First To The Finish Preview

The First To The Finish Invite is an exciting one always as we get our first great look at teams at the historic Detweiller Park. This meet is unique as it splits up the teams that attend into their respective classifications. Lets dive into each classificiation here.

Key 3A Boys Teams: #1 Plainfield South, #2 Plainfield North, #3 Downers Grove (North), #16 Palatine (Fremd), #17 Berwyn-Cicero (Morton), #18 New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central), #19 Minooka, #20 LaGrange (Lyons), #21 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West), #22 Edwardsville, #25 Buffalo Grove; Winnetka (New Trier), Batavia, Yorkville, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Chicago (Payton), Chicago (St. Ignatius)

Key 3A Boys Individuals: #1 Philip Cupial (Sr., Downers Grove North), #5 Thomas Czerwinski (Sr., Plainfield North), #6 Aidan Connors (Sr., Plainfield North), #8 Landon Harris (Jr., Granite City), #9 Owen Horeni (Sr., Yorkville), #11 Bryce Counihan (Sr., New Lenox [Lincoln-Way Central]), #13 Santiago Chavez (Jr., Burbank [Reavis]), #17 Alex Rodriguez (Jr., Berwyn-Cicero [Morton]), #18 Dylan Buturusis (Jr., Plainfield South), #19 Miguel Flores (Jr., Berwyn-Cicero [Morton]), #20 Alex Batsala (Jr., Plainfield South), #21 Jack Krusinski (Sr., Palos Hills [Stagg]), #23 Stephen Cox (Jr., Downers Grove North), #24 William Surratt (Sr., Downers Grove North); Austin Cory (Sr., Plainfield South), Kellan Hernandez (Jr., Plainfield South), Dominic Frigo (Jr., Plainfield North), James Maso (Sr., Plainfield North), Brayden Domont (Fr., Bradley-Bourbonnais), Nico Cimino (Sr., Minooka), Jack Jennings (Jr., Palatine [Fremd]), Andrew Straley (Sr., Chicago [Brother Rice]), Orlando Sandoval (Sr., Berwyn-Cicero [Morton]), Matt King (Sr., Glen Ellyn [Glenbard West])

Outlook: This will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the season, featuring the top three squads in Illinois. Over the past two years, these teams have claimed every 3A state trophy. Downers Grove North has won this meet the last two years, but the Trojans enter 2025 with a few questions to answer. They’ll be led by Philip Cupial, the individual favorite. Stephen Cox and Will Surratt have run side by side through the first two meets. Surratt entered the year as a projected top-five runner in the state, but his results haven’t reflected that yet. Is he holding back to work with the pack, or is this his true form? The key for DGN will be their fourth and fifth runners. At the Mike Kuharic Invite, they posted a 1–5 split of 1:04, but that gap will need to come under 45 seconds if they want to win here. Plainfield South enters with momentum after edging Plainfield North 27–28 at the City Meet this past Tuesday. The Cougars will once again rely on their pack. Their 25-second spread at City was impressive, and if they can trim that under 20 seconds, they could take the win. At that meet, just 13 seconds separated Dylan Buturusis, Alex Batsala, Austin Cory, and Kellan Hernandez. Plainfield North will also need to tighten its 1–5 split to contend. Thomas Czerwinski and Aidan Connors are both capable of finishing in the top five, but the Tigers will need to shrink their gap from 50 seconds to under 40 to stay in the hunt. The trio of Dominic Frigo, James Maso, and Gavin Hall will be critical in closing that gap. Several other programs will aim to break through and secure a top-four finish, including Fremd, Morton, Lincoln-Way Central, Lyons, Glenbard West, Edwardsville, Buffalo Grove, New Trier, Yorkville, and Batavia. 

