Boys cross country: 5 storylines to watch in The Herald-News area

Here are five storylines for fans to watch in The Herald-News coverage area during the boys cross country season.

North vs. South

No, it’s not the Civil War, but it is a war for supremacy in District 202.

Two years ago, Plainfield South won the Class 3A boys cross country state championship. Last season, the Cougars finished third in the state. However, one of the teams that finished ahead of them was district rival Plainfield North, which finished second.

Only nine points separated the two teams, as the Tigers finished with 125 and the Cougars had 134. Both trailed state champ Downers Grove North’s total of 79.

Plainfield South’s Camyn Viger finished second as an individual, but he has graduated. The Cougars do return Dylan Maloney, who finished eighth in the state last year as a junior. Plainfield North, meanwhile, counters with Thomas Czerwinski, who was fifth in the state last season as a sophomore.

Expect the two teams to do battle any time they are on the same course, which should be quite often at the end of the year when conference meets, regionals and sectionals roll around.

Individual achievement

Not only should Plainfield North and Plainfield South vie for area honors in the team competition, but Czerwinski and Maloney look to be the top individual contenders.

Maloney ran a big race this summer and showed what his competition may face. At the 50th annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 road race, Maloney won the High School Challenge with a time of 35:31 for seven miles, the fastest time by a high school runner in the eight-year history of the challenge. He also finished in 27th place overall, regardless of age.

Even so, Czerwinski has the edge on Maloney after finishing third in last season’s state meet, while Maloney finished eighth.

A loaded conference

The Southwest Prairie always has been a strong cross-country conference. Traditional powers such as Minooka and Yorkville are always at or near the top of the leader board, while Plainfield South and Plainfield North have entered the mix the last few seasons.

Meanwhile, Joliet West and Joliet Central have produced runners that can compete with the very best. Add Bolingbrook to the conference mix this season, along with Romeoville, Oswego, Oswego East, Plainfield East and Plainfield Central, and there is not an easy night throughout the SPC schedule.

Another tough conference

Not to be outdone, the SouthWest Suburban Conference, featuring Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West and Lockport, will be another league top-heavy with strong teams.

Lincoln-Way Central finished 19th in the state last season, one place behind conference rival Sandburg. Four of the Knights’ top five runners – Braden Hoff, Jack Galminas, Bryce Counihan and Kyle Friedl – all return this season and will look to carry their team to another state appearance.

The other guys

Morris was the only area team to qualify for the state meet in Class 2A last season, and they return everyone from that team – freshmen Cuyler Swanson and Everett Swanson and sophomores Nikita Hovious, Brodie Peterson, Jonathan Zarbock, Chase McConnell and Parker Fleetwood. It was the first time that Morris qualified a full boys team for the state meet and they finished 22nd. Other area teams that will be competing in the Class 2A ranks are Lemont, Joliet Catholic Academy and Providence Catholic.

In Class 1A, there were no state qualifiers from the area, but teams from Seneca, Gardner-South Wilmington, Wilmington and Reed-Custer will be trying to get there this season.