Cross Country notes: Batavia's Katrina Schlenker makes long-awaited season debut

The Yorkville girls cross country program is an unquestioned model of excellence in the state.

The program is in the midst of an extraordinary decade-long run of never finishing worse than runner-up at state – with a record-tying five consecutive titles in Class 2A during the period--at the state finals.

The Foxes’ former conference rival, Batavia, has designs to become part of the state conversation.

Yorkville and Batavia, both nationally-ranked to begin the season, entered Illinois’ Class 3A ranks rated third and fourth, respectively.

It was perhaps only fitting Katrina Schlenker would make her long-awaited season debut for the Bulldogs when the programs came face to face last weekend at Minooka.

“We were all super excited to see [Schlenker] running again,” Batavia senior Mia Gianfrancesco said.

Schlenker, whose only two losses last fall came at the hands of Glenbard West superstar Katelynne Hart, has been nursing a myriad of injuries stemming from her freshman track season last spring.

“She just wasn’t ready to go,” Batavia coach Chad Hillman said of Schlenker not being able to defend her title at the state-meet site, Detweiller Park in Peoria, the previous weekend.

Minooka was a flighted meet in which the top athletes for the 14 programs competed against each other in seven different divisions.

Schlenker drew the Foxes’ Helena Kleronomos, fifth in state last year, to highlight the championship flight.

Schlenker broke free from a race-long, shoulder-to-shoulder dual over the last mile to defeat the Foxes’ junior by eight seconds in 18 minutes, 19 seconds.

“She definitely looked strong,” Hillman said of his reigning state runner-up making her debut.

Jenna Schifferer and Anissa Garcia captured the second and seventh flights for the Bulldogs, but Yorkville won four flights of its own and had no athlete finish worse than second to win the team title by six points over Batavia.

In essence, Batavia will be filling in for the Foxes this weekend in Minneapolis.

Yorkville will not be able to defend its team title at the famed Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday due to its homecoming.

Batavia will gladly accept the challenge in its first appearance at what is unofficially the Midwest championship.

“Our team hasn’t really competed in a meet like it before,” Hillman said. “It’s another opportunity for our kids to compete at the next level. We want to get Katrina Schlenker a national-level meet.”

Gianfrancesco, the only two-time all-stater in program history, returns for the first time as well this Saturday.

“I am excited to go somewhere else and see what I can do,” Gianfrancesco said. “I heard it was one of the toughest courses in the nation.”

St. Charles East boys new No. 1

The St. Charles East boys were ranked third in the preseason--behind York and defending state champion Wheaton Warrenville South--by ilxctf.com.

But the Saints’ ascension to the top of the Class 3A coaches’ poll last week was unquestionably legitimized with their dominant victory at the Richard Spring Invitational last weekend at Detweiller Park.

The Saints soundly defeated both WW South (fourth) and York (sixth) in turning back Sandburg 57-114 for their latest team triumph.

“I don’t think it’s much of a shock,” St. Charles East coach Chris Bosworth said of the Saints’ current ranking. “It’s a number right now. The only number that counts is at the end [of the season].”

The Saints’ top performer was once again Bob Liking as the senior was third in 14:29.1

Sophomore Micah Wilson, was sixth, followed by potent finishes from Luke Schildmeyer ((13th), Aidan King (16th) and Zach Loomis (20th).

“We tried not to put too much pressure or hype on it,” Liking said of the Saints’ current ranking. “We know that the best is still to come.”

“We knew they would be good – and they are,” WW South coach Chris Kuntz said of St. Charles East. “I give them credit.”