced consistent and strong and in the end prevailed with the win at the Indiana State CC Championship.  Using the strong finishes of De'Sean Turner and Ondraius Richardson up front, Central showed just how strong they really are.  Tim Armstrong also had a nice race, coming back from a lackluster performance the week before.  WC beat runner-up Valparaiso by 12 points.  WC ran a smart race, going out and taking control of the race and showing no fear.  Congratulations Warren Central on a fantastic season and for winning the '05 Indiana State Cross Country title!
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
1. De'Sean Turner - 15:25
3. Ondraius Richardson - 15:41
23. Tim Armstrong - 16:16
44. Cody Smith - 16:42
47. James Hodges - 16:43
64. Micah Aldrich - 16:51
90. Caleb Pack - 17:13
 
3. Glenbard South, IL - Running better than they did last weekend at regionals, Glenbard South still lost quite soundly to MW #1 York at the Niles West Sectional 28-60.  South did do some great things however, as they had frontrunner Bruce MacTaggart finish second overall in a fantastic time of 14:46 on the three mile course.  After MacTaggart, South packed it up nicely once more, finishing with a 2-5 split of 17 seconds.  The nice thing this week was that the 1-5 split shrunk a bit, this time being 53 seconds.  South will have to step it up another notch next weekend, as they head to the state meet, once again facing MW #1 York and going head to head with MW #10 St. Charles North, who they barely beat earlier this season.
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet, Detweiller Park, Peoria, Illinois - Dyestat On-Site Coverage. 
2. Bruce MacTaggart - 14:46
12. Brian Billie - 15:23
14. Daniel Kuhlman - 15:31
15. Brian Wurtz - 15:32
17. Tim Honig - 15:39
33. John Navarro - 15:59
39. Charlie Mueller - 16:09
 
4. Carmel, IN - A lackluster performance by their number one runner Will Peters didn't lose the state championship for Carmel, but it may have cost them a trophy.  Carmel simply did not have it at the state meet on Saturday, finishing a disappointing fourth, scoring 167 points, 21 points behind third place MW #6 Columbus North.  Chad Bowman and Jacob Rich both ran well, finishing in the top twenty, but their pack simply did not have enough to off-set the teams ahead of them.  Carmel still ran tough and ran their close split racing like they always have done in the past, as they had an impressive 1-7 split of only 52 seconds.  Carmel is a young team this season and you can expect to see them up here once again next season.
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
13. Chad Bowman - 16:05
18. Jacob Rich - 16:10
39. Kevin Courtney - 16:38
42. Scott Ellabarger - 16:41
55. Logan Rosenberg - 16:48
59. Will Peters - 16:49
71. J.D. Smith - 16:57
 
5. Whitefish Bay, WI - Running on the toughest state course in the Midwest, Whitefish Bay easily proved that they were the class of Wisconsin this year, as they beat the runner-up team at state 74-137.  Using some very smart race tactics, WFB started out slow and worked their way through the field, eventually coming out on top.  They packed it up nicely for most of the race, as their 1-3 ran strong, and their 4-7 backed them up nicely.  WFB was once again led by their leader Steve Markson, who finished a strong seventh place.  They also had two other top twelve finishers, as Kevin Sullivan and Geoff Horton both ran their best races of the year.  On the day when you want to run your best, Whitefish Bay did just that, as they had a 51 second split 1-5 and ran strong and smart the entire way.  Congratulations Whitefish Bay on being undefeated this season and winning the 2005 Wisconsin State Cross Country Championship!
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
7. Steve Markson - 16:14
11. Kevin Sullivan - 16:37
12. Geoff Horton - 16:42
20. Chris Lybeck - 17:00
24. Kyle McFadden - 17:05
63. Erik Stevens - 17:38
74. Ian Stewart - 17:49
 
6. Columbus North, IN - An up and down season for Columbus North has kept this team on their toes all season long.  The time when you want to be running your best is the last race of the season, and when you look at what North did at the Indiana State Meet, you can see that they accomplished that.  Placing their top three runners in the top twenty, CN had a great start to their race day.  Keeping their 4-5 runners under 16:50 was vital too, and they accomplished that.  North earned another state top three finish, as they scored 146 points, finishing only 16 points behind runner-up Valparaiso and 28 points behind state champion MW #2 Warren Central.  Like most other top teams in the nation, CN used packs to reach their goals.  Their 1-3 ran a great nine second split, while their 4-5 ran a six second split.  Fantastic racing and a fantastic way to end their season.
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
12. Eric Cave - 16:02
14. Paul Zielinski - 16:07
19. John Pence - 16:11
45. Patrick Ryan - 16:42
56. Ryan Hildinger - 16:48
88. Sean McEwan - 17:08
121. Dustin Weisner - 17:51
 
