Belvidere North with three All-State Runners wins second team title in three years

By Michael Newman

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Peoria – When two runners leading the race refuse to let each get away, that is when you have a makings for a classic race.

The 2A Girls race between Lakes Community’s Brooke Stromsland and Lianna Surtz of Rosary had that formula where a winner was not decided until the final 100-meters of the race.  Stromsland ended up with the win (16:32) with Surtz just three seconds back (16:35) in what will be a race that people will talk about for years to come.

Before the gun went off, the race looked like four runners would be ahead of the pack.

That did not happen.

Defending champion Jenna Schwartz moved up during the race and finished fifth (17:14) earning all-state honors. Aspen Gordon of Morton did not have her best race of the season, but she still earned all-state honors as she finished 17^th overall.

It came down to the freshman Surtz. With another freshman Ava Parekh of Latin School right by Surtz, the two runners had stretched out the race as they passed by one-miles in 5:22. Stromsland stayed within contact of the two trailing by only one second. She caught the two entering into the triangle. The race was on.

Parekh started to fall behind Stromsland and Surtz just before the entrance back into the main section of the course. The two went through two miles in a sizzling 11:01 with the freshman Surtz forcing the pacing issue trying to stretch the gap entering the final loop of the course. Schwartz and Parekh were together 15 to 20 meters behind the leaders. Marianne Mihas of Latin School was trying to catch up to her teammate.

Surtz surged on the Route 29 portion of the course trying to increase the lead. Stromsland would not let her go.

The Lakes Community sophomore finally caught up with 800 meters left. The two ran side by side as two made the jig-jog into the final 300-meters of the race. Stromsland surged at that point staying into the middle of the course behind the lead truck. Surtz preferred the right side of the course closer to the fans.

That made a difference as Stromsland was able to surge up that four-degree incline heading to the finish without Surtz able to respond to the move.

Stromsland at 16:32. Surtz at 16:35. What a race. The two will race against each other at two more state meets on this course. I can’t wait for that.

“I did not expect this,” a happy Stromsland said after her race. “I knew I was in the running because of the times this season. My goal today was just to break 17-minutes. I just did not want to go out fast with the other girls. That is what usually kills me. I just focused on running my own race. At two-miles I knew I was in it with a chance to win. It never crossed my mind that I would be that close today.”

Mihas moved up and passed her teammate in the final 300-meters as she finished third running 17:04. Parekh finished fourth (17:08).

Belvidere North knew what kind of challenge that they would be facing entering this meet having won the Woodstock North Sectional which was considered the toughest Girls sectional. In that meet, they won by 30 points ahead of Vernon Hills and Prairie Ridge.

That order was the same on Saturday as Belvidere North won their second state title in three years with 113 points. The power of their pack in the front was the difference. Giana Sagona and Madison Diercks led the way finishing sixth and seventh. Sagona ran 17:19 while Diercks finished in 17:30. Sydnie Elder was the team’s third all-state runner as she finished 21^st. Catlin Corso (41^st) and Trina Kazluski (73^rd) were the team’s fourth and fifth runners. Keep an eye on the Blue Thunder in 2019. Their entire top seven in this year’s race were all underclassmen.

Vernon Hills finished third in the 2A race the past three years. It was different this season as they scored 148 points to finish second with no all-state runners. It was a total team effort for the Cougars as they were led by the 26^th-place finish from freshman Emma Wakefield. They only had a 30 second split on their top five runners. Hannah Ray (36^th), Payton Makowskyj (42^nd), Leah Wilkowski (43^rd), and Ryan Schofield (47^th) were part of that group.

Prairie Ridge finished a memorable season finishing third earning the Girls program their first state team trophy. The Wolves scored 219 points to edge Normal University by two points. Chelsea Gale became a two-time all-state runner by finishing 13^th overall to lead her team. Michaela Pieroni (33^rd), Carsen Forte (37^th), Katie Harth (98^th), and Alaura Busch (100^th) followed.