Girls cross country: Scouting DuPage County and the Fox Valley
DUPAGE COUNTY
Addison Trail The Blazers took fifth place in the West Suburban Conference Gold Division and 11th at the Class 3A Glenbard West regional. The team lost four of their top seven runners to graduation, including Alessandra Gutierrez, and Katelyn Ford. Junior Danielle Marcinkowski was the squad's No. 1 runner at both the conference and regional meets last fall.
Benet The Redwings will miss all-stater Delilah Helenhouse (Northwestern), and Louisa Diamond (West Point) from their 11th-place Class 2A team. Benet took fourth in the ESCC, third at regionals, and fourth at sectionals before senior Keira Jenke placed 32nd at state. Junior Fay Farrell (90th) also ran downstate along with seniors Bridget Hasenauer and Emma Greco. Senior Sara Luo and freshman Sarah Read should provide great depth to the pack. The team will strive to challenge themselves and grow as a unit throughout the season.
Downers Grove North The Trojans captured third place in Class 3A, only one point behind runner-up York, and two points behind champion Barrington. The team also won WSC Silver, regional, and sectional championships. Alayna Todnem (ninth, Indiana), all-stater Audrey Casten (19th), and Ava Gilley (Texas) graduated. All-state senior Lily Eddington (20th) will lead the team while junior Sophia Schlueter (154th) also ran at state. Sophomore Macy Ermitage was injured last fall, but she placed third in the 3,200 in track. Senior Helen Justice joins junior teammates Mairead Courtney and junior Gianna Modica, who were strong last year at the JV and sophomore levels.
Fenton The Bison took 11th place at the 13-team UEC meet, sixth place at the Class 2A Grayslake Central regional, and 18th at the Kaneland sectional. Current senior Josslyn Wade had a fantastic 2024 campaign with a second-place finish at sectionals and an all-state, 16th-place run at the state meet in Peoria.
Glenbard East The Lady Rams have a great front-runner to lead their pack as sophomore Teigan O'Donnell qualified for the Class 3A state meet as a freshman. O'Donnell will hope to return to the storied Detweiller Park course again in November. The young squad will focus on setting as many personal records as possible throughout the upcoming campaign and hope to move up in the UEC standings.
Glenbard North The Panthers' young unit placed 12th at the Class 3A Glenbard West regional. The team lost two key seniors to graduation as junior Melissa Gomez and senior Peyton Marshall were the squad's 1-2 runners at the regional meet. Glenbard North hopes to move up the DuKane Conference standings late in the 2025 campaign.
Glenbard South The Raiders took fifth place in the UEC, sixth at regionals, and 10th at the Class 2A Hinsdale South sectional. State qualifier Diana Kalvelage and three other top-seven seniors graduated. Senior Jillian DeMayo, junior Ella Anderson (74th at sectionals), and Marlena Kendra are team captains. Juniors Phoebe Cochrane and Rachel Van Tholen are key runners. Sophomores Audra Loney (53rd), and Molly Clarin (77th) are back from sectionals as the team hopes to reach state.
Glenbard West The Hilltoppers took third in the WSC Silver, third in their own regional, seventh at sectionals, and 23rd in Class 3A (13th trip to state in 14 years). Returning runners will be all-state senior Alexa Novak (23rd), junior Lauren Bennett (149th), sophomore Shayne Dietzen (150th), junior Addie Nordman (193rd), senior Ella Demchinski (196th), senior Mackenzie Gilbert (215th), and junior Ava Chase (232nd). Sophomore Alyssa Novak will be a key runner with Katie King, Nora Janninck, and Maya Slowikowski hoping to make an impact.
Lake Park The Lancers placed eighth in the DuKane Conference, sixth at regionals, and 13th at sectionals. Junior Ruth Dellaria is looking like a strong front-runner after she placed 77th in Class 3A as an individual qualifier. Junior Lily Potts should be a front of the pack runner along with seniors Yana Zraychyk and Juliana Selvaggio. Junior Aubrey Haugh will also be counted on as will sophomore teammates Vivienne Stojanovic and Rain Solano.