7. LaSalle, OH - Placing two runners in the top five and having a scoring split of 37 seconds, LaSalle showed the state of Ohio that they are easily the team to beat next weekend at the state meet.  Running in the toughest regional in the state, LaSalle scored 65 points to win the Troy Regional.  Second place Middletown was nearly double the amount of points, as they finished with 126.  Kyle Lang and Greg Bader both ran strong, finishing in third and fifth place, right around the 16 minute mark on the 5k course.  LaSalle packed it up nicely from 3-5 as well, and simply rolled along, placing their top five in the top twenty-two spots.  This was one fantastic run by LaSalle. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - LaSalle is the clear cut favorite to win the Ohio State Cross Country Championships.  They have the best pack of any team in the state and have two front-runners in Kyle Lang and Greg Bader.  They are battle tested (the most battle tested in the Midwest) and should be ready to execute on Saturday. 
3. Kyle Lang - 16:02
5. Greg Bader - 16:04
17. Richard Lupp - 16:27
18. Jake Neuskabel - 16:34
22. Corey Spriggs - 16:39
32. Mitchell Heusman - 16:53
53. Andrew St. George - 17:10
 
8. Hamilton Southeastern, IN - A disappointing finish to a fantastic year is the best that can be said for Hamilton Southeastern.  Everyone knew that the Indiana State Meet would be bruttle and very deep, but HSE could have never predicted finishing ninth, which is exactly where they placed.  Scoring 256 points, over one-hundred points behind third place Columbus North, HSE left the state meet down and out.  Despite a fine showing from Justin Roeder (tenth in the team scoring), HSE simply could not pack it up well enough to beat the people they needed to beat.  The 1-5 scoring spread of over one minute really hurt them as well.  This team is young and will bounce back next year.
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
10. Justin Roeder - 15:53
22. Madison Roeder - 16:15
57. Cale Allen - 16:49
80. Evan Hitchock - 17:01
87. Sean Fleck - 17:07
118. Alex Susott - 17:50
126. Jian Xiao - 18:00
 
9. Dexter, MI - Placing three runners in the top five and six runners in the top 26 is almost always a guarantee that you will win an invitational, especially a very tough regional race.  Dexter did just that as they won the Haslett Regional (5k) 53-69 over runner-up Coldwater.  Dexter's top runner Dan Jackson set the course record, running an outstanding 15:39, and beating a few other very good individuals, including sophomore teammate Bobby Aprill, who finished fourth in 15:49.  Dexter's other top five finisher was freshman Jason Bishop.  All three of Dexter's top finishers are back next year!  After those three there was a large split in time, 48 seconds to be exact.  With that big of a split, Dexter will have to be careful next weekend at the Michigan State Meet.  Although they have defeated everyone they have faced all season, a closer split was ensure victory for certain. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - Dyestat On-Site Coverage.
1. Dan Jackson - 15:39
4. Bobby Aprill - 15:49
5. Jason Bishop - 16:01
19. Ryan Neely - 16:49
24. Charles Wolcott - 16:59
26. Andrew Martin - 17:07
46. Alex Hess - 17:48
 
10. St. Charles North, IL - Using their pack tactics once again, St. Charles North continued to roll through their Illinois competition as they head to the Illinois State Meet this coming weekend.  SCN won the Waubonsie Valley Sectional 48-103 over state ranked Wheaton Warrenville South.  Placing their top five runners in the top sixteen spots in this race, SCN showed that they have perhaps the best 1-5 split in the Midwest outside of York.  Matt DeSilva ran an excellent race, running with Illinois individual contenders Evan Jager (Jr., Jacobs) and Jon Popejoy (Sr., Wheaton W. South), and finishing third, only eleven second behind Popejoy.  Behind DeSilva was Mike McDonnell, who finished only six seconds back and ran a very strong race, showing that he too could be a top 15 threat next weekend.  SCN's 1-5 split was an amazing 34 seconds, while sixth man Andy Barbaeu was only seven seconds off of their number five, so they have a strong 1-6 pack, which they will need every bit of next weekend, as they go against MW #1 York and MW #3 Glenbard South.
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet, Detweiller Park, Peoria, Illinois - Dyestat On-Site Coverage.
2. Matt DeSilva - 15:08
4. Mike McDonnell - 15:14
11. Chris Rosso - 15:27
15. Zach Johnson - 15:41
16. Scott Spear - 15:42
23. Andy Barbaeu - 15:49
54. Steve Wittanen - 16:22
 
