The high school boys cross country season began Aug. 18.
Here are season previews for area schools.
Hiland
The Hawks will only have three runners this season, but fifth-year
coach Jackie Kaufman expects them to make some noise this season.
Junior Jake Troyer and sophomore Landon Troyer are returning
letter-winners and will be joined by freshman Trevin Yoder.
“We are excited for the addition of freshman Trevin Yoder,”
Kaufman said. “The two returners of Landon and Jake are both talented and
hardworking runners who will guide Yoder through his first season at a further
race distance (5k in high school versus 2 mile in middle school). The
combined leadership and work ethic will make for an exciting season with focus
on new personal improvements.”
Kaufman expects the two returners to fare well at the
conference meet and beyond.
“Our returning classmen Jake and Landon will make a dent in
the top 15 at IVC Championships with the expectation of faster times and better
placement in the postseason,” Kaufman said. “Based on last year's performance,
I foresee a great postseason run for both runners.”
West Holmes
Numbers will not be in the Knights’ favor this season.
“We have lost a lot of team members over the last couple
years and have not been able to replace them,” 18th-year coach Kevin Beachy
said. “Our team will be small.”
West Holmes returns four letter-winners in seniors Owen
Neville, Parker Garver and Owen Mallasch and junior Remy Beachy. They’ll be
joined by freshman Finn McClintock.
“We have several veteran runners and a newcomer who are
hungry to do well,” coach Beachy said. “We have a very small team, and because
of that will need to avoid injuries.”
West Holmes finished fifth in the Ohio Cardinal Conference
last season.
“Lexington, New Philadelphia, newcomer Dover and Wooster
will all be battling for the league championship,” coach Beachy said. “We would
like to be competitive after those bigger schools.”
Waynedale
Led by a 16th-place finish in the Division III state meet by
then-junior Jackson Varner, a two-time All-Ohioan, the Golden Bears logged a
top 10 finish in Ohio. Jaydon Varner, also a junior at the time, finished 43rd.
Their classmates, Wyatt Moore (90th) and Lucas Miller
(110th), and current sophomores Sebastian Schmeltzer and Noah Schmeltzer also
ran at the state meet, along with then-senior Nick St. John.
With all six state-tested runners back this year, there’s no
telling what fourth-year coach Shauna Pittman’s group might do. Other
letter-winners back include seniors Luke Lorentz and Braedon Lorentz and
sophomore Weston Moore. The additions of sophomore Jack Holcomb and freshman
Grayson Stiltner should fuel some intra-team competition.
“This season will be very similar to last year; however, I
hope to see us a little stronger as the boys have grown,” Pittman said. “We are
working hard mentally to help us reach the top WCAL position this year, but
because this league is loaded with amazing talent, we will have to work extra
hard again this season. We are hoping to get the chance to get back to state
again this year.”
Pittman said her team may have depth unprecedented for the
program, which could position Waynedale for a return to the WCAL top spot,
which the Bears occupied two seasons ago.
Triway
Triway is trying to merely not get lost in the shuffle this
year. Truth be told, though, it’s a pretty easy shuffle to get lost in.
Competing in Wayne County, the Titans could be all sorts of
good this year and be just another team. Rittman and Dalton are especially
strong.
“I’ve been around Wayne County track and cross country for
44 years, and this coming season will be incredibly high-quality and will set a
new standard for the county,” Titans coach Matt Wood said. “Virtually every
school has good athletes, and some of the best in the state reside here on both
the boys and girls sides.”
In the Principals Athletic Conference, it starts with
Fairless, which last year finished ninth in the state in Div. II. Canton
South’s lone state qualifier was a freshman and should be heard from. The rest
of the league’s teams are sprinkled with talent.
“The PAC-7 Conference will be at an all-time high for
quality and depth,” Woods said. “We have multiple all-state performers from
various teams. Our conference will be on par with the regional meet up front.”
The Titans finished seventh in the seven-team PAC last year
but were significantly hampered when their Nos. 2 and 3 runners were sidelined
for disciplinary reasons.
Gone from the 2024 squad is Josiah Styer, the team’s lone
senior a year ago. That means plenty of experience returns. Juniors Zade
Fletcher, Kaden Hilty and Brady Speicher are returning letter-winners. Their
classmates Talos Hasskew and Gabe Shilling give them some more experienced
depth.
Seniors Seth McTheny and Anthony Sidle will provide
leadership. Sophomore Parker Daughter returns with experience while Liam
Brink, Lincoln Raber and Braxton White will look to make their marks as
freshmen.
“I expect our No. 1 to be Kaden Hilty, who was a
regional qualifier in the 800 during track, but he will have close company from
Brady Speicher and good support from Zade Fletcher,” Woods said. “Braxton White
and Liam Brink should round out our top five. Six, seven and beyond is
wide-open.”