Lisle The Lions took third place in the Illinois Central Eight, fifth at regionals and 14th at their own Class 1A sectional. Junior Dani Erickson (41st) and sophomore Jennifer Duban (43rd) were the pack's 1-2 runners at the sectional meet. Senior Anya Kutkoski was Lisle's No. 3 runner as only one key senior was lost to graduation.
Metea Valley The Mustangs took fifth place in the DVC and seventh at the Waubonsie Valley regional. Sophomore Kaylee Russell placed 12th at regionals, 23rd at the Hinsdale Central sectional, and 153rd in Class 3A in her freshman campaign. Sectional qualifier Isabella Sieben (43rd at sectionals) was a key loss to graduation for Metea Valley.
Montini The Broncos took fifth in the CCL/GCAC Red Division, they were regional champions, third at sectionals, and 22nd in Class 1A. Montini will be facing a tougher challenge as it moves up to Class 2A. But the Broncos have the luxury of two all-stater's leading their pack in Sydney Gertsen (sixth), and Ashlynn Lindt (18th). Sophomores Kayli Gergen, Amelia Sherman, and Ella Chico all ran at state last year.
Naperville Central The Redhawks placed third in the DVC, regionals, and sectionals, and 17th in Class 3A. Top runner Lola Satre-Morales (Northeastern University), Brynn Miller (Marquette), and Allie Opalka (Marquette) graduated. Returning from state are seniors Eloise Graft and Macy Bjork, junior Katelyn Burke, and sophomore Kavea Senthilanand. "We have high expectations for Emma Breese, Lauren Quigg, and several sophomores who’ve made great strides this summer, including Charlotte Danahy, Hannah Zei, and Kaitlin Orf,“ said coach Matt Blondell. " We’re also excited about a strong group of freshmen who have already shown impressive progress."
Naperville North The Huskies won DVC and regional crowns, they placed second at sectionals, and seventh in Class 3A. The team will miss all-stater Emma Berres (13th, Miami of Ohio) at the front of the pack. But seniors Rianna Tandon (15th), and Shania Tandon (24th) are both coming off of all-state performances last fall. Sophomore Kathryn Rohr placed 93rd as the team's No. 4 runner.
Neuqua Valley The Wildcats took fourth place in the DVC, fifth at regionals, and eighth at sectionals to just miss a team berth downstate. The pack lost state qualifier Elizabeth Hall (107th) to graduation, but junior Addison Guskey (181st) gained some experience at the state meet. Junior Ariana Namvar was the Wildcats' No. 3 runner at sectionals.
St. Francis The Spartans took home the CCL/GCAC Red Division championship, they won a regional title, took third at sectionals, and ninth in Class 2A. Elite junior all-stater's Erin Hinsdale (fourth), and Elena Mamminga (fifth) give St. Francis a fantastic 1-2 punch to rely on again this season. Senior Margaret Andrze (46th) is another strong returning runner as the team did not lose a single senior in their top seven to graduation.
Waubonsie Valley The Warriors placed second in the DVC, second at their own regional, fourth at sectionals, and 20th in Class 3A. The team lost four of their top seven runners to graduation. But junior Mia Bertolini (56th) was their top runner at the state meet. Sophomore Dhanya Shanmugasundaram (160th) was the No. 3 runner downstate while senior Katherine Heap (191st) was the No. 5 runner.
West Chicago The Wildcats took fourth place at the 13-team Upstate Eight meet, and ninth place at the Glenbard West regional. West Chicago did lose sectional qualifier Jessica Balmer, No. 2-runner Dayra Araujo, and No. 3-runner Sophia Garcia to graduation. Senior Cecilia Ayala was the fourth runner at the regional competition.
Westmont The Sentinels did not have a full team for the state series. But current senior Kyla Babb took first place at regionals and sectionals before running to a third-place finish at the Class 1A state meet with a time of 16:35.50. That fast time Babb posted would have also put her in third place at the Class 2A meet and in fourth place in Class 3A.
