2014 Season outlook

At the 2013 Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional, the Downers Grove North girls cross country team ran its best race when it mattered most.

The Trojans finished fifth and earned the last berth for the state meet, returning to the 25-team state field after a one-year absence and despite not being favored to advance based on the final the regular-season state rankings.

“It was honestly amazing. It’s kind of like a moment you’ll never forget just knowing as a team you’re qualifying for state,” junior Grace Maletich, the team’s top sectional finisher.

“It was just so awesome for everybody to perform and for everybody to feel proud of that race. It was amazing just for everybody to say, ‘Yeah, I performed my best and couldn’t have done any better.’ That was definitely one of our best races of the season. Even if we didn’t qualify for state, we would have finished on a good note.”

The Trojans very well could be hitting a higher note this season. They return their top four finishers from the state meet in Maletich, juniors Kaitlyn Bonfield and Angela Budach and sophomore Emma Moravec.

They also return all five 2013 state alternates – seniors Zayna Jan, Rachel Krusenoski and Jenna Murphy, junior Maci Schaub and sophomore Brigid Miller – and could receive a lift from some strong freshmen.

In the pre-season 3A polls, the Trojans were ranked No. 12 by DyeStat Illinois and MileSplit Illinois.

“We’re going to be really good on all levels. We just have a lot of depth. I think we have a really good chance this year,” Bonfield said.

“I think everyone’s just pushing themselves really hard this summer and we’ve been looking really good. We have some good incoming freshmen so I think as a team we’re going to be pretty good, the best that we’ve been since I’ve been at North, so I think we have a good chance of getting to state, and I hope we can if everybody works their hardest.”

The Trojans’ season began Aug. 27 by winning their annual EIU Showdown home invite at Greene Valley Forest Preserve, which expanded to five teams. Their first major invite is Sept. 6 at Fenton.

In the 3,200-meter preseason team time-trial Aug. 15 on the Downers North track, the top four finishers were Moravec (12:01.8), Budach (12:17.2), Maletich (12:17.9) and junior Ashley Johnson (12:21.8), a first-year team member. Like last year, Bonfield did not participate at the time trial and EIU Showdown as she recovers from shin splints and won’t compete until Fenton.

“I think a lot of the season is going to depend on if those five kids stay together and keep focused and we find one or two to help them out,” Downers North head coach Tim McDonald said.

“We look at this as a really opportune time for us. With the exception of Jenna Murphy (among our current top runners), every kid is going to be here for at least the next two years. It’s a really good opportunity for the program to have a lot of success. It’s coinciding with (defending 3A state champion) Glenbard West and Hinsdale Central, but for us we’re at a much higher level than we’ve been, probably as high a level we’ve had since 2010.”

The 2013 Trojans finished 21st at state (492 points). Maletich finished 36th (17:51 for 3.0 miles), followed by Bonfield (127th, 18:48), Moravec (143rd, 18:59) and Budach (156th, 19:07) – all in their first state appearances for cross country.

Maletich was 11 spots and 17 seconds from the 25th and final individual at-large spot. Twenty-six non-seniors finished ahead of Maletich, including nine in the top 10 and 19 all-staters.

Among other West Suburban Conference Silver Division teams, Glenbard West (75) won its first state title by 37 points over second-place Naperville North with third-place Madeline Perez the only senior in its lineup. Oak Park-River Forest (322) and Hinsdale Central (328) were 13th and 14th.

At sectionals, Downers North edged rival Lyons Township for fifth place 129-134. Murphy, who ran with the lineup at regionals, and senior Krusenoski competed at state with the 2011 state lineup. The 2011 Trojans finished 21st at state (448) with Krusenoski (169th, 19:13) and Murphy (183rd, 19:23) their No. 6 and 7 finishers.

“Had we not made it (to state last year), not really turned in a great performance, we were really in danger of losing that state connection of, ‘Hey, we go to the state meet,’ ” McDonald said. “Some years, more than that, we want to be a top-10 finisher. For them to step up on that day (at sectionals) will really help this.”

Maletich and Bonfield have run varsity since they were freshmen. The past two seasons, Bonfield ran with older sister Meghan, who graduated.

Budach was new to cross country last season after being a track sprinter her freshman year. Moravec said she competed in cross country at Herrick Junior High but not as intensely.

“This season, it’s a lot better knowing that I went to state last year and I kind of have that, knowing that I can do it, whereas last year it was my first time doing distance and I didn’t really know what to expect,” Budach said. “I feel like that experience in state is kind of pushing us. I know that we went last year but our team’s even better so I feel we might be able to medal or at least place better.”

The momentum carried over to track. Moravec, Schaub and Jan earned all-state honors in the 3,200 relay with graduated Stephanie Urbancik by taking fourth (9:14.16). Maletich, Bonfield and Budach were among the 3,200 relay’s four state alternates.

“(State track) was super exciting. State’s a great place to race and I think that just pumped me up for cross country because cross country state is just as great with all of the people cheering,” Moravec said.

“This year, I guess I know what to expect and I’m excited to see how much further that we as a team can push each other to go farther and place better at state than we did.”

In 2013, Maletich and Jan were part of the Trojans’ all-state, sixth-place 3,200 relay (9:21.71) and Maletich qualified for state that year in the 1,600. Urbancik was also a member of the 2013 state cross country lineup and a four-time all-stater with the 3,200 relay.

Like Urbancik and graduated No. 5 team state finisher Katie Portman, Murphy may have her best cross country season as a senior. Many others feel that experience and increased training over the summer could lead to outstanding seasons as well.

The Trojans’ last individual all-stater was Samantha Fry, who was 11th in 2009.

“I feel like I’m capable of a lot more this year. I really want to reach that point where I want. I have better goals to place,” Maletich said.

“Last year, we definitely didn’t perform our best (at state),” Bonfield said. “I think the goal for this year would be to definitely make it but also to compete with what we’re capable of and hopefully everybody could get a (personal record) and just run their best race at state this year.”

-- by Bill Stone

PHOTO: Sophomore Emma Moravec (left) and juniors Grace Maletich and Angela Budach competed at the 2013 Class 3A state meet along with junior Kaitlyn Bonfield (not pictured).