Sarah Schmitt more than recognizes the duality of girls cross country.
With an individual component subsumed within a team framework, Schmitt has been preoccupied the first Saturday in November her entire career at Naperville North.
“We always look to improve (individually) from the year before,” Schmitt said on the cusp of her senior season.
Schmitt has accomplished her central individual aim in her last two Class 3A state finals appearances at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
Top 30 as a freshman, Schmitt followed up the first of back-to-back All-State campaigns last season with a sixth-place finish to power Naperville North to a 111-130 victory over five-time defending Class 2A state champion Yorkville for the seventh state title in program history.
Schimtt, who ran a personal-best time of 16 minutes, 51 seconds at the three-mile layout, was 21st as a sophomore two years ago.
But there was a fundamental difference last season for Schmitt and the rest of the Naperville North team, which also featured All-State contributions from Alex Morris and Hannah Ricci.
Minooka, three points behind Yorkville last fall for third, had stunned the Huskies, a pronounced favorite, the year before.
“It put the whole season in perspective,” Schmitt said of the Huskies failing to defend their state championship two seasons ago. “We don’t take anything for granted.”
Naperville North enters the season as the consensus top-ranked Class 3A team in the state.
Glenbard West — which boasts the defending state champion and runner-up in both cross country and the 3,200-meter run in track in Katelynne Hart and Lindsey Payne — and Yorkville are viewed as the Huskies’top rivals.
Schmitt, who ran the table in the DuPage Valley Conference, the West Chicago Regional and West Aurora Sectional last fall, leads a talented, driven and deep squad.
Coach Dan Iverson has guided the Huskies to six state championships, four runner-up finishes and four third-place trophies since taking over the program in 1996.
Schmitt is the latest in a long line of brilliant runners for Iverson.
“(Schmitt) is a very dedicated individual who works really hard,” he said.
Schmitt was more than welcoming to Ricci, a move-in from suburban Pittsburgh, last season.
“She definitely helped me adjust to a new school,” Ricci said. “I really appreciate the spirit she brings to the whole cross country team.”
“This year (Schmitt) has taken a lot of leadership positions,” Morris said. “It’s really nice to have her on the team.”
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Schmitt simply wishes to continue the Huskies’ legacy of excellence.
“I am incredibly blessed to be a part of such a program,” said Schmitt, a member of three of the Huskies’ five straight berths to the Nike National meet in Portland. “It makes doing well at state all that more exciting.”
Schmitt, Morris and Ricci were also pivotal figures in the Huskies’ first trophy — third place — in track program history last spring with All-State performances.
State veteran Claire Hill and seniors Jill Fitz and Sam Prazma are also expected to play significant roles for Naperville North this fall.
Kevin McGavin is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.