By JOE STEVENSON - [email protected]

PEORIA – Lindsey Wilkins’ emotions after Saturday’s Class 2A girls race at the IHSA State Cross Country Meet were undeniable elation.

Crystal Lake Central’s girls shared that feeling … to a point. At the same time, however, the Tigers kept wondering “what if” as they fell only three points short of a state title.

Wilkins took third place in the 2A race, leading six area girls who earned All-State honors with top-25 finishes Saturday at Detweiller Park. Hampshire’s Holly Plichta (ninth), Central’s Madie Edwards (12th) and Haley Staples (14th), Marengo’s Sarah Sprague (23rd) and Central’s Rachel Bush (24th) all were All-Staters.

In the 3A girls race, Crystal Lake South’s Kristina Aubert (10th) repeated as an All-State runner and Woodstock’s Elise Beattie (17th) was an All-Stater for the first time.

Wilkins ran with Mount Vernon’s Margo Richardson for the first 2 miles, but couldn’t quite keep up her in the last mile. Still, Wilkins, who was 16th last year, turned in the highest finish since Woodstock’s Katie Hartmann won the AA state championship in 1999.

“I didn’t know who was.... READ MORE