It was blurry at times for runners in the back of Michaela Quinn and her mates
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She doesn't run track and field for the Lady Dukes but she is just as valuable for what is asked of her once the summer months hit. Sophomore Michaela Quinn has contributed mightily to her team's success in two years as a prep. In 2020, Quinn finished sixth in the Shazam XC Championship 5K which was netted her as the second runner on the team. The Dukes would win the "unofficial" state championship and that would cement this group for 2021.
Each season is different of course and it can be even more so for girls who may have matured early. In Quinn's case, she actually improved in terms of value and production despite never finishing as the squad's top runner in any competition.
Quinn placed second, third, fifth, and even in the displacement sixth position at different times of the season. It seemed like the Dukes jelled because they all were usually dropping low-scoring splits without more than one knockout runner.
2021 was a season in which things moved back to "normalcy" and the Dukes hit the ground running hard. Quinn was a major part of that. In the opening invitational of the season at Lake Park HS, she placed 12th (#4 runner) in 17:51, and the team dominated with 35 points.
Quinn controlled the safety valve position in some big meets at Peoria Notre Dame and Palatine Meet of Champions- 5th runner scorers which enabled York to position themselves as one of the nation's best harrier teams.
Finally, in the season's monumental appearance, the state championship in Peoria, it was total domination by the Dukes who scored a scant 62 points and won by nearly 100 points. Once again, Quinn completed the task in the 5th position taking 27th overall (18th in team scoring) with a time of 17:27. Of course, the Dukes were as great as a team in state history but it does not come to fruition without the hard hat services of a hard hat teammate who keeps her teammates honest each and every day.
Honorable mention: Malia Fairbanks (Sr., Tolono Unity), Ireland Wildhart (Fr., Mt. Prospect [Prospect])