Girls cross country preview '09: Illineks aim to return to state finals after 2008 absence

Gargoyle photo by David Porreca (click to enlarge)Senior Elizabeth Russell (798) was ranked as one of the area's top 50 runners by The New-Gazette in its preseason picks. The paper also chose Uni as the No. 7 girls team in the area. The Illineks begin their 2009 season Tuesday at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic.

By Eunjung Kim
Published: Monday, August 31, 2009 - 9:55pm

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2009 GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY AT A GLANCE

Head Coach: Doug Mynatt (14th season)

Last Season: Placed fifth at IHSA Class 1A regionals, 13th at sectionals

Key Losses: Elaine Gu, Maddy Levin, Katherine Allen

Key Returnees: Seniors Elizabeth Russell, Brittany Scheid; sophomore Shruti Vaidya

Key Newcomers: Freshman Sarah Vaughen; sophomores Elena Bauer, Sarah Heffley; junior Emma Coverdill

Outlook: The combination of veteran Elizabeth Russell, one of the top senior runners in the area, and freshman Sarah Vaughen, one of the top freshmen, will give the Illineks a good shot at returning to the 1A state finals for the fourth time in five years.

Dates to Remember: Sept. 1 (Kickapoo Kickoff Classic), Sept. 8 (Twin City Meet), Sept. 26 (Spartan Classic), Oct. 24 (Class 1A regionals), Oct. 31 (sectionals), Nov. 7 (state finals)

Sarah Vaughen was one of the top middle school runners in the state as a subbie. Now a freshman, she could take her place among the area's varsity elite this season. Gargoyle photo by Katherine Allen (click to enlarge)

URBANA — For almost three weeks, the 2009 girls cross country team has been training hard to get ready for its first meet, Tuesday's Kickapoo Kickoff Classic.

The Illineks are hoping that all those morning runs and afternoon practices will pay off as this year’s much larger squad looks to build on the positive achievements of last year's runners.

Uni's 2008 season ended at the Class 1A Paxton sectional meet in early November. Although the girls finished 13th and were unable to qualify for a fourth straight trip to IHSA state finals, every Illinek ran a seasonal or personal best,

“It was disappointing that we were not able to continue our streak of advancing to state competition,” senior Elizabeth Russell said, “but I believe the girls had a good performance at sectionals.”

“I thought as a team, we actually ended on a really good note,” agreed senior Brittany Scheid. “At sectionals, everyone … was really happy with their own results, but we didn’t make it to state, and that was a down side.”

With only six runners last year, the Illineks were at a disadvantage against deeper teams. But heading into the new season, their number has more than doubled to 13.

“Having more depth to the team will be good because long runs will never be boring,” said Russell. “Also with more runners we have more of us pushing each other to do better.”

The News-Gazette certainly thinks highly of Russell's prospects. The paper recently named her to its preseason list of top 50 runners in the area.

Asked if she feels any pressure from such lofty expectations, Russell replied: “Yes, but let's not get too excited with the term ‘top runner.’ Sarah Vaughen is currently rocking my world.”

Vaughen emerged last year as one of the best middle school runners in Illinois, winning her IESA sectional meet as a Uni subfreshman and placing 18th at the state finals. Now that Vaughen is a freshman, she and Russell give the Illineks one of the fastest duos in the area.

Besides Vaughen, other newcomers have strengthened the team, including junior Emma Coverdill and sophomores Elena Bauer and Sarah Heffley.

“They could all have significant impact with the team's success,” said Doug Mynatt, who is in his 14th season as head coach.

One of those additions, Coverdill, said, “It would be really great to make it to state, but it all depends on how the new runners do.”

Their first test will come at Kickapoo State Park in Vermilion County. Last year, Uni finished second at the Kickoff Classic; the Illineks won the race in 2006 and 2007.

“We will use that first meet to assess the team's potential,” said Mynatt. “Then I will expect them to live up to the tradition of past Uni High teams and train to race beyond their potential.”

The Illineks have a busy September ahead of them, with eight meets on the schedule, including the Twin City Championship on Sept. 8 and the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartan Classic on Sept. 26.

The Class 1A postseason starts with regionals on Oct. 24, followed by sectionals a week later. If everything goes right, the girls will still be competing on Nov. 7, when the state finals take place in Peoria.

Indeed, there are two goals that every runner seems to have in mind.

“We want to get better and make it to state this year!” said Scheid.