2025 IESA Cross Country State Preview: 3A

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 Team Projections

Girls Team Preview

The team battle in 3A is shaping up to be an excellent one between Metamora and River Forest Roosevelt for the state title.

Metamora has looked like one of the best teams in the state all season long. This group has posted a 1–5 split of under 20 seconds at various points in the year, and if they perform at their best, all five runners could finish as all-staters. Their Sectional performance, however, wasn’t their strongest, with the split widening to 33 seconds. To win here, they’ll need to tighten that back to under 20 seconds. Roosevelt finds itself in a very similar position. They also struggled a bit at Sectionals but have proven how dangerous they can be when clicking. Their best showing came at the Troy Invite, where they posted a 1–5 split of just 25 seconds. If their pack runs that tightly again, they’ll have a real shot at taking down Metamora. On the right day, Roosevelt could have as many as four runners in all-state contention. The key for both teams will be getting at least three athletes onto the all-state podium. Dixon Reagan looked terrific at Sectionals, led by Tess McCommons and Brynleigh Davis, who will both be fighting for top-15 finishes. Peninnah Wheeler could also sneak into all-state position with a strong race. To earn a trophy, Reagan will need its fourth and fifth runners to stay close to the 13:00 mark. Mt. Zion has also been on a roll this season but recently fell to Reagan at the Dunlap Invite. Adelyn Etherton and Addison Bronson had massive breakout performances at Sectionals and both look capable of finishing inside the top 10 individually. For Mt. Zion to claim a trophy, their 3–5 pack will need to stay under 13:10. Johnsburg is another team coming off an outstanding Sectional performance. They’ll be led by Sawyer Smith, a top-five contender, with Elsie Eastland and Ava Medina both capable of earning all-state honors. The key for Johnsburg will be keeping their fourth and fifth runners under 13:10 to secure a spot on the podium.

Girls Individual Projections

Girls Individual Preview

The 3A classification is loaded with talent and features several big names, but there’s a clear favorite heading into this race. Haylie Simpson of Roscoe enters after a phenomenal regular season. She ran 11:16 at the Sectional at Fuller Forest Preserve, setting a new course record. Simpson has been undefeated all year and has rarely been challenged. That could change here, as she’ll finally face strong competition. Could we see her dip under Katrina Schlenker’s state record of 10:59? Stella Ciccarelli of Mokena looks poised for a runner-up finish after an impressive season of her own. She was second to Chloe Crim at the Troy Invite in September, running 11:36, before improving to 11:30 at the Sectional at Central Park in Bolingbrook. That’s a legitimate time on a challenging course, and with a loaded field here, Ciccarelli could dip into the 11:20s. She placed 12th at state last fall. Kaitlyn Pergande of Timothy Christian has looked terrific in both of her meets on the ANET circuit this year. She surprised many by winning her Sectional in 11:50 and could challenge Ciccarelli for the runner-up spot. McKenna Beck of Clinton was outstanding at the Sectional, clocking 11:32 at the Christian County Fairgrounds. She’s earned wins and high finishes at top invites throughout the season and will also be battling for second place. Other names to watch include Sawyer Smith of Johnsburg, Adelyn Etherton of Mt. Zion, Addison Bronson of Mt. Zion, and Anna Sorge of Gurnee Viking—all capable of breaking into the top five.

Boys Team Projections

Boys Team Preview

For most of the season, it’s been expected that Westview Hills would enter as the favorite, but that narrative has shifted after Channahon’s eye-popping Sectional performance. Westview Hills will be led by Yebby Diedrich, who should contend for a top-five individual finish. To secure the state title, they’ll likely need another one or two runners to place in all-state position. The key for them will be ensuring their 2 to 5 pack stays tightly grouped and within all-state contention. Channahon, meanwhile, showcased impressive depth at the Bolingbrook Central Park Sectional, where four runners broke 11:20 on a challenging course. If all four can remain in all-state contention, they’ll be incredibly tough to beat. Lincoln Joachim, only a fifth grader, has been outstanding this season. If he maintains his current form, Channahon could very well walk away with the title. The race for the final two trophy spots will be extremely tight between Tolono Unity, Geneseo, and Mt. Zion. Tolono Unity, highly ranked in the preseason, is rounding into form at the right time. They’re led by Kyle Roosevelt, who will be aiming for an all-state medal. Their 2 to 4 pack of Jace Revell, Cam Schmid, and Dominic Dees will need to be in all-state contention as well, while Cooper Fairbanks must dip under 12:00 for the team to secure a trophy. Geneseo had a breakout race at the Dunlap Invite last month, finishing third, and followed that with a strong showing at the fast Dunlap Valley Sectional, where every runner was under 11:35. Their top three, Will Ehlert, Kyle Wirth, and Henry Woodard, are all capable of placing in all-state position. The key for them will be keeping their fourth runner under 11:40 and their fifth under 11:50 to stay in the trophy hunt. Mt. Zion will be fronted by Liam Coon, who should be among the top five finishers, with Reid Talleur also in the mix for all-state honors. For Mt. Zion to bring home a trophy, their 1 to 5 split will need to stay under a minute.

Boys Individual Projections

Boys Individual Preview

There is so much individual talent in the 3A class, and we’ll finally get to see it all come together on the same course this Saturday. Bentlee Lawrenz of Rock Falls enters as the favorite after securing two massive summer wins over Lucas Pfoutz at Detweiller at Dark and Palatine Pack No Frills. The challenge for Lawrenz is that he hasn’t faced much competition at his level during the regular season. Still, his 10:23 performance at the Rock River Run shows just how fit he is. Could he dip under 10:20 here? Lucas Pfoutz of River Trails is another name to watch. The 8th grader had an outstanding track season last spring, running 4:33 as a 7th grader. This fall, he’s done exactly what’s needed to win most of his meets and looks poised to challenge Lawrenz up front. Liam Coon of Mt. Zion has also put together a terrific season and should be in contention through the final stretch. His most notable victory came at the Dunlap Invite, where he ran 11:10 for 2.1 miles. Coon is a sneaky contender who could absolutely steal the state title. Yebby Diedrich of Westview Hills has been on a tear this year, nearly upsetting Pfoutz at the Troy Invite and beating Coon at the Parkside Invite about a month ago. He’s had an excellent season and will definitely be in the lead pack. Myles Bautista of Dixon Reagan will be battling for a top-five finish after running 10:47 at Sectionals. Bautista could very well dip under 10:45 but still find himself in fifth place, which speaks volumes about the depth in this year’s 3A field. We can’t forget Chris Bennie, last year’s state runner-up in cross country who ran 10:18 as a 7th grader. Although he placed third at his Sectional, expect him to bounce back and be right in the mix for a podium finish.