La Salle-Peru junior Gianni Verucchi is the 2025 NewsTribune Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. He was runner-up at the La Salle County Invitational and advanced to the Class 2A Geneseo Sectional.

Sandwich senior Sunny Weber hopes to run to second XC state title at Detweiller Park in Saturday's Class 1A state meet, while Somonauk senior Landin Stillwell, Amboy junior Henry Nichols and Princeton junior Payton Frueh will also be running in the finals.

Seneca senior Lily Mueller and Ottawa freshman Connor Media captured titles at Saturday's La Salle County Invitational cross country meet at The Eastwood Golf Course in Streator.

Local High School teams gather at Hoover Park in Sterling for the Rock River Run, held on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

Princeton's Payton Frueh, Ruby Acker and Alexandra Waca placed top 10 to lead the Tigresses to the team title at their own Gary Coates Invitational on Saturday.

Teams from Amboy, Dixon, La Salle-Peru, Mendota, Fieldcrest, Morris, Princeton, Hall, and Newman all competed during the Gary Coates Invitational cross country meet on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 at Zearing Park in Princeton.

Here are five Times-area boys cross country runners to keep an eye on during this fall season.

The cross country season is underway. Here are team-by-team boys previews with top returners, key newcomers and info on every Times-area squad for the 2025 season.

A look at the La Salle-Peru, St. Bede, Hall, Putnam County, Mendota, Princeton, Bureau Valley, Amboy co-op and Henry-Midland boys cross country teams entering the 2025 season.