2021 IHSA State Cross Country Season Previews - 1A Girls Individuals

 

Anna Perry, Lianna Surtz look for a state title in Class 1A

 

By Michael Newman

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The smallest of the three IHSA classifications could prove to be the most interesting this fall. When classification notifications came out earlier in the year, it looked like Latin School had been dropped into Class 1A meaning we would have seen Ava Parekh in the first race of the state meet in November. The IHSA made a correction to that two weeks ago moving Parekh and Latin School back into Class 2A.

 

It still does not make a difference to the competition level. It still should be tough to get into the top 25 in November in this classification.

 

It starts with Anna Perry of Eureka and Lianna Surtz of Rosary leading the way. Surtz won the last IHSA State title in this Class in 2019. Perry was on top of the “unofficial” state race last November in Chillicothe with Surtz finishing second.

 

Here is a look at some of the runners to watch in Class 1A for the upcoming 2021 Illinois cross-country season.

 

 

1 Anna Perry – Eureka – SR

 

Preview – To understand why Anna Perry is in the position that she is in beginning this 2021 season, you must understand where she started. Perry was not the top runner for Eureka when she started as a freshman, but she was in their top seven.  She finished 81 in the 1A State Meet as the team’s sixth runner and was part of a state championship team. The switch flipped her sophomore season where she realized what kind of runner she could be. She ended that season as Eureka’s top runner while finishing fourth at Detweiller Park.

 

Her junior season was almost a story of perfection last fall. She finished second once in the 10 meets she competed in. She finished second behind Ali Ince in that meet at the end of September. After that race, Perry was unstoppable winning the Olympia Regional and then running a good 16:59 in winning the Elmwood Regional. She finished last fall winning the ShaZam Club Championships. She made her presence known the week after at the XC Town Meet of Champions where she finished 16th.

 

Perry has continued to lower her times on the track as that showed last spring. She was all-state in last June’s 2A State Finals. Perry finished third in the 3200 Meter Run behind Ava Parekh and Mary Grace Hegberg. She followed that up by placing seventh in the 1600 Meter Run. Perry ran under 10:50 twice at 3200-meters last outdoor season with a 10:45.26 win at Metamora her best. She also ran 5:05.85 for a win in the 1600 Meter Run at Dunlap in the middle of May.

 

She will enter this season as the favorite and could go after an unofficial all-state three-peat and back-to-back unofficial state championships. Perry was impressive all last year. That trend should continue when she starts her season in the next week.

 

2 Lianna Surtz – Aurora (Rosary) – SR

 

Preview – If you want to get technical about it, Lianna Surtz will be out to defend her state title that she won as a sophomore in 2019 since we did not have an official state meet in 2020 due to COVID-19. We should remember that she finished second as a freshman in 2018 in the 2A State Meet. Throw in the ShaZam Club Championships where she finished second behind Anna Perry last November. Surtz starts her senior year looking for a second state championship.

 

Surtz just goes out and runs. That is the strategy that she has used throughout her career. She has won her first three races this fall. Her race at Yorkville she had runners with her at the mile. She was not used to having a runner near her at that point. She just surged to pull away after that point winning by 10 seconds. She was untouched last fall except for her ShaZam race and then finishing second behind Maggie Gamboa at Naperville North at the end of September.

 

Surtz earned two individual all state honors to help Rosary leave Charleston with a trophy last June. Surtz was all-state in the 2A State Finals when she finished fourth in the 3200 Meter Run with an 11:12.86 personal best. She came back to finish sixth in the 1600 Meter Run. She was also a part of Rosary’s second-place quartet in the 4x400m Relay.

 

Surtz will get challenges through this season before she gets to the state series in October. One of those big races could come at the Richard Spring Invitational where she will face Ava Parekh and Josephine Welin.

 

3 Mabry Bruhn – Monticello – JR

 

Preview – What kind of a talented athlete is Mabry Bruhn? She won her sectional last spring in the Pole Vault. She did not compete in the event in the state meet. She instead ran with her teammates in the 4x800m Relay where they finished second in the 2A State Finals. It could show how bad she wants to be part of a team that wins a state championship.

 

Bruhn started this season finishing third at the Saber Corn Meet last Saturday as the team’s second runner behind Estella Miller. Bruhn won 11 of 13 races last fall including winning her conference title and winning the St. Teresa Regional. She finished second behind Kate Ahmari the next week at the St. Teresa Sectional. Bruhn ended the season finishing third at the ShaZam Club Championships.

