2021 ILXCTF.com XC Season Awards - Boys Most Improved XC Runners of the Year

By Michael Newman [email protected]

The following runners were chosen as the 2021 ILXCTF.com Boys Most Improved Cross-Country Runners of the year. Three runners were chosen one each by classification.

Class 3A

Congratulations to David Lara of Warren Township in Gurnee as the ILXCTF.com 3A Boys Most Improved XC Runner of the Year.

This was a tough decision in this category. While most of the spotlight at Warren was on their top runner Luke Wiley, Lara gave this team a boost especially at the end of the year. His improvement on the cross-country course was dramatic in the last year. Lara had a seasonal best in 2020 of 16:37 for 3-miles on a cross country course. He ended the 2020 season finishing 79th at the Hoffman Estates Sectional.

There was really nothing during the track season that indicated this improvement this fall. He ran 4:41 for the 1600 Meter Run. He was on Warren’s 4x800m Relay team that finished 14 in the state finals last June. He shined this fall. He ran 15:13 to finish 14th at the Peoria Invitational in October. He finished 19th at the Hoffman Estates Sectional. Lara then ran the race of his life running 14:52 to finish 24th in the 3A State race earning all-state honors. What an improvement for this senior that will attend Brown University next fall.

There were so many “new faces” that emerged in the front of races during most of the fall. Riley Newport of DeKalb emerged in his sectional and state races. An indication of what this junior could do showed during his sophomore season when he ran 4:22 for 1600-meters at the DuPage Valley Conference and then fourth to qualify for state running 4:21.36 for the same distance last June. Newport finished 17th in the 3A State Finals the following week.

The junior was doing well last October winning the DuPage Valley Conference Meet and then the Harlem Regional crown. Newport pushed eventual state champion Micah Wilson in finishing second at the Lake Park Sectional. He came back the following week in running 14:15.7 to finish third in the 3A State Final. Here again, Newport was in the mix for the win until the final 400 of the race.

Roy Llewelyn of Downers Grove North made a huge jump this past fall after running 9:26 for the 3200 Meter Run and 4:20 for the 1600 Meter Run at the end of last track season. The senior was in the front going after the lead in the state series races last October finishing second in both the WSC-Silver Meet and Lyons Regional before finishing third at the Hinsdale Central Sectional. Llewellyn finished sixth at Detweiller Park in the 3A State Meet. He finished 28th at the ShaZam Club Championships to finish his 2020 season.

Parker Nold of Oswego East made a major leap from his sophomore to his junior season after failing to qualify for his sectional race finishing 29 in his regional run in 2020. Nold made the jump to the elite level last fall winning the regional title, placing fifth at the Hinsdale Central Sectional, and then finishing tenth in the IHSA Class 3A State Meet.

Newport and Nold will be among the top runners in next fall’s cross-country season.

Class 2A

Congratulations to Yusuf Baig of Burlington Central High School as the ILXCTF.com 2A Boys Most Improved XC Runner of the Year. Baig made some huge steps up to be among one of the top 2A runners in the state last fall. His junior season ended when he finished 13 at the Lakes Sectional, then 26 at the ShaZam Club Championships. Baig earned all-state honors last June by finishing eighth at the Class 2A State 3200 Meter Run. That confidence in that race took him to the next level. His second-place finish at the Woodstock North Sectional and then a personal best of 14:51 in the 2A State Meet for a fifth-place finish is evidence of that.

Lucas Moskovitz of Deerfield was also considered in this category. His school was in Class 3A in 2020. His last state series race was when he finished 28th in the Loyola Regional. He came back strong last fall finishing 8 at the Woodstock North Sectional and then 10th in the Class 2A State Meet.

Class 1A

Congratulations to Ethan Walsh of Rockford Christian High School as the 2021 ILXCTF.com 1A Boys Most Improved XC Runner of the Year.

This was a tough category to sift through. Kieran Subra of Lycee Francis de Chicago came on strong at the end of the year finishing fourth at the Lisle Sectional and then 11 in the 1A State Meet. He finished 12 in the 1A Sectional at Harvest Christian Sectional in 2020. Cannen Wolf of Liberty ran only three races in his 2020 Cross Country Season. He came back in his senior year last fall finishing third at the Elmwood Sectional and then 12 in the 1A State meet the following week.

Walsh caught my attention the most. His best time on a three-mile cross country course in 2020 was 16:33 at the Big Northern Conference Meet. Walsh ended the season finishing 92nd at the ShaZam Club Championships. He was the team’s top runner most of this past season in helping the Royal Lions finish fifth in the 1A State Meet. His three-mile time dropped to 15:21 as he finished 14th in his state meet race.