Katelynne Hart hugging her father after her fourth-place NXN finish (Mike Newman Photo)

By Michael Newman

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Congratulations to Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn as she has been chosen as the 2017 ILXCTF.com Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year in the state of Illinois.

During her freshman year in 2016, Hart finished third in her first ever high school race. She has gone undefeated against Illinois runners during the IHSA season. We found out how talented Hart was that freshman season which ended up with her finishing 18^th at the Nike Cross Nationals.

During this past season, we saw Hart develop into more of a skilled racer. Instead of going full tilt in every race, Hart picked her moments when she would go out. That showed in her 16:08 that she ran early in the year at Lake Park. It showed in the 16:15 that she ran at the Naperville Twilight Invitational just missing Judy Pendergast’s course record by tenths of a second. She will get that in the next two years.

Using different strategies during races during the season leading up to the state meet paid off when Hart turned to post-season racing. Her sectional and state wins were a matter of Hart picking her moment to pull away from Evanston’s Enyaeva Michelin for the win.

Hart did what she needed to do in winning the NXR Midwest Regional race and conserving energy to finish second in the Foot Locker Midwest Regional. She knew she had two big races ahead.

In the next two weeks, Hart finished fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals and then followed that up the following week by finishing second at the Foot Locker Nationals.

The two races qualified her for the United States National Team for the Great Edinburgh Cross-Country Challenge on January 13 in Scotland.

By the time that Hart runs her last time on the Detweiller Park course her senior year in 2019, she will be the most decorated Illinois prep runner in state history. It will be fun to watch her on that journey over the next two years.

Acknowledgements also need to go out to Sarah Schmitt of Naperville North and Enyaeva Michelin of Evanston Township who were also considered for this award. Schmitt came on and the end of the year finishing fourth in the 3A State race. Schmitt followed that up qualifying for both national races placing fifth at the NXR Midwest Regional and fourth in the Foot Locker Midwest Regional. In the national races, Schmitt was just as strong in finishing eight in both the Nike Cross Nationals and the Foot Locker Nationals. Michelin was the most improved runner in Illinois finishing second in the IHSA 3A State Meet and running under 17-minutes four times during the season.