Girls cross country: Rosary's Surtz wins Class 1A title; Batavia 4th in 3A
PEORIA - Lianna Surtz did not have to settle for runner-up status Saturday in the first of three girls cross country state championship races.
A Rosary sophomore, Surtz, who finished second in the Class 2A state finals last year, returned to Detweiller Park to conquer the field in Class 1A Saturday morning.
Surtz snared the lead at an early stage and never relinquished her prompt advantage in capturing the first individual state championship in school history.
The Royals' standout also won her last state-finals competition - the Class 2A 1,600-meter run last spring - in track and field.
"I hoped to have the lead at the mile, but I didn't get to run that fast," said Surtz, who toured the three-mile layout in 16 minutes, 41.01 seconds, on the early pace. "It was a great experience (to win a second state championship). I knew I had great competition (in single A). I was also excited for the team aspect."
Winnebago (63 points) cruised to the team title with five runners in the top 20.
Rosary was ninth, and Harvest Christian was 15th in the field of 25.
Harvest senior Lydia Camp narrowly missed all-state status in leading the Lions with her 32nd-place overall finish.
In the Class 2A girls race, Rachel Richtman paved the way for a historic day for the two Kaneland programs.
"I finished higher today than I did at the (Belvidere) sectional," Richtman said of her ninth-place effort in 17:46.11.
But it was an even greater personal milestone for the Knights' four-year standout.
Richtman became the first Kaneland girl in school history to earn all-state honors all four years.
"It was on my mind a lot," Richtman said of her accomplishment. "Everybody has been supportive of me, no matter what."
Benet won its first state championship in comfort as Elisabeth Camic, a St. Charles resident, was the sixth runner for the Redwings.
Crystal Lake South was sixth; freshman Bella Gonzalez finished one spot behind Richtman in 10th place.
Katrina Schlenker and Mia Gianfrancesco are establishing new benchmarks for the Batavia program.
Gianfrancesco, a Loyola recruit, became the first three-time all-state runner for the Bulldogs with her slot at No. 25 - the final spot to receive such honors.
Schlenker, the reigning state runner-up, took third in her second state attempt.
The Bulldogs' star sophomore was bested only by four-time state champion Katelynne Hart (Glenbard West) and DuKane Conference rival Sam Poglitsch of Wheaton Warrenville South.
Schlenker came home in 16:40.3 to earn her second top-three finish.
"The race itself was really fun," Schlenker said. "It was a good day today, and the team stepped up today. Everyone did amazing."
The Bulldogs were seeking a second career trophy.
But Batavia (207 points) missed out on the third and final trophy by 24 points to third-place Hinsdale Central.
Naperville North (90) denied Yorkville (142) for the fourth consecutive year to win the largest-division state championship for an equal number of times in succession.
St. Charles North sophomore Rachel Price was all-state for the second time in as many tries with her 12th-place run.