Head Coach: Randi Krehbiel
Last year's finish: State Championship- 10th place
Key returners: Amelia Kistner (Jr.), Emma Swartzendruber (Jr.), Rachel Andris (Sr.), Kaylie Dare (Jr.), Raquel Birky (Jr.) Summary: The Spartans rode a tight one-minute spread on five runners to a top 10 finish at state, led by soph Amelia Kistner who made huge improvements on her performance as a freshman. Kistner finished 63rd, with Emma Swartzendruber, her classmate, crossing in 88th. After those two came four seniors who all graduated and will need to be replaced by what was a good JV group for Olympia.
Rachel Andris is the first, and returns state meet experience, and she projects to be right alongside Raquel Birky and Kaylie Dare, who ran 6:12 in the 1600 in track. With two potential runners under 19:00 and the other three approaching 20:00, the Spartan program which is perennially present at the state meet looks to make another appearance and replicate last year's top-10 performance. This isn't a given, however, and hopefully, some newcomers to the program will bolster Olympia as they fight off other contenders. Can Olympia defend their Sangano conference title against upstart Pleasant Plains?
9. Clinton
Head Coach: Rachel Lyons & Leann Sosamon
Last year's finish: St Joseph-Ogden Sectional- 9th place
Key returners: Lexi Lord (Jr.), MaKayla Koeppel (Sr.), Amerie Hemphill (Jr.), Lydia Cahill (Jr.), Addie Koritz (Sr.), Missy Hale (Jr.)
Summary: This is a very promising year for the Lady Maroons, headed by co-head coaches Rachel Lyons and Leann Sosamon. What's at stake historically? "The girl's team narrowly missed qualifying for state but did advance two individuals," they respond. "We want to advance both boys' and girls' teams to state. On the girl's side, Clinton has not had a team qualify since 1993 (2001 for Boys')."
The iron is hot this year for Clinton to strike. Although they were ninth at sectionals, that team returns five of the top six. By finishing in the top 25 of that sectional race, MaKayla Koeppel and Amerie Hemphill represented their team as individuals at Detweiller. Their frontrunning is going to be significantly boosted by the return of Lexi Lord from injury. Lord and Koeppel were the class of Clinton's field in the spring, both running under 5:35 and under 12:20 (Lord ran 11:58). Lord's return gives Clinton one of the most formidable top threes in their sectional, and Koeppel will be entering her first XC season without kicking for the football team.
But so crucial for the Maroons will be finding the last two scorers to get over that thirty-year hump. The initial candidates to take the mantle are Lydia Cahill and Addie Koritz. Koritz looks to best her freshman year PR of 20:23 and Cahill rides momentum from the track season after PR'ing in the 800m by almost 30 seconds.
Making it to the state meet for the first time in three decades will require Clinton's squad to ride as a unit. Amerie Hemphill believes they are on the way: "I enjoy most the atmosphere we create on this team, and how supportive everyone is of each other."
Watch for the progress Clinton will make this year at their home Light it Up invitational, as well as Firth to the Finish, EPG, and the CIC Conference Meet.
Head Coach: Matt Denny
Last year's finish: State Championship- 6th place
Key returners: Zoe Jones (Jr.), Kenzie Miller (So.), Reese Jones (So.), Raegan Jones (So.), Bree Hazelrigg (Sr.), Aleah Box (So.), Maggie Gooden (So.)
Summary: The Wildcats were a fun team to watch progress through the course of the 2022 season, say them begin as an upstart, young group bolstered by a really strong freshman class, and brought them all the way to Alabama where they competed at the Garmin RunningLane XC Championships on December 3rd.
This appears to be a group that has really enjoyed the sport of cross country and is collectively progressing toward being a mainstay at the 1A level.
Although all-stater Brodie Denny graduates, it does help to return almost the rest of their group. Four freshmen and one sophomore comprised spot 2-6 for the Wildcats, and fittingly enough, three of those girls are Jones-rising sophs Raegan and Reese, and rising junior Zoe.
