Cleary, Devils out to be their best at state

November 1, 2007
By Bill Stone | SPORTS WRITER

Senior girls cross country runner Emily Cleary has experienced about every emotion during four varsity seasons with the Hinsdale Central girls cross country program.

Cleary was an all-state 17th as a freshman but then missed the 2005 postseason with an injury. Last season, she was disappointed with her state race, but then she soon relished the elation of the Red Devils winning their first state championship.

As the Red Devils' only senior in this year's lineup for the Class 3A state meet at 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3, at Peoria's Detweiller Park, Cleary is more than ready.

"I wasn't happy with how I did at state (in 2006, 86th) so this year I want to walk away from the course knowing that I left everything on the course that I gave it my best," Cleary said. "This is the end of my high school cross country career and I don't want to have any regrets."

The Red Devils, ranked No. 1 throughout the season, are trying their best for state success, and that was part of the reason their 132 points finished third at Saturday's Schaumburg Sectional at Busse Woods behind No. 3 Geneva (83) and No. 6 Lyons Township (118) but still got the necessary top-five finish to advance to state.

Juniors Elaine Kuckertz (4th, 18 minutes, 15.25 seconds for 3.05 miles) and Lauren Zumbach (9th, 18:34.75) were top-10 finishers, followed by sophomores Katie Kummerer (39th, 19:08.20), Cleary (43rd, 19:10.70) and Grace Hucek (61st, 19:27.30) and juniors Heather Stevens (63rd, 19:28.95) and Niemh McCarthy (91st, 19:49.75).

Junior Roey Hines, a two-time state runner and 2005 all-stater, sat out the race to rest a heel injury with expectations of her returning for the state meet. The Red Devils would have finished second with Hines competing Saturday.

"She's a huge part of our team. Obviously, we would have loved having her running with us, but at the same time it's probably better that we were conservative," Zumbach said.

Besides the teams that beat them at the state's hardest sectional, the Red Devils should be challenged at state by No. 2 Stagg, which the Red Devils beat at invites Sept. 1 and 15 by a combined 27 points.

"Our goal every year at the sectional is do the things and learn the things to be our best at state," Hinsdale Central coach Mark McCabe said. "We knew it was going to be a great battle, and it was basically a preview of the state meet. It's good for us to come though a sectional like that and to know what to expect at the state meet."

Hines' presence still was felt Saturday. Like the 2005 state meet, Hines gave her teammates inspirational notes and followed the race while wearing a protective boot.

"It was hard to watch. It really made me excited to run (at state) and just realize how much I love to be out here racing. But it was fun to see my teammates race because I've never gotten to see that before and cheer them on," Hines said.

"We know Roey's with us in spirit. I heard her out there (while running) so that was comforting," Cleary said. "It's really hard to kind of sit on the side and watch your team run. I know exactly what Roey feels like. It's a tough situation, but as long as she does what she needs to do and we do what we need to do as a team, it's all going to work out in the end."

With Kuckertz ninth at state last year, Zumbach and Hines 20th and 24th in 2005 and Cleary, the Red Devils have four of the program's eight all-time all-staters. Stevens also ran at state last year.

After Cleary sat out regionals Oct. 20 because of illness, she felt she ran poorly Saturday. In the spirit of the Red Devils' motto, she wants to be the best she can be at state.

"Always staying positive is key to being a leader on this team," Cleary said. "I just wasn't on my game, but this definitely gives me a lot of motivation for (state), give 110 percent and just know that I'm running for my teammates really. That's my motivation, and it's my senior year. I think if I just use that, then I can make that hopefully happen."

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