Kennady Anderson is runner of the year
A state trophy winner and all-state runners highlighted the Peoria area’s 2023 Illinois High School Association girls cross country season.
Peoria Notre Dame ended its season by claiming third place at the Class 1A state meet. Three local 1A runners were among the state’s top runners this season, finishing in the top 25.
Here are the 2023 Journal Star girls cross country runner of the year and the all-area team. ROY is listed first, followed by all-area picks in alphabetical order.
Kennady Anderson, Annawan/Wethersfield
The 2023 runner of the year dominated her final high school season. Anderson made herself a three-time all-state finisher by taking seventh in a personal best 17:23.6 at the Class 1A state meet. She had been third (19:35.0) at the Oregon Sectional after a runner-up finish (18:35.5) to start her senior postseason at the Bureau Valley Regional. The senior never finished lower than seventh, winning the Lincoln Trail Conference championship (17:39.6) and Galesburg Silver Streak Invitational (18:18.7). Her two runner-up finishes came at the Annawan/Wethersfield Titan Invitational (18:53.0) and Illinois-Iowa Board Wars Invitational (18:49.6).
Meika Bender, Eureka
The junior never finished outside of the top 20 in the 10 races she ran during her third varsity season. She took allstate honors by placing 20th in a personal best 17:53.8 at the 1A state meet. Bender began her postseason by taking third (20:16.1) at the Peoria Notre Dame Regional, then winning the Elmwood Sectional in 17:59.8. Her four other wins were highlighted by a victory at the Heart of Illinois Conference championship (17:57.8).
Morgan Coker, Pekin
The freshman carried the banner for all Class 3A area runners in 2023. She made it to her first-ever state meet by running 3-mile personal best 18:00.3 at the Granite City Sectional for a 17th place finish. This came on the heels of Coker taking fifth (18:27.7) in the Plainfield Central Regional race. Her other highlights included a Canton Little Giant Invitational victory (20:26.4) along with taking third (18:29.5) in Mid-Illini Conference meet.
Sophia Ramirez, Washington
The 2022 runner of the year won her fair share of races during her sophomore season. She collected five victories out of eight races entered, highlighted by becoming the back-to-back Mid-Illini Conference champion (18:13.0) as well as the Metamora Regional champ (17:42.6). Ramirez also won the East Peoria Invitational in 19:06.6. She took 40th (18:17.2) at the 2A state meet after not running in sectionals the week prior.
Dusti Smith, Stark County
The freshman made a quiet statement in her first season running varsity. Smith was an all-stater following her 22nd-place finish, clocking in a personal best 18:03.9. Her first-ever two postseason races came with Smith taking third (20:22.4) at the Seneca Regional and going fifth (19:48.4) in the Oregon Sectional. She won the Kewanee Boiler Invitational (19:34.8) and finished second (18:28.9) at the Elmwood Invitational.
Abby Tudeen, Dunlap
The junior took a big step in her third season as a varsity runner. Tudeen improved on her 2A state meet finish by 10 spots, running a personal best 18:12.7 for a 33rd place finish. She was second (19:21.0) at the Galesburg Regional, then headed to Geneseo Sectional and snagged 11th place in 19:34.6. She was fourth (18:32.2) in the Mid-Illini Conference and clocked in third (18:44.6) at the Galesburg Silver Streak Invitational.