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Wheaton Warrenville South’s Sam Poglitsch, a senior, has enjoyed several exhausting and rewarding girls cross country competitions – and rarely is that only her races.
The three-time Class 3A All-Stater and Illinois recruit is known to coach Rob Harvey and the Tigers for her genuine interest in watching and cheering on teammates.
“It’s been insane for all of the races I’ve run around courses, [to watch], it’s my favorite thing to do,” Poglitsch said. “They work just as hard, so I want to watch them succeed.”
Poglitsch probably would have become the first four-time, top-25 All-State runner in Wheaton Warrenville South/Wheaton Central history if there had been a state meet. Poglitsch owns the program’s two top-10 state finishes – second in 2019 to Glenbard West four-time champion Katelynne Hart and seventh in 2018 in a school-record 16:39.32 for 3.0 miles at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.
For her accomplishments this season, Poglitsch is the Suburban Life Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year.
Still, Poglitsch is more about people, especially teammates, but also opponents who have come to like and respect her.
“I don’t only want the title of she was a fast runner or the fastest girl, I want people at my school or not at my school to see me as a good athlete with sportsmanship who cared about her team and the people around her,” Poglitsch said.
After runners spent nearly five months mostly training alone after the cancellation of track in mid-March, Poglitsch felt frustrated in the fall.
Why? Because of social-distancing restrictions, Poglitsch could not always watch teammates compete. The Tigers sometimes were split into flights because of participation limitations, which meant there were more races.
Poglitsch is always checking Athletic.net for teammates’ personal-record times. During one race this season, she confirmed after one mile that senior Tara Geraminejad was on a personal record pace and was ready to congratulate her afterward.
“She really, truly loves the team aspect of cross country,” Harvey said. “We’re going to miss Sam from a lineup standpoint and how fast she runs. We’re going to miss her as much, if not more, for the kid she is and raising everybody’s expectations and work ethic. We’re going to miss the person more than the athlete.”
As a freshman, Poglitsch played club soccer while running cross country. She joined indoor track and stayed for the outdoor season. The pressure subsided from being the top runner at Edison Middle School who often exchanged first-place finishes with Hubble Middle School’s Becca Hauenstein.
At one time, they were on the same three traveling club teams. Now, they’re the best of friends.
“She actually just texted me,” Poglitsch said, laughing.
With success, Poglitsch began emerging as a leader.
Harvey recalled the 1,600-meter preliminaries at the 2019 Class 3A state track meet with Katrina Schlenker, Batavia’s greatest distance runner. As a sophomore, Poglitsch helped to excuse the then-freshman Schlenker from uncomfortable media questions immediately after a devastating race that kept Schlenker from the top-12 finals.
The two then only knew each other casually as competitors.
“That was our first connection together. And now we just absolutely adore each other,” Poglitsch said.
When this season ended Nov. 8 with Poglitsch placing 11th at the ShaZam Championships, the unofficial state meet, Poglitsch kept disappointment and running in perspective.
She also was 11th at her first IHSA state meet.
“I don’t want one race to define me, and it wasn’t terrible,” Poglitsch said.
“I’ve said work hard for what you want but have fun while doing it. In high school, go out with your friends on Friday night, but don’t stay out past 10 o’clock. Focus on training, hydration, but running shouldn’t overcome your life every moment of the day.”
Girls cross country All-Area team (alphabetically by school)
Kelly Andrews, Benet, sr.; Elisabeth Camic, Benet, sr.; Louisa Diamond, Benet, so.; Joy Jackson, Benet, sr.; Melissa Jachim, Downers Grove North, sr.; Kelsey Casella, Downers Grove South, jr.; Sophia McNerney, Downers Grove South, jr.; Katie Cahill, Fenwick, sr.; Audrey Allman, Glenbard West, jr.; Catie McCabe, Hinsdale Central, so.; Carly Manchester, IC Catholic Prep, jr.; Kate Dickman, Lyons Township, sr.; Catherine Sommerfeld, Lyons Township, so.; Colette Kinsella, Nazareth, so.; Sam Poglitsch, Wheaton Warrenville South, sr.; Bria Bennis, York, so.; Brooke Berger, York, so.; Katherine Klimek, York, fr.; Michaela Quinn, York, fr.; Katelyn Winton, York, jr.