 

She was all-state two more times besides the relay finish last June. She came back right after the 4x8 to finish eighth in the 200 Meter Run. She held on to finish ninth later in the meet in the 1600 Meter Run. She had a good season running 11:02.54 for 3200-meters and 5:09.13 for 1600-meters. Bruhn also cleared a personal best of 10-3.25 in that Pole Vault Sectional win. “Mabry is the most talented female athlete I have ever coached,” said her coach, David Remmert. “She set school records during track in both the 1600m and the 3200m.  I really enjoy watching her compete.”

 

4 Kate Ahmari – Urbana (University) – JR

 

Preview – We got an idea of the improvement last fall of Kate Ahmari in her sectional race. Mabry Bruhn had not lost a race all season until that sectional where Ahmari clamed the sectional title. She had finished second to Bruhn the week before in their regional race. The sky is the limit for this junior this season. Her 2021 season started winning the Saber Korn Invitational by almost one minute.

 

Her first track season as a sophomore (missed freshman year in 2020 due to COVID-19) had some highs and lows. She was a little under the weather in the 1A Sate Finals but still earned all-state honors by finishing fifth in the 3200 Meter Run. She came back to finish 11th in the 1600 Meter Run. Ahmari did achieve personal bests with 5:14.9 in the 1600-meters and 11:33.66 for 3200-meters. “Kate Ahmari had a really good first outdoor track season but struggled with a cold at the state meet,” said her coach, Rachael Brewer. “Im excited to see Kate compete in the meets she ran in her freshman year since we had such a different schedule last year. She has been putting in great work this summer and her iron levels are on the upswing finally. Kate  is an extremely hardworking athlete, so I would love to see her reach any goals she has throughout this upcoming season.”

 

5 Haley Heiar – East Dubuque – JR

 

Preview – The runner that came out of nowhere to run some great races last fall. Haley Heiar had run track in middle school. With Volleyball moved from fall to spring due to the reshuffling of sports in our pandemic year, Heair tried cross-country. She went undefeated in smaller meets. She finished second in the Oregon Regional and Seneca Sectional behind Winnebago’s Natalia Martino in both races. Heiar finished fourth at the ShaZam Club Championships. She said at the Distance Night in Palatine that she intended to play Volleyball and run cross-country this fall. Her first meet would be at the Oregon Open on Saturday. We shall see. Heiar was all-state last June in the 2A State Finals where she finished sixth. She doubled back in the 1600 Meter Run where she placed 16th. Heiar had personal bests of 11:06.04 for 3200-meters and 5:11.89 for 1600-meters.

 

1A Runners to Watch (In Alphabetical Order)

 

Brooklyn Bender – Marshall – JR

 

Preview – A runner that impressed in the 1A State Finals was Brooklyn Bender. She helped her Marshall teammates finish seventh in the 4x800m Relay. She came right back to finish sixth in the 3200 Meter Run. She also qualified in the 1600 Meter Run where she placed 12th. That’s not a bad triple. Her 1600 state race was a personal best. Bender ran under 11:50 in her final three races last spring with a 11:43.81 time her best. Bender should be the team’s top runner this fall. She started her season finishing third at Paris. Bender won her regional race last fall at Chrisman. Her season ended in 2020 when she placed ninth at the St. Teresa Sectional.

 

Nora Brady – Bloomington (Central Catholic) – JR

 

Preview – Nora Brady could be a surprise in Class 1A this season. Brady finished tenth in the Olympia Regional before finishing fifth at the Elmwood Sectional. She did finish 28th in the ShaZam Club Championships. Brady was part of her team’s quartet that finished eighth in the 4x800m Relay in the 1A State Finals last June. Brady also qualified for the 3200 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run where she finished 16th in each race. Brady achieved personal bests of 5:34.92 for 1600-meters and 12:21.35 for 3200-meters last track season.

 

Kennedy Calcagno – Elmhurst (IC Catholic Prep) – SR

 

Preview – The return of regular cross-country running should suit Kennedy Calcagno just fine. Whenever she ran close to her teammate Carly Manchester last fall, she would get great results. She finished third behind Manchester in the MSC Meet. She finished fourth in both the regional and sectional held at Harvest Christian. The two runners were in separate flight races at ShaZam Club Championships. Calcagno did not have her best race of the year placing 93rd. She finished 54 as a freshman at Detweiller in 2018 and 51 as a sophomore in 2019. She should be ready to go this fall. “Kennedy Calcagno is recovering from a successful junior elite triathlon season,” said her mother and coach, Dawn Calcagno. “Her triathlon season conflicted with the extended high school track schedule so, Kennedy is more excited than ever to get back to cross country and  help Carly lead their team as seniors. Kennedy has shown tremendous leadership skills that has helped to improve the confidence of her younger teammates. I can’t wait to watch her race.”

