Lemont Girls' Cross Country Posts Program's Best Finish Ever at IHSA State Finals

Lemont High School’s girls’ cross country just missed the program’s first-ever state trophy, but its first state finals appearance in three years still resulted in the best finish in program history. Head coach Tim Plotke’s Indians placed fourth at the 2014 IHSA Class 2A Girls’ Cross Country State Finals, which were contested on November 8 at Detweiller Park in Peoria. That showing easily bested the program’s previous best state finals finishes, and also included an all-state effort from junior Taylor Campos.

Lemont, which was competing in state finals team competition for the first time since 2011, ranked among the state’s top ten teams all season, and its state finals performance more than backed up that ranking. The Indians’ team score of 191 left them just four points short of a top-three finish at the event. Yorkville (79) captured its fourth straight IHSA Class 2A State Championship, while Lake Forest (165) and Dunlap (187) followed in second and third, respectively.

Campos was Lemont’s top finisher on the 3-mile course, crossing the line in 17:56 for a 23rd-place finish among 216 competitors. She established a new school record time for a 3-mile race for the second straight week. The top 25 individuals earn a medallion denoting all-state recognition. Peoria Notre Dame’s Maryjeanne Gilbert was the individual state champion, beating her closest competitor by a full minute with her time of 16:12. Campos was making her second straight state finals appearance; she finished 60th individually in 2013.

Lemont’s next five finishers all finished within six seconds of each other. Sophomore Bridget Kunkel was 56th with her time of 18:34, while junior Claire Gagen was 59th in 18:35. Junior Gabby Voltarel (63rd) and freshman Beata Drozda (65th) finished in a dead heat with times of 18:37, and freshman Celine Ratulowski was 67th with a time of 18:40. Senior Jorie Dybcio (124th; 19:25) also competed for Lemont.

Lemont was making its seventh team state finals appearance in girls’ cross country. After making its initial appearance in 1991, it advanced to state finals competition five straight years from 2007-2011. Prior to this season, the Indians’ best placements were a pair of 16th-place finishes in 2008 and 2010.

While the program was making its first team appearance since 2011, Plotke’s squad was represented at the state finals for the eighth straight year. The Indians advanced individuals to the IHSA Class 2A State Finals each of the last two years, including Gagen as a freshman in 2012, and Campos as a sophomore in 2013. Prior to Campos’ 23rd-place finish this season, Gagen (54th in 2012) had the best placement for a Lemont runner in the individual standings since the girls’ state finals moved to a 3-mile course in 2002. Nikole Hoster ‘98 placed 12th on a 2-mile course at the 1996 IHSA Class AA State Finals to mark the program’s best individual state finals finish.

Lemont won the second IHSA Sectional title in school history to advance to the state finals, capturing the crown at
the IHSA Wheaton Academy Sectional at Kress Creek Farms in West Chicago on November 1. All seven of the team’s competitors finished among the event’s top 25. Campos was the Indians’ top finisher, crossing the line fourth overall with a time of 18:06.6 in the 3-mile race. Drozda (18:34.4) was ninth, joining Campos as an All-Sectional performer.

Kunkel (18:39.3) was 12th individually, while Voltarel (18:45.2) and Ratulowski (18:52.2) followed in 14th and 15th, respectively. Gagen (20th; 18:58.2) and senior Dybcio (23rd; 19:11.7) rounded out Lemont’s sectional contingent.

Lemont eased to the sectional title with a team score of 45. outpacing Glenbard South (80) and Nazareth Academy (88), among others. Lemont’s only previous sectional title came in 2008.

The Indians advanced to the sectional after capturing the IHSA Rosary Regional on October 25. Kunkel (19:28.8) and Voltarel (19:54.3) each were All-Regional performers after finishing fourth and tenth, respectively. Ratulowski (12th; 20:03.6), Drozda (13th; 20:09.2), Gagen (17th; 20:20.5), Campos (19th; 20:31.2) and Dybcio (24th; 20:46.4) all placed among the top 25 individually. Lemont previously had won IHSA Regional titles in 1991, 2007 and 2008.

Lemont again won the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division cross country title this fall, posting a perfect team score of 15 while sweeping the top seven places in the individual standings. Ratulowski edged out Kunkel for a medalist finish, while Plotke was tabbed as the league’s Coach of the Year.

Girls’ cross country is the second Lemont High School sport to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. The boys’ golf team competed in the IHSA Class 2A State Finals.