Northwest Herald girls cross country preview: Five to watch in 2022

Hadley Ferrero, Crystal Lake Central, so.

Ferrero burst onto the scene last year and quickly made herself known on her way to becoming the Northwest Herald Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. She did not lose to another local runner the entire season and won the Fox Valley Conference championship. Ferrero went on to take fourth in the Class 2A State Meet, helping the Tigers reach the meet as a team.

Bella Gonzalez, Crystal Lake South, sr.

Gonzalez is a three-time All-Area first-team selection and was the 2020 Northwest Herald Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. She helped the Gators to the FVC championship and a second-place finish at the Class 2A State Meet, where she finished ninth. It was her second top-10 finish at state, where she took 10th as a freshman.

Abby Machesky, Crystal Lake South, jr.

Machesky turned in two standout seasons for the Gators and was an All-Area first-teamer both times. South coach Ken Greenfield held Machesky back early in the season to recover from an injury and she was ready when she returned to competition. She finished sixth in the FVC Meet, then took 15th in the state meet to help South to second place.

Jocelyn Onstot, Cary-Grove, sr.

Onstot started her junior year for the Trojans by taking second place at the McHenry County Meet and continued to run strong all year. She finished third in the FVC Meet, behind Ferrero and Gonzalez, then was 22nd in the Class 2A State Meet to earn All-State honors. She was an All-Area first-teamer.

Rachel Soukup, Prairie Ridge, sr.

Soukup’s season with the Wolves was in question late in 2021 as she missed the FVC Meet while recovering from some hip soreness. But after some rest, she turned it on in the postseason and finished seventh in the Class 2A State Meet. She is a two-time All-Area first-team selection.