After missing the state championships in 2024 by 0.01 seconds last year, Alex Schwantes was determined not to miss out again. The DeKalb junior qualified and finished in the top of the field this season.

A look at the top girls cross country runners in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

Manteno had its best cross country season in over four decades this year, with the girls team competing at state for the first time ever and the boys team having multiple runners advance to state for the first time since 1979.

Runners from Manteno, Bishop McNamara, Herscher and Bradley-Bourbonnais wrapped their seasons at the IHSA State Finals while Bradley-Bourbonnais' girls swimming team qualified for state in a pair of events.

Dixon's Daniela Lovett finished 19th at the state cross-country meet to earn all-state honors on Saturday.

Prairie Ridge sophomore Emaline Foster fell with 200 meters left in the IHSA Class 2A Girls Cross Country State Meet but still recovered to place runner-up. Jacobs freshman Lennox Szymonik was 10th in 3A, and more results from Saturday's state races in Peoria.

The IHSA Boys and Girls Cross Country State Meet begins Saturday morning at Detweiller Park in Peoria, with many McHenry County area teams and individuals set to compete across Class 1A, 2A and 3A.

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.

From 1A to 3A, the Herald-News area has a multitude of girls who could compete for a title at the state cross country meet this weekend.

Dixon's Daniela Lovett is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week after breaking the school's cross country record. She heads to state coming off a personal best run by 30 seconds. Here is a Q&A with the senior.

Mia Forystek led Lincoln-Way Central to a regional cross country championship with a time of 17:53.80.

Oregon freshman Anya Anaya is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week. She placed 11th at the regional and wrapped up the season strong with a personal record at the sectional.

Coal City's boys soccer team won its first sectional title with a 2-1 win over Manteno in the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional, three area cross country teams and five individuals qualified for state and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Freshman Lennox Szymonik placed fourth individually and led Jacobs to a state berth with a sixth-place finish Saturday at the Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional.

Aubrey Clark finished first at the Southwest Suburban Conference Meet with a time of 18:09.69 to earn Athlete of the Week honors.

Herscher had its boys cross country team and boys soccer team both secure regional titles, Manteno's girls cross country team placed second behind Klarke Goranson's win and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Sam Hill led the St. Charles North boys to its first ever DuKane Conference championship, while Batavia reclaimed its girls title and Kara Glenn secured another individual title for the North Stars in the girls race at Lake Park's East Campus.

Area high school runners compete in the Fox Valley Conference Cross Country Meet on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.

Amana Omale led the Crystal Lake Central boys to victory, while Huntley won the girls title and Prairie Ridge's Emaline Foster claimed victory in the girls race during Saturday's Fox Valley Conference Cross Country Championship meet at McHenry County College.

Downers Grove North's Philip Cupial and Sandwich's Sunny Weber both defended their individual titles at the Twilight Invite cross country meet, Cupial leading the Trojans to the team title while Batavia used a late surge to win the girls team title in Geneva.

Girls and boys runners from several local schools competed in the All-Area cross country meet at Kankakee Community College on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.

Bradley-Bourbonnais sophomore Kyler Savini led the Boilermaker boys to a narrow All-Area win Wednesday while sophomore Klarke Goranson and her Manteno teammates claimed the girls title.

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.

Bolingbrook won the Will County Invite as a team by Joliet Central's Madison King was the first place finisher.

The Oregon Junior High School cross country teams continue to impress this season, delivering strong performances at the Schmidt Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Fuller Forest Preserve.

Freshman Brayden Domont led Bradley-Bourbonnais' boys team to an All-City title on Wednesday, while due to confusion with the course, the champion on the girls side will be decided on Oct. 8 at the All-Area meet.

Prairie Ridge's Emaline Foster and Jacobs' Lennox Szymonik captured the Class 2A and 3A titles, respectively, at the First to the Finish Girls Cross Country Invite at Detweiller Park in Peoria. That and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

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.

Here are five girls cross country runners to keep an eye on in The Herald-News area this season.

Here is a look at the 2025 Herald-News area girls cross country teams

Here are five runners to watch for girls cross country in the Northwest Herald coverage area in 2025.

The 2025 girls cross country season is underway. Check out our team-by-team previews with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team in the Northwest Herald area.

Area cross country teams found some early season competition at the Irish Conditioner on Wednesday, with Bradley-Bourbonnais picking up a win on the boys side and the Herscher girls team having a strong showing.

Something a little different to help get runners in shape and excited for the season is what Ottawa cross country coach Dan Heaver had in mind when putting together the Ottawa Nautical Mile Relays. Mission accomplished.

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

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

A look at the La Salle-Peru, St. Bede, Mendota, Princeton, Bureau Valley, Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio, Henry-Midland and Fieldcrest girls cross country teams.

Crystal Lake Central's boys and Huntley's girls won the McHenry County Cross Country Meet on Saturday. Cary-Grove's Jameson Tenopir won the boys individual title and Prairie Ridge's Emaline Foster won the girls individual title. And more in Saturday's roundup.

Area high school runners compete in the McHenry County Cross Country Meet on Saturday, August 30, 2025. at Emricson park in Woodstock.

Here are some of the top storylines to watch for from several fall sports this upcoming season.

Keira Bogott wrapped up a stellar athletic career at Woodstock this spring, earning Kishwaukee River Conference Girls Soccer Field Player of the Year and qualifying for the Class 2A state track and field meet. Bogott is the 2025 Northwest Herald Female Athlete of the Year.

The IHSA announced three significant changes to its classification policy Tuesday. Starting next school year, the IHSA will go back to using fixed classification cutoffs, change its multiplier waiver process and adjust its “Success Adjustment Policy.”

Here's the 2024 Kane County Chronicle girls cross country All-Area team.

Huntley senior Anna Campanelli led the Red Raiders to the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving Tournament title and scored a career-high 32 points against Boylan. Campanelli is the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

Henry-Midland junior Daniella Bumber is once again the NewsTribune Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year after winning the Lowpoint-Wasburn/Roanoke-Benson Invite and four other meets and returning to the IHSA Class 1A state meet.

A look at the top girls cross country runners in the NewsTribune area for the 2024 season.

Youth dominated the Daily Chronicle 2024 Girls Cross Country All-Area Team, with only one senior on the first team.

Sycamore junior Layla Janisch ran back-to-back personal records to close the cross country season, peaking with an 18:34.9 at the state championship to take 61st in her first trip to the finale in Peoria.

Huntley junior Isabella Ciesla emerged as the No. 1 runner on the Red Raiders’ talented cross country squad this fall. Ciesla is the 2024 Northwest Herald Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year

Meet the 2024 Northwest Herald All-Area girls cross country team.