Boys high school cross country insider: Johnsburg's Noah Miller runner of week

Athlete of the Week

Noah Miller

Johnsburg, Senior

Miller took fourth in 15:13.4 to lead the Skyhawks to third place at the Amboy Invitational on Monday, a race that included some of the top-ranked Class 1A teams in the state.

Miller led Johnsburg to 97 points. No. 1-ranked Monticello was first with 63, followed by No. 6 Newman with 85. Elmwood-Brimfield, the No. 2-ranked team by the website DyeStatIL, was fourth with 106 points.

Miller and Matt Stelmasek have jockeyed back and forth as the Skyhawks’ top runners this season. The Skyhawks are ranked No. 7 by DyeStatIL.

Noteworthy

Championship day: The Fox Valley Conference is utilizing a different format to determine its cross country division champions this season, combining the dual meet results with standings from Saturday’s FVC Meet at Hickory Nut Grove in Cary.

McHenry leads the FVC Valley Division with a 5-0 dual record, followed by Crystal Lake South, Huntley and Jacobs, all at 3-2. There will be overall scoring for the meet and a meet champion crowned, but the scoring also will be broken down by divisions.

The FVC Valley champion will receive 18 points, with 15 for second and three fewer points for each spot after that. The FVC Fox champion will receive 21 points, with 18 for second and three fewer for each spot after that.

Crystal Lake Central leads the FVC Fox at 6-0, followed by Prairie Ridge (5-1) and Grayslake Central (4-2), to the meet standings will determine that winner.

Where they rank: Prairie Ridge is No. 8 in Class 2A and Crystal Lake Central is No. 11 according to the website DyeStatIL.

This Week’s Top Meets

Fox Valley Conference Meet

11 a.m. Saturday, Hickory Nut Grove in Cary

• McHenry’s Jesse Reiser, who committed to Illinois this week, is the defending champion and will try to help the Warriors to the FVC Valley Division team title.

Big Northern Conference Meet

10:35 a.m. Saturday, Fuller Forest Preserve in Winnebago

• Johnsburg, Rockford Christian and Winnebago are all ranked in Class 1A and should contend in the conference meet. Those three could compete four weeks in a row, with the regional next week, then sectional and state meets.