You, too, would be cheerful if you were Ellery Shutt.

The Woodstock senior lives up to the meaning of his first name, and Shutt had lots to be happy about this fall and throughout his four-year varsity career as a member of the Blue Streaks’ cross country team.

He finished his career – which included being a teammate of his older brother, Cohen, for two seasons and his younger brother, Bresden, this year – with an 18th-place run in the Class 2A state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

Shutt started the season with a second-place finish in the McHenry County Invite (16:10.49). He won the Kishwaukee River Conference Meet for the second year in a row, helping the Blue Streaks win the title for the seventh straight time. Besides his all-state run, his postseason also included a runner-up finish in the Woodstock Regional and a sixth-place effort in the Lakes Sectional.

The second oldest of four children of Judd, a longtime cross country coach in the area, and MacKenzie, Ellery Shutt is the 2025 Northwest Herald Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, as chosen by the sports staff with input from area coaches.

Crystal Lake Central senior Amana Omale and Cary-Grove senior Jameson Tenopir also were considered for the award.

Shutt, a two-time All-Stater, recently answered some questions from Northwest Herald sports writer Joe Aguilar.

You and your classmate Will Kashmier contributed to conference-championship teams all four years in high school. What was it like to be a part of a that?

Shutt: There was definitely a little bit of pressure [this season], but we knew going into [the KRC Meet] that we were the best team there and that we would really have to screw up to [not win]. Before the race, I told my guys, ‘I trust all of you guys. It’s not about if we win here, it’s about by how much.’ We just wanted to run our best races and see where the margin could be. I was on a team two years ago that got that score down to 16 [best score possible is 15], so it was just seeing what we could do on that given day.

Your dad, Judd Shutt, was the boys cross country coach at Prairie Ridge for 20 years, before taking over the program at Crystal Lake Central this year. What is it like having a cross country coach as your dad?

Shutt: Obviously, he introduced me to the sport, and he allowed for my love to grow. I mean, it’s all I’ve known. I can remember back to when I was 5, 6, 7 years old, and I was going down to the cross country state meet to watch one of my dad’s stud runners run. It’s been really fun to eventually be able to grow into the runner I am now and try to see if I can beat his guys or if I can poke a little fun at him, and just have some friendly banter.

How often do you get the chance to run with your dad?

Shutt: We have our fair share of runs together. Sometimes it’s a weekend and I have to bug him. I’m like, ‘Let’s go on a run! Let’s go on a run!’ And then he’s telling me, ‘Dude, come on! I’m 46 years old!’ But I still get him out there, and he and I are able to have some good talks on some runs.

What is your streak of consecutive weeks running?

Shutt: It’s over. I took a day off after state, and then I took my week off after NXR [Nike Cross Regionals]. I believe that I ran every single day from the start of summer training to the state meet. So it was about 24, 25 weeks [in a row]. ... I was out of it that Sunday [after state], just resting and making sure my body was ready to get into winter training.

How did your parents choose the name Ellery for you?

Shutt: My mom heard it at church camp when she was younger and was like, ‘That’s a cool name. I’m going to write it down and keep it, and maybe I’ll name one of my kids it someday,’ and here I am.

According to one definition, Ellery is of English origin and its meanings include “cheerful” and “merry.” Does that describe you?

Shutt: I’d like to think of myself as cheerful and merry.

Do you have a pre-race routine?

Shutt: I don’t really have a pre-race routine, but I’ve been trying to get one as I go off into college. I don’t eat before races very often, just don’t want to get a cramp. I usually have my coffee and listen to some rain music. The rain sounds calm you down.

What’s the strangest thing you experienced before, during or after a race?

Shutt: I packed the wrong spikes for our overnight stay in Peoria [in advance of the First To The Finish invite in early September]. Fifteen minutes before the race, I realized that I couldn’t wear the spikes that I had because they would have just ripped up my calves. I actually had to take the shoes of my little brother [Bresden, Woodstock freshman] and race in those, while my dad had to go run over and get spikes from a kid we know who was racing later in the day so my brother could also have spikes. My brother ran in spikes that were a size and a half too big.

What are your plans for college?

Shutt: I’m unsure, but I’m coming to a decision pretty soon. It’s coming down to probably Nebraska or Toledo.