Wheaton Academy The Warriors were Chicagoland Christian Conference champions, runner-up finishers at regionals, fifth at sectionals, and 16th in Class 2A. Three seniors from the state meet graduated. But junior Addie Painter (48th), and the sophomore trio of Sydnie Becker (66th), Charlotte Brown (80th), and Adeline Farrell (189th) all gained valuable experience competing downstate.
Wheaton North The Falcons placed third in the DuKane Conference, second at regionals, fifth at sectionals, and 13th in Class 3A. The team will have some huge shoes to fill after all-stater Maddie Romaine (18th in state, Dartmouth) graduated with three other seniors. Junior Emily Offutt (87th) was the No. 2 runner at the state meet while senior Ema Eissler (105th) and junior June Rectenwald (110th) also competed at Detweiller Park.
Wheaton Warrenville South The Tigers placed second in the DuKane Conference, first at regionals, third at sectionals, and 12th in Class 3A. Nicole Poglitsch (11th in state, Illinois) will be really hard to replace at the front of the pack along with two other key seniors. Sophomores Addy Lindsay (94th) and Clara Franken (139th) were the No. 2 and 4 runners at state. Junior Arielle Friebel and senior Abby Barrett also ran downstate last year.
Willowbrook The Warriors placed second in the WSC Gold, they finished fifth at regionals, and 13th at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central sectional. Willowbrook is going to be hard-pressed to replace all-stater Amelie Ojeda (fifth, NIU) at the front of its pack. The Warriors also lost No. 2-runner Holly Harris to graduation, but senior Mariangela Popoca was the No. 3 runner at sectionals. Junior Bethany Urich and sophomore Juliet Oddo were the 4-5 runners at the sectional meet.
York The Dukes were edged out 130-131 by Barrington for the state title as they held off DGN by one point for second place. Sophomore state runner-up Karlin Janowski returns with seniors Sophia Galiano Sanchez (17th), Maggie Quinn (37th), and Lila Stanley (45th). Junior Julia Weseloh also ran at state. Senior transfer student Molly McGreal (Trinity) joins the team with newcomer Claire Twohy. Key returnees are Stella Rosso, Gigi Hill, Amelia Crotty, Dehlia Bernardi, Kyla O’Halloran, Paige Byrne, Emma Cardenas, and Lilly Bianchi as 12 of 14 runners are back from the state series.
FOX VALLEY
Aurora Central Catholic The Chargers took runner-up honors in the CCL/GCAC White Division, they were regional champions, sixth at sectionals, and 17th in Class 1A. Now moving up to Class 2A for the first time since 2016, the team will have a great front-runner to rely on in senior all-stater Cece Hilby (20th). No. 2-runner Nicole Smith graduated, but junior Ailidzie Perez was ACC's third runner at the storied state meet.
Aurora Christian The Eagles got a 21st-place finish from current senior Grace Knight at the Chicagoland Christian Conference meet. But the squad lost Julia Gavin to graduation. Knight wound up qualifying for the Class 1A Lisle sectional with an 18th-place finish at regionals, and she will be supported by sophomore Kia Jewell this season.
Bartlett The Hawks took second place at the 13-team UEC meet, and eighth at the Glenbard West regional. Senior Alessandra Gregory placed 59th in Class 3A as a junior while senior teammate Emely Villafuerte qualified for sectionals. Bartlett had no seniors in its top seven last year, but current senior Hailey Netzel just missed earning a berth to sectionals as an individual.
Batavia The Bulldogs won DuKane Conference and regional titles, they took second at sectionals, and fifth in Class 3A. The team is looking like a trophy contender this season as they return their top five runners from state, including junior Avery Hacker (eighth), senior Madeline Cassidy (21st), junior Gwendolyn Krodel (39th), junior Claire Deppe (48th), senior Chloe Kammes (57th), and sophomore Sara Wolfe (205th). Sophomore Halle Hillman should be a big factor after she placed 78th at sectionals.
