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Here is the Journal Star boys runner of the year and all-area team for 2023

adam duvall, peoria journal star
·4 min read

Medals were won and state trophies were raised during the 2023 Illinois High School Association boys cross country season.

Six Peoria-area runners were all-state finishers at the Class 1A and 2A state meet, while Elmwood/Brimfield earned a 1A third-place state trophy. This capped yet another great year of local running.

Here are the 2023 Journal Star boys cross country runner of the year and the all-area team. ROY is listed first, followed with all-area picks in alphabetical order.

2023 IHSA cross country state finals: Top teams, top times and all-staters in Peoria

Isaiah Hill, Elmwood/Brimfield

Elmwood's Isaiah Hill runs to sixth place in the Class 1A boys race of the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Detweiller Park. Hill led the Trojans to a third-place team finish.
Elmwood's Isaiah Hill runs to sixth place in the Class 1A boys race of the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Detweiller Park. Hill led the Trojans to a third-place team finish.

The runner of the year finished his career with a personal-best performance. He crossed the finished line on the historic Detweiller Park course in fifth place at 14:49.0, giving him the third-fastest state meet time in Trojan program history. Hill helped Elmwood take home the third-place team trophy with 166 points. He was the regional champ (16:23.8 at Peoria Notre Dame) and sectional winner (14:59.4 at Elmwood), while only finishing outside of the top-five in one meet this season. He was the Prairieland Conference champion in 16:00.4.

Devon Hayes, Pekin

Pekin's Devon Hayes (2) battles Geneseo's Dylan Gehl (1), Jaxson Sottos and East Peoria's Ayden Thompson in the 3200-meter run Friday, April 28, 2023 during the Pekin Dragons Invitational at Pekin Memorial Stadium. Gehl finished first, Hayes second, Thompson third and Sottos fourth.
Pekin's Devon Hayes (2) battles Geneseo's Dylan Gehl (1), Jaxson Sottos and East Peoria's Ayden Thompson in the 3200-meter run Friday, April 28, 2023 during the Pekin Dragons Invitational at Pekin Memorial Stadium. Gehl finished first, Hayes second, Thompson third and Sottos fourth.

The junior showed steady improvement all season, capping his year in the Class 3A state meet. He wasn't an all-state runner, finishing 93rd at 15:24.1, but saw a vast improvement at the historic Detweiller Park course. He took fourth (15:38.4) at the Plainfield Central Regional, then finished 17th (14:55.3) in running a 3-mile personal best at the Granite Sectional. He was second (15:36.7) at the Mid-Illini Conference championships.

Maxwell Kirby, Peoria Notre Dame

Peoria Notre Dame's Maxwell Kirby cruises to a 20th-place finish, leading the Irish to a seventh-place team finish in the Class 1A boys state cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
Peoria Notre Dame's Maxwell Kirby cruises to a 20th-place finish, leading the Irish to a seventh-place team finish in the Class 1A boys state cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

The freshman came on strong in the final weeks of the season. He was fourth (15:48.7) at the Big 12 Conference championships followed by taking third at the PND Regional (16:43.0) and fifth at the Elmwood Sectional (15:27.5). Kirby then capped his first prep season with a 1A all-state performance, taking 20th at the state meet in personal best of 15:21.3. His first career win was at the Runnin' Red Invite in 15:34.0.

Josh Weeks, Morton

Morton's Josh Weeks leads the Potters to a fourth-place team finish with his tenth-place finish in the Class 2A boys race of the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational at Detweiller Park.
Morton's Josh Weeks leads the Potters to a fourth-place team finish with his tenth-place finish in the Class 2A boys race of the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational at Detweiller Park.

The 2022 runner of the year ended his high school days with another 2A all-state showing. His time of 15:05.3 was good enough for a 19th-place finish for the Potters. He entered the postseason by taking second (15:09.3) in the Metamora Regional, then followed that up with a third-place run in 15:46.8 at the Geneseo Sectional. Weeks defended his Mid-Illini Conference individual championship by running a winning time of 15:27.1.

'Ran with heart': Notre Dame, Elmwood trophies lead Peoria-area at IHSA cross country finals

Dean Witzig, El Paso-Gridley

El Paso-Gridley's Dean Witzig leads his team to a seventh-place team finish with a tenth-place finish in the Class 1A boys race of the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Detweiller Park.
El Paso-Gridley's Dean Witzig leads his team to a seventh-place team finish with a tenth-place finish in the Class 1A boys race of the First to the Finish Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 at Detweiller Park.

The senior kept getting better as the season progressed. His prep career was capped with an 1A all-state performance, finishing 16th in a personal best time of 15:15.9. He advanced to the state meet by taking second at both the Elmwood Sectional (15:17.0) and PND Regional (16:35.4). He was the Heart of Illinois Conference individual champion in 15:24.9, while also winning the Prairie Central/Pontiac Invite in 15:42.3.

Yonas Wuthrich, Morton

Morton's Yonas Wuthrich takes 14th place in a time of 15:00.89 in the Class 2A boys cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 at Detweiller Park in Peoria, leading the Potters to a fifth-place team finish.
Morton's Yonas Wuthrich takes 14th place in a time of 15:00.89 in the Class 2A boys cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 at Detweiller Park in Peoria, leading the Potters to a fifth-place team finish.

The senior made tremendous strides in the season's most important meet. His 14th-place finish (15:00.9) in the 2A state race was eight places and over 65 seconds faster than his junior year. Although not running in the Metamora Regional, Wuthrich came back to take fifth (15:51.4) at Geneseo Sectional. He was sixth (15:52.9) at the Mid-Illini championship, while taking third (15:58.3) at the Galesburg Silver Streak Invitational.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

Journal Star Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year

  • 2023 — Isaiah Hill, Elmwood/Brimfield

  • 2022 — Josh Weeks, Morton

  • 2021 — Wilson Georges, Limestone

  • 2020 — Wilson Georges, Limestone

  • 2019 — Sam Lange, Morton

  • 2018 — Chris Gilbert, Peoria Notre Dame

  • 2017 — Owen Habeger, Illinois Valley Central

  • 2016 — Jake Gillum, Metamora

  • 2015 — Jake Gillum, Metamora

  • 2014 — Jake Gillum, Metamora

  • 2013 — Connor Ehnle, Tremont

  • 2012 — Chad French, Canton

  • 2011 — Cole Dill, Tremont

  • 2010 — Chase Coffey, Farmington

  • 2009 — C.J. Elward, Peoria Notre Dame

  • 2008 — Parker Thompson, Tremont

  • 2007 — Nick Holmes, Limestone

  • 2006 — Matt Morse, St. Bede

  • 2005 — Jerad Koch, Tremont

  • 2004 — Sean Houseworth, Eureka

  • 2003 — Andy Bloom, Pekin

  • 2002 — Trent Hoerr, Morton

  • 2001 — Jason Bill, Bureau Valley

  • 2000 — Steven Wilson, Elmwood/Brimfield

  • 1999 — Dustin Franckey, Eureka

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Journal Star boys cross country runner of the year and all-area team