Zoe and Raegan ran track and had nearly identical seasons, running in the low 12's and low 5:40s. Kenzie Miller also was the team's #2 by overall season performance, and can be the fourth runner under 20:00 for Anna-Jonesboro. There are a small handful of options for the #5 spot, including Bree Hazelrigg and state returner Aleah Box. Maggie Gooden did not run cross country but did break 6:00 in track and figures to make an impact if she runs in fall 2023.
7. Robinson
Head Coach: Tony Cork
Last year's finish: State Championship- 19th place
Key Returners: Quinn Wesley (Sr.), Sophie Stark (Jr.), Mallory Mosbey (So.), Katelyn Jones (Sr.), Ella Tingley (Jr.), Rylee Young (Sr.)
Key Newcomers: Laylani Beard
Summary: The Robinson Maroons are a tight, pack running team who comfortably qualified for the state meet finishing third at St. Joseph Ogden and finishing with just a 1:21 1-5 split. The Maroons only ran six athletes in the postseason despite having about nine on the roster, and five of those athletes return with enough other help to project to be a top 10 team preseason.
Three athletes have broken 20:00 in the last year: Sophie Stark, Quinn Wesley, and Mallory Mosbey. All three runners are in different class years, but the three are so close in performance that they should be equally considered to be the top runner for Robinson. Wesley does have the advantage of strong 3200m runs in the spring, hitting 12:42 for a PR in track.
Three other athletes will be in the sub-20 wheelhouse: Katelyn Jones, Ella Tingley, and Rylee Young. Jones joined the sub-six 1600m club in track, and Young was just a second away from hitting that mark herself. The top seven are likely rounded out by Laylani Beard from Nuttall MS, who qualified for the IESA 2A XC state meet as well as the track final in the 400m. Robinson will need to make its pack its strength without an obvious all-state candidate at the onset of the season.
Head Coach: Jake Christiansen
Last year's finish: State Championship- 5th place
Key returners: Grace Mullin (Sr.), Kihra Moes (So.), Kaylee O'Sullivan (Sr.), Haley Van Til (So.), Mia Caporale (So.), Ella Schaafsma (Sr.)
Key newcomers: Abby Mullin
Summary: Chicago Christian was perhaps the most emergent program in 2022 in 1A, and coach Christiansen recognized the specialness of such a season. "We were blessed last school year with a combination of veteran leaders and hard-working newcomers willing to buy into what we were trying to achieve," says Christiansen "And it gave us our highest ever finish at State in cross country, along with multiple State qualifiers in track."
Anna Enderle emerging as an all-state cross country runner matched the rise of Chicago Christian, who got to fifth place in the state by November and were less than 45 points from a trophy. Enderle graduated, but the next five runners all return. The best runner with a chance to pick up Enderle's mantle is Grace Mullin, who was the Knights #2 throughout the cross country season but really hit her stride in track reaching 5:07 in the 1600m. She projects to break 19:00 for the first time in 2023 and may even smash it on her way to competing for a state medal.
Khira Moes was also strong in spring, running 5:29. Moes, Kaylee O'Sullivan, Haley Van Til, and Mia Caporale all make five returners for CC who have broken 20:00 already and return with state meet experience. This type of top five depth is not matched by many other 1A teams and is a reason that Chicago Christian will be competitive in nearly every meet they run this year. A freshman to keep an eye on is Abby Mullin, who Christiansen says was on middle school level training but is getting more comfortable with high school level running and could make an immediate impact in that top five.
The Knights' sights are set high even with many variables. "This [team goals] is always tough to predict since so many surprises occur both on our team and other teams so it is difficult," says Christiansen "but hoping for a strong season to set us up well for a trophy run during Championship season in October and November."
