The Sentinel: Search results for Mackenzie Pound

Keller dominates at Spartan Classic, Unity girls win team title

Isabella Keller

St. Anthony's Isabella Keller runs to the finish line and her first state cross country title in the Class 1A race in 2023. Keller, who currently holds the top time in the state across all three classes, won the Spartan Classic on September 28. The sophomore is favored to earn a second state title in November.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

ST. JOSEPH - St. Anthony sophomore sensation Isabella Keller continued her dominant cross country season, winning the Spartan Classic on Sept. 28 with a time of 15:59.6, just shy of her personal record from last year's meet. Keller's performance, highlighted by a nearly 30-second lead over the rest of the field, secured her top standing in Class 1A this season.

Keller, known for her dominance in Class 1A, not only secured her victory but also solidified her status as the top runner in Illinois across all three IHSA classes. She has won every varsity 3-mile race she has entered during her high school career, including last year's Class 1A state championship at Detweiller Park. Her impressive string of victories positions her as the favorite for a repeat state title in November. Her closest competitor, Tuscola's junior Kate Foltz, finished second with a time of 16:28.3, followed by Unity senior Emily Decker in third at 16:55.1.

The race, held under overcast skies with temperatures in the high 60s, saw 148 girls from 20 teams competing. The three-mile course began on Main Street and wound through the streets of St. Joseph, offering ideal conditions for fast times.

Unity's girls team capitalized on their depth, placing three runners in the top 15 and securing the overall team title with 55 points. Decker led the Rockets with her third-place finish, followed by junior Mackenzie Pound (10th, 18:18.3) and senior Ashlyn Denney (11th, 18:19.4). Unity's consistency helped them outpace Shelbyville, which placed second with 91 points, and Monticello, which came in third with 171 points.

St. Joseph-Ogden's senior Savanna Franzen was the top finisher for the host team, placing eighth with a time of 17:54.00, while Uni-High’s top runner, junior Shriya Nagaraj, placed 28th with a time of 19:31.79.

Finishing at 17:36.87, Mackenzie Pound helped the Rockets win last year's team title at the state meet in 2023. Now a junior, she was crucial in Unity winning the Spartan Classic team title at the end of September. Coincidentally, she finished 10th in both races.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Urbana U-High finished fifth in the team standings with a score of 192 points, demonstrating their depth with several strong individual performances.

The team was led by Shriya Nagaraj, who finished 28th overall with a time of 19:31.79, showcasing her potential among the top competitors in the state. Other notable finishes for U-High included Clara Knutson in 33rd place (19:54.71) and Ella Ylagan in 41st (20:17.59). Their efforts contributed significantly to the team's overall performance, as they fought against strong competition from schools like Unity.

U-High’s depth was evident at the early season race, as they had multiple runners who consistently challenged for top placements, indicating a promising future for the program. The team's ability to compete at a high level in such a competitive environment bodes well for the remainder of the season.

In addition to Keller and Decker, several elite Class 1A runners competed at the Spartan Classic, with notable finishes from Kate Foltz of Tuscola, who placed second (16:28.31), and Molly Farrell of Marshall, who finished fourth (16:57.03).

### Top 10 Team Scores
1. Unity - 55
2. Shelbyville - 91
3. Monticello - 171
4. Seeger - 191
5. Uni-High - 192
6. St. Anthony - 192
7. Paxton-Buckley-Loda - 199
8. St. Joseph-Ogden - 210
9. Clinton - 236
10. Tri-Valley - 281

### Top 15 Individual Finishers
1. Isabella Keller, 10, St. Anthony – 15:59.6
2. Kate Foltz, 11, Tuscola – 16:28.3
3. Emily Decker, 12, Unity – 16:55.1
4. Molly Farrell, 11, Marshall – 16:57.0
5. Tessa Bowers, 11, Shelbyville – 17:03.8
6. Aubrey Denning, 10, St. Anthony – 17:03.9
7. Klaire Eighner, 11, Maroa-Forsyth – 17:51.5
8. Savanna Franzen, 12, St. Joseph-Ogden – 17:54.0
9. Adelin Bruce, 11, Tri-Valley – 18:13.4
10. Mackenzie Pound, 11, Unity – 18:18.3
11. Ashlyn Denney, 12, Unity – 18:19.4
12. Lily Woolery, 12, Shelbyville – 18:23.0
13. Ellie Emberson, 9, Fisher – 18:32.3
14. Madeleine Fox, 10, Marshall – 18:34.1
15. Aubrey Peterson, 9, Clinton – 18:40.0