Individually, the field is stacked with 14 ranked runners. All eyes will be on Philip Cupial of Downers Grove North, the state’s top-ranked athlete. A top-10 finisher at Foot Locker Nationals last fall, Cupial also boasts track credentials of 1:50 in the 800m and 4:07 in the 1600m. He opened this season with a commanding 14:58 win at the Mike Kuharic Invite. Could this be the race where he dips under 14:20 at Detweiller? Thomas Czerwinski and Aidan Connors of Plainfield North will look to challenge. At the City Championships, they ran 14:39 and 14:40, both showing they have the ability to push under 14:30 here. Landon Harris of Granite City has been quietly impressive as well—his 14:41 on a long Wilson Park course suggests he’s ready to break 14:40. Owen Horeni of Yorkville, last spring’s 800m state runner-up, has yet to open his season due to injury. Could this race mark his long-awaited debut? Two more athletes firmly in the mix are Bryce Counihan of Lincoln-Way Central and Santiago Chavez of Reavis, who battled for second and third at the Mike Kuharic Invite. Both are legitimate threats to run sub-14:40. Also chasing that barrier will be Alex Rodriguez (Morton), Dylan Buturusis (Plainfield South), Miguel Flores (Morton), Alex Batsala (Plainfield South), Jack Krusinski (Stagg), Stephen Cox (Downers Grove North), Orlando Sandoval (Morton), and Austin Cory (Plainfield South). The ultimate wildcard is Will Surratt of Downers Grove North. Will he push with the front pack, or continue to run within the Trojans’ team-oriented strategy?

Key 3A Girls Teams: #1 Barrington, #8 Plainfield North, #9 Naperville North, #10 Hinsdale Central, #11 Minooka, #16 Wheaton Warrenville South, #19 Yorkville, #22 Naperville Central, #23 Algonquin (Jacobs), #24 Winnetka (New Trier), #25 Batavia, Wheaton North

Key 3A Girls Individuals: #5 Lennox Szymonik (Fr., Algonquin [Jacobs]), #7 Marlie Czarniewski (Jr., Plainfield North), #8 Victoria Tarara (So., Barrington), #9 Angelica Hil (Jr., Barrington), #11 Avery Hacker (Jr., Batavia), #14 Ella Satre (Jr., Hinsdale Central); Tessa Russo (Sr., Plainfield North), Rianna Tandon (Sr., Naperville North), Madeline Cassidy (Sr., Batavia), Shania Tandon (Sr., Naperville North), Natalie Nahs (Jr., Minooka), Gwendolyn Krodel (Jr., Batavia), Kylie Simpson (Sr., Rockton [Hononegah]), Madison Popelar (Sr., Edwardsville), Ashley Schraeder (Sr., Yorkville), Morgan Popelar (So., Edwardsville), Willow Jackson (So., Edwardsville), Athena Triner (So., Yorkville), Claire Deppe (Jr., Batavia), Kayla Ritchie (Jr., Winnetka [New Trier]), Lily Hodneland (Sr., Hinsdale Central), Chloe Kammes (Sr., Batavia), Clara Getsoian (So., Minooka), Rubi Tapia-Macias (Sr., East Moline [United]), Keira Jenke (Sr., Lisle [Benet Academy]), Addy Lindsay (Jr., Wheaton Warrenville South), Abby Lewis (Sr., Barrington), Charlotte Danahy (So., Naperville Central)