 

Grace Erb – Winnebago – JR

 

Preview – One of three Winnebago in this preview. Grace Erb could be one of four runners from this team to finish in the top 25. Grace Erb was an all-state runner as a freshman in 2019 when she finished 25th. She finished third in the Seneca Sectional. The following week Erb finished ninth in the ShaZam Club Championships. Her track season was just as successful last spring. Erb was part of Winnebago’s quartets that won the 4x800m Relay and second in the 4x400m Relay in last June’s 1A State Finals. She also finished fifth in the 800 Meter Run. Her best times during the track season included 1:02.93 for 400-meters, 2:19.37 for 800-meters, and 5:12.35 for 1600-meters. Those times should transition well to the cross-country course this fall.

 

Aleigha Garrison – Champaign (Judah Christian) - SO

 

Preview – Aleigha Garrison is one runner that could surprise some of you this fall. Her season has already started as she finished fourth at the Saber Corn Invitational. Garrison’s freshman season was strong starting in her first state series race a seventh-place finish at the St. Teresa Regional. Her sectional race did not go as well as she finished 14th in the same course as regionals. She had a nice rebound race the following week again placing 14th at the ShaZam Club Championships. Garrison was all-state during the track season finishing ninth in the 1A State Finals in the 3200 Meter Run. Garrison put down personal bests of 12:00.95 for 3200-meters and 5:44.71 for 1600-meters. “Last year we really had two goals,” said her last year coach, Gary Garrison. “First we needed to increase her leg speed.  Secondly, she worked diligently to improve her speed stamina.  She started last fall running most training miles in the 7:20 range.   Currently her training pace is at 7:00 or below. Aleigha will probably lack a serious training partner this fall.   However, her mental toughness reminds me of Mary Ann Dickerson and Aleigha can make significant gains.”

 

Carly Manchester – Elmhurst (IC Catholic Prep) – SR

 

Preview – There is a toughness within Carly Manchester that showed last track season that when used this fall could make her one of the top runners in Class 1A. Manchester qualified for the three distance events for the Class 1A State Finals. The heat that suffocated the Charleston area those three days made it unthinkable to double or even triple. Manchester scratched out of the 800 but ran the other two races. She was all-state in finishing fourth in both the 3200 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run. She had one of the fastest 3200 times in Class 1A all year with the 11:15.60 she ran at Distance Night in Palatine last May.

 

That one 3200 race shows what this senior could do this fall. She finished second and third in the regionals and sectionals at Harvest Christian. She finished seventh at the ShaZam Club Championships. Manchester has been all-state twice at Detweiller Park finishing eighth as a freshman in 2018 and 12th in 2019. “Coming off personal best placings of 4th in the 3200m and 4th in the 1600m at the 2021 state track meet (and also qualifying for the 800m), Carly Manchester has momentum going into her final high school cross country season,” said her coach, Dawn Calcagno. “I have seen tremendous growth in Carly and am most impressed with how she has taken a leadership role by mentoring her younger teammates. I look forward to watching her compete.”

 

Estella Miller – Monticello – JR

 

Preview – This could be a breakout season for Estella Miller. She has already started her 2021 season as Monticello’s top runner finishing second at the Saber Corn Classic. Miller ran stronger last fall finishing sixth and tenth at the regionals and sectionals at St. Teresa. She ran at the ShaZam Club Championships finishing 12th. Miller did run on Monticello’s quartet last June that finished second in the 4x800m Relay at the 2A State Finals. She also ran in the 3200 Meter Run in that meet placing 10. She came back in the 1600 Meter Run where she placed 11th. Her personal bests dropped during the track season having run 5:17.31 (off a double) at 1600-meters and running 11:17.78 in Palatine for 3200-meters. “Estella REALLY turned a corner during the track season,” said her coach, David Remmert. “While she had a great season in XC last year, it wasn’t until track that I could really see her growth.  I’m looking forward to seeing her progress this season.”

 

Gabriella Moreman – Bismarck-Henning – SO

 

Preview – This is a story we saw like what happened to Simone Biles during the Olympics from this past summer. “Last spring, she decided that she did not want to run distance events in track,” said her coach, Todd Orvis. “The situation was much like the Simone Biles story a couple weeks ago.  It all came down too many years of pressure and being pushed a bit too hard at a young age.  I won't go into any more detail, but long story short, she basically started from scratch with her training this summer.  I tried easing her back into distance training without making her want to quit running all together.  She was close to hanging it up earlier this summer.  Fortunately, her attitude towards XC is much better lately and her fitness appears to be in a decent place for not running any mileage since Shazam last year.  My plan is to continue to ease her back into more strenuous training and keep her mental state as positive as it can be.  If all goes well, I think that there is a good chance that she will be close to where she was at last year by the end of this season.” Gabriella Moreman had a good freshman season finishing third in both the regional and sectional at St. Teresa. Moreman finished 10 at the ShaZam Club Championships to end the 2020 season. Our hopes are that she returns this fall to run. She is a talented runner with such a bright future. It does have to be on her terms.

