2008 Johnson County cross country previews

Bishop Miege•COACH: Alan Thomas, fourth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: fourth in East Kansas League, eighth at 5A state; Girls: fifth in EKL, fourth at 5A state.

•OUTLOOK: The Stags must replace most of their top runners from last season, but Thomas sees that as an opportunity for leaders to emerge. The girls will look to senior Jenny Hauser, junior Maddy Ledom and sophomore Emily Thorpe. The boys should be led by senior Eddie Munoz, juniors Connor Schaible, Jimmy Linhoff and Sean Fleming, and sophomore J.C. Cronenwett.

Blue Valley•COACH: Diana Huber, eighth season

•LAST YEAR: N/A

•OUTLOOK: Huber said this might be the strongest girls team she’s had at Blue Valley. Senior Devin Freeman and juniors Melissa Illies and Alyssa Luker headline the list of returning runners, while senior Ryann Green should be an impact newcomer to the varsity squad. Sophomore Ben Gaede and junior Tyler Smiley lead the boys team, while junior Matt Roselli will also be an experienced contributor.

Blue Valley North•COACH: Gregg Buehler, fourth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: fourth in EKL; Girls: second in EKL.

•OUTLOOK: The Mustangs return with most of their girls team intact. Seniors Erin Beck, Lauren Michalson and Emily Boresow, and juniors Emily Wilson, Dayna Trempy, Camille Smith and Lindsay Childers bring experience to the squad. Seniors Ian Weidling, Nadav Bittan, Glenn Dunne, Jared Wylan, John Stork and junior Kyle Davis form the core of a boys team that is young on varsity experience.

Blue Valley Northwest•COACH: Harlan Locke, 14th season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: third in EKL, fourth at region, 10th at 6A state; Girls: first in Sunflower League, second at regionals, first at 6A state.

•OUTLOOK: The Laura Roxberg era ended with the program’s first team state championship last season. The Huskies will try to defend that title without their four-year leader, looking instead to experienced runners Hannah Hayes, Anna Roxberg, Ellie Mohr, Lisa Barrett, Laura Junge and Maddie Wilk. Michael Virgo leads the boys team along with Will Graves, Eric Bens, Kevin Mayer and Connor Terry.

Blue Valley West•COACH: Mike Webb, sixth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: second in EKL, third at regionals, 12th at 6A state; Girls: sixth in EKL, seventh at regional.

•OUTLOOK: Seniors Eric Larson, Ben Bentley, Aaron Caldwell and junior Justin Scott return from the Jaguars’ state qualifying team last season. Finding a consistent fifth runner will be key to the boys’ season. Juniors Dakota Dixon and senior Heather Scott bring experience to the girls team, while junior Shannon Maser and sophomore Lindsey Carl are also being looked to for contributions.

De Soto•COACH: Chris McAfee, ninth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: first in Frontier League, first at regionals, third at 4A state; Girls: first in Frontier League, second at regionals, second at 4A state.

•OUTLOOK: The girls expect to contend for the 4A state title with six experienced runners returning. Juniors Carly Stanley and Maddy Frehe, and sophomores Lacey Erickson (10th at state last year), Beth Reichenberger, Hannah Jokisch and Ellie Sheridan form the core of the team. The boys aren’t as deep on varsity experience, but they have potential with the return of seniors Colin Jokisch and Trey Lind and juniors Austin Hinchey and Ry Patton.

Gardner Edgerton•COACH: Larry Ward, 30th season

•LAST YEAR: N/A

•OUTLOOK: Both Trailblazers teams return the majority of their top runners. Ward believes he has individual state title contenders on each squad in senior Mitch Loring, who placed sixth at state last year, and junior Clarissa Johnson, who placed fourth. Beyond the returning talent, Ward said preseason turnout for both squads was the biggest in program history.

Kansas City Christian•COACH: Lisa Cowan, 10th season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: first at regionals, third at 3A state; Girls: first at regionals, ninth at 3A state.

•OUTLOOK: Senior Nick Anning placed seventh at the 3A state meet last year and should be a top individual contender. The KCC girls are aiming for a high state finish led by sophomore Kristin Tippin and seniors Whitney Schwab, Megan Mitchell and Sarah Hawthorne.

Maranatha Academy•COACH: Bianca Williams, seventh season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: second at regionals, fourth at 2A state; Girls: First at regionals, second at 2A state.

