Tolono Unity repeats as Girls Class 1A State Champions

Bruhn’s final race at Detweiller Park awards her with individual state title

By Michael Newman

Peoria, Ill --- The first race of the day on the Detweiller Park State Meet course provided the runners in the Class 1A Girls to stary the day with the best conditions of the six race day.

The course did not stay that way as rain fell down in the middle of the race starting the evolution for a place to run into a swamp. Lead vehicles on the course did not help to the cause.

It did not seem to effect Mabry Bruhm of Monticello and Tolono Unity’s Girls team as they persevered in winning state championships.

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Bruhn had been waiting for this moment throughout her high school career. She has been all-state twice with her race last fall when she finished ninth. She finished third in the COVID year of 2020 at the ShaZam Club Championships when there was no state meet.

“I did not think this was possible at the beginning of the year. I had a rough junior season,” said Bruhn. “My goal was simply to better than I did last year. I changed a few things in my lifestyle. I think I exceeded my expectations.”

This race was not going to be about time considering the 25 mph winds from the south that shook the leaves from the trees or the rain that hit this 1A race midway through. It was about tactics and know when it was the right time to go. Bruhn did just that.

Bruhn had raced against Marshall’s Molly Farrell three times in the past four weeks. Farrell pulled away from Bruhn to win on this course by five seconds. Bruhn learned from race and responded last week by winning ahead of the freshman by 17 seconds. So when the lead pack went past the first mile in 5:40 and Farrell started to push the pace, Bruhn knew just what do staying on her shoulder and picking the right moment to go.

Bruhn did before coming back out on the main course. The pace slowed down as the rain started to hit but the Monticello had opened up a 13 second lead at two-miles ahead of Louisa Wilson of Williamsville and Sundara Weber of Sandwich. That was the race as the final mile for Bruhn was a victory lap of sorts trying to navigate the mud that was accumulating.

Her winning time was 17:08.5, a personal best for her, and amazing considering the conditions she had to run through.

“I liked the rain. It masked the pain I was feeling,” added Bruhn. “I could see for a little while it was coming down hard. I did really enjoyed it. That was nice.”

Weber, just a freshman, capped off a great season by running 17:26 to finish second and holding off Wilson who was just a second back. Kennady Anderson of Wethersfield was 18 seconds back of the duo running 17:45 to place fourth.

Farrell ran 17:47 to finish fifth ahead of Grace Erb of Winnebago and Kaitlyn Hatley of Father McGivney who both ran 17:49 to finish sixth and seventh.

It was hard to think that any team would get close to the defending state champions Tolono Unity in this race especially since no team had all season. Unity repeated as state champions scoring just 84 points ahead of DePaul College Prep (185 points) and Rosary (198 points).

This was the fourth state championship in the Girls program’s history. The Rockets did it with two all-state runners, 5 runners in the top 43 with a 57 second split on their scorers.

Mackenzie Pound earned all-state honors as a freshman and leading her team while finishing 11th. Emily Decker also was all-state placing 19th. Erica Woodard (30th), Olivia Shike (36th), and Reagen Stringer (43rd) following.

“We just kept talking about this race is that we were more prepared than anyone else,” Shike said. “No one expected us to win last season. I think we wanted to show everyone that we could.”

DePaul Prep did not have an all-state runner in this race, but you do not need one if you have a 43 second split on your top five runners. The Rams thrive off pack running so Wednesday’s conditions suited them just fine. Lorelei Travers led her team finishing 42nd with Gabrielle Walker (49th) nine seconds behind and Abigail Arseneau (53rd) another three seconds behind. Grace Moeller (62nd) and Piper Houghton (81st) rounded out the team’s top five.

It was a question for Rosary all season that they had four solid runners in the front with a big gap to their fifth runner. The Royals answered those critics in the meet with their third-place finish. Chiara Surtz earned all-state honors finishing 16 overall. Olivia Kunio led the pack behind Surtz as she finished 34. Vivian Wyller 44 and Natalie Goettsch 69 were the team’s third and fourth runners. There was only a 68 second split before their fifth runner Ana Hathaway who finished 146th.

Winnebago finished fourth (202 points) missing a trophy by four points. Bago did have two all-state runners with Grace Erb finishing sixth and teammate Marissa Roggensack finishing 15th. Chicago Christian finished fifth (241 points) led by Anna Enderle’s 22nd place all-state finish.