 

Eris Nelson – Belleville (Althoff Catholic) – JR

 

Preview – One of the reasons why Althoff Classic were crowned Class 1A State Champions last June were because of the efforts from Eris Nelson. She missed almost two months of last track season before competing again. When she did was place all-state in the 1A State Finals finishing second in both the 3200 Meter Run and 1600 Meter Run. Her times of 11:26.53 and 5:23.29 were personal bests in such adverse conditions. She also ran in the 800 Meter Run at state where she finished 14 also running a personal best (2:27.74) Her 2021 cross season has started, and she picked up where she left off winning at Mascoutah last Saturday. Her 2020 season concluded by finishing eighth at the Freeburg Regional and eighth at the Althoff Catholic Sectional. That Thursday in Charleston may be her turning point where we see some great races from her in the next couple of months. “Eris has really jumped up to the front of the pack,” said her coach, Mike Sanders. “Last year as a sophomore, she came in strong, learning what it was like to get in the mix bouncing around between 1st and 2nd spot on the team. This season, we should see her as the solid, Number 1 girl on the team and hopefully in the area. Her track season gave her a tremendous boost of confidence and it will certainly contribute to her success this season if we remain injury free. Over the summer, she has shown the strength and speed needed to be a major factor this season, proven by crushing the Summer 1.5 Mile Time Trial School Record by 33 seconds, which she ran in 8:37. This type of running will hopefully boost the team to a State Meet berth.”

 

Olivia Phillips – DuQuoin – SR

 

Preview – Another in a great line of DuQuoin runners must be Olivia Phillips. She led her team last year finishing second in the Marissa Regional, third in the Althoff Catholic Sectional, and then 15 at the ShaZam Club Championships. Phillips had a fantastic track season culminating last June in the 1A State Finals. There Philips earned all-state honors individually finishing second in the 800 Meter Run. She showed her leadership in the relays for DuQuoin anchor their quartets to a second-place finish in the 4x800m Relay and then helping her team win the 4x400m Relay. We should see some great things happen from her in Charleston in 2022. We could see her be one of the top 10 runners at Detweiller Park when we get to November. “Olivia continues to battle,” said her coach, Eric Kirkpatrick. “She never stops working and has a strong desire to be successful. We are hoping that translates into late season success for her.  After  not having a state meet last year, she is looking to close out her career strong.”

 

Marissa Roggensack – Winnebago – JR

 

Preview – One of the reasons why Winnebago is the top 1A team in the state is because of the racing efforts from Marissa Roggensack. She missed all-state by one spot as a freshman placing 26th at Detweiller Park. Her sophomore season was strong in 2020. It included finishing fourth in the Big Northern Conference Meet, third in the Oregon Regional, fifth in the Seneca Sectional, and 11th at the ShaZam Club Championships. Roggensack played a big part in Winnebago’s relay success in last June’s 1A Sate Finals. She was part of the quartets that won the 4x800m Relay and finished second in the 4x400m Relay in Charleston. She ran personal bests of 2:25.93 for 800-meters and 5:22.79 for 1600-meters during the last track season. She could have great success for her team again this fall.

 

Erica Woodard – Tolono (Unity) – SO

 

Preview – Erica Woodard stepped up as the team’s top runner last fall as a freshman. This included finishing fourth and sixth in the regional and sectional races held at St. Teresa. Woodard ended last fall placing 25th at the ShaZam Club Championships. Her track season was solid with Unity competing in the 2A level in the state series. It included personal bests of 11:48.62 for 3200-meters and 5:33.55 for 1600-meters. “Erica is coming into this season with improved confidence,” said her coach. Kara Leaman. “She loves to race, and I look forward to watching her compete in bigger fields. Erica included a lot of cross training this summer in addition to miles on her feet and is in a great place to start her season. She cares deeply about her teammates and helps them stay motivated for challenging work.”

 

Kaylee Woolery – Winnebago – JR

 

Preview – One of a super junior class for Winnebago that could lead this team to a state championship in November. Kaylee Woolery was all-state as a freshman in 2019 when she finished 10th at Detweiller Park. Her sophomore year was even stronger despite COVID-19 guidelines as she finished third in the Big North Conference Meet, fourth at the Seneca Sectional, and 13th at the ShaZam Club Championships. Woolery earned all-state honors last June in the 1A State Finals where she finished fifth in the 1600 Meter Run. Her personal bests on the track last spring included running 2:27.23 for 800-meters, 5:19.21 for 1600-meters, and 11:52.29 for 3200-meters. With last year’s #1 runner Natalia Martino graduated, Woolery could be one of four runners that could step up to the top spot in races for Winnebago this fall.