Head Coach: Rob Havens
Last year's finish: State Championship- 8th place
Key returners: Abigail Wolters (Jr.), Caroline Willenborg (So.), Teagan Galloway (Jr.), Jazmyne Albers (So.), Joanna Harney (So.), Lauren Hegele (Jr.),
Key newcomers: Jordan McCann (Jr.), Alli Van Veldhuizen, Eden Pulliam Madison Dove
Summary: The Cardinals had a very successful season, proving that they were capable of great things despite some setbacks and low rankings. "After finishing a disappointing 3rd place at the Petersburg (PORTA) Regional, the girls bounced back and won the Elmwood Sectional, edging out Eureka and Elmwood," says coach Rob Havens. "No one picked us to finish any higher than 5th or 6th at most. The girls had something to prove. The ladies followed up that great performance at Elmwood with an 8th place team finish at the State Meet at Detweiller, in what were less than stellar conditions."
A huge boost for the Cardinals came from Caroline Willenborg, who ran 18:29 and was 38th at state. Willenborg did break 6:00 in the 1600m, but her attention was split as she is a four-sport athlete as a swimmer and soccer player. Alaina Hawker is the other top-100 returner for Plains and a strong candidate to run sub-19:00, with leg speed to boot as the all-state 4x800 anchor. Teagan Galloway, Jazmyne Albers, and Joanna Harney complete the very strong returning group that was eighth, although coach Havens says that Lauren Hegele can compete for a top seven spot as well.
Here's the twist for Pleasant Plains: 2021 #1 runner Abigail Wolters did not compete last year due to a stress fracture. With a lifetime best of 18:16, Wolters figures to join Willenborg in all-state contention at the front of their pack at her best. If the track and field season was any indication, she is clearly on the road back to full strength as key legs on the 4x800 and 4x400 relays and just narrowly missed making the final in the 800. Wolters is key for Pleasant Plains' trophy hopes this year, as well as the team goals of taking the Sangamo conference title back from Olympia, as well as winning sectionals and regionals.
Head Coach: Michael Melick
Last year's finish: State Championship- 12th place
Key returners: Nellie Melick (Jr.), Caroline Wettstein (So.), Sophie Hinthorne (So.), Myli Erhardt (So.), McKayla Harms (Jr.), Piper Zimmerman (So.), Lauren Shaffer (Jr.)
Key newcomers: Elly Huette, Mya Griffin, Mady Harms, Alyse Dohman (Sr.)
Summary: We are catching the EPG Titans on a major upswing of potential and performance, which included the young group finishing twelfth at state. "The 2022 Girls' season was a pleasant surprise," says coach Melick. "We had a very strong freshmen class of girls who grew steadily as the season went along. Track season was even better, as those same freshmen stepped up and locked in on the 4x8 and dropped 15 seconds as a squad at State to take 4th place and set a new school record, 9:50."
Some of those key rising sophomores include Piper Zimmerman, Myli Erhardt, and Sophie Hinthorne, all sub-6:00 in the mile in the spring. Caroline Wettstein has been the best of that bunch, including an 18:48 three-mile best and leading the team in track with 12:05 and 5:32 performances. Wettstein and Nellie Melick are the best shots at all-state for EPG. EPG also adds Mya Griffin, Mady Harms, former swimmer Alyse Dohman and IESA top 50 runner Elly Huette to make this group one of the deeper squads making a run for a trophy.
For the young group, it will be a matter of growing and learning to be competitive. "I think we are at a point where our top 5 are very close and very competitive," says Coach Melick. "My job will be to keep them positively supporting one another while not extinguishing that competitive fire and desire to be the best. We also have a team that all plays other sports: we have elite basketball players, nationally ranked wrestlers, state-ranked swimmers, and we could probably make the best show choir out of cross country runners in the State."
3. Eureka
Head Coach: Olivia Morris
Last year's finish: State Championship- 7th place
Key returners: Meika Bender (Jr.), Claire Albertson (Sr.), Adeline Hubert (So.), Natali Roth (Sr.), Naomi Wegner (Sr.), Cora Strawn (Sr.)
Key newcomers: Bre Lehman, Ava Otto, Sierra Herrmann, Sophia Watson, Molly Gerber
Summary: A well-coached, strong Eureka program showed that they could handle adversity late in the 2022 postseason. "We were a solid team all season," recalls head coach Olivia Morris. "We placed top three in every regular season meet that we competed in. In the postseason, our number two [Claire Albertson] battled through some issues that knocked her out of a scoring position. The girls rallied and placed 7th as a team."
