A look at the cross country teams across the county

Reaching the state meet is everyone’s goal in cross country.

Last season, Morenci almost reached that goal in boys cross country.

“We were only six points away,” Bulldog coach Zach Phillips said. “That stung. This team has the talent and work ethic to qualify this year.”

Onsted had one of its strongest teams in years and head coach Trevor VanValkenburg said the team put in the miles in the off-season.

“We worked out three times a week and logged a lot of miles,” he said. “There was great turnout for summer workouts and a lot of the athletes are ahead of where teams have been in the past at this point.”

Adrian was far and away the best team at the Lenawee County Preview on Saturday.

On the girls side all eyes are on Emmry Ross.

The Onsted junior ran the fastest time ever for a Lenawe County girl last season at 17:47 and won the 400 and 800 at the state track and field meet last spring.

“It will be tough for anyone in the county to beat Emmry,” Onsted coach Trevor VanValkenburg said.

SURPRISE RUN: Adrian, Blissfield girls win regional titles

FINAL RUN: Adrian boys take fourth at states, Ross third

Here’s a look around the county:

ADDISON 

Coach: Jamie Morris

Returning boys runners: Junior Logan Heckaman, Sophomore Michael Shaw.

Returning girls runners: Seniors Maggie Frost and Jade Shaw; Juniors Stephanie Hernandez and Allison Morris; Sophomore Alisha Gahn.

New boys: Senior Jaden Cooper, Junior Coen Vaughn, Freshmen Noah Lucas and Lawrence Parsell.

New girls: Junior Ellie Woodcock and freshmen Kendalyn Perry and Kylie Morris.

Coach says: “We have several new guys that really have demonstrated that they plan to work hard this season. Our guys have good team skills and will continue to improve this season. Hernandez is returning for her third year and eyeing a return to the state meet. Stephanie is not only fast, but she is a great teammate who puts in the work and helps build the team. Perry is a talented freshman. As a freshman she is well respected by her pears on the team.

“Together they have a lot of potential as a team. Morris and Hernandez are two very strong junior girls with lots of potential and experience. Perry will be fun to watch as she makes her debut. Frost and Shaw are senior girls with excellent leadership and grit.”

ADRIAN 

Coach: Tom MacNaughton

Returning boys runners: Seniors Braylon Petty and Matt Canales and sophomore Moises Salazar.

Returning girls runners: Seniors Yoselin Fermin-Compos and Anastee Davis; Junior Sophy Skeels.

New boys: Carter Fenner, Silas Skeels.

New girls: Ayda Skeels, Carlee Bakewell.

Coach says: “Even though the boys graduated three of the top five runners, we still have a very strong group led by Braylon, Moises and Matt. The boys have a very good chance of winning the conference and an even better chance of winning the region for the first time in decades.

"The girls lost two of the top five from last year but should still be very strong with three runners who have a chance to be All-State."

BLISSFIELD 

Coach: Ryan Bills, second year at Blissfield

Returning boys runners: Junior Evan Vore and sophomore Nathan Cole.

Returning girls runners: Senior June Miller; Junior Carly Sexton; Sophomores Hope Miller and Hailey Sills.

New boys: Senior Willie Marks; Junior Ian Waddell; freshman Kaleb Stutzman, Jackson Jordan, Alex Goetz and Phillip Buechele Sloan.

New girls: Freshman Anna Hallett and Kaleea Braun.

Coach says: “I am glad to have more than five boys total on the team this year. It’s been a fun summer training and I’m excited to see how our season ends up. With three tough girls returning and a couple of strong freshmen, I’m excited for this season.”

BRITTON DEERFIELD 

Coach: Megan Bower

Returning boys runners: Juniors Jameson Watson and Ben Isaly, sophomore Logan Johnson.

Returning girls runners: Juniors Aubrey Appleman, Brooklyn Hilyard and Abby Zandarski.

