The Clarke County girls’ cross country team owns a streak of consistency that just about any program in the state would take in a heartbeat, but the hearts of an experienced team will be bursting with joy if it can switch up its routine just a bit this year.
Since capturing the 2021 state title, Clarke County has placed fourth in Class 2 for four straight seasons. The last three years, they’ve finished an average of four points behind the winning team, with Floyd County winning its second straight state title last year by scoring 60 points to the Eagles’ 67.
Clarke County returns each of its five scoring runners and six of the seven girls who participated in last year’s state meet.
The Eagles are led by four Winchester Star First Team All-Area selections from 2025. In Class 2, sophomore Region 2B champion Lyla Gerenski placed 11th (3.1-mile time of 20:40.2, season PR), sophomore Morley Hudson took 13th (20:45.1, season PR), sophomore Maggie Myer finished 14th (20:53.4, season PR) and junior Ashley Moran placed 15th (20:56.9 season PR). Senior Mia Timberlake (23rd in Class 2, fifth scoring runner) and senior Emma Husted (29th) are also back.
The Eagles — who have won five straight Region 2B titles and six consecutive Bull Run District championships — will have to give everything they have if they want to unseat Floyd County. The Buffaloes lost Reagan Lynch (third in Class 2) from last year’s team but return every other runner who competed at the state meet in Green Hill Park in Salem.
In Class 4, James Wood (third in Region 4D) will undergo a significant transition after a year in which the Colonels qualified for their fourth straight state meet and won their fifth straight Northwestern District title.
The Colonels no longer have Kate Konyar, The Winchester Star’s four-time Girls’ Cross Country Runner of the Year and a four-time All-State performer. Konyar — who ran the fastest 3.1-mile time in Frederick County history last year — is now at NCAA Division I University of Maryland. James Wood also graduated fellow All-Area First Team selections Alina Kieffer (now at NCAA Division I Longwood) and Katelyn Palmer (now at NCAA Division III Shenandoah University).
James Wood still features two All-Area selections in senior Ally Oliver (First Team, 14th in Region 4D in a season PR of 19:45.6) and sophomore Abbie Ebert (Second Team, 30th in Region 4D).
Handley figures to have a strong team after returning four of the five scoring runners who helped the Judges place fourth in Region 4D last year. Ella Warren is now at NCAA Lynchburg.
Senior EJ Mullins — The Winchester Star’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year in the spring — is back after placing 60th in Class 4 and 20th in Region 4D. She had a season PR of 19:51.8 and earned First Team All-Area honors. The Judges also bring back Second Team All-Area selections Sage Welpott (22nd in Region 4D) and Seneca Welpott (31st in Region 4D).
Handley also adds freshman Ella Seniff. The 2024 Shenandoah Apple Blossom Kids’ Bloomin’ Mile champion placed ninth in the Virginia Middle School 4,000-meter state meet in 14:46 last year.
Millbrook also brings back four of its five scoring runners from the Region 4D meet, where the Pioneers placed sixth. Juniors Marisol Lara (35th in Region 4D) and Harper Weiss (44th in Region 4D) earned Second Team All-Area honors, and juniors Aubrey Steinmetz (28th in Region 4D) and Adilyn Steinmetz (33rd in Region 4D) are also back.
The Pioneers also add an accomplished freshman in Kennedy Combs. She was the overall Kids’ Bloomin’ Mile champion in 2025 and 2026 and placed eighth in the Virginia Middle School 4,000-meter state meet in 14:43 last year.
Sherando also returns four of its five scoring runners from the Region 4D meet, where it placed eighth. Sophomore Amelia Rice (27th in Region 4D) and senior Mia Adams (38th in Region) earned Second Team All-Area honors last year.
All five local teams will open their season on Saturday. Clarke County, Handley, James Wood and Sherando will be at the Central Invitational at Fairview Park in Woodstock and Millbrook will compete at the Blacksburg Relays.
The following is a glance at each area team:
Clarke County
Coach: Jeff Webster, 12th year.
Last year: Second in Class 2 state; Region 2B and Bull Run District champions.
Key losses: Saniyah Caldwell, Aubrey Wagner.
Key returnees: Lyla Gerenski, So.; Morley Hudson, So.; Maggie Myer, So.; Emma Husted, Sr.; Ashley Moran, Sr.; Mia Timberlake, Sr.
Key newcomer: Gigi Beckett, Fr.