By virtue of both returning six of their top seven from that 7th place squad, as well as having an all-around consistent and deep track season, the Hornets is one of the teams best suited to stay in the trophy hunt all year and make challenges at higher-ranked Notre Dame and Unity. Eureka's depth is impressive and was best illustrated by their 7th-place finish despite having no runners in the top-35 of the race.
Their 2023 run is going to be headed by last year's #2 and #3 runners, Albertson and Meika Bender. Bender in particular had an excellent track season, running 12:04 and 5:25 (at the state meet) in her sophomore year. Bender is also on varsity basketball. Albertson was consistently #2 for the Hornets and ran 12:26 during the track season. In lockstep with Albertson in both the 1600 and 3200 were Adeline Hubert and Natali Roth, both sub-20 runners from 2022. Naomi Roth and Naomi Wegner complete the group of six that return from the state meet, but Cora Stawn also returns and will be in the mix for the varsity group.
Even with so many proven runners at varsity for Eureka, they will have plenty of new faces joining them hoping to make an impact as well. A few runners with strong IESA cross country showings in 2022 include Bre Lehman, Ava Otto, and Sierra Hermann from Eureka JH. Coach Morris also says that Sophia Watson and Molly Gerber have been working hard and deserve some looks as well.
Eureka will be battle tested throughout the regular season, especially running in the strong Heart of Illinois conference with emerging El Paso-Gridley. Although Eureka won in 2022, it was only by six points over EPG, and that margin will probably shrink once again in 2023. Eureka also has an interesting early-season dual against 2A trophy contender Washington in August, as well as big tests at First to the Finish, El Paso-Gridley, and Amboy.
Head Coach: Dan Gray
Last year's finish: 2A State Championship- 16th place
Key returners: Julia Mingus (Jr.), Grace Yontz (Jr.), Sarah Couri (Jr.), Meghan Zopel (Jr.), Maya Zopel (So.), Ellie King (Sr.)
Key newcomers: Shannon Zopel, Suzie Gray (Jr.), Norah Gould, Elizabeth Leustek
Summary: The two catholic schools that won trophies at the 1A girls' level, Rosary, and DePaul College Prep, depart from 1A this season due to enrollment changes and the multiplier effect. In their stead, however, is Peoria Notre Dame, the newest addition to the classification, whose enrollment decline has outpaced the shrinking 1A cut-off.
Always a competitive team in 2A, Notre Dame immediately becomes one of the state favorites at the 1A level with a large group and a strong influx of talented runners as well.
The top Irish returner is Julia Mingus. Mingus, who also plays basketball, ran 18:24 in the fall and had the Irish' best 1600m performance at 5:38 in the spring. She did trade spots at the #2 slot throughout the season with fellow junior Grace Yontz, 12:23 in the 3200m and 5:43 in the 1600m. Yontz and Mingus finished in the top 101 at 2A and are potential all-staters in 1A.
Also from the state roster are Sarah Couri, Maya Zopel, and Meghan Zopel. To add to the Zopel pack is incoming frosh Shannon Zopel, who was all-state at the IESA level (she is the fourth Zopel sister in five years for PND).
"We had a solid season, but a lackluster finish at State," says coach Gray. "We allowed the nasty weather to get the best of us, which falls on us coaches to better prepare runners for adversity.
"We need to establish depth at #6-7 spots. Summer training gave us some ideas [of who will fill those roles] but nothing certain yet on who will step up!"
In addition to the five already mentioned, there are candidates among returners including Ellie King. The Irish also add Suzie Gray, Norah Gould, and Elizabeth Luestek to the fray. With a deep crew returning, and talented runners also stepping up, the Irish who are used to racing in 2A are an immediate trophy contender. Notre Dame races frequently at Detweiller so there will be many clear indications of their progress throughout the season.