Burlington Central The Rockets took fifth in the FVC, second at regionals, and eighth at the Class 2A Kaneland sectional. Graduated Abigail Burke (27th) just missed all-state. Now moving up to Class 3A, the team has senior Emie Davis, sophomore Callie Pflug, and sophomore Julia Haacker back from sectionals. Freshmen middle school state qualifiers Hailey Romano and Addison Davis (IESA 800-meter state champ) should make a big impact along with Val Klassy, Lydia Rickard, Liz Alvarez, and Ashlyn Niecko.
Cary-Grove The Trojans took seventh place in the FVC and eighth in the Class 3A Warren regional. Senior Olivia Parker and sophomore Isabella Limburg were sectional qualifiers. Senior Julia Valaitis and junior Brook Gerstung were the 3-4 runners at regionals on a team that only lost one senior to graduation among their top five runners.
Crystal Lake South The Gators placed second in the FVC, they won their fifth state regional title, placed second at sectionals, and eighth in Class 2A. Key seniors Olivia and Victoria Pinta graduated. Returning from state are sophomore Caroline Lucas (34th), senior Laynie Ripley (56th), sophomore Kiera O’Leary (151st), junior Cece Piemontese (154th), and junior Lily Brooks (186th). Sophomores Emme Reall and Reagan Marsett showed great improvement in track while senior Kelsey Kos should make an impact. Junior Annalee Aarseth could be among the top five runners while freshman Abby Magadan is showing great potential.
Dundee-Crown The Chargers took 10th place in the FVC meet and 11th at the Class 3A Palatine regional. Junior Delilah Kissane was a consistent No. 1 front-runner for D-C last season followed by the junior trio of Gabriella Lindholm, Maja Keil, and Alexandra Burczynski. Seniors America Carmona and Jane Larsen should also be big contributors to a pack that did not lose a single senior to graduation.
Elgin The Maroons placed eighth in the 13-team UEC meet and 10th at the Class 3A Glenbard West regional without a single senior among their top seven runners. Senior Tala Okasha was the young squad's top runner last year at regionals while junior teammate Teagan Culver was their No. 1 runner at the conference meet.
Geneva The Vikings placed fifth in the DuKane Conference, fifth at regionals, and 11th at sectionals. Senior Sofia Borter placed 51st as an individual runner at state last November. The young squad had no seniors in their lineup at sectionals as current senior Taylor Peahl was their No. 2 runner in that meet. Seniors Gretchen Drexler and Lucy Chrusciel hope to earn Geneva a berth to the state meet.
Hampshire The Whip-Purs took third place by one point to CLS in the FVC, they placed third at regionals, and 12th in the Class 3A Lake Park sectional. Sophomore Reese Long took 72nd at the state meet, and sophomore Miya Moraga was the No. 2 runner at sectionals. Seniors Annabelle Haskins and Kaley Byhre were the 3-4 runners at sectionals. Sophomore Cassie Gatza and senior Natassa Papadakis also competed at sectionals. Junior Cameron Shaw and sophomore Brianna Pasillas give the pack added depth as only one senior graduated from the team.
Huntley The Red Raiders won the FVC title, they took second at regionals, fourth at sectionals, and 10th in Class 3A. Returning runners from state are senior Izzy Ciesla (46th), senior Cori Kilvinger (74th), junior Haley Rahman (108th), senior Aspen Maldonado (113th), and junior Morgan Sauber (128th). "This team knows what it takes to be successful and will look to push for another trip to the state meet," said coach Matt Kaplan. "Our team has a goal of another top 10 team finish at state, performing well at the conference meet, and working together each week to get better as a team."
Jacobs The Golden Eagles took fourth in the FVC, fifth at regionals, and 13th at sectionals. Top runner Hudson Szymonik graduated, but seniors Mackenzie Cronin, Rylie Warczak, and Matylda Maciejczyk are back. Elite freshmen Lennox Szymonik and Dani Soto are expected to make a huge impact. Juniors Amisha and Kailyn Schlicht are ready to go along with the sophomore trio of Jamie Lakeman, Julia Felton, and Bella Hooper. Freshman Britney Mahoney is a key addition to the team. "Lennox Szymonik has already shown that she can compete with anyone in the FVC after an impressive seventh-place finish at Detweiller at Dark," said coach Kevin Christian. "Dani Soto is also one of the best freshman we have ever seen on our team, and she will be right with Cronin this season."
