Here are the top girls runners from the 2025 cross country season representing Bureau County schools:

Ruby Acker, jr., Princeton: The BCR co-Runner of the Year led the Tigresses in eight of the 11 meets she raced with three first-place efforts. Along the way, she placed fifth at Princeton’s Gary Coates Invite, third at the Three Rivers Conference Meet and Panther Invite and fifth at regionals. She wrapped up her season with a 28th-place finish at sectionals. Acker is named to the All-BCR Team for the third straight year.

Jemma Finley, fr., St. Bede: The Bruins cub ran her personal record of 20:06.2 at regionals, good for a fifth-place finish. She ended her freshman season placing 50th at sectionals. Finley had top-five finishes in six meets and placed eighth in the Tri-County Conference Meet and 24th at the Bureau Valley Dale Donner Invite.

Payton Frueh, jr., Princeton: The BCR co-Runner of the Year made her way to state by finishing at sectionals with a time of 19:32.2, the fastest time of an area runner by 20 seconds. She finished top-five in six regular-season meets, including a team-best fourth-place finish in Princeton’s Gary Coates Invite and a fifth-place finish at conference. Frueh placed seventh at regionals to lead Princeton’s sectional qualifying third-place finish. She is named to the All-BCR Team for the third straight year.

Summer Hamilton, so., Bureau Valley: The Storm sophomore was named the team’s “Most Improved” with a PR of 22:05.8 to place 91st and more than a minute and a half faster than last year. She finished 25th at regionals. Along the way, Hamilton placed third at Forreston, fourth in the BV Quad and 71st in BV’s Dale Donner Invite. She is named to the All-BCR Team for the second time.

Gemma Moore, jr., Bureau Valley: The Storm’s No. 1 runner and MVP led the Storm in every race this fall. She had top-six finishes at the Forreston and Panther Invites. She placed 14th at the Lincoln Trail Conference Meet and 36th in BV’s Dale Donner Invite. Moore ran a PR 21:13.7 to place 14th at regionals and finished 43rd at sectionals. She makes her second appearance on the All-BCR Team.

Alexandra Waca, jr., Princeton: The Princeton junior saved her best for last with a time of 20:24.7 to place 44th at sectionals. Waca placed eighth at the Gary Coates Princeton Invite, 11th at the Panther Invite and 15th at the Three Rivers Meet to earn all-conference first-team honors. She also contributed to the Tigresses’ sectional qualifying finish with an 11th-place finish at regionals. Waca is named to the All-BCR Team for the third straight year.

Honorable mention: Susanna Bohms, so., Princeton; Leah House, jr., Bureau Valley; Natalie Meyer, jr., Princeton; Avery Waca, sr., Princeton; Ella Wilt, so., Bureau Valley