Last year was a big year for the area’s larger girls cross-country teams.
Columbus North finished fifth in the state, and Columbus East and Jennings County made it to semistate. Brown County likely would have made the semistate if not for injury and illness to two of their runners the week of the regional.
Those teams will try to make it back to those levels this fall. Here is a look at them and other area girls cross-country teams:
Columbus North
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The Bull Dogs are ranked No. 3 in the state in IndianaRunner.com’s preseason poll behind Carmel and two-time defending champion Fort Wayne Carroll. The website touts those three teams as state title contenders.
“That’s what we’ve been training for,” North coach Rick Sluder said. “We feel like we could be as good as anybody in the state, and that’s kind of what we set our goal toward. We feel if we run our best, we can match up with anybody.”
Sophomore Brianna Newell and senior Mackenzie Barnett spent most of last season going back and forth as the Bull Dogs’ No. 1 and No. 2 runners. Sophomore Lily Baker shared the No. 3 spot with the graduated Olivia Morlok.
Sophomores Jessica Meza and Ellen White also ran varsity last year, as did senior Aric Tong, who battled injuries. They are being pushed by sophomores Julie Klaus and Sydney Morlok and juniors Abby Jacobi and Katherine Rumsey.
“We’re pretty deep, we think,” Sluder said. “We are definitely 10 deep or more with good varsity material. We should be strong really deep into our lineup.”
In fact, North returns 13 of its top 15 runners.
“The girls have looked great,” Sluder said. “We have good numbers like last year. All our girls have been putting in a ton of work both on their own before we started meeting and through July. We can wait to get to the first meet.”
Columbus East
The Olympians will look to make a return trip to semistate with seven returners who saw significant varsity action.
“We’re pretty confident with where we are,” East coach Jesse Shoaf said. “Our top girls are in as good a shape as we have been. They did a lot of training on their own. I expect for us to be kind of where we were last year.”
Sophomore Chloe Krueger was the Olympians’ No. 1 runner most of last season. Juniors Laurel Knight and Olivia Shoaf weren’t far behind.
Junior Jordan Spurgeon, sophomore Riley Carothers, junior Mallory Rupp and senior Elizabeth Stevens also ran varsity last year.
“The depth has kind of been one of the issues we’ve been dealing with,” Shoaf said. “That’s been our most difficult things — just getting the word out for the new girls who want to come out for the team. With everything going on, there’s a little bit of a delay in the process of things. But I think everyone is doing well in their conditioning. We have a lot of returning runners, and we anticipate doing well this year.”
Hauser
After struggling to field five runners to be able to score as a team last season, the Jets will begin this season with six runners.
Four of those runners are returners, led by senior Tammy Essex. Essex was a regional qualifier as an individual as a sophomore before battling injuries last season.”
“She’s back healthy now,” Hauser coach Ben Finke said. “I think she could probably work for (regional) again and see if it could happen.”
Seniors Addison Jones, Kaitlyn Everroad and Lexi Tallent are the other returners. They are joined by sophomore newcomer Reiss Kistler, and sophomore Amanda Steward, a transfer from Indianapolis Lutheran.
“These four seniors have experience, and working together, I think they could score pretty well at conference,” Finke said. “I think we’ll have better team scores with this set of girls.”
Jennings County
The Panthers have been to semistate five consecutive years, but their string of Southwestern (Hanover) Sectional titles was snapped by Charlestown last season.
“That’s kind of our motivation this year,” Jennings coach Leah McLeod. “We’re hoping to get our sectional title back and finish in the top half of our (Hoosier Hills) conference.”
Senior Elizabeth Wahlman was the Panthers’ No. 2 runner last season, followed closely by sophomore Halle Franks and senior Heather Sea. Junior Rilee Hicks and senior Gabby Wallace also ran varsity.
Senior Sam Sproles also has been a varsity runner in previous years. Freshmen Elizabeth Evans could be in the team’s top three, and freshman Sarah Poole and junior Reagan Brown could land varsity spots.
