March 28, 2024
Girls Cross Country

Inside Girls Cross Country: Harvard's Jordan Peterson OK after scare

Athlete of the Week

Lauren Opatrny

McHenry, sr.

Opatrny took fourth in the Class 3A Palatine Sectional in 18:00 at Deer Grove East Forest Preserve last week to advance as an individual runner.

Opatrny’s summer training was limited after she suffered a stress fracture in her left fibula during track season. She was not able to run regularly until late in the summer but has worked her way back into form.

Opatrny finished 16th in the Class 3A state meet as a junior, earning All-State honors. She will compete Saturday in the Schaumburg Sectional to make it back to state.

Noteworthy

Scary moment: Harvard junior Jordan Peterson is back ready to run at the Class 1A Oregon Sectional on Saturday after a scary experience in the Winnebago Regional.

Peterson had been sick during the week but tried to lead her team to the sectional meet. She was running in second place for the first 2 miles, but Hornets coach Casey Seyller said “she was white as a ghost.”

Seyller knew Peterson, the Big Northern Conference runner-up a week earlier, would not be able to hang on for second, but hoped she could finish.

“I went in the woods [at Fuller Forest Preserve] to try to get her to just finish, and she was down on the ground back there,” Seyller said. “I kept seeing girls come out and I was like, ‘Oh, God! Oh, God!’ She was laying down.”

Fortunately, Harvard still made it through as a team and Seyller said Peterson, with another week to recover, is ready to go.

Britten's offer: Crystal Lake South girls track coach Matt Dunker said senior Kiley Britten has received a scholarship offer for cross country from NCAA Division I Seton Hall.

Britten had a strong junior season and has improved more this year, taking second in the Fox Valley Conference Meet. She also is looking at Marquette, although Dunker expects more schools to show interest. South was runner-up as a team in the FVC Meet and won the FVC Valley Division title, which combines FVC Meet and dual meet results.

This Week’s Top Meets

Class 1A Oregon Sectional

10 a.m. Saturday, Oregon Park West

The local teams competing will be Marian Central, Harvard and Johnsburg.

Class 2A Kaneland Sectional

10 a.m. Saturday, Kaneland High School

The local teams competing will be Crystal Lake Central, Hampshire, Marengo, Richmond-Burton, Prairie Ridge, Woodstock and Woodstock North.

Class 3A Schaumburg Sectional

10 a.m. Saturday, Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village

The local teams competing will be Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South, Dundee-Crown, Jacobs and McHenry.

Class 3A St. Charles East Sectional

10 a.m. Saturday, Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles

The local team competing will be Huntley.