Here are the SJ-R's 2023 girls cross country runners of the year and all-area team
Here are The State Journal-Register's girls cross country runners of the years and other members of the 2023 Springfield all-area team.
The large-school winner is listed first, followed by the small-school winner. The ensuing four honorees are the top four performers from Chatham Glenwood’s state championship team.
Becca Heitzig, Lincoln
The superlative senior athlete spurred the Lincoln volleyball team to its first state appearance in more than two decades and only followed that up the next morning with the Class 2A girls cross country state title by 5 hundredths of a second at Detweiller Park in Peoria. She beat Chicago St. Ignatius sophomore Annika Swan with a time of 16:34.75. Heitzig, last year’s Female Athlete of the Year, previously took third and 12th place at the state meet, which was canceled her freshman year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The now three-time Large School Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year is the school’s first-ever individual state champion and the area’s first female champion since Sacred Heart-Griffin's Ann Gaffigan in 1998.
Louisa Wilson, Williamsville
The junior crossed the finish line in 17:45.83 for 18th place at the Class 1A state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria to become the Small School Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year for a third straight season. She previously twice earned third place at the state meet. She also swept the Sangamo Conference and regional meet titles for a third consecutive season. She was second at the Elmwood Sectional behind only Eureka’s Meika Bender.
Last year's honorees: The State Journal-Register's girls cross country runners of the year and all-area team
Ali Londrigan, Chatham Glenwood
The freshman led the Titans to their first state title in program history. She posted a time of 17:40 for seventh place individually and the team title at the Class 2A state meet. She also recorded the team’s top times at regionals and sectionals en route to first place in the team standings — not to mention a third-place individual finish at the Central State Eight Conference meet in Jacksonville. The Titans wound up undefeated as a team.
Ashlyn Chopra, Chatham Glenwood
The sophomore ascended to 11th place individually in 17:43.15 at the 2A state meet. She previously debuted at 33rd at the state meet as a freshman. She was also fourth at the Central State Eight Conference meet this season.
State finals coverage: Lincoln's Becca Heitzig, Chatham Glenwood girls make history at cross country state finals
Sophie Rentmeister, Chatham Glenwood
The freshman also won all-state laurels individually alongside teammates Ali Londrigan and Ashlyn Chopra. She picked up 24th place in 17:56.03 on top of the team’s state title. She also made the top 10 at regionals and sectionals as well as the Central State Eight Conference meet in her opening season.
Ally Knudson, Chatham Glenwood
The sophomore additionally contributed to the team’s state title by nabbing 36th place in 18:14.09. Not unlike the rest of her teammates on the list, Knudson also made the top 10 at regionals and sectionals as well as the Central State Eight Conference meet.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield's 2023 girls cross country runners of the year, all-area team