•OUTLOOK: The five girls who contributed to Maranatha’s 2A state runner-up score last season all return — seniors Ali Bailey, Faith Manning and Emily Smith, and juniors Bethany Zarda and Mallory Keith. Senior Ashley McConnell should also make an impact on a team with state championship aspirations. The Maranatha boys are also fast and experienced with senior Scott McCracken, junior Brant Asbell, senior Taylor Wallace and sophomore Jordan Kirkpatrick leading the way.

Mill Valley•COACH: Mark Chipman, ninth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: fourth in Kaw Valley League, 12th at 5A state; Girls: second in Kaw Valley League, 11th at 5A state.

•OUTLOOK: Both squads are seeking a return to the state meet. Junior Chelsea Pfannenstiel leads the girls along with senior Sarah Broadbear and junior Kyndra Ziegler. Senior Oliver Parsons, junior Tyler Gude and sophomore Jacob Rohrer return with state-meet experience for the boys.

Olathe East•COACH: Tony Bozarth, 17th season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: fourth in Sunflower League, second at regionals, fourth at 6A state; Girls: third in Sunflower League, first at regionals, third at 6A state.

•OUTLOOK: The Hawks’ girls team should be a strong state title contender with all seven runners returning from its 2007 state team. Junior Darci Miller (sixth at state in ’07), senior Casey Epps (12th at state), Lane Thompson and junior Brenda Ellis will lead the way. The boys have similar goals and should be led by junior Ryan Hocker.

Olathe North•COACH: Jerry Banks, 20th season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: 10th in Sunflower League; Girls: 12th in Sunflower League.

•OUTLOOK: The Eagles bring back four varsity runners on each team. Seniors Kristy Carter and Karissa Fisher led the girls last year and should do so again, while junior Chyna Pei and sophomore Kaitlyn Loeffler also bring experience to the squad. Seniors Jeremy Volner and A.J. Lord and juniors Jonathan Bozinos and Matt Ramirez return for the boys team, which also boasts several promising newcomers.

Olathe Northwest•COACH: Tim Barnes, sixth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: ninth in Sunflower League, eighth at regionals; Girls: fourth in Sunflower League, seventh at regionals.

•OUTLOOK: The Ravens lose 6A state runner-up Rebeka Stowe and fellow state placer Katie Mona (15th). Senior Whitney Jorgenson will pace the girls team. Senior Jesse Foulk, a 2007 state qualifier, and senior Ryan Keene, who holds the school’s two-mile record, lead the boys.

Olathe South•COACH: Adam Moos, first season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: 11th in Sunflower League, 11th at regionals; Girls: seventh in Sunflower League, fourth at regionals, eighth at 6A state.

•OUTLOOK: The girls return their top five runners from last season. Seniors Keli Russell and Alyssa Blakeman, juniors Ashley McBride and Megan Rosa and sophomore Tara Russell lead what should again be a strong squad. The boys are short on varsity experience, but senior Kyle Ilaria, senior Chris Salinas and junior Derrick Greenlee have shown promise.

Shawnee Mission East•COACH: Tricia Beaham, eighth season

•LAST YEAR: N/A

•OUTLOOK: The Lancers’ girls team expects to be very strong with all of its key runners from last season returning. Senior Allie Marquis placed 18th at the 6A state meet a year ago and should lead the squad. Sophomore Hanna Jane Stadinger is also a returning state qualifier. The boys team is hoping to be a state qualifier, led by senior Patrick Mayfield.

Shawnee Mission North•COACH: Ryan Colburn, 10th season

•LAST YEAR: N/A

•OUTLOOK: Colburn is very encouraged by the prospects of a boys team that returns senior Alex Hendee, who placed ninth at the 6A state meet last year. Senior Nathan Sloniker, junior Jeremiah Craighead, sophomore Ben Enyart and junior Jacob Ryan will also help the boys try to qualify for the state meet. The girls side holds promise after the roster more than doubled from last year.

Shawnee Mission Northwest•COACH: Van Rose, 40th season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: first at 6A state; Girls: sixth at 6A state.

•OUTLOOK: The Cougars will try to extend their phenomenal run of 14 straight boys state championships, and they have the runners to do it. Sophomore Sterling Spencer (6A state runner-up), junior Keaton Jones, senior Daniel Munro and sophomore Aaron Thornburg all placed in the top 20 at state last season. Junior Lisa Imgrund, who placed third at state last year, returns for the girls along with junior Christine Nelson, who placed 20th.

Shawnee Mission South•COACH: Bruce DuFresne, fifth season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: second in Sunflower League, first at regionals, second at 6A state; Girls: second in Sunflower League, fourth at regionals, fifth at 6A state.

