Princeton

Coach: Pat Hodge

Top returning runners: Ruby Acker, jr.; Payton Frueh, jr.; Rebekah Lord, jr.; Natalie Meyer, jr.; Alexandra Waca, jr.; Avery Waca, sr.

Worthy of note: The Tigresses return their top six girls from last year’s team that finished undefeated (5-0) in dual meets and third at conference and regional. Ruby Acker is two-time BCR Runner of the Year with a season-best time of 19:31 last season with personal-best finishes in the Three Rivers (fourth), regional (eighth) and sectional (28th) meets. A co-BCR Runner of the Year in 2023, Frueh had her best finishes at the Three Rivers (fifth) and regional (11th) meets and ran her best time of the year was a 19:51 at the Peoria Invitational. Alexandra Waca had a strong sophomore seaon with a season-best time of 21:25. She placed 14th in the Three Rivers and 69th in the sectional meets, with personal best finishes, and 24th at regional. PHS has picked up sophomore newcomer Susanna Bohms and freshmen Leila Acker, Leonora Hopkins, Lily Simpson and Emma Dye, who ran in IESA Sectionals for Logan last year. Leila Acker and Hopkins are also playing volleyball. “We return the top 6 girls from a very competitive 2024 team and have a solid group of newcomers that should fit into the mix as the season goes along,” Hodge said. “We’ll have to see where other teams are during the course of the season as to where exactly we fit in as we get towards the end of the season. If our returning girls show the same kind of improvement that they did in track this past spring. It should be an enjoyable season.” The Tigresses will open the season Tuesday at Ottawa.

Bureau Valley

Coach: Bob Benck

Top returning runners: Summer Hamilton, so.; Leah House, jr.; Gemma Moore, jr.; Ella Wilt, so.

Worthy of note: Moore, Wilt and Hamilton made strong impressions in their first season running cross country last year. Moore placed 18th in the Lincoln Trail Conference Meet and led the Storm with a 16th-place finish at regional and a 56th-place finish at sectional. Hamilton placed 23rd at conference, 27th at regional and 95th at sectional. Wilt placed 23rd at conference, 28th at regional with a PR 24:37.7 and 123rd at sectional. ... Rounding out the squad are juniors Leah House, Myah Nugent and Autumn Hamilton, sophomore Autumn Roth and freshman Kynzleigh Garza. “We will lean heavily on Gemma Moore and Ella Wilt, who put in tremendous work over the summer,” Benck said. “Gemma could be within striking distance of an individual qualification this season. Ella made such a big jump in mileage it’s hard to predict what she’ll run compared to last season.” ... The Storm will open the season Friday, Aug. 29 at IVC Invite.

St. Bede

Coach: Marty Makransky

Top returning runners: Lin Lin, jr.

Top newcomers: Yesenia Avila, jr.; Jemma Finley, fr.

Worth noting: Lin is the only St. Bede runner with experience and she’ll lead the small Bruins’ roster. Makransky said their goals are “to improve all season, grow as a team, advance in the postseason as far as we can and enjoy the experience of a cross country season.”

Amboy co-op

Coach: Michael Robinson

Top returning runners: Grace Althaus, sr.; Anna Carlson, sr.; Karona Gall, so.; Sam Nauman, sr.

Top newcomers: Leah Dempsey, fr.; Scarlett Payne, fr.; Lydia Von Haden, jr.

Worth noting: Nauman and Gall finished top 50 at regional last fall. They look to lead the Clippers to a team sectional berth this season. “We want to make it as far as we can into the postseason,” Robinson said. “Our goal is always to keep improving.”