Peoria, IL — The 2026 Carterville Cross-country season concluded on a high note this Saturday, where, for the first time in almost a decade, both boys and girls represented the lions on a cold morning at Detweiller Park in Peoria. The girl’s started the IHSA class 2A competition with a stellar team race, finishing 21st, four places higher than last year, with a veteran squad that outperformed their state ranking for the third year in a row. Lyla Seaman led the team for the third consecutive race with yet another gutsy and consistent performance in her final high school race, followed by stellar races and personal bests from her fellow seniors Landry Crain and Liesel Balmforth. All three seniors will graduate with multiple varsity letters, three trips to the state meet, and will finish their careers at 3rd (Seaman), 12th (Crain), and 20th (Balmforth) on the Carterville all-time performance list for the three-mile distance. Thank you to our faithful seniors who have taken the lady lions to new heights in 2026! The future of the girl’s program is also in good hands, with several returning varsity runners. Lane Sambursky remains one of the top 800m runners in the state with longer-distance range to match. Claire Samples tied her personal best in the state race, and is poised to become a top runner in the Southern Sectional for years to come, while Alissa Ruiz also shows incredible potential with a PR at state despite an injury-shortened season. Finally, Rose Balmforth emerged as the most-improved runner in the state of Illinois this season, and is ready for even greater performances in 2027. We look forward to another stellar season next fall! In the boy’s race, sophomore Alex DeRuntz made the most of his first appearance at the state championships, clocking 15:50 against a high-class field despite running without his teammates, who vow to return with him next year. This is no idle boast, as all 5 scoring runners from the Sectional meet return in 2027, along with multiple junior varsity runners, and several middle-school athletes whose current accolades already set the stage for the largest collection of talent in Lion’s history. The future prospects of both boy’s and girl’s teams are certainly exciting, and we invite every family, friend, and fan to continue to support us next year and beyond! Go Lions! Full Results for IHSA State Championships: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/286996/info