2025 IESA Cross Country State Preview: 1A

The IESA State Cross Country Championships have arrived, bringing together the top middle school talent from across Illinois for one final showdown of the season. Months of training, countless early mornings, and miles upon miles all lead to this moment at the legendary course in Normal. With team titles, individual glory, and season-long bragging rights on the line, expect the intensity to be unmatched and the races to deliver the drama that only a state meet can provide.

Girls Teams Projections

Girls Team Preview

The girls team race looks to be fairly one-sided, with Brimfield entering as the heavy favorite. This squad could realistically have five all-staters in the classification. Their 1-5 split at Sectionals was an impressive 31 seconds, and maintaining a similar spread this weekend would likely cement their dominance and put all five runners in all-state positions. Maud Nelson leads the team and is a strong contender for a top-five finish, while Berlyn Schmidgall and Hattie Butterfield could both break into the top 10 as well. Arlington Heights St. James matches up closely with Brimfield through its top four runners, but the fifth runner could prove to be the difference. Gianna Suvada leads the charge and is a legitimate contender for the individual title. Regina Riegler should also place inside the top 10, while Hannah Long and Leigh Blandford are capable of earning all-state medals on their best day. The defending state champions will be in the hunt for another trophy. Evanston St. Athanasius could also make a run at second place. After finishing eighth at last year’s State Meet, they’ve made major strides this season. They’re led by Ryn Kustok and Laurel Worth, both of whom should be fighting for top-20 finishes. Simone Montgomery and Meg O’Connor are also in the mix for all-state honors, and a stronger fifth runner gives St. Athanasius an advantage over St. James. The final trophy could come down to Peoria St. Jude and Downers Grove St. Mary Gostyn. Both teams have similar builds, but St. Jude gets the slight edge thanks to the Gould sisters, who are both capable of finishing inside the top 10. Their key will be keeping their 3-5 split under 10 seconds to secure a trophy. St. Mary Gostyn, led by Brynn Bartkus, who could contend for the individual title, will need to keep their 2-5 split under 25 seconds to bring home hardware.

Girls Individual Projections

Girls Individual Preview

The race for the individual title looks to be a battle between two standout athletes. Brynn Bartkus of Downers Grove St. Mary Gostyn has spent much of the year in the shadow of Molly Mocko during their conference meets, but she broke out in a big way at Sectionals, running 11:49 at Westmont to establish herself as the favorite in the eyes of many. However, the win won’t come easily, as Gianna Suvada of Arlington Heights St. James returns to form after missing part of the season due to injury. Suvada was the runner-up at last year’s State Meet to Mocko, running 11:46. If she can replicate that performance, she’ll be tough to beat and is arguably the true favorite to take home the title. Behind the top two, several athletes will be vying for a top five finish. Averi Kennett of South Pekin has broken 12:30 four times this season and is coming off a win at the Detweiller Park Sectional, entering this meet with strong momentum. Maud Nelson of Brimfield, who placed second to Kennett at that Sectional, has also been trending upward with a strong 25th place finish at the Dunlap Invite. The Gould twins, Charlotte and Brigid, of St. Jude were third and fourth at their Sectional, with Charlotte notably running 12:50 for 2.1 miles to take third at the Dunlap Invite. A similar effort could see her contend for a top three finish here. Jackie Lefringhouse of Liberty has also been on a roll, winning the Uhland Acres Sectional in 12:24. After finishing 17th at State last year, she’ll be aiming for a top five spot this time around. Meanwhile, Emily Sennett of Princeville impressed at the Detweiller Park Sectional, running 12:07 to place fifth. A 12th place finisher at last year’s State Meet, she’s another runner fully capable of breaking into the top five this weekend.

Boys Team Projections

Boys Team Preview

This year’s 1A Boys Team race could go down as one of the most competitive in IESA State Meet history, featuring a high-stakes battle between Mt. Prospect (St. Raymond) and Chicago (Old St. Mary). St. Raymond has been considered the favorite all season, powered by the dynamic Voyles brothers, who have elevated this squad into one of the top programs in Illinois regardless of class. The team could realistically produce four all-staters. Leading the charge are Wyatt Voyles and Daniel Brenner, both strong contenders for top-10 finishes. Emmett Voyles is also capable of finishing inside the top 10, while Everett Voyles could grab one of the final all-state spots if he performs up to his potential. Old St. Mary will be the top challenger to St. Raymond. The team is led by Julien Duque, a serious threat for a top-five individual finish, with Franco Leal and Benjamin Waller both in contention for top-20 placements. Their key to victory will be matching St. Raymond’s depth—particularly from their fourth and fifth runners.

Evanston St. Athanasius could also make a strong push for a trophy. They feature excellent depth and a tight pack led by Nicky Robertson, who should be competing for a top-five finish. For St. Athanasius to secure a top-three spot, their 2–5 runners will need to stay within 15 seconds of each other. Other squads in contention include Danville Schlarman, Brimfield, and River Forest St. Luke. Schlarman’s frontrunner, Jaylen Chirayil, is a top-15 threat, but their 2–5 pack must close the gap to under 20 seconds to earn hardware. Brimfield boasts one of the tightest packs in the field, with just an 18-second 1–5 spread at Sectionals. If they can trim that to under 15 seconds, a trophy is well within reach. Finally, St. Luke can’t be overlooked. With an elite 1–2 duo of Luke McConnell and Gavin Hoey, both of whom should be all-staters, this team has front-end firepower. Their success will hinge on tightening their 3–5 split if they want to crack the top three.

Boys Individual Projections

Boys Individual Preview

The individual race should be an exciting one, but a clear favorite enters with momentum for the state title. Dylan Weimer of Bourbonnais St. George has been dominant all season, remaining undefeated in every race. The top returner from last year’s State Meet, Weimer clocked a 10:34 at the Channahon Invite on a challenging course, proving his strength and consistency. Brady Becker of Catherine Cook is also unbeaten this year, with a personal best of 10:30. However, both of his sub-11:00 performances came on very fast courses, so it remains to be seen if he can replicate that pace at the State Meet. Weimer, on the other hand, has consistently performed well on tougher layouts. Julien Duque of Old St. Mary’s came close to defeating Becker at Sectionals and enters with legitimate top-three aspirations. He’s broken 11:00 three times this season and is running far better than a year ago, when he placed 14th in the 2A State Meet. The St. Raymond duo of Wyatt Voyles and Daniel Brenner could also be in the hunt for top-five finishes. Voyles edged Brenner at Sectionals for the first time this year, and both have been peaking at the perfect time. Nicky Robertson of St. Athanasius is another name to watch after breaking 11:00 twice this season and defeating Duque at the Harms Wood Stampede earlier this month. Expect him to be right in the top-five mix as well. Finally, Luke McConnell of St. Luke is another contender who’s been in great form recently and could easily find himself in the top five by the end of the race.