A total of 1,800 runners from 331 different schools will compete in the eight races at the 2023 Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Final Cross-Country Meet this Saturday, October 14 at Maxwell Park in Normal, Illinois. There were 457 schools that entered the 2023 IESA state series. The sectional qualifying meets were held on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7. In all classes: Class 1A,2A,3A and for the first time 4A, there were eight sectionals held across the state and the top three teams plus the top seven individuals not on one of the top 3 teams advanced to the state meet. This is year No. 44 for the boys cross-country state series and year No. 43 for the girls state series. This will be year 1 of the four class system. From 1979 -1996 there was only one class of the state series. Starting in 1997 and continuing through 2011, the state series was divided into two classes. The three class state series went from 2012-2022. 2023 marks the first year for four classes in Cross-Country.
The eight races will be run on the two-mile course at Maxwell Park located next to Normal Parkside JHS. The schedule of races will be: Class 1A Girls at 9:15 a.m.; Class 1A Boys at 10:00 a.m.; Class 2A Girls at 10:45 a.m.; Class 2A Boys at 11:30 a.m.; Class 3A Girls at 12:15 p.m.; Class 3A Boys at 1:00 p.m.; Class 4A Girls at 1:45 p.m.; Class 4A Boys at 2:30 p.m.
Four separate awards ceremonies will be held in the main gymnasium of Normal West High School, 501 N. Parkside Rd, Normal, IL at the conclusion of each class. There is no admission fee. The Class 1A award ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. The Class 2A award ceremony will start at 1:00 p.m. The Class 3A award ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. The Class 4A award ceremony will start at 4:00 p.m. The top 25 individuals in each race will earn a medal. Trophies are awarded to the top four schools in each class and members of those teams each receive a medal.
A complete listing of the 2023 state qualifiers is available at the following link:
https://www.iesa.org/activities/cc/qualifiers_State.asp?Year=2023
A complete listing of the teams that advanced to the state meet and the individual winner of each sectional race is available at the following link: IESA Cross-Country State Qualifying Teams/Sectional Champions.
Complete final results for both the individuals and teams for all classes will be available from the IESA website (www.iesa.org) around 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
This is the 29th year the state meet has been held at Maxwell Park in Normal. Normal Parkside JHS is the host for the state meet.
For more information, please contact the IESA Cross Country Administrator Nicole Schaefbauer at 309-829-0114 or nicole@iesa.org.