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Ottawa
Coach: Dan Heaver (6th season)
Top returning runners: Boys – Lucas Farabaugh (jr.), Kaleb Nimke (jr.), Grant Smithmeyer (jr.), Daniel Fisher (jr.), Luke Passwater (jr.); Girls – Shaylen Quinn (sr.), Addy Miller (sr.), Madie Towne (sr.), Hailey Larsen (sr.), Sam Ruiz (sr.), Makenzie Blazys (jr.), Kindley Moore (jr.), Haley Solan (jr.), Riley Thrush (jr.)
Key newcomers: Boys – Cash Nilles (jr.), Atlas Brown (fr.), Aries Brown (fr.), Michael Kien (fr.); Girls – Taylor Brandt (jr.), Ailey Harstad (so.), Georgia Kirkpatrick (fr.), Sophi Hart (fr.)
Worth noting: The Pirates lost a few key runners on the boys side to graduation, while on the girls side many runners return to build on a solid 2023 season. “We are excited for the season on both sides,” Heaver said. “On the girls side, we are returning all seven runners led by a group of seniors from our sectional team last year that saw the team make some great strides and gave them a taste for more success. With our new additions and other runners that took steps forward last year, it adds depth to our team and will be exciting to see what they can do as a larger force. On the boys side, we lost several key seniors that led us both on the course and off, but this group of juniors learned a lot and is ready to share what they have learned with our new additions and take the next step of leading the Pirates back to a team sectional berth for the first time since 2018.”
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Streator
Coach: Brad Brittin (15th season)
Top returning runners: Boys – Cian Reed (sr.), Chance Robart (sr.), Chase Lane (jr.), Leon Ramirez (jr.), Gabe Gutierrez (jr.), Ted Neuman (so.); Girls – Lily Graham (sr.), Belle Dean (jr.), Giselle Guadarrama (so.)
Key newcomers: Boys – Andrew Warwick (jr.), Trent Studnicki (so.), Nathaniel Sheridan (fr.), Keon Herring (fr.); Girls – Savannah McCormick (so.), Abbey Adams (fr.), Sophie Nasvytis (fr.), Katherine Pierce (fr.), Luca Trammel (fr.)
Worth noting: The entire boys team returns from last year with the addition of two track runners, Studnicki and Warwick, adding depth and talent, while Sheridan and Herring, who both ran track in junior high, also will help. On the girls side, veterans Graham and Dean will be the leaders, with talented younger 1-2 runners in Tramel and Nasvytis joining them and Pierce expected to round out the top five. Guadarrama is an experienced sophomore who also will score for the Bulldogs, with newcomers Adams and McCormick providing depth.
Marquette
Coach: Mary Schiltz (1st season)
Top returning runners: Girls – Maggie Jewett (sr.), Olivia Tamblyn (sr.), Mackinnley Thompson (so.)
Key newcomers: Boys – Logan Leskanich (fr.)
Worth noting: Marquette has a small team, but lots of drive and enthusiasm. Jewett was a state qualifier last spring in the 400-meter run. “Our runners are very driven, and it’s been exciting to watch them develop in just the first couple of weeks of practice,” Schiltz said. “Specifically, I love to see how our returning runners have created a welcoming environment for our freshmen through their conversations and support. I am proud of each runner’s commitment and the progress they’ve already made, and I look forward to seeing their continued growth throughout the season.”
Seneca
Coach: Kim Foster (7th season)
Top returning runners: Boys – Sebastian Deering (sr.), Connor Pabian (sr.), Jaxon Finch (jr.), Landon Hebel (so.), Alex Gagnon (so.); Girls – Evelyn O’Connor (sr.), Natalie Misener (sr.), Aubrie Jackson (sr.), Lily Mueller (jr.), Ruthie Steffes (jr.), Julie Mueller (so.)
Key newcomers: Boys – Kolton Rizzo (jr.), James Zydron (so.), Pierce Gilbertson (so.), Brady Fort (fr.), Callum Wright (fr.), Nathan Aye (fr.), Ben Bersano (fr.); Girls – Lila Coleman (jr.), Cailee Maglio (fr.)
Worth noting: O’Connor is the top returner for the Fighting Irish after winning Tri-County Conference, regional and sectional championships last season. “I can’t stress how excited I am for this season,” Foster said. “We have a lot of potential on both the boys and girls teams. Evelyn will lead the pack for the girls squad, with Natalie not far behind her. Lily Mueller has been running strong in the No. 3 spot, with Julie on her heels. I think we will see Lila, Ruthie and Aubrie close behind Julie working in a pack together and eventually even running with Julie. The boys will start as a strong pack early in the season, but I hope to see a few of them take off and really put up some fast times as we get to the postseason.”
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Sandwich
Coaches: Boys – Brian Long (1st season); Girls – Elizabeth Vick (1st season)
Top returning runners: Boys – Josh Schaefers (sr.), Alex Walsh (jr.), AJ Parkison (jr.), Nolan Minard (jr.); Girls – Joanna Rivera (sr.), Erin Lissman (sr.), Emily Urbanski (sr.), Hannah Treptow (sr.), Sunny Weber (jr.), Karlee Henkins (jr.), Kayla Kressin (so.), Norah Vick (so.)
Key newcomers: Boys – Logan Trigg (fr.), Lincoln Minard (fr.)
Worth noting: Weber, the reigning two-time Times Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, returns after finishing state runner-up in 1A in 2022 and third in 2A in 2023. “We are incredibly confident in the group of girls we have this year,” coach Vick said. “We couldn’t possibly ask for anything more from this group at this point. ... Our top seven to eight girls are a strong group that are hungry to improve. Overall, we’re expecting significant improvement across our entire roster.” Long said the boys group logged a ton of miles over the summer and is starting to realize their potential. “This team has a lot of untapped potential,” Trigg said, “and we cannot wait to see what they accomplish collectively.”
Fieldcrest
Coach: Chad Kuehnl (1st season)
Top returning runners: Boys – Caleb Krischel, sr.; Girls – Macy Gochanour, jr.; TeriLynn Timmerman, so.
Key newcomers: Boys – Rylan Vallazza, so.; Lucas Schmillen, so.; Girls – Emily Tooley, sr.
Worth noting: Krischel is a strong No. 1. He placed seventh in the Heart of Illinois Conference Meet last year and was a sectional qualifier. “Caleb Krischel is hoping to make his first state appearance in his final season,” Kuehnl said. Vallazza and Schmillen are joining cross country after running track and field in the spring. On the girls side, Gochanour and Timmerman will look to fill the leadership void left by Clare Phillips and Tatiana Serna, who is now running at IVCC. Tooley will add depth to the Knights’ roster.
Somonauk
Coach: Sam Reid (3rd season)
Top returners: Girls – Emma Rominski (so.), Junia Johnson (so.)
Key newcomers: Boys – Landin Stillwell (jr.), Aidan Wesson (so.), Dylan Jones (so.), Daniel Shapiama (so.), Wyatt Hannibal (fr.), Porter Snider (fr.)
Worth noting: Johnson placed 29th and Rominski 33rd at last season’s Class 1A Seneca Regional and will look to better those placements this fall. Stillwell is coming off a spring during which he finished 14th in the 3,200-meter run at the Class 1A track and field state meet.