Kelsey Schrader’s time of 16 minutes, 54 seconds at the IHSA Class 3A state meet would’ve won the earlier 2A race by two seconds. She would’ve been a state champion.

After finishing as the 2011 2A state runner-up and taking 10th place in the 3A race this year, Schrader didn’t complain about DeKalb’s untimely jump up in class. Instead, she saw it as a learning
opportunity.

“You get more out of it, a bigger pack to run with and more competition,” Schrader said. “It’s a little more enjoyable. Being in a bigger class really helps you reach limits you might not have thought you could.”