Outlook: This race will provide one of the best outlooks on the 3A classification in Illinois, with 11 ranked teams set to compete. Leading the way is top-ranked Barrington, last year’s champion. The Fillies are still without Mia Sirois, who is recovering from a fractured fibula, but they have reloaded and continue to look like the No. 1 squad in the state. Victoria Tarara and Angelica Hil starred at the Leavey Invite, running 17:34 and 17:36 at the Northwestern Medicine XC Course, and both currently sit inside the state’s top 10. Abby Lewis (18:25) and Liva Ketkar (18:33) also impressed and could push under 18:00 here. The key for Barrington will be getting Madison Miles closer to Lewis and Ketkar—if that happens, they will be difficult to beat. Plainfield North and Minooka will both debut their full lineups at FTTF. The Tigers boast firepower up front with Marlie Czarniewski and Tessa Russo, while Emaan Hussain looked strong at the EIU Showdown and projects as a steady No. 3. The most intriguing storyline is the varsity debut of freshmen Olivia Eager, Laurel Eager, and Kate Beavers, all of whom have excelled on the FR/SO level this fall. They’ll join the experienced pack of Ayla Czarniewski, Zeta Zboszczyk, and Ireland Hockman. Don’t be surprised if the Eager twins and Ayla Czarniewski all dip under 18:50 here. Minooka is led by Natalie Nahs, a likely top-10 finisher. Supporting her will be Leah Kleckauskas, Clara Getsoian, and freshman Ellie Porath, who should all finish in the mid-to-low 18:00s. Porath will be making her varsity debut, while another freshman, Chelsi Heyob, could emerge as the team’s fifth scorer. Melinda Torres, Paige Joachim, or Carolina Jorge could also step into that role as this young squad finds its identity. Naperville North finished fifth last week at the Pleasant Valley XC Meet in Iowa and will be led by sisters Rianna and Shania Tandon, both capable of finishing inside the top 10. The key for the Huskies will be how their pack develops behind them. The potential return of Kathryn Rohr, who has yet to race this season, could provide a major boost. Hinsdale Central impressed in their opener at the Red Devil Invite, powered by the 1-2 punch of Ella Satre and Lily Hodneland. Morgan Kohn and Ally Furey also ran well, and the Red Devils will need them in the mid-to-low 18:00s to stay competitive here. The X-factor will be Marin Backus, who beat both Kohn and Furey in the season-opening tri-meet over 1.9 miles, showing her potential to close the gap. Other programs such as Wheaton Warrenville South, Yorkville, Naperville Central, Jacobs, New Trier, and Batavia will look to make their mark and position themselves well as the season takes shape.

The individual race here could be excellent, with Lennox Szymonik of Jacobs entering as the top-ranked runner in the field. She scored a statement win at the EIU Showdown, running 17:29 on a tough course. While many were surprised by her victory, those who followed the middle school scene knew her potential. Szymonik was among the state’s best last year, though she didn’t compete in IESA, leaving many uninformed about her résumé. She nearly upset Chloe Wettstein in the 1600m at Distance Night in Palatine with a 5:11, ran 10:30 in the 3K as a 7th grader, and clocked 14:47 for 4K last cross country season. Her main challenger will be Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North, who finished second to Szymonik at the EIU Showdown in 17:38. Czarniewski is coming off a stellar track season that included a 4:57 1600m and 10:31 3200m, making her a strong contender to flip the script here. The Barrington duo of Victoria Tarara and Angelica Hil could also shake things up. Both ran outstanding times at the Leavey Invite and appear ready to push into the low 17:00s in this race. Another name to watch is Avery Hacker of Batavia, who placed third at the Red Devil Invite in 17:40. A top-eight finisher at last year’s state meet, she has the experience to contend with the front pack. Rounding out the top group are several athletes capable of breaking into the top 10: Ella Satre (Hinsdale Central), Natalie Nahs (Minooka), Shania and Rianna Tandon (Naperville North), Lily Hodneland (Hinsdale Central), and Keira Jenke (Benet Academy).

Key 2A Boys Teams: #2 Morton, #4 Vernon Hills, #5 Deerfield, #6 Aurora Central Catholic, #8 Normal University, #9 Peoria Notre Dame, #10 Morris, #11 Maple Park (Kaneland), #15 Aurora (Marmion Academy), #17 Crystal Lake Central, #18 Belvidere North, #20 Herrin, #21 Lemont, #22 Washington, #24 Woodstock, #25 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge); Chicago (Latin), Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), Chatham (Glenwood), Mt. Zion, Metamora, Olney (Richland County), Crystal Lake South

