GIRLS XC: Change at the top

Kokomo Tribune Aug. 27, 2019

Western’s girls cross country team won the 2018 Logansport Sectional for its third sectional title in four years.

The Panthers will look to continue their winning ways under new coach Ray Tetrault.

“I am a lifelong runner and have been coaching with Western schools for the last 10 years. This year is different for me because I am learning the administration side of coaching,” he said. “My wife and I began [Club Kokomo’s] summer running program, Coyote Kids, 16 years ago and coaching is a natural extension of that.

“Western schools was fortunate to have coach Joni Neer for so many years and she left a big set of shoes to fill. Hopefully we can continue the excellence the cross country program has enjoyed for so many years.”

In the 2018 sectional, Western posted a score of 50 to beat runner-up Maconaquah by 27 points. In the Culver Academies Regional, the Panthers finished fifth and advanced as a team to the New Prairie Semistate.

The Panthers return four runners from their postseason lineup.

“We had a pretty good summer of running,” Tetrault said. “Our team is pretty large this year as we have 18 runners on the team. Our team success will depend on two or more stepping up and competing towards the front of the races. Western has lacked a front runner for a few years and it is necessary to have a couple of them to compete at a high level.

“This is the absolute best group of runners to be around. They are all fantastic people and it is really a privilege to be around them.”

Seniors Olivia Lushin and Hannah Lushin are the Panthers’ top returners. In the sectional, they finished fifth and sixth to lead the team. In the regional, Olivia was 15th and Hannah was 21st. And in the semistate, Olivia was 67th and her sister was 88th.

“They have been working hard this summer,” Tetrault said. “The improvement for them has been contagious for us. Both of them could break the school cross country 5k record.”

Juniors Sarah Manuel and Alivia Ford also are back from the postseason lineup.

“Sarah had a really great track season and from everything I am seeing she is building off of it. She has stretched herself this summer and I am looking forward to seeing how her cross country season goes,” Tetrault said. “Alivia has been steadily improving over this past year and we are counting on her as well. She is a great team leader for us as well.”

Tetrault called sophomores Olivia Shoemaker, Madisyn Connolly, Emma Thompson and Ella Thompson “fierce competitors” and hopes they can bolster the lineup.

Juniors Spencer Holder and Emma Kahn and sophomore Gracie Freeman also are returning runners.

Western opened the season Wednesday with the Northwestern Combo, which is a 3K tuneup for the 5K season. The Panthers finished first and rival Maconaquah was second. The teams have battled back and forth in the sectional in recent years and could be on a collision course again this year.

Tetrault is hoping for sectional and regional success and another semistate trip this year.

“We believe we can make it to semistate, but nothing is guaranteed. It takes hard work, consistent effort and sometimes a little bit of good fortune to get there,” he said. “There are some on this team who could make it to the state meet [as individuals] if they continue to put in the effort.”

NORTHWESTERN

The Tigers head into the season with a nice mix of veterans and newcomers.

Seniors Lauren Longshore, Kaylynne Fernandes, Raleigh Brown and Adri Freeman are the veterans. Longshore, Fernandes and Brown have run throughout high school and Freeman is back after a year off.

“They are going to lead in all the different ways,” coach Dave Stevens said. “Lauren is going to lead from the front, but the rest are going to lead with their experience and making sure the younger girls and less experienced girls know what to do. That’s cool when you have that because that helps your team a lot.”

Longshore is a three-time semistate qualifier. In 2018, she was seventh in the sectional, 16th in the regional and 66th in the semistate.

“She’s come in really ready to go. She did a lot of work over the summer,” Stevens said.

Sophomore Ella Deck is another key returning runner. She was 15th in the sectional. Stevens said she is looking like a solid bet to run No. 2 after running No. 3 last season.

The newcomers include three foreign-exchange students — Vanessa Mueller (Germany), Josefine Falkenham (Denmark) and Malu Navarro (Brazil).

“Vanessa has taken to it really well and will contribute right away,” Stevens said. “Josefine will contribute later; she joined us the latest of the three but she’s run a 21-minute 5K in her life. Malu is learning to run longer distances than she’s ever run before.”

Sophomore Brenna Morrow is a returning runner and freshmen Katelyn Saul, Sally Freeman and Savannah Brown round out the roster. Saul likely will fit somewhere in the middle of the lineup.

“I think the mix is going to work well for the team,” Stevens said. “The more veteran ones are setting an example on how to work and how to practice and the others are working their way up.”

Northwestern is hoping to move up in the sectional after four straight third-place finishes.

KOKOMO

The Wildkats are led by sophomore Julynne Spidell, who was 12th in the sectional last season. She opened the new season last week with first-place runs in the Northwestern Combo and Logansport’s Jacob Graf Memorial Invitational.

“She will be leading the way for the Lady Kats,” coach Chad Salinas said. “She had a fantastic summer with mileage and races. I’m excited to see how her season plays out and plan to peak around tournament time.”

Spidell anchors a 12-runner lineup that is mostly composed of sophomores and freshmen.

Junior Madison Collins and sophomore Eva Gonzales also are back from last season.

“We are going to rely on their leadership abilities for the growth of our younger runners,” Salinas said.

Junior Jaylee Copeland, sophomore Kylie Lewis and freshmen Kayleigh Jones, Emma Nelson and Sadelia Herrera are the top newcomers.

“With us being such a young team I’m looking forward to seeing the individuals improve each week this season and setting many personal bests throughout the season,” Salinas said.

"We have a good team of girls working hard together and encouraging each other to improve," coach Ben Cox said. "We aren’t as deep as last year [only six on the roster], but we’ll still have some opportunities, especially for some individuals toward the end of the season. I’d like to see the team improve through the course of the season, and for Molly, Victoria, and Ella to have another chance to race in the regional.

"Ella’s [regional] race last year nearly qualified her for semistate and left her with a drive for more. Molly missed out on the regional last year so it would be nice for her to get one more race there before she’s done."

Freshman Gracie McClain looks like she'll fill a role for the Comets

EASTERN

The Comets are led by a pair of 2018 regional qualifiers, senior Victoria Leeder and junior Ella Kantz.

Cox also returns junior Erin Matheny and sophomores Gracie McClain and Alivia Salkie. The newcomers are junior Natalie Schneider, sophomore Claire Hubbard and freshman Emily Slaughter.

“These girls are really motivated and encouraging. They work hard and together to make each other better,” coach Ben Cox said. “Victoria is our only senior and she sets an outstanding example for the rest of the girls.

“I’d like to see the team work together to make each other better throughout the course of the season, both in terms of improving times and in race strategy,” Cox added. “We’d like to be competitive near the top of the [Hoosier Heartland] Conference. Also, we’d like to see Ella and Victoria run strong postseason races for a chance to advance to the semistate meet.”

TAYLOR

The Titans have three runners. Senior Carly Brewster and sophomore Sierra Fritsch are back from last year and they are joined by sophomore Chloe McKay.

“The girls have been working out together all summer and are showing improvements from last season,” coach Matt Carlile said.