Sarah Schmitt will seek to run the postseason table Saturday in Peoria.
The Naperville North junior, a central figure on the Huskies’ 2015 Class 3A state runners-up, will compete at Detweiller Park with an perfect state series record.
Schmitt duplicated her triumph at the Batavia Regional with another winning run at the West Aurora Sectional last weekend.
Schmitt earned a seven-second victory over Oswego junior Isabelle Christiansen to lead Class 3A top-ranked Naperville North to a 50-101 win over Neuqua Valley at the Stuart Sports Complex.
Geneva (105 points), Metea Valley (138) and Batavia (146) also qualified for the state finals on Saturday.
Meghan Donovan was the lone state qualifier for sixth-place Naperville Central (158).
“I really don’t go into races thinking about winning,” said Schmitt, who was timed at the three-mile layout in 17:36. “I look to put forth my best effort and see where it goes. I was working forward the entire race.”
Sophomore Alex Morris was sixth overall for Naperville North, which also received contributing efforts from Hannah Ricci (10th), Claire Hamilton (11th) and Gabby Champion (22nd).
“We ran well, but we know we still have room to improve,” Schmitt said. “That’s always good.”
Hamilton, a track relay state champion, will be a four-time qualifier this weekend.
“(State) is obviously an opportunity to take a step forward,” Hamilton said. “We want to have a good showing, and I think we have a really good shot (at winning). These past few weeks, I have been finding ground again.”
Neuqua Valley senior Caitlin Horn (18:02) led the second-place Wildcats with a seventh-place finish. Julia Rushing, Caroline Johnson, Keara Ginell and Sarah Riser were all in the top 33 for Neuqua Valley.
Leana Goldman and Nicki Cast were eighth and 15th for fourth-place Metea Valley.
National No. 2 Neuqua Valley was in a league of its own in the boys competition.
Behind individual champion Jackson Jett, runner-up Matt Milostan and third-place finisher Josh Mollway, the Wildcats steamrolled Marmion 25-105 for the team title at West Aurora.
Seniors Scott Anderson and Jeremy Hayhurst were eighth and No. 11 to round out the Wildcats’ top five.
“The best part of the race was seeing my other teammates come in so strong,” said Jett, who was timed in 15:12. “Winning the (sectional) team championship and, hopefully, going for the state championship next week is what is motivating us all. Together, we make a really good team.”
“We got out fast, but we didn’t go so fast that we died in the last mile,” said Milostan, who ran 15:19. “After the two-mile (mark), (Mollway and I) just tried to catch as many people as we could.”
Matt Boelke finished 19th to pace Naperville North, which also features state veteran Emerson King, Jake Allen, Aidan Blecke and Michael Schnell.
“Our key was to stick together,” Boelke said. “I don’t feel like I did as well as I could have because I was feeling sick toward the end. But it was the team that mattered.”
Naperville Central qualified Tommy Chavez and Thomas Shilgalis, while Ralph Papa advanced for Metea Valley.
Kevin McGavin is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.
CROSS COUNTRY STATE FINALS
CLASS 3A
Boys schedule: 2 p.m. Saturday at Detweiller Park, Peoria.
Boys team qualifiers: Naperville North, Neuqua Valley.
Boys individual qualifier: Tommy Chavez, Naperville Central, senior; Ralph Papa, Metea Valley, junior; Thomas Shilgalis, Naperville Central, sophomore
Girls schedule: 1 p.m. Saturday at Detweiller Park, Peoria.
Girls team qualifiers: Metea Valley, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley.
Girls qualifiers: Meghan Donovan, Naperville Central, junior; Mae Tully, Benet, sophomore.
