Girls Cross Country Preview: new faces ready to replace some of area's top runners ever
It's hard to deny that the area had some talented runners last season.
And while the local scene will be missing the likes of Norwayne's Jaylee Wingate and Annabel Stanley and Rittman's Pyper Gibson, all of whom earned a handful of All-Ohio medals and broke various records in their careers, the area returns a host of runners poised to keep that tradition of excellence going.
Fellow all-state runners in Smithville's Kaitlyn Carr and Tess Shultz are eager to build upon breakout 2022 seasons, while returning veteran Noelle Smith will look to get West Holmes back to the state meet as a team.
Other veterans like Clara Sundberg (Waynedale), Emberlynn Nolt (Dalton), Merrick Gibson (Rittman) and Lillith Dreibelbis (Norwayne) also are back, along with a host of newcomers eager to make names for themselves.
Here's a look at the area's teams:
Central Christian
Coach: Mark Woods (sixth season)
Last season: first in MBC, no postseason team
Returning runners: Angela Miller (Sr.), Grace Jarvis (Sr.), Lilly Kindbom (So.), Micah Kozel Steiner (So.)
Newcomers: Julia Drake (Sr.), Kate Holton (So.), Sarah Drake (Fr.)
Outlook: The Comets will lean on the leadership of Miller and Jarvis this upcoming season. Miller and Jarvis return with the second- and third-fastest times from a season ago, while Woods also expects a breakout season from Kozel-Steiner.
Chippewa
Coach: Scott Geiser (third season)
Last season: fifth in WCAL, 12th in D-II GlenOak District
Returning runners: Kelsey Newsom (Sr.), Abby Browning (Sr.), Emma Samsa (So.)
Newcomer: Cally West (So.)
Outlook: Both Newsom and West will be splitting their time between the cross country course and soccer pitch this season. The tandem, along with veteran runners Samsa and Browning, should be a nice pack for the Chipps, who are still looking for a fifth runner.
Best of 2022-23: All-Daily Record Girls Cross Country
Dalton
Coach: Jodi Augspurger (18th season)
Last season: second in WCAL, second in D-III Lorain District, fourth in D-III Youngstown Regional, 16th in D-III state
Returning runners: Ava Fivecoat (Sr.), Analeia Hershberger (Sr.), Janae Hostetler (Sr.), Ashley Lehman (Sr.), Emberlynn Nolt (Sr.), Mackenna Thiel (Sr.), Jordan Nussbaum (Jr.), Kendel Nussbaum (Jr.), Myah Lehman (So.), Samantha Thiel (So.)
Newcomers: Josslyn Reynolds (Sr.), Jamie Hofstetter (So.), Alexandra Nixon (So.), Brianne Funk (Fr.), Cora Hull (Fr.), Maya Wenger (Fr.)
Outlook: With six of its seven runners back from their state-qualifying team last fall, expectations for high for the Bulldogs. Nolt was among the fastest runners in the area, thanks to a 19:43.90, while Samantha Thiel (20:55.60) and Mackenna Thiel (21:26.77) both were among the top-30 local list.
Hiland
Coach: Jackie Kaufman (second season)
Last season: no team
Newcomer: Georgianna Miller (Fr.).
Outlook: After not having any runners participate in 2022, Miller will compete for the Hawks this fall. This is the freshman's first year in the sport.
Loudonville
Coach: Whitney Snyder (second season)
Last season: second in MBC, seventh in Lorain D-III District
Returning runners: Grace Ringler (Sr.), Allison Tournoux (Sr.), Tess Shultz (Jr.), Nora Lance (So.)
Newcomers: Ashlyn Campbell (Fr.), Bailey Henry (Fr.)
Outlook: Shultz had a breakout sophomore season, ending in an All-Ohio finish. With the fifth-fastest time (19:11.60) in the area last season — second-best among returners — Shultz is expected to a lead a Redbirds team with a mix of veterans and rookies.
Northwestern
Coach: Brent Martin (seventh season)
Last season: sixth in WCAL, 12th in Lorain D-III District
Returning runners: Kensie McCoy (Jr.), Kayla Cutter (Jr.)
Newcomer: Harmony Blake (Jr.)
Outlook: Cutter brings back the top returning time for a Huskies team that has just three runners this fall. A top-40 runner in the WCAL, she will look to build upon a career-low 25:13.72 in bringing along McCoy and Blake.
Norwayne
Coach: Tiah Wingate (first season)
Last season: first in WCAL, first in D-III Lorain District, second in D-III Youngstown Regional, ninth in D-III state
Returning runners: Raelana Moore (Sr.), Alayna Gubics (Sr.), Corinne McCall (Jr.), Scarlett Butler (Jr.), Maddy Kate Wolf (So.), Lillith Dreibelbis (So.)
Newcomers: Taylor Olszewski (Sr.), Kaylyn Licht (Fr.)
Preview: Despite losing talented runners in Jaylee Wingate and Annabel Stanley to graduation, the Bobcats are eager to build on an historic 2022 season. Dreibelbis had a breakout rookie season, clocking a 19:33.4, and should lead a strong pack of returnees including McCall, Butler and Wolf.