New boys: Junior Ryan Good and freshmen Carter Wiles and Andrew Calvert.

New girls: Freshman Kaylynn Sneed.

Coach says: “The kids are passionate about competing and are always hungry to grow and learn. Last year we set a good foundation that we are looking forward to building off of. This is a young team with lots of potential. I am looking forward to seeing what the upcoming freshman can do. The boys also have a full team this year, which hasn’t happened in a couple years. They are looking to make some strides into competing as a full team.

"I’m hopeful our girls will compete and challenge the other teams in the league. Our goal as a team is to take each race and season as a stepping stone. We are going to raise the standards, break PR’s and we are going to compete."

CLINTON 

Coach: Kurt Hillegonds

Returning boys runners: Seniors Lucas Goodman, Justin Celmer and Reed Patrick; Juniors Gabe Manchester and Eric Ramsey.

Returning girls runners:  Seniors Cylee Elkins, Samantha Coots, Allison Bowles, and Emma Shankleland; Juniors Sarah King and Zoey Sierer.

New boys: Freshman Cole Hillegonds, Ronan Stelzer and Austin Strand.

New girls: Aurelia Bennett

Clinton was third in the LCAA last season, second in the regional and finished in the top 20 at the state meet. Seniors Elkins, Coots and Bowles have a ton of experience and competed at the state meet. Hillegonds said if this team keeps working hard it could be among the best team he’s had.

Briefly talk about the league you are in, the best teams and where you think your team fits into that: We are in a tough league and a tough region. We are hoping that we can develop our athletes and bust out some great performances to be towards the top of the pack in the finals races.

HUDSON

Coach: Matt Carpenter (boys), Angela Czeiszperger (girls)

Returning boys runners: Seniors Alex Czeiszperger, Gage Manarino, and Michael Sandy; Juniors Jackson Jones, Brody Tinkey, Cyrus Arnett, and Isaac St. John.

Returning girls runners: Juniors Teagan Arredondo, Jayla Bright, Malia Grayer, Pierce Pibbles, Courtney Rodifer, and Keegan Shaffer; Sophomores Annabelle Czeiszperger and Taylor Kopin.

New boys: Freshman Spencer Anderson.

New girls: Freshman Miley Rising.

Coach Carpenter says: “We have a lot of talent and experience. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of depth. How well we do will come down to our No. 5 runner.”

Coach Czeiszpeger says: "We have a lot of hard workers and a lot of drive to improve this year. Summer running has been great, and we are looking forward to seeing where the season takes us."

LENAWEE CHRISTIAN 

Coach: Ben Bloom

Returning boys runners: Senior Nathan Daniels; Juniors Joel Lange, Kaleb Richardson, and Landon Chadek.

Returning girls runners: Senior Faith Verlinde; Juniors Izzy Brooks and Emerson Holsopple and sophomore Sam Shane.

New girls: Freshman Kendall Plate.

Coach says: “We’re a talented group that’s low on numbers. If we can get to the regionals with five healthy guys, we may have a shot at getting back to the state meet for the fourth year in a row. This team has the ability to rally behind Izzy and qualify again for the state meet. If this team can qualify for the fifth year in a row, it’d be an amazing accomplishment with everyone we’ve graduated over the years. Kids would be stepping up in a big way.”

MADISON 

Coach: Jim Sperling

Returning boys runners: Juniors Mark Goodlock and Wesley Miner; sophomores Paul McClure, Bryson Ballantyne and Carson Warner.

Returning girls runners: Ashlyn Hill.

New boys: Junior Royce Goold and sophomores Trenton Fetter and Manuel Bowman.

Coach says: “After graduating four of my top boys, it’s hard to tell which boys will be on top until a few meets in. Five are looking pretty solid. Ashlyn should do much better this year as she is healthy. She missed a good share of last season with injuries.”

MORENCI 

Coach: Zach Phillips

Returning boys runners: Juniors Beau Shaffer, Zach Martinez and Wyatt Berger.