State Champions! Once again Unity cross-country program captures Class 1A title

Unity's Emily Decker runs in the Class 1A championship race at the IHSA State Cross Country State Finals on Saturday. Decker was the third Rocket to cross the finish line, finishing her race in 18 minutes and 22.60 seconds.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Class 1A Final Standings

1. Unity 109
2. Anna-Jonesboro 157
3. Peoria Notre Dame 224
4. Eureka 231
5. Knoxville 270
6. Chicago Christian 274
7. Shelbyville 278
8. Father McGivney 319
9. Williamsville 331
10. Herscher 347

Peoria - Two weeks ago, the Unity girls cross country program cemented their place in prep sports history as a downstate running dynasty. The Rockets tallied 109 points, 48 points less than their nearest competitor to bring home the Class 1A state title for a third consecutive season.

Led by sophomore Mackenzie Pound and Erica Woodward, who finished their individual race under the 18 minute mark, Unity's three-peat performance moved the school to #5 on the IHSA's list for most-consecutive title wins.

Pound was the tenth runner in the small school race to cross the finish line at 17:36.87. Woodard, a senior, also earned All-State status, crossed over at 17:45.26.

Unity's #3 runner, Emily Decker, finished 30th behind Clinton senior MaKayla Koeppel (18:18.41) and Christ Our Rock Lutheran's Sarah McKowen, senior, at 18:20.41. Earning her third team medal, Decker turned in a time of 18:22.60.

Running neck and neck to the finish line, Ashlyn Denny held off Princeville's Bethany Sennett, who finished six-hundreth of second ahead of her stopping her race clock 18 minute, 53.38 second.

Almost a second and half later, Rocket senior Olivia Shike closed out her prep cross country career at 18:54.89 to close out the top five runners to cross the finish line.

Over the past nine season, except for a two-year hiccup from 2018 to 2019, the Class 1A state championship trophy was brought home by either Unity or St. Joseph-Ogden. Unity now ranks second in program state title victories, behind Winnebago's 13 state title, with five. Surpassing St. Teresa's four titles, Unity has won four previous state championships in 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2022. The Rockets also were runner-up back in the one class system in 1988 and again in the three-class championships in 2016.

This championship squad included:
10. Mackenzie Pound 17:36.87
14. Erica Woodard 17:45.26
30. Emily Decker 18:22.60
52. Ashlyn Denney 18:53.38
55. Olivia Shike 18:54.89
63. Camryn Reedy 19:00.12
73. Reagen Stringer 19:07.77

Dominant Performance, Unity girls' claim IPC cross country title, SJO second

RANTOUL - The Unity Rockets lived up to their reputation at the Illini Prairie Conference Cross Country meet, capturing the team title with a commanding score of 31 points on Tuesday at Brookhill Golf Course. Unity placed five runners in the top ten, showcasing their depth and consistency on the 3-mile course.

Emily Decker led the charge for Unity, winning the individual title in 17 minutes, 24.8 seconds. Running a tenacious race up front, the remaining Rockets packed in behind her for a strong team finish. Decker, who has posted faster times this season, including a 16:55.2 at the Spartan Classic, comfortably outpaced the competition, setting the tone for the Rockets’ conference title.

The Spartans finished second with 63 points, led by senior standout Savanna Franzen. Franzen finished just 10 seconds behind Decker, clocking in at 17:34.2, which was a personal best. Franzen’s performance was a significant improvement over her previous 17:54 showing at the Spartan Classic, where she finished eighth.

Freshman Grace Bressner continued her rapid rise with a third-place finish, shaving nearly a minute off her previous best time to cross the line in 18:10.9. Tessa Walker, another freshman, rounded out St. Joseph-Ogden's top-three with a ninth-place finish in 19:50.8. Having two freshmen in the top 10 is indicator of great things to come for the Spartan running program.

