By FRED KRONER
Girls’ cross-country is the one sport that has undergone the most change since the IHSA introduced it into the fall lineup in 1979 as a one-class state tournament.
The sport has evolved into three classes, but that is not even the biggest change.
Girls’ races were 2 miles in length through the 1997-98 school year, then started a four-year run at 2 ½ miles before settling on 3 miles to match what boys have been running for decades.
Interestingly instead of hurting the participation numbers, the sport has grown in popularity.
In the last year that girls ran 2-mile races (1997-98), a total of 394 Illinois high schools offered cross-country.
There was only a slight drop-off a year later (to 392 schools) when the distance was increased by a half-mile.
The 2001-02 school year was the final one for 2 ½-mile races. The IHSA participation list included 416 schools.
The next increase in distance – to the present 3 miles – was put in place for the 2002-03 school year. Again, there was an increase in interest.
A total of 449 schools had girls’ cross-country programs that year.
The trend has continued without a slowdown. The participation figures for the 2024-25 reveal an all-time record of 599 schools with girls’ cross-country teams.
Mahomet-Seymour’s program has been in existence for more than 4 ½ decades, but it took until this century for the Bulldogs to break through with an individual all-stater.
Maureen Scott (2001) was the first to earn the recognition that is bestowed annually to the top 25 finishers at state.
Her seventh-place finish as a senior came in the final year of the 2 ½-mile experiment.
The other five M-S all-staters have done so at the 3-mile distance.
Overall, four of M-S’ six all-staters registered top-10 finishes, led by Amy Clawson, who was sixth in 2007.
Without further ado, the Mahomet-Seymour Quarter-Century girls’ cross-country team.
EMILY ANAND, Class of 2026. Transfer from St. Thomas More was a News-Gazette All-Area first-teamer as a junior with a top 3-mile time of 18:12.46.
AVA BOYD, 2024. All-Area first-teamer had a top time of 17:43.2. Two-time All-Area second-teamer.
BRITTANY BOHN, 2011. All-stater (19th as a senior) had a top time of 17:38.4, the area’s best time her senior year. As a freshman, No. 2 runner for state’s fourth-place team, placing 27th at state individually.
AMY CLAWSON, 2009. All-stater (sixth as a junior) had a top time of 17:55, the area’s best time. Area Runner of the Year as a junior, helping M-S to a fourth-place team finish at state.
MEGAN CHURM, 2020. Two-time All-Area second-teamer had a top time as a sophomore of 18:01, ninth-best in the area in 2017. Also has the area’s ninth-best time as a freshman (18:11).
TESSA HANLON, 2013. All-Area honorable mention choice had a top time of 18:12.
BRISA McGRATH, 2019. All-stater (24th as a junior) had top times of 17:55 as a junior and 17:59 as a senior. Three-time All-Area first-teamer.
TAYLOR MILLS, 2027. Two-time All-Area second-teamer had a top time of 18:08.
ABIGAIL NIELSEN, 2014. All-Area honorable mention choice had a top time of 18:48.
RACHEL RODRIGUEZ, 2012. Four-time All-Area honorable mention choice had a top time of 18:40.
HANNAH SCHAAP, 2009. Four-time All-Area honorable mention choice had a top time of 18:49. As a junior, the team’s No. 3 runner on the state’s fourth-place team, finishing 44th at state individually.
MAUREEN SCOTT, 2002. All-stater (seventh as a senior) had a top time of 14:38 (when girls ran 2 ½ miles).
ELIZABETH SIMS, 2022. All-stater (eighth as a freshman) had a top time of (17:34), which was the area’s best in 2018. Two-time All-Area first-teamer and one-time All-Area second-teamer.
CECILY SMITH, 2028. All-Area honorable mention had a top time of 18:51.97.
LAUREN WHITEHOUSE, 2016. All-stater (eighth as a senior) had a top time of 17:42 as a junior. Two-time All-Area first-teamer.