 
Girls
 
1. Clarkston, MI - Won the Clarkston Regional without their top runner Jenny Morgan, who has been sick and dropped out of the race.  Clarkston won their own regional scoring 40 points and outdistancing second place Troy by 36 points.  Despite finishing without Jenny Morgan, Clarkston still looked good up front, as freshman Stephanie Morgan took home the individual title in 18:12 and teammate Lyndsay Smith took second in 18:37.  Clarkston needs Jenny Morgan to be at her best next weekend if they hope to hold off MW #6 Okemos, who has been racing so strong the past month or so, as well as other team contenders such as previously ranked Rockford.  The split from 3-5 needs to close, as it was nearly a minute on Saturday. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - Dyestat On-Site Coverage.  Finally, we get to see teams like MW #1 Clarkston, MW #6 Okemos and Rockford face off against one another.  With all teams riding high off of impressive regional wins, the race should go out fast and stay fast, as energy and expectations will be running high.  Clarkston will need to have a healthy Jenny Morgan, Okemos will need to close the gap between their 4-5 and Rockford will have to be hitting on all cylinders.  Each team has their strengths and weaknesses, the winner on Saturday will be the team that is showing all their strengths. 
1. Stephanie Morgan - 18:12
2. Lyndsay Smith - 18:37
8. Kristen Smith - 18:55
13. Jenna Leach - 19:28
16. Beth Hoekstra - 19:53
23. Tiffany Kinkaid - 20:20
 
2. Waukesha West, WI - Another year, another state championship for Waukesha West.  West ran their usual race, as they packed three runners way up front and then had their 4-7 runners run as a pack a little bit farther back.  Placing three runners in the top ten, West showed their strength and showed that they were easily the class in Wisconsin this year.  West won the team title over Middleton 65-95, running a smart race, packing up and feeding off of each others energies to push forward.  A one minute split between their first and sixth runner is what really helped propel this team to the Midwest elite this year and it worked all season long.  Congratulations to West for winning the '05 Wisconsin State Cross Country Meet! 
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
4. Laura Koch - 15:04
5. Karlye Wolff - 15:05
9. Alyssa Beste - 15:19
23. Ashley Vonck - 15:55
24. Erica Claas - 15:56
34. Meghan Dugan - 16:04
47. Alisha Roland - 16:18
 
3. Carmel, IN - Expectations were incredibly high for this team coming into Saturday's state meet.  As the race progressed, it was apparent that Carmel wasn't having their perfect race.  They were having a good race, but not perfect.  Lauren Waterman led her team with a ninth place finish, which was a solid start, but their 1-2 split of 25 seconds was just too much, and the result was a third place finish with 128 points, two points behind runner-up Valparaiso and forty points behind state champion Westfield (who they had beaten a few times this season).  Carmel had less than a 50 second split between their first and sixth runner and packed it up very strong from top to bottom, but it was just not enough on the day that mattered most.  Carmel had a fantastic season and proved that they are one of the top teams in the Midwest. 
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
9. Lauren Waterman - 14:24
22. Kayla McCurdy - 14:49
24. Bridget Blair - 14:50
33. Kelly McCurdy - 15:06
40. Brittany Rutledge - 15:10
45. Allie McMahon - 15:13
64. Kristen Schulz - 15:28
 
