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

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.