In the end, despite strong individual showing from SJO's top three, Unity’s team depth proved too much to overcome.

Junior Mackenzie Pound finished fourth in 18:36.1, and seniors Josie Cler and Camryn Reedy finished fifth and tenth, respectively, to help secure the Rockets’ conference title. Unity’s fifth scorer, sophomore Grace Wherley, finished just outside the top ten in 11th with a time of 20:25.1, further cementing their dominance.

Behind Unity and St. Joseph-Ogden, Paxton-Buckley-Loda placed third with 81 points, followed by Monticello (108) and St. Thomas More (134).

Top 10 Individual Finishers:
1. Emily Decker, Unity – 17:24.8
2. Savanna Franzen, St. Joseph-Ogden – 17:34.2
3. Grace Bressner, St. Joseph-Ogden – 18:10.9
4. Mackenzie Pound, Unity – 18:36.1
5. Josie Cler, Unity – 19:08.4
6. Taylor Mabry, Monticello – 19:17.3
7. Audrey McCoy, Paxton-Buckley-Loda – 19:31.3
8. Kyla Franckey, Paxton-Buckley-Loda – 19:46.7
9. Tessa Walker, St. Joseph-Ogden – 19:50.8
10. Camryn Reedy, Unity – 19:51.6

The final team standings for the meet were:
1. Tolono Unity - 31
2. St. Joseph-Ogden - 63
3. Paxton-Buckley-Loda - 81
4. Monticello - 108
5. St. Thomas More - 134
6. Illinois Valley Central - 151
7. Central Catholic - 160
8. Pontiac - 171
9. Rantoul - 206

Unity claims another cross country regional title, Rockets positioned to make it a four-peat at state

TUSCOLA - The Unity girls' cross country team secured yet another triumph on Saturday, winning the Tuscola Cross Country Regional at Wimple Park. The Rockets, defending three-time Class 1A state champions, extended their dominance with a first-place finish, posting a team score of 40 points, well ahead of second-place St. Joseph-Ogden’s 70. Paxton-Buckley-Loda rounded out the top three with 94 points.

Unity’s success was built on a balanced performance from its top runners, as five Rockets finished in the top 15, showcasing the depth and strength of the team. Senior Emily Decker led the charge for Unity, finishing second overall with a time of 17:11.44, just over a minute behind Tuscola’s Kate Foltz, who claimed first place in 16:02.82. Decker’s commanding performance set the tone for Unity's steady climb toward another potential state championship.

Following Decker, Unity’s junior standout Mackenzie Pound crossed the line in third place, clocking in at 17:51.90. Pound’s continued improvement this season has made her a key asset for the Rockets as they gear up for another postseason run.

Unity’s depth shone through with senior Josie Cler finishing 10th (19:21.96) and fellow seniors Ashlyn Denney (19:49.92) and Camryn Reedy (19:50.54) closely following in 13th and 15th places, respectively. Rounding out Unity’s top seven were Molly Baxley (20:20.06) in 20th and Grace Wherley (20:29.00) in 22nd, further solidifying the Rockets’ dominance in the regional field.

With clear blue skies and a crisp 40-degree temperature, the fall weather created ideal conditions for the athletes at Wimple Park. Unity capitalized on the fast course, maintaining strong positioning throughout the race. Decker’s aggressive start, coupled with Pound’s steady pace in the middle stages, helped Unity quickly take control.

While Unity's runners were focused on team success, Foltz of Tuscola delivered an individual performance for the record books, finishing nearly a minute faster than any other competitor with a time of 16:02.82. Her dominance gave the home crowd plenty to cheer for, even as Tuscola finished seventh overall.

St. Joseph-Ogden, paced by Savanna Franzen’s fourth-place finish (18:11.90) and Grace Bressner in sixth (18:29.91), tried to keep pace with Unity but ultimately couldn’t match the Rockets’ depth. Paxton-Buckley-Loda’s Audrey McCoy (19:16.19) and Urbana University’s Clara Knutson (19:33.73) also finished strong, earning spots in the top 20.

Unity’s team-oriented approach, coupled with standout performances from its top runners, has put the Rockets in prime position for another state title. Having finished first or second in six of the last eight seasons, Unity is once again reloaded to make a deep postseason run.

