PEORIA — Yorkville senior Alexis Grandys had never experienced team defeat at a girls state cross country meet.
That is, until the Foxes made their Class 3A state debut on Saturday at Detweiller Park.
“Going into the race, we weren’t thinking we were going to win,” said Grandys, who had two top-three individual finishes the last two years as part of the Foxes’ state-tying run of five consecutive 2A team championships.
“The first time being in 3A — with the big dogs — I think we did well,” Grandys said. “We just wanted to do our best.”
The Foxes showed they belonged in the largest class, finishing second to Naperville North, 111-130.
Yorkville has finished no worse than second in its last eight state meets.
“It’s always satisfying to run your best race, and I think the girls did that today,” Yorkville coach Chris Muth said. “Whoever we beat or didn’t beat, we were focused on ourselves. We had a game plan going into it.”
“Obviously, I’m pleased to win, but it could have been (Yorkville),” Naperville North coach Dan Iverson said. “They have an exceptional program all the way through.”
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Season-long sophomore leader Nicole Greyer once again paced the Foxes, finishing 13th in 17 minutes, 4 seconds.
Greyer and Grandys (25th, 17:23) earned the first Class 3A All-State performances in program history.
Alyssa Edwards (31st), Maddie Dearborn (35th) and Olivia Borowiak (53rd) concluded the Foxes’ five counting scores.
“It’s hard, but we did our best,” Greyer said. “We all ran our hearts outs. Going from 2A to 3A and still finishing second is amazing.”
“That was one of our best races overall,” Edwards said. “I don’t think we really did get defeated.”
Geneva (seventh, 270), Metea Valley (eighth, 271) and Batavia (18th, 410) were also in the deep Class 3A field.
Emma Ehrhardt (10th, 17:03) earned All-State honors for Geneva, one place behind Oswego junior Isabelle Christiansen (17:01).
Christiansen, who won the Batavia Regional and took second at the West Aurora Sectional, had the most remarkable individual postseason run among local Class 3A runners.
“My goal coming in was top 15, and (I) clearly beat that,” Christiansen said. “I looked at the girls I wanted to be running with. So, I kind of (mentally) placed myself with them.”
Class 2A had no shortage of compelling storylines.
Kaneland (326) finished ninth and Rosary (469) was 20th.
Sandwich’s Kayla Schiera (ninth, 17:29), Kaneland’s Rachel Richtman (18th, 17:39) and Aurora Central Catholic’s Abby Fioresi (19th, 17:48) all earned All-State status.
“The key was to have fun,” said Richtman, a freshman sensation. “I was excited to race with her (older sister Becca, who was 116th) for her final race.”
In Class 1A. Hinckley-Big Rock’s Audrey Harrod was 35th.
Kevin McGavin is a freelance writer for The Beacon-News.