4. Palatine, IL - Despite running without their number two runner (sitting out for precautionary measures) and losing one of their top four scorers during the race (tweaked her knee, will be back 100% next week), Palatine dominated the always tough Schaumburg Sectional (3.0 miles) scoring 81 points and beating runner up Barrington by thirty points.  Senior frontrunner Amy Laskowske continues to impress late in the season, as she beat last year's state champion Amber Stack by twelve seconds.  Laskowske will be a individual title threat next weekend at the Illinois State Meet.  After Laskowske, Palatine had a great pack of runners.  Their 2-3 runners ran together the whole way and finished only six seconds apart, while their 4-6 runners had a gap of only nine seconds.  The 2-6 split was only 33 seconds, something which no other team can duplicate in Illinois.  Pack strength is Palatine's fortay this year, and next weekend they will be able to showcase it in front of the entire state. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet, Detweiller Park, Peoria, Illinois - Dyestat On-Site Coverage.
1. Amy Laskowske -17:39
13. Colleen Standridge - 18:47
14. Michelle Brunk - 18:53
26. Tory Wright - 19:11
27. Kaitlin Petersen - 19:14
32. Emma Maslanka - 19:20
 
5. Westfield, IN - After weeks of finishing just out of the top spot, Westfield put together the perfect race of the year in Indiana and won the Indiana State Championship over numerous ranked and previously ranked teams.  Placing four runners in the top 17, Westfield scored 88 points for the win.  Teammates Maggie Bingham and Kristina Krasich ran incredibly well, as they placed 3-4 in the team scoring.  After those two, Breanne Ehrman and Kaitlyn Love ran together the whole race and finished in 16th and 17th place.  Needing their number five runner to step up big for them, Katlin Luter did just that, finished 36 seconds behind Love and giving her team the added boost from her scoring position that it took to win the title.  Westfield's 1-4 had a split of only 21 seconds, while Luter was less than a minute behind Bingham, which was so important for this team on the day.  Congratulations Westfield on winning the '05 Indiana State Cross Country Championship!
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
3. Maggie Bingham - 14:18
4. Kristina Krasich - 14:18
16. Breanne Ehrman - 14:34
17. Kaitlyn Love - 14:39
48. Katlin Luter - 15:15
90. Annie Monardo - 16:00
91. Heather Beard - 16:00
 
6. Okemos, MI - Placing four runners in the top nine is never an easy task for a team, especially when that race is the regional.  However, Okemos did just that and looked strong, as they head into next weekend's Michigan State Meet looking the best they have looked all year.  Frontrunner Danielle Dakroub will be challenging for the individual title, while teammate Allie Pugh will be going after a top ten finish as well.  After thos two, Okemos will be relying on a strong, but distanced pack, to help weave their way through the field and hopefully to the top of the awards stand.  Okemos easily won the Jackson Regional (5k) at Sharp Park, scoring a mere 40 points, 35 points over runner-up Jackson.  Grand Ledge was third with 97 points.  The split between Dakroub and fifth runner Jessica King was nearly two minutes, which could be too big of a gap at the state meet. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - Dyestat On-Site Coverage.  Finally, we get to see teams like MW #1 Clarkston, MW #6 Okemos and Rockford face off against one another.  With all teams riding high off of impressive regional wins, the race should go out fast and stay fast, as energy and expectations will be running high.  Clarkston will need to have a healthy Jenny Morgan, Okemos will need to close the gap between their 4-5 and Rockford will have to be hitting on all cylinders.  Each team has their strengths and weaknesses, the winner on Saturday will be the team that is showing all their strengths. 
1. Danielle Dakroub - 18:13
5. Allie Pugh - 18:44
7. Teresa Buiocchi - 19:09
9. Ann Marie Lanzetta - 19:33
18. Jessica King - 20:03
23. Jacquelin Douches - 20:24
32. Alyssa Ambrose - 20:34
 
 
7. Massillon Jackson, OH - Despite running a harder course than most other regionals, Massillon Jackson won the Young Regional with 63 points.  Second place Hudson didn't have a chance, as they finished 26 points back from the second-ranked team in the state.  For most of the season MJ had been ranked number one in the polls, but that disappeared last week, as Bowling Green regained the top spot that they earned last season.  You can bet this lit a fire under this team and they showed just how strong they are this year, as they placed their top five in the top 23 positions.  Emily Pritt led the way for her team, winning the 5k race in 19:14.  Hallie Busta and Nicole Fairless also ran well, both placing in the top eleven and running within a minute of Pritt.  MJ has their front runner at state just like Bowling Green and Mason, but they have a tighter pack behind her, as their 2-5 girls had a split of only 41 seconds. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - Finally, all the top teams in Ohio square off at one time.  Every week it seemed that none of the top Ohio teams matched up, well now the chance to see them all toe the line together is here.  MW #7 Jackson Massillon, MW #8 Bowling Green, MW #9 Mason and previously ranked squads of Cincinnati Colerain and Loveland, will all race for the one thing they have been shooting for all season long...the championship team trophy!
1. Emily Pritt - 19:14
8. Hallie Busta - 19:56
11. Nicole Fairless - 20:16
20. Krista Kohler - 20:29
23. Amanda Farson - 20:37
43. Rachel Reed - 21:19
63. Caroline Wright - 21:44
 
