Morgan Bollinger and Karlee Stortz, accompanied by frequent success and occasional shin splints, have been a constant for Lockport the past three cross-country seasons.
Not only did Bollinger and Stortz run at the state meet each year, they finished in Lockport’s top five each time to contribute to the team score.
As their final high school season begins, the two close friends are ready to make the most of it.
“It’s awesome to have someone who cares about the sport as much as you and loves it and wants to do everything in their power to do the best they can,” Bollinger said. “We bounce positivity back and forth because we want to do so well.”
Stortz had similar thoughts about her final season and running with Bollinger, a two-time All-Stater.
“We both have the same mindset,” Stortz said. “She’s a great runner and an amazing friend to have. It’s a good feeling to have that runner next to you. We want to do better than the other, but we’re also very supportive of each other.”
Bollinger started running in fifth grade at Homer Junior High. She liked running the bases and doing sprints with her travel softball team, so she expanded that activity to cross country.
“I just loved it,” she said. “I wanted to keep going with it and keep getting better.”
Bollinger achieved that goal. She was eighth at the Class 3A state meet as a freshman and earned All-State status for being among the Top 25. She finished the course in 17 minutes, 14 seconds and led Lockport to fifth place.
Despite dealing with shin splints, Bollinger earned All-State recognition again as a sophomore. She finished two seconds off her freshman time and placed 19th.
Junior year was a different story after shin splints again prevented Bollinger from training during the summer. She still finished 35th at the state meet (17:31).
More Top Picks Furniture
“Didn’t have the season I would have liked to have,” Bollinger said.
But she was able to train this summer and build a mileage base to prepare for the new season.
“Karlee and I, we’re both super excited because it’s our senior year,” Bollinger said. “We want to make the senior year our best year by far.”
Stortz has made obvious progress each season despite injuries. She placed 102nd (18:32) at the state meet as a freshman and 72nd (17:59) as a sophomore. Stortz closed the gap last year when she ran 17:44 to finish 55th.
“Junior year was the hardest season to get through, growing,” Stortz said. “I didn’t understand why I was working so hard and not seeing the reward. But by the end of the year I was getting it.”
Lockport coach Erin Truesdale realizes how much Bollinger and Stortz mean to each other and as team captains.
“They have my highest respect,” Truesdale said. “They come to practice every single day working as hard as they can. They’re great leaders for the girls.”
Lockport returns eight of 12 individuals from last year’s state roster. The other returnees are Aubrey Friedrich, Jorie Beaumont, Kate Wojcikiewicz, Ashley Canny, Melissa Maas and Maggie Bollinger, Morgan’s sister.
Promising freshmen include Madison Polinski, Ola Skibicki and twins Anna and Abbey Kozak.
“It’s cool to be in the oldest group on the team and watch the young girls come in and grow,” Bollinger said.
“We have a lot back and we have a lot of new talent,” Stortz said. “I think it’s going to be a great season for Lockport.”
Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.