Webster’s outlook: “This is looking like a strong year for our program, as we are returning the top six of seven girls from last year’s state team. In the end, our region consistently produces several of the top teams in the state (top three of five girls’ teams from last year), so we don’t take anything for granted.”
James Wood
Coach: Matthew Lofton, seventh year.
Last year: Eighth in Class 4 state; third in Region 4D; Northwestern District champions.
Key losses: Kate Konyar, Alina Kieffer, Katelyn Palmer, Lauren Thompson, Kirin Nashed, Reese Lessard.
Key returnees: Ally Oliver, Sr.; Melanie Padilla, Jr.; Bella Posey, Jr.; Madeleine Primus, Jr.; Abbie Ebert, So.; Grace Dawson, So.
Key newcomers: Wren Ferrebee, Fr.; Emily Holaday, Fr.; Macalyn Clark, Fr.; Emerson Hart, Jr.
Lofton’s outlook: “Graduating six girls from our top 10 is a pretty big hit to the team, but the rest of the girls are ready to step up and eager to fill some big roles. We’ve won the district meet for the last five years. Even though we have a younger team this year, I wouldn’t count us out. The girls’ team as a whole have been committed to training since July and the results are already starting to show. We’re excited about the potential of our key newcomers and the significant improvements we’ve seen from some of our returners since last XC season.”
Handley
Coach: Mark Stickley, eighth year.
Last year: Fourth in Region 4D.
Key losses: Ella Warren, Stephanie Truban.
Key returnees: EJ Mullins, Sr.; Sage Welpott, Sr.; Seneca Welpott, Sr.; Audrey Rinker, Sr.; Jayleh Porter, Jr.; Charlotte Thomsen, So.; Ellie Miller, So.
Key newcomers: Ella Seniff, Fr.; Nadia Lopez, Fr.
Stickley’s outlook: “I feel that this should be one of the best girls’ teams we’ve had since I have been coaching. We should be very competitive in our district and region with a lot of experienced runners returning, including an outstanding core of seniors. Not qualifying for state last year has served as extra motivation for them and driven them to work even harder this summer. I think we can be competitive with Charlottesville and hopefully close the gap on Blacksburg, but I also expect Millbrook to be much improved.
“EJ has been our number one runner for each of her three years but is slowly transitioning to cross country after a stellar track season in which she won the state 400-meter championship and continued competing into mid-June. She will be pushed by Ella who is an outstanding freshman and will likely assume the No. 1 spot in the early meets. Later it should be an interesting competition between those two. Behind them, the twins, Audrey and Jayleh are well ahead of last year, with Ellie appearing to be the most improved. Another freshman, Nadia, along with Charlotte should give us great depth.”
Millbrook
Coach: Jamie McCarty, seventh year.
Last year: Sixth in Region 4D.
Key loss: Caydence Bayne
Key returnees: Aubrey Steinmetz, Jr.; Adilyn Steinmetz, Jr.; Marisol Lara, Jr.; Harper Weiss, Jr.; Addison Stover, Sr.
Key newcomers: Kennedy Combs, Fr., Vin Malone, Fr.
McCarty’s outlook: “We have a very experienced team this year. However, we are still in the best region in the state. The goal is to get to the state meet, but we understand we are going to have to perform much better than we have the last few years. We added some talented freshmen and hope we can bring them along slowly and let them learn from our returners. We hope to carry some of our success from the end of last track season into cross country and get everyone healthy and ready to perform well on October 27 at the regional meet.”
Sherando
Coach: Megan Roberts, ninth year.
Last year: Eighth in Region 4D
Key losses: Gabby Koch, Olivia Lee.
Key returnees: Mia Adams, Sr.; Regan Caplan, Sr., Ella Carpenter, Sr.; Amelia Rice, So.; Ariela Rivera, Sr.; Clara Sargent, So.
Key newcomer: Lily Pangle, Fr.
Roberts’ outlook: “We didn’t lose as many [people] on the girls’ side [as we did on the boys’], but we’re still looking to build depth and cohesion throughout the team. Our experienced runners will be important in setting the tone this season, both through their training and their approach to competition. Mia had a great outdoor season, resetting her 3,200 PR several times, and she has continued to put in the work this summer. She had a great time trial, and we’re excited to see her momentum continue to build through this season. Amelia played soccer this spring, but she had some impressive performances in indoor track. She’s stepped up volume in her training and also dropped a lot of time during the time trial. We’re excited to see how that preparation translates into a 5K. Freshman Lily Pangle also has the potential to make an immediate contribution and add to our depth.”
— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at rniedzwiecki@winchesterstar.com
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