2019 ILXCTF.com XC Season Awards - Boys Illinois XC Runner of the Year

By Michael Newman

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Congratulations to Josh Methner of Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Ill. as the ILXCTF.com Illinois Boys High School Runner of the Year. This is the second year in a row that Methner has been selected for this honor.

His senior season’s successes could go down as one of the top seasons in Illinois High School Cross Country history. He went undefeated during the IHSA regular season including his third state championship overall breaking the 47-year-old Detweiller Park course record of 13:50.6 previously held by Craig Virgin. Methner set the new standard by running 13:49.86.

His post-season was even better. Methner won both championships at the NXR Midwest Regional and the Foot Locker Midwest Regional.

Methner finished second at the Nike Cross Nationals behind Nico Young of Newbury Park, Calif.

The following week at the Foot Locker National Championships, Methner pulled away from 39 other runners to win the race by over eight seconds.

Methner will attend the University of Notre Dame  next fall. The legacy that he will leave for future Illinois runners are simple ones. He won his titles and broke records quietly and in a humble nature always considering his teammates and coaches his first priority.

He set a standard that might be tough for future Illinois High runners to achieve on the course. He set a standard as a champion that many will be able to achieve. That will be refreshing to see as what he did he wanted none of that championship fanfare.