It was obvious by the look on her face that Morgan Bollinger was exhausted. The Lockport senior had given everything she had in her final state-qualifying meet.
The fact Bollinger was able to run that kind of race at the Class 3A Marist Sectional indicated past injuries shouldn’t limit her at the state meet Saturday in Peoria.
“It’s really awesome to be healthy and be able to go out there every day and run,” Bollinger said with one meet to go in her high school career. “The feeling of being able to train every day makes you feel that much more prepared for races like this.”
Bollinger was All-State as a freshman and sophomore. She placed eighth and 19th, respectively,in her first two trips to the state meet before injuries took their toll last season. Her sectional time rose by a minute and she finished 35th in the state final.
But the determined senior rebounded this year. Bollinger reclaimed the SouthWest Suburban Blue title, won a regional championship and clocked a strong 17:52.16 to take fourth in the sectional at Midlothian Meadows.
Bollinger was less than a second behind Hinsdale Central’s Reilly Revord (17:51.86), who was sixth in the state last year.
“She had a really fantastic race,” Lockport coach Erin Truesdale said of her team leader.
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Bollinger had reason to believe she would have many “fantastic” races this year.
“I was super excited about this year because I was able to train the whole summer, which I wasn’t able to do the past two years,” Bollinger said.
Lockport took third at the sectional to earn its eighth state meet berth in a row. Freshman Madison Polinski, senior Karlee Stortz, freshman Alexandra Skibicki and junior Aubrey Friedrich completed the top five.
“The end of the season is definitely our strong point,” Bollinger said.
Marist’s Maryclare Leonard, another two-time All-Stater, is also at the end of her high school cross country career.
Much of what she has accomplished in the past four seasons hangs on the walls of her bedroom.
“I have pictures around my room from all four years,” Leonard said after she placed 11th at the sectional. “It really hit me that I don’t have that much time left. I really don’t want to leave the team.”
Leonard will take her normal approach to the state meet at Detweiller Park.
“It will be my last time there, too, so I’m going to give it my all,” she said. “I always do.”
Chicago Christian senior April Van Ryn plans to do the same in the Class 1A final. She was the individual champion (18:32) at the Lisle Sectional and led the Knights to the team title.
Van Ryn started running cross country last season and thinks her improvement as a senior is linked to not having lingering injuries.
“I think part of it is because I started out late,” she said. “I didn’t run sophomore or freshman year, so I think that might be part of it.”
Van Ryn was 28th at last year’s state meet and Chicago Christian took seventh. The Knights are aiming for a higher finish this time.
“We’re hoping top three,” Van Ryn said. “We have a lot of team camaraderie.”
Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY STATE MEET
Saturday, Detweiller Park, Peoria
Class 3A, 1 p.m.
Team qualifiers: Lincoln-Way East, Lockport.
Individual qualifiers: Mackenzie Brownrigg, sophomore, Lincoln-Way Central; Kelli Callahan, senior, Shepard; Jenna Diers, senior, Lincoln-Way West; Maryclare Leonard, senior, Marist; Teagan Lyke, senior, Lincoln-Way West; Colleen Murphy, sophomore, Marist.
Class 2A, 11 a.m.
Team qualifier: Lemont.
Individual qualifiers: Samantha Barrett, freshman, Marian Catholic; Gillian Fiene, freshman, Illiana Christian; Kelly Mindak, senior, Marian Catholic; Cate Peerbolte, sophomore, Illiana Christian.
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Class 1A, 9 a.m.
Team qualifiers: Beecher, Chicago Christian.