The state meet is just weeks away, and Unity’s continued dominance at the regional level serves notice the Class 1A programs across the state.

Keywords: Unity girls cross country, Tuscola regional results, Illinois high school cross country, Class 1A state champions, Unity Rockets cross country, 2024 cross country

Unity cross-country team wins girls' title, Rocket boys finish third at Tuscola Classic

by Daniel L. Chamness
Special to The Sentinel

Tuscola -- The Unity Rockets and the Lady Lions of Marshall made it a two-team race for the team title at this year's installment of the Tuscola Cross-Country Classic on Saturday.

The Lady Rockets tabulated a 13-point advantage, scoring 47 points. Marshall, who had the best one-two punch, took second with 60 points. Shelbyville, who had the individual winner, took third with 93 points. A total of 11 girls' teams posted a team score.

Unity's Josie Cler runs the course at the 2022 Tuscola Cross-Country Classic. She finished the race at 21 minutes and 35.82 seconds.

Photo: Moto Johnson/The Sentinel

"We knew that Marshall would be closer to us this week than they were one week ago," said Kara Leaman, the girl's head coach. "They are very strong up front. We have enjoyed competing against them the last few weeks."

Emily Decker, Erica Woodard, Mackenzie Pound, and Olivia Shake, all Rocket underclass runners, finished in the top 10. Decker finished the three-mile race in 18 minutes, 59.64 seconds. Woodard entered the chute less than 13 seconds later, crossing at 19:12.03. Pound and Shike, ninth and 10th respectively, finished in 19:36.44 and 19:44.55. Fifteenth place runner and number five scorer for the Lady Rockets, Camryn Reedy finished in 20:44.94.

"As the race unfolded, Camryn was a bit ahead of Marshall's fifth runner," said Leaman. "We are headed to St. Joseph and the Spartan Classic this week. In the upcoming races, we want the Rocket pack to continue to move up. We have a number of runners coming on at the right time. We are looking forward to having a returning Reagan Stringer. Emily and Erica have both led us. Mackenzie continues to improve and Olivia continues to stay close to the front runners."

Josie Cler (21st, 21:35.82) and Sophia Stierwalt (29th, 22:01.11) were Unity's sixth and seventh runners. Stierwalt is the only senior in the top seven.

The Lady Rockets have won three meets this year, including a dominating victory over other Class 1A teams at the First to the Finish Invitational at Detweiller Park in Peoria, which will host the state finals on November 5. Two of their victories were over Marshall, who would finish second.

The Rocket boy's team was led by a senior, namely Brendan Graven, who would finish 18th in 17:48.84. The boys ran three miles as well.

Unity's Camden Fairbanks finished the race at 17:57.28 to take 20th overall on Saturday.

Photo: Moto Johnson/The Sentinel

But, after the lone senior finished, the Rockets were powered to third place as a team by four freshmen, who were the other scoring runners. The sixth and seventh runners were a junior and a Nicole sophomore respectively. Only 1:12 separated the top-five Rockets.

Camden Fairbanks would finish the race in 17:57.28 to take 20th. Eli Crowe (27th) and Collin Graven (39th) both broke 19:00 as well, entering the chute at 18:22.08 and 18:57.60. The Rocket top five was rounded out by Carter Tiemann, who finished in 19:00.20, which was good for 42nd.

"Our team is extremely young this year and I want the athletes to gain experience," said Nicole Bagwell, the Unity boys coach. "The other main goals are to remain as healthy as we can and finish the year with everyone healthy and running their best."

The Rockets finished with 134 points. Tuscola would win their home meet, which was held at Wimple Park with 102 points. Effingham-based St. Anthony took second with 105 points.

The road to state: The Rockets cross country performance was "impressive"

by Daniel L. Chamness
Special to The Sentinel

CHAMPAIGN -- Based on their dominating performance all season, no one could doubt the Unity Rockets were going to win another Class 1A IHSA cross-country state title.

Heading into the Illinois High School Association sectional meet, the program did not lose a meet. Not one race to any team. The program has brought home state titles in 2021, 2017, and 2015. The Rockets also collected trophies in 2016 for second and third-place hardware in 2018 and 2019.