Key 2A Boys Individuals: #2 Thomas Jochum (Jr., Glen Ellyn [Glenbard South]), #3 Cuyler Swanson (Jr., Morris), #4 Quaid Berger (So., Olney [Richland County]), #6 Jameson Tenopir (Sr., Cary-Grove), #8 Carson Kaiser (So., Maple Park [Kaneland]), #10 Judah Binger (So., Belvidere North), #12 Ellery Shutt (Jr., Woodstock), #13 Everett Swanson (Jr., Morris), #14 Jamie Chandler (Sr., Deerfield), #15 Adan Cordova (Sr., Grayslake Central), #17 Bryant Lester (Jr., Vernon Hills), #18 Judah Dicks (So., Olney [Richland County]), #19 Abe Martin (So., Morton), #20 Ben Gorsage (Jr., Washington), #21 Jack Swiatek (Sr., Aurora Central Catholic), #22 Ben Bohr (Jr., Aurora Central Catholic), #23 Maxwell Kirby (Jr., Peoria [Notre Dame]), #24 Joseph Gonzalez (Sr., Crystal Lake South), #25 Zach Born (Jr., Metamora); John Reinbold (So., Aurora Central Catholic), Andrew Calderon (Jr., Deerfield), Evan Whildin (Sr., Maple Park [Kaneland]), Nico Rastatter (So., Chicago [Latin]), Gavin Moffat (Fr., Chicago [Latin]), Tristin Butler (Jr., Olney [Richland County]), Sam Chaban (Sr., Deerfield), Sean Kaeb (Sr., Normal University), Nino Pesola (Jr., Lombard [Montini]), Van Schneider (Sr., Chatham [Glenwood]), Maxwell Carter (Jr., Morton), Cooper Summy (Jr., Lake Villa [Lakes]), Connor Lane (Jr., Chicago University)

Outlook: 22 of the top 25 2A boys runners are competing this week at the First to the Finish invite, it will be an epic preview of what this year has in store for us. There isn’t really an individual favorite, as this will be the first time any of these athletes will have matched up with each other. If we go off of straight rankings, then Thomas Jochum of Glenbard South would be the favorite, but Cuyler Swanson of Morris has been looking pretty unstoppable as of late. Swanson just recently took down Jameson Tenopir of Cary-Grove at the Vicky Piela invite, and he’s looking for another name to notch under his belt. In the southern half of the state, Quaid Berger has ruled supreme, he’ll be looking for good competition here at FTTF. Carson Kaiser of Kaneland dominated his opening race and should be right with the group. Him and Swanson are conference rivals and they have raced many times before. This will be the first time they face off this season and sparks will fly with such a loaded field. There are plenty of people who haven’t yet put up a fast time, like Judah Binger, Ellery Shutt and Adan Cordova, who will look to capitalize on their chance to run at Detweiller. Other runners have been showing up against 3A competition, like Jamie Chandler and Bryant Lester. Battling against their peers should bring something out of these two, they will mix it up with the top group as well. There’s more than 10 people who could come out on top, it’s going to come down to who’s the best on the day. 

Not quite as action packed as the individual race, the team race will still see the #2 team open their season on a fast course with some exciting results. It should be an easy win for Morton as the rest of the competition is just a tier below. They won their opening invite, with a big performance from Abe Martin to seal the deal. Maxwell Carter will be looking for a better performance from last week, he will be right up there with Martin. They have 5-6 guys after that who could all file suit at three, with Noah Harris, Keyston Beyer, and Duke Hendricks making up the core three contenders. After Morton, expect Vernon Hills and Deerfield to duke it out for second. Both teams had key guys step up last week in big ways and they will look to show their strength at Detweiller this week. Normal University will be making their season debut as a varsity squad this week, they could be a surprise in the top 5. They’re a historically strong program and they had an excellent track season, so big things could be on the way. Aurora Central Catholic is the final team I would keep an eye on, they have been tearing up every single meet they’ve gone to and they’ll be sure to put their front of Jack Swiatek, Ben Bohr and John Rienbold in low scoring positions. 