8. Bowling Green, OH - Bowling Green continued to improve on Saturday, as they showed they will be a force to be reckoned with this coming weekend.  BG raced at the Tiffin Regional (5k) and came away with a nice 48-71  victory over Rocky Riv. Magnificat.  BG looked good, as they placed their top five individuals in the top 19 spots and had three finish in the top ten.  Front runner Christy Titus once again proved that she will vie for a top five finish at state, while Barbara Powers and Shannon Titus continue to pack it up and race as one of the best 2-3 combinations in the state.  With a minute spread between 1-5, Bowling Green may have the best 1-5 spread out of any of the top teams heading into next weekend.  This will be very important as the field becomes more condensed and the level of competition rises. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - Finally, all the top teams in Ohio square off at one time.  Every week it seemed that none of the top Ohio teams matched up, well now the chance to see them all toe the line together is here.  MW #7 Jackson Massillon, MW #8 Bowling Green, MW #9 Mason and previously ranked squads of Cincinnati Colerain and Loveland, will all race for the one thing they have been shooting for all season long...the championship team trophy!
1. Christy Titus - 18:42
3. Barbara Powers - 19:02
9. Shannon Titus - 19:13
16. Anne-Marie Simon - 19:38
19. Andrea Pereira de Almeida - 19:43
38. Paige Lane - 20:18
49. Taylor Worthington - 20:34
 
9. Mason, OH - Participating in the toughest regional in the state, Mason knew they would have to run perfectly if they hoped to beat previously ranked Cincinnati Colerain.  Mason executed their race plan but could still not muster up enough low points, as they lost to Colerain 93-100.  Mason had a low point finish from state title contender Angela Bizzarri, who finished second on the 5k layout in 18:19.  Bizzarri has been running well all season and should finish in the top five at state.  After Bizzarri, Mason packed it up nicely, with their 2-6 runners only having a 24 second split.  If they can move their pack up five seconds a piece, they should beat Colerain and challenge for the state title. 
Next Race: Saturday, State Meet - Finally, all the top teams in Ohio square off at one time.  Every week it seemed that none of the top Ohio teams matched up, well now the chance to see them all toe the line together is here.  MW #7 Jackson Massillon, MW #8 Bowling Green, MW #9 Mason and previously ranked squads of Cincinnati Colerain and Loveland, will all race for the one thing they have been shooting for all season long...the championship team trophy!
2. Angela Bizzarri - 18:19
13. Emily Staresinic - 19:40
18. Stephanie Chaney - 19:44
30. Danielle Terreri - 19:56
37. Kelsey Flaherty - 20:00
38. Stephanie Staresinic - 20:04
56. Katie Chaney - 20:33
 
10. Indianapolis Cathedral, IN - Cathedral had high hopes heading into the Indiana State Meet on Saturday, but came away disappointed, as they finished sxith place overall, scoring 176 points, and finishing well behind the top three teams.  Freshman Katy Achtien led the way for her squad, finishing sixth place overall, and was the first freshman finisher, however her teammates that normally run on her heels were farther back than expected.  With nearly a 41 second split between Achtien and second runner Kelly O'Hara, it was simply too much for this team to make up on a day when pack racing up front won the race for Westfield and scored some low points for second place Valparaiso and third place Carmel.  This team will have to forge ahead now and look to next year, when they return five of their top seven.
Next Race: Regular Season Complete.
6. Katy Achtien - 14:20
31. Kelly O'Hara - 15:01
42. Ashley Casavant - 15:12
46. Rose Plomin - 15:13
51. Emily Breslin - 15:18
67. Kelly Shew - 15:34
68. Laura Peabody - 15:35

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