The path to the state finals included crushing it at the St. Joseph-Ogden Class 1A sectional meet held at Dodds Park on the campus of Parkland College back on October 29. The day was just one more chance to show just how dominant they were and had been all season.

The Rockets cemented the sectional title by 86 points, finishing with 40 points. Marshall took second with 126 points.

"Their performances were very impressive," said Kara Leaman, Tolono Unity's head coach of the Rockets' performance at sectionals. "They are excited. While we have won a state title before, we have never done it back-to-back. They want to be the first Unity Rocket team to do it."

Not only did they leave the sectional with the all-important team championship plaque, four of the scoring top five left with individual sectional hardware.

Emily Decker finished the 2.95-mile course in 18 minutes and 2.49 seconds. The sophomore was fifth. Mackenzie Pound (sixth), Erica Woodard (seventh), and Olivia Shike (10th) finished within 21 seconds of Decker. Pound finished at 18:11.21, while Woodard entered the chute at 18:12.55. Shike crossed the finish line at 18:22.89.

The fifth scorer, Reagan Stringer, clocked in at 18:51.59. Camryn Reedy and Josie Cler took 18th and 25th, finishing respectively at 19:25.71 and 19:47.82.

"This Saturday, my hope for every athlete is that they can walk away knowing they competed as well as they could," said Leaman.

While the Spartan girls did not qualify as a team, Savanna Franzen grabbed one of the individual qualifying spots, taking 13th in the sectional. She ended her race at 18:35.28.

"I tried to be controlled the first 50 percent of the race," said Franzen. "I was not feeling the best today. This course is not all that fast. I am looking forward to running at Detweiller, which is a very fast course."

She led the Spartans to a 10th-place finish, which scored 271 team points.

Hannah Mock (61st), Sydney Steinbach (69th), Sophia Kasper (82nd), and Kaytlyn Baker (93rd) rounded out the top five for the Spartans.

Mock, Steinbach, and Kasper, all freshmen, all broke the 22:00 barrier. Mock finished in 21 minutes and 09.72 seconds, Steinbach finished the course in 21:35.14, and Kasper finished at 21:58.25. Baker closed out the Spartan effort with a time of 22:26.77.

Unity High School announced first semester honor roll students

The students named below earned recognition for their academic performance and attention to excellence at Unity High School. Congratulations to each on their exceptional scholastic effort last semester.

Seniors

High Honors: Evelyn Albaugh; Connor Cahill; Analyse Carter; Rebecca Carter; Brenlee Dalton; Taylor Drennan; Natalie Ellars; Bailey Grob; Brooklyn Haas; Madison Henry; Shelby Hoel; Margaret Ingleman; Caroline Jamison; Eden Johnson; Cassidy Keller; Caelyn Kleparski; Jocelyn LeFaivre; Reagan Little; Tatum Meyer; Eric Miebach; Lauren Neverman; Dean Niswonger; Anna Polonus; Aiden Porter; Meredith Reed; Maci Richmond; Briana Ritchie; Aubrey Sanders; Tsihon Shotton; Logan Siuts; Carsyn Smith; Piper Steele; Lily Steffens; Brock Suding; Ruby Tarr; Andrew Thomas; Darren Weckle; Erica Woodard; Abigail Woolcott; Emberly Yeazel; Ava Price; Erin Sanders; Bayleigh Jones; Isaac Ruggieri; Jeremy Wells; Madysen York; Brooke Hewing; Kendra Cromwell; Emma Plackett; Alexis Ritchie; Lynndsay Talbott; and Henry Thomas.

Honor Roll: Emma Fish; Trevor McCarter; Keaton Roether; Bailey Wayne; Caedmon Cazares; Zachary Lorbiecki; Carly Scroggins; Elianna Duo; Matthew Short; Santiago Sanchez; Rylee Richardson; Bryson Weaver; Isabel Sellers; Dalton ONeill; Aubrey Schaefer; Bridget Vazquez; Kolten Wells; Nicholas Brown; Desire De Los Santos; Ava Holladay; Raegen Stringer; Hector Jimenez Gil; Aileen Vasquez Munoz; Tanner Chilton; Kamryn Edenburn; Gabriel Pound; Jay Saunders; McKayla Schendel; Breanna Weller; Addison Ray; Aidan Ward; Sophia Wozencraft; Anna Wood; Olivia Hosley; Gillian Rice; Kate Thomas; Riley FitzGerald; Tyler Gumm; Grant Siuts; Nathan Bleecher; Kaylin Owen; and Thayden Root.