Kaneland The Knights placed third in the Interstate Eight Conference, fifth at regionals, and 17th at their own Class 2A sectional. Senior Danielle Bower (23rd at sectionals) just miss state by once place. All-conference senior Graycen Cole was the No. 2 runner at sectionals, but the team had five of their top seven runners graduate. Key sophomores are Bella Gruber and Annie Cole. Freshmen Macey Jug (11th and 12th the past two years at IESA), Giavanna Villamar, and Isabella Villamar hope to be key factors.
Larkin The Royals took 10th place in the 13-team UEC meet, and eighth at the Class 3A Harlem regional. Senior Brinlee Jimenez and sophomore Maya Uriostegui both qualified for the sectional meet as individuals last year. Senior Makayla Preuss was Larkin's No. 3 runner at the conference and regional meets.
Rosary The Royals placed seventh in the CCL/GCAC Red Division, fifth at regionals, and ninth in the Class 2A Hinsdale South sectional. Three seniors in Rosary's top five runners graduated, including state qualifier Chiara Surtz. But the Royals do have junior state qualifier Caroline Goettsch (78th) returning to lead their pack again this season.
South Elgin The Storm placed seventh in the UEC and seventh at regionals. The squad has three returning sectional qualifiers, including sophomore top runner Cailin Wennerstrom, sophomore Melody Guzman, and junior Maya Vodenik. "We are looking forward to building on our previous team standings this season," said coach Jorie Bartholomew. "We have some new freshmen that are expected to join the team that I think will be a great addition to our varsity team. We are looking to keep improving our times and growing as a team."
St. Charles East The Saints took sixth in the DuKane Conference and seventh at regionals. Sophomore Adley Wilson (19th at sectionals) placed 54th in Class 3A as an individual qualifier. Sophomore Leah Sutherland placed 32nd at sectionals (personal record of 18:24) while junior Nicole Mayer was all-state in the 4x400 in track. Senior Amalia Im brings a lot of experience to the team as a four-year varsity runner with great support from junior Ruby Garcia, who had great PRs in track (800/1,600).
St. Charles North The North Stars took fourth in the DuKane Conference, fourth at regionals, and 10th at sectionals. Juniors Julia Rodney (33rd), and Gwen Hobson (90th) competed at the state meet. Sophomore Kara Glenn (10th in state in 3,200) is going to be a huge addition as a front-runner for the pack. Other returning varsity runners on the young team are junior Alyssa Oblak, sophomore Brooklyn Thompson, and junior Juliana Gonzalez as the team enters the season with great energy and determination.
St. Edward The Lady Wave got some strong performances from current senior Sophie Holland last year as she placed third in the Chicagoland Christian Conference, eighth at regionals, 16th at sectionals, and 85th in Class 1A. Sophomore Hayden Poole placed 27th at the Lisle sectional while sectional qualifier Liz Leadley graduated.
Streamwood The Sabres will definitely miss the leadership of graduated state qualifier Sophia Baumert (42nd in Class 3A), who was the UEC meet champion. No. 2 -runner Jazlynn Castelan was also lost to graduation. Baumert placed second at regionals and 13th at the powerful Hoffman Estates sectional.
West Aurora The Blackhawks took ninth at regionals, and they lost No. 2 runner Avery Littlejohn to graduation. Senior Itzel Figueroa placed 20th at the Hinsdale Central sectional to earn an individual berth to the state meet. Senior Abby Hauser was the No. 3 runner last year, and she will play a big role again this fall. "She (Figueroa) had a great track season that will springboard her into this season," said coach Anthony Rizzo. "She is joined by senior Abby Hauser, who also had a great track season and summer."