•OUTLOOK: The Raiders lose two of the state’s better runners from last season in Jon Sanell and Jake Taylor, but the boys return seniors John Coler and Pat Oberzan and juniors Andrew Stevens and Peter Friedel with state meet experience. The girls also lose their top 2007 runner in Kristen Gillespie but return senior Lindsey Brown, juniors Hayley Cline, Sydney Oltjen, Allie Antrim and sophomore Jordyn Smith, all of whom have state experience.

Shawnee Mission West•COACH: Jeff Onnen, third season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: third in Sunflower League, fifth at regionals; Girls: ninth in Sunflower League, ninth at regionals.

•OUTLOOK: The Vikings’ boys team returns a pair of state qualifiers in Travis Boyett and Taylor Nall. Boyett was the team’s top finisher last season, placing 15th at the 6A state meet. SM West is hoping its experience can lead to the team qualifying for state. The girls squad is much younger and will hope its sophomores and freshmen can emerge by the end of the season.

Spring Hill•COACH: Rick O’Neil, 12th season

•LAST YEAR: N/A

•OUTLOOK: Junior Kelsey Carbajo placed ninth at the 4A state meet last season and headlines a girls team thin on experience. Junior Nick Gilliand should lead the boys.

St. James Academy•COACH: Rob Harber, second season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: eighth at regionals; Girls: seventh at regionals.

•OUTLOOK: Junior James Carney led the Thunder for most of last season before an injury kept him out of regional competition. Back strong, he should lead the boys along with senior Andrew Massmann. Junior Amy Feldkamp led the girls team each of the last two seasons and should do so again this year, while sophomore Bridgette McCormick is a promising newcomer.

St. Thomas Aquinas•COACH: Justin Wrigley, third season

•LAST YEAR: Boys: first in EKL, first at regionals, second at 5A state; Girls: third in EKL, first at regionals, third at 5A state.

•OUTLOOK: The Saints’ boys team boasts one of the strongest one-two punches in the state with senior Kyle Hanson (regional champ and fourth at state last year) and senior P.J. Greer (EKL champ, regional runner-up and seventh at state). They are the team to beat in 5A. The girls also return a wealth of experience and high expectations. Junior Ashley Washburn, a two-time 5A state runner-up, will lead the squad.

INSIDE JOHNSON COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY

TEAMS TO WATCH

•Shawnee Mission Northwest boys. The Cougars have won 14 consecutive state championships and have the speed to possibly extend that run with another 6A state title.

•Olathe East girls. The Hawks return in full from a third-place 6A state finish last year.

•St. Thomas Aquinas boys and girls. The Saints could be considered the 5A favorites with seniors Kyle Hanson and P.J. Greer back, while the girls return two-time state runner-up Ashley Washburn.

•De Soto girls. They were 4A state runners-up last season and will again chase the state title.

•Maranatha Academy boys and girls: Return significant experience from teams that contended last year.

RUNNERS TO WATCH

Boys

•P.J. Greer, St. Thomas Aquinas, senior. Placed seventh at 5A state last season.

•Kyle Hanson, St. Thomas Aquinas, senior. Placed fourth at 5A state and won his regional last year.

•Alex Hendee, Shawnee Mission North, senior. Took ninth at 6A state last year.

•Mitch Loring, Gardner Edgerton, senior. A 5A state title contender after placing sixth last season.

•Sterling Spencer, Shawnee Mission Northwest, sophomore. The 2007 6A state runner-up and regional champ should be among the 2008 favorites.

Girls

•Ali Bailey, Maranatha Academy, senior. Placed fourth at 2A state meet last year and will vie for state title in 2008.

•Lisa Imgrund, Shawnee Mission Northwest, junior. The reigning Sunflower League champ placed third at the 6A state meet last season.

•Clarissa Johnson, Gardner Edgerton, junior. A 5A state championship contender after placing fourth last season.

•Darci Miller, Olathe East, junior. Took sixth at the 6A state meet last year and leads a talented Hawks team.

•Ashley Washburn, St. Thomas Aquinas, junior. Twice a 5A state runner-up, she could be the state title favorite this time.

MEETS TO WATCH

•Sept. 27: Rim Rock Invitational at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence

•Oct. 4: KC Metro Championships at Raymore-Peculiar

•Oct. 16: East Kansas League championships at Stanley Nature Park behind Blue Valley High School

•Oct. 18: Sunflower League championships at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence

•Oct. 25: Regional meets at various sites.

•Nov. 1: State meets (6A and 5A at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence; 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A at Wamego Country Club).

submitted by The Kansas City Star - 2008-09-12 14:09:01

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