Juniors

High Honors: Avery Alagna; Noah Bryant; Elle Cheely; Madelyn Darnall; Ashlyn Denney; Kade Dubson; Chloey Duitsman; Ava Fenter; Catharine Ford; Kadence Goff; Sophia Hartke; Dallas Hollingsworth; Wyatt Huffstutler; Alex Mowrer; Camryn Reedy; Rylee Reifsteck; Lydia Rossi; Savannah Rubin; Lauren Shaw; Daniel Stein; Avery Watson; Ashely Rennels; Jenna Adkins; Lindy Bates; Paige Brewer; Faith Hall; Lauren Hellmer; Ryan Rink; Josephine Cler; Emily Decker; Maegan Rothe; Estella Dodd; and Molly Baxley.

Honor Roll: Joseph Tempel; Oscar Boldt; Gracie Meharry; Gavin Weaver; Sophia Beckett; Paige Garretson; McKenzie Hart; Nolan Wishall; Jordan Daugherty; Logan Church; Hunter Eastin; Tessah Williams; Austin Mikeworth; Logan Zumbahlen; Bentten Cain; Franke Davis; Sophia Frye; Andrew King; Brady Parr; McKinley Weller; Lindsey Johnson; Sydney Jackson; and Nathaniel DeNeal.

Sophomores

High Honors: Anna Amias; Mylie Castle; Eli Crowe; Ella Darnall; Crewe Eckstein; Callie Ellars; Camden Fairbanks; Margaret Garcier; Collin Graven; Isabel Grob; Faith Lampe; Kallista Lancaster; Mylie Loftsgaard; Claire Meharry; Harry Polonus; Dallas Porter; Mackenzie Pound; Ty Rodems; Katie Ruggieri; Vanna Schriefer; Hunter Shike; Annalise Shunk; Caden Stierwalt; Ginna Stierwalt; Madelyn Stierwalt; Emma Swisher; Carter Tiemann; Anna Vasey; Lucille Wiesbrook; Paula Wilson; Lucas Hood; Deakin Moore; Isaac Neverman; Olivia Egelston; Olivia Rawdin; Claire Zorns; Kaylee Cooke; Caden Hensch; Logan Jeurissen; Bailey Tompkins; Savanna Cruz; Chason Daly; and Kenley Harris.

Honor Roll: Chloe Cousins; Samantha Gumbel; Ian Taber; Phoenix Molina; Mason ONeill; Shelby Smith; Aria Battaglia; Maddix Buchanan; Jillian Schlittler; Andrew Ray; Dane Eisenmenger; Anna Kuhns; Analea Popovics; Shelby Zoch; Brayden Henry; Tyler Henry; Desmond Winfrey; Johanna Langley, Ethan Mohr; Heath Stringer; Cameron Kaiser; Brody Osterbur; Kyla Reed; Kamden Schuckman; Olivia Tempel; Bryan Crosby; Abram Davidson; Tanner Gallivan; and Joshua Heath.

Freshmen

High Honors: Dominic Baxley; Clare Bryant; Caleb Coy; Lillian Daly; Hudson DeHart; Danika Eisenmenger; Allison Fenter; Journey Gabbard; Bailee Gadeken; Colton Harmon; Avery Kamradt; Kathryn Knoll; Audrey McDaniel; Emily Osterbur; Adam Reedy; Allyson Shaw; Evalyn Skibbe; Piper Staley; Grace Tempel; Jacob Ward; Leah Watson; Maggie Weckle; Grace Wherley; Rylan Wolf; Broderick Irwin; Cash McCann; Elizabeth Wayne; Grace Bickers; Max Rossi; Alex Bromley; Berkley Cloud; Lucy Kleiss; Cadence Chandler; Reese Frye, Brooklyn Mumm; Kendal Zerrusen; and Aidan Ellis.