“I am really excited right now,” McLeod said. “Elizabeth Wahlman and Halle Franks are just running lights out right now and are competing for that No. 1 spot, and Elizabeth Evans is running great. I think they’re a little bit more competitive right now because they haven’t been able to play sports all spring.”
Brown County
The Eagles were runner-up in their own sectional last season, but didn’t have enough runners to score as a team at the regional.
Sophomore Hadley Gradolf qualified for state as an individual, finishing 59th. Senior Emie Koester has been to semistate the past two years, and sophomore Abby Fleetwood was the team’s No. 1 runner last season before getting a stress fracture.
“We’re going to have a nice 1-2-3, and 4 and 5, if we can get them going, we have a shot to do some things,” Brown County coach Rob Abraham said. “We have to keep them healthy. The key for us this year will be our three pack up front. If we can just get those three to work together early in the race, good things can happen.”
Looking to fill those spots are freshman Lexie Austin and senior returner Emma DeBord. Freshman Madelyn Purlee gives the Eagles a sixth runner.
South Decatur
The Cougars return four varsity runners from a team that finished third in the Mid-Hoosier Conference.
Senior Ali Boilanger was the team’s No. 2 runner. Sophomores Addison Baltus, Elizabeth Flessner and Abigail Collins also are back.
Freshmen Kate Hamilton, Brayley Sundal, Claire Schottmer and Emma Gatewood figure to make an immediate impact.
“They’re going to help quite a bit,” South Decatur coach Bethany Fromer said. “I think they’re going to be up there in my top five this year. I’m looking forward to seeing the girls pack together more than they have in the past.”
Edinburgh
The Lancers figure to be able to score as a team this season after having only three runners in last year’s sectional.
Sophomores Hannah Pile and Ciera Myers are the two returners from that race. Senior Brianna Tomlin is back after running two years ago.
The group is joined by a trio of newcomers in sophomore Chloe Greathouse and freshmen Alana Hobbs and Izzy Richardson.
“The key is staying healthy with everything else going on,” Edinburgh coach Amy Schilling said. “I think we can have a pretty strong team.”
Trinity Lutheran
Columbus resident Jim Kay takes over the Cougars program.
Kay takes over for Jennifer Hildreth. Hildreth’s daughter, senior Abby Hildreth, is the team’s lone runner.
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Girls cross-country schedules for Bartholomew County teams:
Columbus East
Aug. 19;at Brown County Challenge;5:45 p.m.
Aug. 22;at Zionsville Invitational;8:30 a.m.
Aug. 25;vs. Columbus North at Ceraland;5 p.m.
Aug. 29;at Rushville Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 5;at Columbus North Classic;9 a.m.
Sept. 12;at Ben Davis Invitational;9:30 a.m.
Sept. 19;at Jennings County Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 26;at BNL Ted Fox Invitational;9 a.m.
Oct. 3;HHC at Jennings County;9 a.m.
Columbus North
Aug. 19;at Brown County Challenge;5:45 p.m.
Aug. 25;vs. Columbus East at Ceraland;5 p.m.
Sept. 5;Columbus North Classic;9 a.m.
Sept. 12;at Brown County Eagle Classic;8:30 a.m.
Sept. 19;Conference Indiana at Ceraland;9 a.m.
Sept. 26;at Shelbyville Golden Bear Invitational;8:30 a.m.
Oct. 3;Nike Valley Twilight at Terre Haute;6:45 p.m.
Hauser
Aug. 22;Small School Invitational at Blue River Park;10:30 a.m.
Aug. 29;at Rushville Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 1;at Greensburg (with South Decatur);5 p.m.
Sept. 5;at East Central Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 12;at Whiteland Invitational;8:30 a.m.
Sept. 19;MHC at Blue River Park;9 a.m.
Sept. 26;Heritage Day Classic;9 a.m.
Sept. 29;at Morristown;5 p.m.
Oct. 1;at Greensburg Invitational;5 p.m.
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