Returning girls runners: Senior Leah Rorick and sophomore Emersyn Bachelder.New: Senior Kiana Castillo and sophomore Evelyn Joughin.

New boys: Freshmen Ryan McClain, Landon Wilkins, David Bauer, and Kylan Lester.

Coach says: “We have no seniors but a good mix of juniors and freshmen. Beau Shaffer and Zach Martinez put in a lot of miles in this summer and are already near their career best times. They both are very motivated after missing a team state qualifying spot by six points last season. Beau and Zach are exceptional leaders, they push each other and make everyone around them better.

"So far we only have four girls and all four girls dual sport volleyball. Leah and Emersyn will be in action at all meets with Cross Country being their primary. Kiana and Evelyn will only run at a few meets where volleyball permits. There is a lot of potential in this team to qualify for state if we are able to find a fifth girl."

ONSTED

Coach: Trevor Van Valkenburg

Returning boys runners: Seniors Sam Hallenbeck and Ethan Grulke; Juniors James Bayes, Mitchell Hiatt, and Jordan Watkin, sophomore Drake Bosse.

Returning girls runners: Senior Gretchen Gautz; Juniors Emmry Ross, Allie England, and Jordyn Taylor; sophomores Raegan Brosamer and Emma Grulke.

New boys: Junior Jonas Butler, sophomore Hunter Vanzant and freshmen Nick Holmes and Joel Sniegowski.

New girls: Freshmen Izabel Raglow, Chloe Gemalsky, Jaelyn Gwinner, and Mattie Hallenbeck.

Coach says: “This is a young team but with a little more depth than last season.  We lose a great runner in Brody Amthor (currently running at Trine University) but have more runners capable of fast times this season. I hope to be competitive in the LCAA and in most of the invites we run in. This will be another good, talented team following up last year’s team that finished sixth at the state finals.  We have good depth and plenty of varsity experience returning.  Five girls on this year’s team ran at the state finals last season.”

SAND CREEK 

Coach: Mike Zyla

Returning boys runners: Junior Caleb Johnson, sophomores Nick Trame and Jordan Hassenzahl.

Returning girls runners: Junior Faith Beardmore and sophomores Victoria Williams and Payton Steinke.

New boys: Senior Josh Russell; Sophomore Ben Wheeler; Freshmen Silas Daniels, Grady Hazelwood, Tre Flunker, Noal Hassenzahl, and Gavin Eack.

New girls: Seniors Denae Covey and Destyni Monroe; sophomores Madison Monroe and Jocelyn Schoonover; freshmen Jules Tanner and Dannyell Grimes.

Coach says: “Last year was a down year by our standards (sixth in the TCC), but we should be vastly improved this year. Not only have our returning runners improved, but we have a solid group of five freshmen, as well. While we are a small team numbers wise, we do return three runners out of our top five. Our new high school runners are a mix between two freshmen who ran junior high cross country last year, and four newcomers.”

TECUMSEH 

Coach: Wes Harden (boys), Andy Ewing (girls)

Returning boys runners: Grant Fahle, Owen Streiter- Bryon, Marshall Peacock, Max Maten, Palmer Ziemer.

Returning girls runners: Seniors Elle Nowak and Miriam Rick; Juniors Madison Morris and Jessica Warren; Sophomores Claire Cousineau and Elsie Russell.

New boys: Carter Brindamour

New girls: Freshmen Maelle Francis, Kaylee Hicks, London Landini, Leila Morris, Camryn Nowak, and Maya Whelan.

Coach Harden says: “We want to be competitive in the SEC. It’s a tough league with Adrian, Chelsea, and Pickney all placing in the top 10 at the Division 2 cross country state meet.”

Coach Ewing says: "We are young team this year, only returning three varsity runners and adding six freshmen. Our expectations are to develop into a competitive team that will compete to the best of our abilities."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: A look around the Lenawee County cross country teams