Spartans, Knights ready for state

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Sycamore cross country coach Mike Lambdin knows today’s boys Class 2A state cross country meet will be a tough task for his Spartans.

Belvidere North, who Sycamore saw win regional and sectional titles the last couple of weeks, will be the favorite at Peoria’s Detweiller Park when the race begins at noon.

But Lambdin, whose team earned a trip to Peoria by taking third place at last weekend’s Belvidere Sectional, thinks Sycamore still has a shot at finishing in the top three and bringing home a trophy.

“After seeing the sectional results, we appear to be one of about six teams that are sitting on the edge,” Lambdin said. “It’s the top three teams that bring home the hardware. While we’re just a little outside of that group we’re capable of getting in the top three.

“The key is going to be a solid team effort. We’ve got to have everyone on our squad doing what they’re capable of.”

Kaneland’s boys team will also be making the trip to Peoria after taking fourth place at
Belvidere. The Knights came in eighth place at last year’s state meet with Sycamore taking fifth. The Spartans won a state title in 2007.

Kaneland coach Chad Clarey said this year’s meet will be even tougher with Aurora Marmion and Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge dropping down from Class 3A.

“Our goal is to get everybody to run their best race and just leave the course knowing nothing that we have left to give,” Clarey said. “Marmion and Prairie Ridge dropping down (from 3A) makes it a tougher meet with those schools. Coming out of the sectional we feel like we can be a top 10 school, we’re going to have to run really well to be a top five.”

Clarey said the key to his team’s performance is the pack split between his first and fifth runners.

“Our pack split needs to be under 40 seconds,” Clarey said. “We’ve managed a 43-second split these last couple weeks. The bottom line is if they want to be in the top five we’re going to have to have a pack split of 40 seconds or below.”

Sycamore’s Tyson Kinsley heads into the race as one of the individual favorites in Class 2A, along with Ryan Alvarez of Crystal Lake Central, Paul Zeman of Belvidere North, and Clay Edward of Peoria Notre Dame. Kinsley won the Freeport Regional and Belvidere Sectional, and finished ahead of Zeman and Alvarez at Belvidere.

“He’s certainly getting a lot of attention,” Lambdin said. “He’s not going to fly under the radar anymore.”

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