Key 2A Girls Teams: #1 Wheaton (St. Francis),  #2 Chatham (Glenwood), #3 Washington, #4 Arlington Heights (St. Viator), #6 Deerfield, #9 Normal University, #11 Grayslake Central, #12 Normal West, #14 Geneseo, #16 Lake Forest, #17 Cary-Grove, #18 Dunlap, #19 Lemont, #21 Morton, #22 Mt. Zion, #23 Vernon Hills, #24 LaGrange Park (Nazareth Academy); 1A #13 Manteno [MOVED UP], #21 Urbana University [MOVED UP], #22 Palos Heights [Chicago Christian]) [MOVED UP]; Rockford (Boylan), Morris, Champaign (Centennial), Lake Villa (Lakes), Sycamore, Peoria Notre Dame

Key 2A Girls Individuals: #1 Ali Londrigan (Jr., Chatham [Glenwood]), #2 Sydney Gertsen (Sr., Lombard [Montini]), #4 Renee Warren (Sr., Normal West), #5 Erin Hinsdale (Jr., Wheaton [St. Francis]), #6 Elena Mamminga (Jr., Wheaton [St. Francis]), #7 Maragret Andrzejewski (Sr., Wheaton [St. Francis]), #8 Natalie Bierbaum (Sr., Normal University), #9 Ashlyn Chopra (Sr., Chatham [Glenwood]), #11 Sophie Rentmeister (Jr., Chatham [Glenwood]), #12 Cecilia Hilby (Sr., Aurora Central Catholic), #14 Francesca Mora (So., Chicago [Latin]), #16 Hannah Farley (So., Lemont), #21 Estella Ollinger (Jr., Vernon Hills), #25 Julie Bach (Sr., Normal West); 1A - #5 Klarke Goranson (So., Manteno) [MOVED UP]; Kathleen Hardy (So., LaGrange Park [Nazareth Academy]), Ashlynn Lindt (Sr., Lombard [Montini]), Sophia Ramirez (Sr., Washington), Avery Sommer (Sr., Mt. Zion), Ali Broaddus (So., Chatham [Glenwood]), Nora Wedwick (So., Rockford [Boylan]), Farah Scott (Jr., Champaign [Centennial]), Madison Greiner (So., Morton), Brooklyn Smith (Jr., Geneseo), Emily Walberg (Sr., Arlington Heights [St. Viator]), Amanda Warren (Sr., Normal West), Violet Rowe (Sr., Grayslake Central), Millie Schumacher (So., Jacksonville)

Outlook: This race features 12 of the top 25 ranked teams in 2A, including the top four in the state. Checking in at #1 is Wheaton St. Francis, who looked sharp at the Fenton Early Bird. The Spartans are led by the high-powered trio of Erin Hinsdale, Elena Mamminga, and Margaret Andrzejewski, all of whom should contend for top-five finishes individually. Freshman Abby Yarusso has already been a huge addition, running 19:06 at Fenton and likely dropping into the mid-to-low 18:00s here. The key for St. Francis will be the development of their fifth runner, as they’ll need a big effort from someone to lock up the win. #2 Chatham Glenwood, the preseason No. 1, has the talent to win but will need to dramatically close their pack. They are led by another dangerous trio in Ali Londrigan, Ashlyn Chopra, and Sophie Rentmeister, but the Titans must see Brenna Sloman and Ali Broaddus cut down their nearly three-minute 1–5 split from Granite City. Both are capable of doing so, with lifetime PRs of 18:19 and 17:59. #3 Washington enters as another contender and will rely on the strong front line of Sophia Ramirez, Maddie James, and Jayne Hermann, all of whom ran well at the Normal West Invite. For Washington to challenge for the title, their 4–5 runners will need to take a step forward. #4 St. Viator has been one of the most consistent teams to start the year, already earning some impressive wins. The Lions are paced by Emily Walberg, Isabella Renguso, Allie Long, and Jada Baer, who will all aim to break 19:00 here. The key will be how close Breanna Klokkenga can stay to that group. Rounding out the frontrunners is #6 Deerfield, who impressed at their home opener behind the duo of Audrey Dickerson and Azelea Modes. If they can maintain a 1–5 split under one minute, the Warriors will be in an excellent position.

