When asked if she had any pre-race routines or superstitions, Sandwich cross county runner Sundara “Sunny” Weber said that she really only has one.
“I always have my Squishmallows with me in a bag on the ride to the meet, but they stay on the bus,” Weber said.
In the collection of hand-sized stuffed animals – which every member of the Indians’ girls team and coaches picked one to bear their name, including Sunny – the freshman ironically says her favorite is sloth.
The good luck charms and the Sandwich squad made the trip to Peoria’s Detweiller Park for the Class 1A State Finals in November.
In the pouring rain with temperatures in the 40s, Weber put an exclamation point on a tremendous rookie season by crossing the finish line in 17 minutes, 26 seconds good for runner-up – only to champion Mabry Bruhn, a Monticello senior – on the state’s biggest stage.
With treacherous course conditions, where parts of the running path were nothing but mud, Webber was in the top few runners all the way and moved up a spot in the final moments.
For all her accomplishments, Weber has been named The Times Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year
Weber’s placement bested the fifth-place mark by Marlana Haefelin in 2003 and the time was only two seconds off the school-record set by Kayla Schiera at the state finals in 2017.
Her finish also helped the Indians’ team – which was making a first trip to the state finals since 1998 – place 21st of the 30 qualifying teams.
“When I’m about to start a race I always start to get really nervous, even though I know I’m as prepared as I can be,” Weber said. “But when the gun goes off, I just feel everything become calm right away.
“[State] was the first race all season that I ran in that it was raining. We had a few races where it was cold, but not the two mixed together. I ran a state meet back in grade school where it had snowed a few days before the race, but it was nothing compared to my state experience this year. I just kept reminding myself that everyone was running in the same conditions I was.
“I knew where I was place-wise the entire race. I was in third almost the entire time, but late in the race, the second-place girl was still right in front of me. I didn’t think I could pass her, but I just told myself ‘You need to do this.’ I was able to finally pass her in the last half mile. I really surprised myself.”
Weber — The Times 2022 Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year — may have been the only one associated with or that follows Sandwich girls cross country.
In her first race as a high school runner, Weber captured the title at the Morris Early Bird Invite in 19:03. Then over the next nine regular-season races, Weber placed first at the Sycamore Invitational, Seneca’s Twilight in the Woods, Bureau Valley’s Dale Donner Invitational, Sterling’s Rock River Run and the Pontiac/Prairie Central Invite.
She also finished seventh and fourth, respectively, at the ultra-competitive First to the Finish and Peoria High School Invitationals at Detweiller and was runner-up at the Interstate 8 Conference meet.
Weber then bested the field by over a minute at the Seneca 1A Regional (18:40) and by 12 seconds Oregon 1A Sectional (18:26).
“I really only had the goals of making all-state and running in the 17s,” Weber said. “Then after the very first race of the season, and my first running three miles, my confidence grew. There is a website that lists all of the times of the runners, and I saw my time was pretty close to many of the times of the best girls across the state. That’s when I knew my goals to reach were definitely possible.
“We have such a supportive team. Everyone roots for everyone, no matter who. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of teammates than I had for my first year in high school.”
Weber said she also intends to run track and field this spring, running the mile and sometimes the two-mile, while also being part of the 4x800 relay team.
“She puts in the time and effort to be someone that’s successful,” Sandwich coach Mike Lee said. “She also has a tremendous mind set before, during and after races as well as at practice. Sunny is a great example for any athlete in any sport. She had a fantastic season and I look forward to seeing what she can do the next three years.”
It should be exciting to see what Weber and the Indians can over the next three seasons. The question is, will the Squishmallows be along for the ride, and do they hold some kind of special powers that can help herself and her teammates along the way?
Weber said with a smile.
“They might.”