Honor Roll: Addison Davis; Olivia Hall; Madison Spohn; Paige Bradley; Braedyn Dalton; Taylor Finley; Landrey Mohr; Addison Wyatt; Alyssa Shields; Isaac Siegwald; Ethan Schaefer; Nicole Paeth; Evan Puckett; Juan Acosta Toro; Noah Conde; Sadie Polonus; Ava Wolf Rice; Natalie Haas; Nicholas Montgomery; Elizabeth Farney; and Rush Little.

State Cross Country |
Unity's four-peat bid falls short, St. Joseph-Ogden finishes 12th at state

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Members of the Unity girls' cross country program and coaches are recognized during the Rockets' second-round home football playoff against St. Joseph-Ogden on Saturday. The Rocket harriers won the Class 1A second-place trophy hours earlier at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Unity just missed winning their fourth-consecutive state championship by just three points.

PEORIA - Unity's quest for a fourth consecutive Class 1A title at the Illinois High School Association Girls Cross Country State Finals fell just short, as the Rockets finished in second place with 173 points, narrowly missing the top spot behind Williamsville, who clinched the championship with 171 points. The competition, held at the picturesque Detweiller Park, brought together the top 255 runners from small school programs around the state.

The Rockets’ performance was highlighted by standout runners Emily Decker and Mackenzie Pound, who both earned All-State honors by finishing in the top 25. Decker, a senior, crossed the finish line in 10th place with a time of 17:25.10, while Pound, an 11th grader, secured 19th place in 17:43.70. Their efforts were crucial in maintaining Unity's strong reputation in the sport, having dominated the small school category for the past three years.

The race also saw impressive performances from St. Joseph-Ogden, which finished 12th overall. Senior Savanna Franzen led her team with a 21st place finish at 17:45.50, followed closely by ninth grader Grace Bressner, who finished 25th in 17:55.90. This marked a successful end to their season, as both Spartan runners achieved All-State recognition.

Among the individual competitors, Tuscola's Kate Foltz stole the spotlight, finishing first with a remarkable time of 15:59.40. Following her was St. Anthony's Isabella Keller, who clocked in at 16:27.90, and Westmont’s Kyla Babb, who secured third place with a time of 16:35.50.

Other notable finishes included Oakwood's Callie Richardson, who placed 49th with a time of 18:41.00, and Urbana University High's Clara Knutson, who concluded her race in 96th place at 19:21.50, a career best finish for the freshman. Richardson's finish was just four seconds off the PR she turned in at the Tuscola Regional at Wimple Park.

KEYWORDS: Illinois High School Association, Girls Cross Country State Finals, Unity Rockets, All-State recognition, Savanna Franzen, Kate Foltz

Unity relay squad finishes 5th at indoor championships

Unity 4x400 girls relay team — **BLOOMINGTON** - Members of Unity's 4x400 relay team pose after running their race at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships on Saturday. Running in the Class 2A race, the squad finished two seconds behind Normal U-High and Mt. Zion at 4:12.04 in fifth place. The quartet is composed with Josie Cler, Ashlyn Denney, Grace Wherely, and MacKenzie Pound. Cler, Denny, and Pound also ran in the 4x800 race taking the meet title.

Still running out front: Unity collects sectional title, SJO qualifies for XC state

MATTOON - The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 1A Sectional Cross Country Meet at Lake Land College in Mattoon saw area powerhouse Unity advance to the state meet for the fourth consecutive year, finishing in first place with a score of 79 points. This year’s event, held on Saturday, November 2, took place under cloudy skies and cool conditions, with crip temperatures in the upper-50s at race time.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Ashlyn Denney runs a steady pace on her second lap around Detweiller Park at the 2023 IHSA Girls' Cross Country State Finals. Denny and Rockets will make the trip to Peoria on Saturday looking to bring home more state hardware.

The Rockets have dominated Illinois Class 1A cross country in recent years, winning the state title in 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023. A fourth consecutive title would solidify their standing as one of the state’s most successful programs, with five state championships in the past decade. The Rockets, who hold five state titles overall, are currently tied with Yorkville for the fourth-most titles in IHSA history, behind only Winnebago’s 12 titles.