This race sets up an excellent individual showdown, featuring eight of the top ten ranked athletes in 2A. Leading the way are Ali Londrigan (Chatham Glenwood) and Sydney Gertsen (Montini), the No. 1 and No. 2 runners in the classification. Londrigan impressed at the Granite City Invite with a 17:18 performance and owns elite track credentials with PRs of 4:52 in the 1600m and 10:40 in the 3200m. Gertsen, meanwhile, has already scored major wins this fall at the Harvest-Westminster Fall Classic and the Fenton Early Bird Invite, where she clocked a sharp 17:32 on Fenton’s course. Another name to watch is Renee Warren (Normal West), who could play spoiler after a strong 18:04 showing at Maxwell Park during the Normal West Invite. The powerful trio from Wheaton St. Francis, Erin Hinsdale, Elena Mamminga, and Margaret Andrzejewski—should also be in the thick of the front pack, with the only question being the order in which they finish. Rounding out the list of podium contenders are Natalie Bierbaum (Normal University), Ashlyn Chopra (Chatham Glenwood), Sophie Rentmeister (Chatham Glenwood), Cecilia Hilby (Aurora Central Catholic), Francesca Mora (Latin), and Hannah Farley (Lemont), all of whom have the talent to secure top-10 finishes. Klarke Goranson of Manteno will be another name to watch here as she is running in the 2A race instead of the 1A race. She ran 4:50 in the 1600m this track season and will be someone to keep an eye on.

Key 1A Boys Teams: #1 Rockford Christian, #2 Eureka, #3 Clinton, #4 El Paso-Gridley, #5 Elmwood, #7 Glasford (Illini Bluffs), #9 Tolono Unity, #10 East Dubuque, #11 Winnebago, #12 St. Joseph-Ogden, #14 Georgetown (La Salette Academy), #15 Murphysboro, #16 Auburn, #18 Pleasant Plains, #19 Sherrard, #20 Edwardsville (Metro-East Lutheran), #21 Williamsville, #22 Toledo (Cumberland), #23 Bloomington (Central Catholic), #25 Gillespie; Byron

Key 1A Boys Individuals: #1 Chaz Oberkfell (Sr., Gillespie), #2 Grady Smith (So., Johnsburg), #4 Cayden Bostic (So., Clinton), #6 Tim Starwalt (Sr., Byron), #7 Caiden Cook (Jr., DuQuoin), #9 Lucas Hollinshead (Jr., Williamsville), #10 Evan Knobloch (So., Toulon [Stark County]), #11 James Baisden (Sr., Auburn), #12 Aiden Faulkner (Sr., Elmwood), #13 Edgar Garcia (Jr., Murphysboro), #14 Corie Green (Jr., Delavan), #15 Will Fuson (Sr., Cerro Gordo-Bement), #16 Elijah Teefey (Sr., Pleasant Plains), #17 Evan White (Sr., Rockford Christian), #19 Braeden Bode (Sr., Port Byron [Riverdale]), #21 Daniel Gonzalez (Sr., Oregon), #22 Joe Erb (Sr., Winnebago), #24 Camden Fairbanks (Sr., Tolono Unity); Ryan Patrick (Fr., Williamsville), Blake Lindberg (Jr., Rockford Christian), Eric Pincock (Sr., Glasford [Illini Bluffs]), Trevor Crutcher (Sr., Dieterich), Vinny Gullone (So., East Dubuque), Brockton Sumner (So., Clinton), Blake McLeese (Sr., Tuscola), Andrew Richardson (Jr., East Dubuque), Aiden Vazquez (Sr., Winnebago), Eli Crowe (Sr., Tolono Unity), Gavin Statler (Sr., Eureka), Julien Honeyville (Sr., Rockford Christian)

