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Girls cross country: 5 to watch across The Times area in 2025

Ottawa freshman Georgia Kirpatrick placed third at Saturday's La Salle County Invitational at The Eastwood Golf Course in Streator.

Ottawa's Georgia Kirkpatrick runs at last season's La Salle County Invitational at The Eastwood Golf Course in Streator. ( Tom Sistak For Shaw Media )

By Brian Hoxsey

Here are five Times area girls cross country runner to keep an eye on during this fall season.

Seneca's Lila Coleman

Seneca's Lila Coleman (Provided by Seneca High School)

Lila Coleman, Seneca, sr.

Coleman finished 13th at the Class 1A regionals, 61st at sectional and 197th at the state finals for the Fighting Irish last season. She finished 28th at the Morris Early Bird meet to begin this season.

Fieldcrest's Macy Gochanour poses for a photo on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at Fieldcrest High School. Gochanour is the NewsTribune's 2024-2025 girls basketball player of the year.

Fieldcrest's Macy Gochanour (Scott Anderson)

Macy Gochanour, Fieldcrest, sr.

Gochanour finished 18th at the Seneca Class 1A Regional last year to help lead the Knights to advancing to sectionals as a team. She then placed 91st at the Rock Alleman Sectional.

Georgia Kirkpatrick

Ottawa's Georgia Kirkpatrick

Georgia Kirkpatrick, Ottawa, so.

Kirkpatrick placed 27th at the Morris Class 2A Regional and 55th at the Metamora Sectional last season for the Pirates. She finished 18th at the Morris Early Bird meet.

Seneca's Lily Mueller

Seneca's Lily Mueller (Provided by Seneca High School)

Lily Mueller, Seneca, sr.

Mueller finished 15th at the 1A regional, 48th at the Rock Island Alleman Sectional and 196th at the state meet in Peoria. She placed 12th at the Morris Early Bird meet.

Sunny Weber

IHSA Girls State Track & Field Sandwich's Sunny Weber (Tiffany Blanchette/Tiffany Blanchette)

Sunny Weber, Sandwich, sr.

As a junior Weber won the distance triple crown, winning the Class 2A cross country state championship and then sweeping the 3,200 and 1,600-meter titles at the state track and field meet for the Indians. She already has a dominating victory at the Morris Early Bird meet under her belt this season.

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Brian Hoxsey

Brian Hoxsey

I worked for 25 years as a CNC operator and in 2005 answered an ad in The Times for a freelance sports writer position. I became a full-time sports writer/columnist for The Times in February of 2016. I enjoy researching high school athletics history, and in my spare time like to do the same, but also play video games and watch Twitch.