Orrville
Coach: Elle Shumney (second season)
Last season: fourth in PAC-7, 15th in D-III Lorain District
Returning runners: Aleah Daugherty (Jr.), Brenna Martin (Jr.), Kimberly Stoller (Jr.), Lisa Simmivanh (Jr.), Annie McAllister (So.)
Newcomers: Trista Sprowls (Fr.), Serenity Feliciano (Fr.), Madison Hilty (Fr.), Kinsley Martin (Fr.)
Outlook: McAllister posted the fastest time of any Red Rider last season, registering a 22:48.60, and will lead a team loaded with veterans and rookies. Look for Daugherty and Stoller to provide support to McAllister in a balanced lineup expected this fall.
Rittman
Coach: Matt Snyder (16th season)
Last season: fourth in WCAL, third in D-III Lorain District, fifth in D-III Youngstown Regional
Returning runners: Quinn Rufener (Sr.), Isabel Ward (Sr.), Merrick Gibson (Jr.), Bella Piciacchia (Jr.), Brooke Bowlby (So.), Olivia Rufener (So.), Jessica Schehl (So.)
Newcomers: Skyla Maimone (Jr.), Annabelle Snyder (Fr.), Adyson Fosen (Fr.), Ryver Ramsier (Fr.), Selah Amos (Fr.), Mirage Warner (Fr.), Cora Fink (Fr.)
Outlook: Losing the top runner in school history in Pyper Gibson won't be easy, but Rittman brings back a wealth of talent. Merrick Gibson (19:16.79) has the top returning time and Bowlby, who bounced back from an injury last fall to have a stellar track season, should lead the way, supported by talented rookies in Snyder, Fosen and Ramsier.
Smithville
Coach: Greg DeRodes (20th season)
Last season: no team, only individuals
Returning runners: Kaitlyn Carr (So.), Maggie Wenger (So.)
Newcomers: Maryn Erdman (Fr.), Ava Windhurst (Fr.)
Outlook: Carr earned All-Ohio honors in her first prep season, placing seventh at the D-III state meet. That leadership, along with Wenger, should help bring a pair of newcomers along. Erdman is expected to make an impact after placing at the middle school state meet.
Triway
Coach: Matt Woods (ninth season)
Last season: no team, only individuals
Returning runner: Ella Wigal (Jr.)
Newcomers: Reese Crilow (Jr.), Cassidy Self (Jr.), Loretta Johnson (So.), Lucy Acker (Fr.), Lily Fedorchak (Fr.), Martha Johnson (Fr.), Hannah Lamp (Fr.)
Outlook: Wigel had an impressive debut season on the course last fall, advancing to regionals, and should lead a loaded roster of newcomers. According to Woods, Self and Lamp should provide some support for Wigel as the Titans field their first full team in five years.
Tuslaw
Coach: Bethany Husted (second season)
Last season: third in PAC-7, 4th in D-III GlenOak District
Returning runners: Hannah Blandford (Sr.), Kayla Scheufler (Jr.), Samantha Bresaw (Jr.), Hailey Wood (So.)
Newcomers: Brianca Weygandt (Sr.), Adriana Pudloski (Fr.), Alyson Haught (Fr.)
Outlook: Both Wood (22:17.54) and Scheufler (22:42.30) are looking to build upon strong 2022 seasons and lead a young Mustangs team. Husted is expecting to have two freshmen, Pudloski and Haught, in the starting lineup to support some of those returnees.
Waynedale
Coach: Shauna Pittman (second season)
Last season: third in WCAL, fourth in D-III Lorain District, eighth in D-III Youngstown Regional
Returning runners: Clara Sundberg (Sr.), Anna Pittman (So.), Carleigh Lynch (So.)
Newcomers: none
Outlook: Sundberg is hoping to return to the state meet after just missing in 2022. The veteran did, however, register the sixth-fastest time in the area last season (19:12.50). Pittman (20:21.80) is also coming off of a strong season but, with just three runners, the Bears won't compete as a full team this fall.
West Holmes
Coach: Kevin Beachy (16th season)
Last season: fourth in OCC, second in D-II Cambridge District, fourth in D-II Pickerington Regional, 18th in D-II state
Returning runners: Autumn Conner (Sr.), Noelle Smith (Jr.), Lexy Starner (Jr.), Zora Starner (Jr.), Alexis Wagers (So.)
Newcomers: Peyton Carathers (Sr.), Katherine Kaster (So.), Serenity McClintock (So.), Alizah Sigler (So.)
Outlook: Fresh off their second straight state appearance, the Knights are eager to keep their late-season success going. Despite losing four letterwinners, the team brings back its top four runners led by Smith (19:26.70). The Starner sisters and Wagers also ran in the low 20-minute range last season.
Wooster
Coach: Holly Pope (fourth season)
Last season: third in OCC, eighth in D-I GlenOak District, 21st in D-I Youngstown Regional
Returning runners: Matti Dunlap (Sr.), Lillian Vance (Sr.), Rosalind Holt-Frank (Sr.), Keely Stasiowski (Sr.), Margaret McBride (Jr.), Clara Mariola (So.), Elli Gordon (So.)
Preview: After a breakout season by Dunlap, the Generals will look to build upon their regional trip last fall. Dunlap clocked a career-best 19:36.40 and is expected to lead that charge, along with returnees Holt-Frank, Stasiowski and Gordon.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Girls Cross Country: a team-by-team preview of the 2023 season