Outlook: Because of the excessive heat projected for Saturday, the earliest race will provide some of the fastest times of the day. Since the majority of 1A has been competing in their own little bubbles, this will also be the first time we get to see all kinds of teams face off. The combination of these two factors make the 1A boys race one of the more exciting sections of the day. Individually, Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie is the resounding favorite. He is the #1 ranked athlete in 1A and he should walk away with this race with relative ease. The 1A XC State Champion ran excellent at the Clinton “Light It Up” Meet where he covered 3 miles in 14:41. After him will be the real race here. Grady Smith of Johnsburg was 9th at the IHSA 1A State Meet last fall. He ran 15:04 at that meet and has started 2025 with an excellent start. He ran extremely well this past weekend at the Rich Eschman Invite at a hard and long Veteran Acres course. Cayden Bostic of Clinton has also started his season off with a bang as he ran excellent at both the Clinton “Light It Up” Meet and Rochester Invite. His PR of 15:09 puts him in the mix to take 2nd here. Tim Starwalt of Byron looked good at his home opener where he ran 16:06 at Oregon’s tough 5K course. He could be another contender to take 2nd here. Caiden Cook of DuQuoin ran great at Detweiller at Dark as he ran 15:32 for 3 miles. He beat some excellent athletes in that field and then backed it up by running 15:17 at the Mascoutah XC Kickoff. Lucas Hollinshead of Williamsville ran 15:00 at his home opener which was on a blazing fast course. He is in great shape from this summer after missing most of the track season due to injury. He ran excellent at the Bix 7 Race and will be an intriguing name to watch here. Also keep your eye out for Evan Knobloch of Stark County, James Baisden of Auburn, Aiden Faulkner of Elmwood, Edgar Garcia of Murphysboro, Corie Green of Delavan, Will Fuson of Cerro Gordo-Bement, and Elijah Teefey of Pleasant Plains as potential top 5 finishers here. 

The team race is shaping up to be one of the best of the season, with all of the top five ranked programs in the classification going head-to-head. Current #1 Rockford Christian has looked sharp in its first two outings. The Royal Lions are led by the trio of Evan White, Blake Lindberg, and Julien Honeyville, all of whom should be in the front pack individually. Joel White impressed at Oregon and will be aiming to break 16:00 on the Detweiller layout. The key for Rockford Christian will be closing the gap from Joel White to their fifth runner. Freshman Noah Myers is the name to watch. With 400m (52.22) and 800m (2:08.03) speed from middle school, he’s well-suited for Detweiller’s fast, grass-track style course. A breakout race from him could be pivotal. Ranked #2, Eureka has the depth to take the win as well. They ran exceptionally in a recent dual against Washington, posting a 1–5 split of just 24 seconds. Notably, they appeared to hold back Gavin Statler, which means this squad may have another gear to show here. Clinton has also been strong, with impressive showings at both the “Light It Up” Invite and the Rochester Invite. Led by Cayden Bostic, who will contend individually, the Maroons need their 2–5 pack to stay within 20 seconds to secure a path to the title. El Paso-Gridley remains in the mix but will need their fifth runner to close the gap. At the NCHS Open, they were fronted by Drew Cooper and Weston Hodel, but their 1–5 split of 1:47 was too wide. If they can trim that margin, they’re a legitimate top-three threat. Rounding out the contenders is Elmwood, a storied program that enters this meet with a different look. With star Darwin Hermann likely sidelined for the season, they’ll need others to step up. Aiden Faulkner leads the way and should be in contention for a top-10 individual finish, but the Trojans will need a complete team effort to hang with the top four.

Key 1A Girls Teams: #1 Anna-Jonesboro, #2 Winnebago, #4 Pleasant Plains, #5 El Paso-Gridley, #6 St. Joseph-Ogden, #7 Eureka, #8 Elmwood, #9 Williamsville, #11 Delavan, #12 Toulon (Stark County), #15 Cambridge, #20 Bloomington (Central Catholic), #25 Sandwich; Tolono Unity, Sherrard, Byron, Clinton, Elmhurst (IC Catholic)

Key 1A Girls Individuals: #1 Sunny Weber (Sr., Sandwich), #3 Kate Foltz (Sr., Tuscola), #4 Kyla Babb (Sr., Westmont), #6 Molly Farrell (Sr., Marshall), #7 Klaire Eighner (Sr., Maroa-Forsyth), #9 Emily Downing (Sr., Cambridge), #11 Abigail Baumann (Sr., Rockford Lutheran), #12 Audrey Dickinson (Fr., Glasford [Illini Bluffs]), #13 Madeleine Fox (Jr., Marshall), #16 Annabelle LaFary (Sr., Delavan), #18 Dusti Smith (Jr., Toulon [Stark County]), #20 Cheyenh Smith (Sr., Toulon [Stark County]), #21 Mackenzie Pound (Sr., Tolono Unity), #23 Joelle Wilson (Jr., Williamsville); Aubrey Peterson (So., Clinton), Jana Vande Kemp (Jr., Cambridge), Jadyn Gerardi (Jr., Anna-Jonesboro), Aleah Box (Sr., Anna-Jonesboro), Alaina Hawker (Sr., Pleasant Plains), Grace Bressner (So., St. Joseph-Ogden), Bethany Stennett (Jr., Princeville), Reagan Gerber (Sr., Eureka), Kat Scott (Sr., Rock Falls), Kelly O’Connor (Sr., Herscher)

