Girls’ Cross Country Preview — Experience Key For Area Teams

Posted: August 27, 2015

By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — If Conference 21A ends up being as tough as area coaches expect, then the one big plus that all of the area teams possess is experience.

James Wood, Millbrook, Sherando and Handley all return at least four — or more runners — from their top seven.

The Colonels return all seven runners, the Judges return five and the Pioneers and Warriors each return four. Woodgrove, who finished third at last year’s conference meet, sixth at regionals (edging Handley on a tiebreaker for the final state-qualifying berth) and eighth in Group 4A, also returns four of its top seven.

With each team returning a solid nucleus to build around, area coaches hope their teams can improve on last year’s performances.

Handley finished as the runner-up in Conference 23 a season ago, but now the Judges join Northwestern District rivals James Wood, Sherando and Millbrook along with Woodgrove and Harrisonburg in the new Conference 21A.

“Our goal, as in the past few years, has been to run our best at the end of the season,” said Handley coach Emily Budnyk-Putt. “I expect our new conference will be extremely competitive this year. We hope to be in the mix in late October.”

Only the top three teams from Conference 21A advance to the 4A West Region championship at the Smith River Sports Complex in Axton (located near Martinsville).

James Wood junior Sophia Dorsey returns as the top runner from regionals after she placed 11th (20 minutes, 22 seconds to earn all-region honors) at Kernstown last year. Dorsey led four area runners in the top 20 overall, including Sherando sophomore Paige Conner (15th, 20:25, all-region) as well as Millbrook sophomore Mellany Groll (16th, 20:28) and senior Hannah Croyle (18th, 20:30).

The Pioneers also return senior Nadia Dahimine, who missed her junior cross country and indoor track seasons last year after she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Dahimene returned for the spring outdoor season and placed fifth in the 3,200 meters.

“We hope to have a very strong one through three in Hannah Croyle, Nadia Dahimene and Mellany Groll, all of whom have qualified for the state meet in the past,” said Millbrook coach Kevin Shirk. “With several strong newcomers, we think we’ll have a very competitive No. 4 and No. 5 and we’ll focus on closing the gap to our [top] three all season.”

Sherando coach Jamie McCarty said it’s going to be a tough battle to secure one of the three regional berths.

“I think it’s going to be a lot more competitive this year,” said McCarty, who has eight freshmen, including 2015 Bloomin’ Mile runner-up Camryn Ubert, joining the team. “Only three teams are going to get out. Woodgrove is a quality program, Handley was conference [runner-up], James Wood was good and Millbrook gets Nadia back so you’re looking at four really strong teams.”

Dorsey who placed an area best fourth (19:57) in Conference 21, leads eight returning all-conference runners from last year, including Sherando’s Conner (4th, 19:57), Wood’s Maria Harter (seventh, 20:16), Millbrook’s Croyle (eighth, 20:16) and Groll (10th, 20:25) and Handley’s Nicole King (runner-up, 20:36 in Conference 23), Ruthie Rosenfeld (sixth, 21:05), Sydney Aschenbrenner (10th, 21:37) and Kristin Blake (14th, 22:06). Add in the return of Dahimene (who placed third (19:59) in Conference 21 in 2013) and there’s nine returning all-conference caliber runners.

James Wood coach Mike Onda said the conference meet will be tough, but he’s encouraged by what he’s seen from his team that returns its entire top seven from last year.

“We have two who were all-conference last year in Maria [Harter] and Sophia [Dorsey] and others that were knocking on the door,” Onda said. “I think it looks good for individuals as well as for the team.”

In Group 2A, Clarke County, under first-year coach Jeff Webster, has solid depth with about 10 runners, led by all-state performer Catherine Lewis (15th, 20:25), vying for the top seven varsity spots which should make the Eagles more competitive with rivals George Mason and Strasburg, who finished second and fourth, respectively, at the 2A state meet last year.

“I see the girls being very successful at all levels if we can keep all the girls healthy,” said Webster, a former runner at Frostburg State University. “I think a state berth is within reach as a team. The depth on the girls’ side is very strong.”