Emily Decker led Unity with an impressive fifth-place finish on the Lake Land College course, crossing the line in 17:41.5. She, along with the incredible depth of talent on this year's squad, has made Unity a formidable force heading into this Saturday's state meet at Detweiller Park to defend their title.

Decker was supported by standout junior Mackenzie Pound, who took ninth in 18:23.3, and senior Ashlyn Denney, who finished 14th with a time of 19:22.4. Other key contributors for Unity included Josie Cler (22nd, 19:58.4) and Grace Wherley (34th, 20:30.3), securing enough points to comfortably claim first place.

St. Joseph-Ogden also delivered a strong performance, placing third with 137 points to secure their place at the state meet. Senior Savanna Franzen was the top runner for the Spartans, finishing seventh in 18:01.0. Freshman Grace Bressner followed closely in 10th place with a time of 18:27.0, showing promise for the team’s future. Freshman Tessa Walker rounded out the top three for the Spartans with a 15th-place finish in 19:26.8, emphasizing the team’s mix of experienced and up-and-coming athletes.

The Illineks from Urbana University High School, led by freshman Clara Knutson, came close to advancing but fell short in the team standings. Knutson, however, secured an individual qualifying spot for state with her 17th-place finish in 19:34.7. Junior Ella Ylagan also delivered a strong performance, finishing 25th with a personal record of 20:03.3, and sophomore Cadence Scheunemann placed 46th at 20:50.7.

Top individual honors went to Isabella Keller of Effingham St. Anthony, who won the race in 16:35.0, followed closely by Kate Foltz of Tuscola with a time of 16:36.7. Shelbyville’s Tessa Bowers claimed third place in 17:21.4, leading her team to a second-place finish and a state meet berth with a score of 126 points.

Other notable local finishers included St. Thomas More’s Alex Anderson, who finished 39th in 20:43.1, and Oakwood’s Callie Richardson, who placed 13th with a time of 19:09.5. Both schools demonstrated strong individual performances but did not advance as teams.

Six advancing teams from the sectional will now prepare this week for the season finale at IHSA Class 1A State Championship meet in Peoria, where once again east central Illinois harriers are poised to make a strong showing on the state’s biggest stage.

In addition the Rockets and Spartans, the other four teams advancing out of the sectional included Shelbyville (2nd, 126), St. Anthony's (4th, 161), Fairfield (5, 176), and Paxton-Buckley-Loda, another Illini Praire Conference program, finished 6th also with 176 points.

Keywords: Unity Rockets cross country, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans cross country, Urbana University Illineks cross country, Illinois sectional cross country results

Haas and Meharry lead Unity in tough loss at Clinton

CLINTON - In their first game following the Thanksgiving holiday, the Unity girls basketball team struggled to gel on offense, falling 54-30 on the road to Clinton on Monday night. The Rockets were unable to contain the balanced attack from Clinton's offense while facing difficulty generating scoring opportunities.

After trailing 19-7 after the first quarter, the Unity was unable to generate enough momentum to close the initial gap on the Maroons. The loss drops the Rockets to 4-2 on the season, ending a three-game win streak. Meanwhile, Clinton improved to an identical 4-2 record. The victory marks the second straight win for the Maroons after a pair of tough losses to Deer Creek-Mackinaw and Decatur MacArthur.

The deficit was engineered by Clinton's Clara Dempsey, who poured in a game-high 16 points. Teammates Regan Filkin and Avery Smith added nine points each, while Lilah Cluver contributed eight to round out the team's scoring effort. The victory marks Clinton’s second consecutive win after two earlier losses against Deer Creek-Mackinaw and Decatur MacArthur.

For Unity, seniors Lauren Haas and Clair Meharry each scored nine points, providing much of the Rockets' offensive output. However, the team couldn’t find consistent scoring support, with McKinley Weller and Mackenzie Pound adding three points each. Josie Cler, Grace Bickers, and Emily Decker scored two points apiece.

The loss marked a temporary setback for the Rockets, who now turn their focus to a four-game home stand starting tonight against Cissna Park. The Rockets look to rebound by capitalizing on their home-court advantage, facing Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond on Thursday before hosting Urbana next Monday and Watseka the following Saturday.