Outlook:Last year, Anna-Jonesboro entered this meet ranked No. 1 in the state but fell to a rising Williamsville squad. This time, the Wildcats will look to capture their first-ever team title at this meet. They’ll be led up front by Jadyn Gerardi and Aleah Box, both aiming for the mid-18:00s. For Anna-Jonesboro to come away with the win, Melaina Bundren, Kenzie Miller, Sophia Hill, and Raegan Jones will need to stay within one minute of their front duo. Winnebago comes in hot after a strong showing at the Oregon Open, which vaulted them into the No. 2 spot in the state rankings. They are powered by Molly Webb and Morgan Capriola, both capable of running in the low 18:00s. Their third runner, Ella Carlson, should push the 19:00 barrier. The key will be keeping Avery Dimke and Svea Glidden within a minute of Webb and Capriola to keep their title hopes alive. Pleasant Plains is another team in the hunt, led by individual standout Alaina Hawker. At the Light It Up Invite, the Cardinals posted a 1–5 split of 1:30. To contend here, they’ll need to tighten that gap, with freshmen Fiona Helton and Finley Ewald joining the pack of Caroline Willenborg, Alli VanVeldhuizen, and Maddy Hegele. El Paso-Gridley came up just short against Pleasant Plains at the NCHS Open, but they were missing their top returner, Caroline Wettstein, who led the team last year. With Wettstein back in the lineup, EPG should post a much tighter split. A gap in the 40-second range would put them right in the mix for the win. St. Joseph-Ogden, ranked third in the preseason, struggled at the Doc Acklin Invite but rebounded with a win at the Cow Chip Classic. The Spartans remain a team with wide variance—they could challenge for the title or slide back, depending on their pack’s execution. Other programs looking to challenge for top-five finishes include Eureka, Elmwood, Williamsville, Delavan, and Stark County.

Individually, this shapes up to be an outstanding field featuring several of the classification’s biggest names. Leading the way is Sunny Weber of Sandwich, the top-ranked runner in 1A. Weber was last year’s 2A State Champion in cross country and followed it up with a stellar track season, running 4:41 in the 1600m and 9:59 in the 3200m. She opened her season at the Morris Early Bird Invite with a smooth, controlled 16:49 and could deliver something even faster here before the heat becomes a factor. Also in the mix is Kate Foltz of Tuscola, the defending 1A State Champion. Foltz shocked the field last year by breaking 16:00 at Detweiller and went on to place 16th at Foot Locker Nationals, just missing All-American honors. She looked sharp at the Charleston Invite this fall, running more than a minute faster than her 2023 performance. A mid-16:00s effort is certainly within reach for her here. Kyla Babb of Westmont is another athlete to watch after an impressive track season where she clocked 4:52 in the 1600m and 10:23 in the 3200m. She carried that form into cross country with a strong 17:05 at the Plainfield Central Invite and could play spoiler in the battle up front. Veteran standout Molly Farrell of Marshall, one of the most consistent runners in 1A over the past three years, will be looking to rebound after a subpar race at the Cow Chip Classic. Expect her to contend for a top-five finish. Klaire Eighner of Maroa-Forsyth also demands attention after winning the Clinton “Light It Up” Invite in 17:07. She closed her summer with a 9:52 3K at Nike Outdoor Nationals and has the talent to finish among the top five here. Other athletes who could make noise include Emily Downing of Cambridge and Abigail Baumann of Rockford Lutheran, both capable of sneaking into the top five.