Simpson Places 27th at State Cross Country
Hononegah freshman Haylie Simpson finished 27th at the IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Meet, one second from 25th place.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Swimming
Hononegah freshman Haylie Simpson placed 27th at the IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Meet, finishing in 17:13. Her time was one second from 25th place, while Hononegah's swimmer Peyton Hillabolt competed at the IHSA State Swimming and Diving Meet.
Why it matters
Simpson's result and Hononegah's state representation in both cross country and swimming highlight the depth of Illinois high school athletic programs across seasons. The results give local athletes and families a benchmark for competitive performance at the state level.
Kara Glenn of St. Charles North won the girls race in 15:13, 48 seconds ahead of second place, a time that set a national record for the fastest three-mile high school female cross country time. Jack McLarty of Hononegah placed 44th in 14:53.
The players
Haylie Simpson
Hononegah freshman runner who placed 27th at the IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Meet.
Kara Glenn
St. Charles North runner who won the girls Class 3A state cross country race in a national-record time.
Peyton Hillabolt
Hononegah swimmer who competed at the IHSA State Swimming and Diving Meet after winning the 100-butterfly at sectionals.
The details
The IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Meet was held November 7 at Detweiler Park in Peoria, with York finishing first in team standings, 14 points ahead of New Trier. Hillabolt also won the 100-butterfly at the sectional meet, finishing in 59.40, while Hononegah's girls team placed second behind Byron, which scored 331 points.
Timeline
- November 7, 2026: IHSA Class 3A State Cross Country Meet held at Detweiler Park in Peoria.
Season Trajectory
The results place Hononegah's athletes within the IHSA's class-based state championship structure, where teams and individuals compete across divisions for statewide recognition. Simpson's finish and Hillabolt's state qualification extend the school's showing across two separate seasons.
Hillabolt's qualification for the state swimming meet and Simpson's top-30 cross country finish show Hononegah fielding competitors in two different seasons this fall. Readers following Illinois high school athletics can track both programs through the state meet results.
The takeaway
Individual state-level finishes like Simpson's 27th place show how much a single second can separate qualifiers from alternates at the state level. Tracking results across sports gives a fuller picture of school athletic programs.
Further reading
For more on Illinois high school competition, see Swimming coverage across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Beloit Daily News.
