PND’s Kirby wins 2025 CSM Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year

There’s fast and then there’s Peoria Notre Dame’s Maxwell Kirby. 

The Irish junior blazed his way to more than a handful of under 15-minute times, a Big 12 Conference championship and several postseason accolades, all while leading PND to one of its best seasons in recent memory. 

Kirby is Clutch Sports Media’s 2025 Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year after finishing sixth at the Class 2A State Finals and earning first-team all-state honors for the second consecutive year. 

PND’s top runner finished no worse than 10th in each of his 10 races during the season, highlighted by winning the Big 12 title in 14:49.2 and the Class 2A Limestone Regional title in 14:49.1. A sectional champion in 2024, Kirby placed second at the Class 2A Geneseo Sectional before running a personal-best 14:20.6 at state. 

Kirby’s Irish team weathered a jump up from Class 1A to Class 2A in 2025 and won a regional title before finishing second, only by two points, at sectionals. As a sophomore in 2024, the PND ace won regional and sectional titles and went on to place fourth at the Class 1A State Finals with a time of 14:47.6. 

During the regular season, Kirby’s efforts assisted PND in winning the Big 12 title, the Class 2A race at the First to the Finish Invitational, placing second at Metamora’s Gene Jones Runnin’ Red Invite, and taking 10th at PND’s highly-competitive Richard Spring Invite.

Kirby was one of six CSM Boys Cross Country All-Area First Team runners and one of five Irish runners to earn all-area honors, along with John Baker, Dax Duffy, Luke Fady and Joshua Stedwill.

Hear more from Kirby in our interview with him below, some responses have been minimally edited for clarity.

What have you been able to reflect on in the days since the season has ended? 

“I’ve been able to reflect on how successful the season was for the team and for me.  All the hard work we put in over the summer and throughout the season really showed up when we needed it most.”

What inspired your love for running? 

“Honestly, what inspired my love for running was the community that comes with running.  Running itself would not be nearly as fun if it were not for the people I was running with.”

Where is your favorite place to run?

“My favorite place to run is probably Detweiller [Park].”

What’s a motto or mindset you take when you’re competing?

“My mindset when competing is just every step is one step closer to the finish and just keep holding on, let the training do the work.”

Aside from winning, what was your favorite memory of the season? 

“My favorite memory this season aside from winning was definitely all the bus rides with the team, they always know how to have a good time.”

What are your future plans or aspirations?

“My future plans are to run and at the collegiate level and make a name for myself there.”