The area’s four largest girls cross-country teams had big years last year. Columbus North, Columbus East, Brown County and Jennings County all made it to semistate, and North ended up on the podium at state with a third-place finish.
Here is a look at those teams, along with others going into the 2021 season:
Columbus North
The Bull Dogs lost All-State runner Mackenzie Barnett, who now is running at Lipscomb, but return just about everyone else. With a couple of key additions, they hope to make a run at a state title.
“That’s our goal,” North coach Rick Sluder said. “As far as our top eight or nine go, we have everybody back but one. So we’re hoping to move up one or two spots and push for a state title.”
Junior Lily Baker finished 31st at state last year. Juniors Ellen White and Brianna Newell and seniors Katherine Rumsey and Abby Jacobi also ran in the state meet.
Junior Julia Kiesler, a move-in from California, has been running with the Bull Dogs’ top runners this summer.
“She will be right up front with our main group,” Sluder said. “She ran pretty equivalent times to what our girls ran when she was in California.”
Juniors Julie Klaus, Jessica Meza and Sydney Morlok and senior Alyssa Green also have varsity experience. Klaus, Baker and Newell ran on North’s 4×800-meter relay team that finished third at state in track this spring.
A pair of freshmen — Kyleigh Wolf and Sierra Newell — also figure to push for varsity spots.
“We have a good group up front,” Sluder said. “Our probably 1 through 10 or 1 through 11 are really tight. Some things are going to pop up. Who knows with COVID or an injury here or there, but that depth should help us quite a bit this year.”
Columbus East
The Olympians are looking for a big season with all but one runner returning from a semistate-qualifying squad.
“We’re pretty optimistic that we’re going to do well,” East coach Jesse Shoaf said. “Our goals as always are to do well in the conference and the tournament and get to semistate.”
Junior Chloe Krueger was the team’s top runner last season. Sophomore Carly Otte and senior Laurel Knight were the Nos. 2 and 3 runners.
Seniors Jordan Spurgeon and Olivia Shoafhave been running varsity since their freshman years.
“This core group has been carrying our team the past four years, and they’re leading the way,” Jesse Shoaf said. “I think we’ll have a pretty good core, and we’ll be competitive again.”
Seniors Mallory Rupp and Kerigan Greathouse and junior Riley Carothers also have varsity experience. Sophomore newcomer Victoria Chudar also is pushing for a spot.
Hauser
The Jets will have a small team with only three runners to begin the season.
Junior Amanda Steward was Hauser’s top runner last year. junior Reiss Kistler is the other returner, and they are joined by senior newcomer Callie Swegman.
“It would be great to have a complete team,” Hauser coach Ben Finke said. “But the kids we’ve got have worked hard all summer. They put in some miles and have been really consistent in their training, so we’re kind of getting a boost here at the start of the season.”
Jennings County
The Panthers have a new coach in former Jennings runner and basketball player Amanda (Speer) Young.
Juniors Halle Franks and Grace Gambrel were the Panthers’ top runners last season, when the Panthers made it to semistate. Freshmen Sasha Hicks and Avery Willhite could make an immediate impact.
Senior Rilee Hicks and sophomores Elizabeth Evans, Sarah Poole and Kristen Ponder return to the varsity. Newcomer Emily Baugess also could push for a spot.
“We’re going to have a very strong top five or six,” Young said. “We’re just working on building that internal competition to make the team stronger. It’s just who shows up and is willing to compete. One of the things I’m looking forward the most is to get these girls to give it everything they’ve got and continue their passion for running.”
Brown County
The Eagles took a big hit when returning state qualifier Abby Fleetwood transferred to Indian Creek. But they do return a two-time state qualifier in junior Hadley Gradolf.
Sophomore Madalyn Purlee also returns from last year’s semistate qualifying team. But the only other runner on this squad is sophomore Livie Austin, who was a manager last season.
“We’re trying to get some other people out,” Brown County coach Rob Abraham said. “They’re still working hard, and I’m proud of them because sometimes when you only have three girls on the team, it’s easy to get a little bummed out because you don’t have a team score.”
South Decatur
Despite not having any seniors, the Cougars have a team that they hope can contend for the Mid-Hoosier Conference title.
Sophomores Kate Hamilton, Emma Gatewood and Brayley Sundal were the team’s top runners last season. Junior Bridget Nobbe and sophomore Claire Schoettmer also were full-time varsity runners, and juniors Addison Baltus and Elizabeth Flessner split time.
Sophomore newcomer Maria Nobbe and freshman Kylie Best are pushing for varsity spots, along with junior Samantha Storm and sophomore newcomer Mary Schwering.
“The goal is to at least keep the top five pack together,” South Decatur coach Bethany Fromer said. “Teamwise, we have a shot at MHC.”
Edinburgh
With only three runners, the Lancers are hoping to add a couple more to be able to score as a team.
“I’m still working on it,” Edinburgh coach Amy Schilling said. “I hope to at least have a full team by the time we run our conference meet.”
Junior Chloe Greathouse and sophomore Alanna Hobbs return from last season. They are joined by senior newcomer Cheyenne Tabor.
Trinity Lutheran
The Cougars will begin the season with only two runners in sophomore newcomers Jocelyn Love and Cheyenne Campbell.
Both runners also are involved in other sports this fall. Campbell also is a volleyball player, while Love is a cheerleader.
“They’re multi-sport athletes, so they’re pretty athletic,” Trinity coach Jim Kay said. “I feel like playing multiple sports and developing your athleticism definitely helps more than just sticking to one sport. They’re definitely athletic kids.”
