2019 ILXCTF.com XC Season Awards - Girls XC Newcomer of the Year

By Michael Newman

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Class 3A

Three freshmen earned all-state honors in November’s IHSA State Meet.

Riley Knoyle of Edwardsville won three invitational meets this fall including the Southwest Conference Meet and the Quincy Regional in championship season. The freshman ended her season finishing second at the Normal Sectional and then 20th at the IHSA State Meet 3A race.

Anna Harden of Hersey was strong in championship season. She first finished fifth at the Mid-Suburban League Championship followed by finishing second at the Prospect Regional. Harden finished third at the Hoffman Estates Sectional and then 23rd at the IHSA State Meet.

Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich started off her high school invitational career by finishing 14th in a tough field at the Richard Spring Invitational in September. She was ready for the state meet moment first winning the North Suburban Conference, finishing sixth at the Hoffman Estates Sectional, and then finishing as the first freshman in the state meet placing 13th.

Johnston and Harden faced each other twice before the state meet with each finishing ahead of the other runner once. It was the state meet that was the difference maker for Johnston. Her time tied for the 18th fastest time ever run by a freshman at the state meet.

Congratulations to Brooke Johnston of Lake Zurich High School in Lake Zurich as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 3A Girls Cross Country Newcomer Runner of the Year.

Class 2A

This was an easy decision in this category as Tatum David of Richland County ran the fastest freshman time ever (16:04) at the IHSA State Cross Country Meet.

There were six freshman that finished in the top 25 in the Class 2A State Race. Two of those runners finished among the top 15 runners. Isabella Gonzalez of Crystal Lake South finished second in both the Kaneland Regional and the Belvidere Sectional before finishing 10th in the Class 2A State Race. Collette Kinsella of Nazareth Academy won four invitational races this season including crowned the Riverside-Brookfield Regional and Thornridge Sectional Champion. Kinsella finished her season by finishing 13th at the IHSA State Meet.

David won most of her races by over two minutes before her dominating the state meet race. We will talk more about that later.

Congratulations to Tatum David of Richland County High School in Olney as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 2A Girls Cross Country Newcomer Runner of the Year.

Class 1A

We received an indication that Winnebago would be a presence among the top 1A teams in Peoria last November when freshmen Kaylee Woolery, Grace Erb, and Marissa Roggensack all finished in the top 26 in that state race. Woolery finishing 10th made her the top finishing freshman in that Class 1A state race.

Mabry Bruhn of Monticello made her presence known in her first year of high school cross country running in this state. Bruhn won six invitational races including wins over a great field at Amboy’s Columbus Day Invitational, the Patriot Invitational, and the Illinois Prairie Conference Meet. She ended her freshman season by finishing 13th in the IHSA Class 1A State Meet.

Bruhn’s dominance this fall made her the choice in this category.

Congratulations to Mabry Bruhn of Monticello High School in Monticello as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 1A Girls Cross Country Newcomer Runner of the Year.