The following is a glance at the area teams:

Handley

Coach: Emily Budnyk-Putt, eighth year

Last year: Runner-up in Conference 23 and seventh in 4A North Region

Key losses: Ellie Selzer (All-Conference 23), Abby Swartz

Top returnees: Elise Smith, Soph., Nicole King Jr. (All-Conference 23, runner-up), Ruthie Rosenfeld Sr. (All-Conference 23), Sydney Aschenbrenner Soph. (All-Conference 23), Kristin Blake Soph. (All-Conference 23), Maggie Lineburg Soph. and Alisa Dayo Jr.

Key newcomers: Kenzi Fergus. Fr., Riley Fisher, Fr. and Allison Morgan, Fr.

Budnyk-Putt’s outlook: “Our strength this year is our depth. We have a pack of 10 girls that are training together and pushing each other every day.”

First meet: Today, at the PR Kickoff Invitational, 4 p.m.

Sherando

Coach: Jamie McCarty, third year

Last year: Fourth in Conference 21 and eighth in 4A North Region.

Key losses: Katie Rogers (All-Conference 21), Andi Crosby and Haley Powers.

Top returnees: Evelyn Gibson, Sr.; Paige Conner, Soph. (All-Conference 21) Emily Askew, Sr.; Jillian Liedke, Jr.; Hannah Lothrop, Jr.

Key newcomers: Tori Reese, Sr.; Camryn Ubert, Fr. and Olivia Couillard, Fr.

McCarty’s outlook: “I think it’s a talented group, but it’s a very tough conference. We made it to regionals for first time in five years. All summer they’ve worked to get back and take that next step. I think we could have any number of a our top four who could be our No. 1. We’ve got that competitiveness that we need.”

First meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

James Wood

Coach: Mike Onda, 10th year

Last year: Fifth in Conference 21

Key losses: None

Top returnees: Halle Esparza, Sr.; Sophia Dorsey, Jr.; Autumn Hottle, Jr.; Maria Harter, Jr.; Jessie Clatterbuck, Jr.; Katie Sunderlin, Jr.; Lydia Sunderlin, Jr.; Claire Bright, Jr.; Katie Clatterbuck, Sr.; Alina Hackney, Soph. and Sophia Walker, Soph.

Key newcomers: Haley Witt, Fr.; Madelyn Cummins, Fr.; Hayley Schwasta, Fr. and Kayla Kraske, Fr.

Onda’s outlook: “I think the fact that we return all seven and we were pretty competitive last year bodes well for this year. I think they’ve got a lot of potential to go far, but I think we have one of the most challenging conferences in Group 4A. They all routinely field good teams.”

First meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

Millbrook

Coach: Kevin Shirk, sixth year

Last year: Sixth in Conference 21.

Key losses: McKenzie Schrank

Top returnees: Hannah Croyle, Sr. (All-Conference 21); Nadia Dahimene Sr.; Mellany Groll Soph. (All-Conference 21); Sydney Sharp Jr.; and Ansleigh White, Sr.

Key newcomers: Kaycee Cox-Philyaw Fr.; Joanne Keenan Fr.; Maddie Lloyd, Fr.; and Emily Muldowny, Fr.

Shirk’s outlook: “Our goal is to place in the top three at conference to advance to the regional meet. We haven’t taken the girls’ team to the regional meet in a few years, so we’d like to put ourselves back in the mix and even challenge for a chance to go to the state meet.”

First meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

Clarke County

Coach: Jeff Webster, first year

Last year: Fifth in Conference 35.

Key losses: Mackenzie Kibler, Eve Lettau and Jessie Ambrosio.

Top returnees: Sophia Snead, Jr.; Piper Mettenburg, Jr.; Catherine Lewis, Soph.; Becky Roberts, Soph.; Catherine Trejo; Kendall Benoit, Jr.

Key newcomers: Skylar Bragg, Fr.; Madison Webster, Fr. and Maeve Lyman, Fr.

Webster’s outlook: “I think our strength is that while we may not have that one standout, we have five girls who can run very close together. The gap could be less than 30 seconds.”

First meet: Saturday, at Central Invitational, 9:30 a.m.

— Contact Robert Stocks at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.