Mercury-area Team-by-Team Girls Cross Country Preview

BOYERTOWN
Head coach: Ryan Knox, first year.
Last year’s record: 5-4 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Danielle Elsier, Sr.; Renee Schumaker, Sr.; Becca Hemingway, Jr.; Kate Kada, Jr.; Allie Drury, Soph.; Amanda Murray, Soph.
Outlook: Knox takes over the Boyertown program from Steve Fegely, who headed it the past seven seasons. … A pair of freshman, Grace DeMenno and Mallory Schmidt, are also in the mix. … “The girls team has a very bright future as the girls work and compete,” Knox said.

DANIEL BOONE
Head coach: Russell Keith, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 7-1 Berks Conference, 14-1 overall.
Runners to watch: Marissa Christiana, Sr.; Rachel Eidson, Sr.; Jules Wanner, Sr.; Hannah Moyer, Jr.; Lauren Reightneour, Jr.; Emily Scott, Jr.; McKalley Bolam, Soph.; Ashley Cimino, Soph.; Maeve Picariello, Soph.
Outlook: “The team has been hit hard by graduation losses the past few years,” Keith said. “The success of this year’s team will be the ability of former JV runners and incoming freshmen to help the team form a strong pack behind front-runners Eidson and Reightneour.”

HILL SCHOOL
Head coach: Dan McMains, sixth year.
Last year’s record: Second in Mid-Atlantic Prep League.
Runners to watch: Izzy Rodgers, Sr.; Huyla Kosematoglu, Jr.; Marissa Letizio, Jr.; Esther Ochoa, Jr.
Outlook: “The team lost several very talented runners last year,” McMains said, “but a small and powerful core remains. Captains Izzy Rodgers and Ether Ochoa will look to motivate a young group and attract new runners to the team. Four letter winners return this year … if a strong fifth can emerge from our younger runners and newcomers, we will be very strong. Avoiding injury will be a key, though, on a team with smaller numbers that years past.”

METHACTON
Head coach: Steve Mahan, 33rd year.
Last year’s record: 6-3 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Abby Konkoly, Sr.; Sarah Lebold, Sr.; Deb Peifer, Sr.; Ryan DeOrio, Jr.; Emily Shea, Jr.; Megan Ashliman, Soph.; Anna Price, Soph.
Outlook: A quartet of freshmen — Erin Hardenburg, Olivia Leber, Sidney Ryan, Rebecca Sobeck — are also in the mix. … “The 2015 season is very exciting with nine “new” runners … especially with seven “new” runners as freshmen,” Mahan said. “We would like to compete each and every meet. We would like every team in the PAC-10 to feel as if they must bring their best effort to race against us. We would like to “grow” as cross-country runners and as a team as we progress through the season. Compete is the key for us.”

OWEN J. ROBERTS
Head coach: Dave Michael, 40th year.
Last year’s record: 9-0 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Megan Bernotas, Sr.; Sam Garvey, Sr.; Katie Proffitt, Sr.; Annie Reisenwitz, Sr.; Andrea Shade, Sr.; Kelly Werth, Sr.; Katelyn Bertnotas, Jr.; Ally Brunton, Jr.; Rowan Donnelly, Jr.; Angela Feiser, Jr.; Emily Flamino, Jr.; Emily Hansell, Jr.; Mary Bernotas, Soph.; Josie Funaro, Soph.; Alex Glasier, Soph.; Samantha Muntzer, Soph.
Outlook: A pair of freshmen, Hanna Pugh and Emma Torak, are also in the mix. … “The girls have been training well, and are looking forward to the start of the season,” Michael said. “They are looking forward to the challenges from Perkiomen Valley and Spring-Ford, who are both returning very good teams. We are working hard to reach our goals for the team and individuals. Hopefully, with our experience and depth, we will be able to score well in the big meets and championships. We know we have a big challenge to repeat as PAC-10 champions.”

PERKIOMEN VALLEY

Head coach: Ryan Sullivan, 14th year.
Last year’s record: 8-1 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Lola Holcomb, Sr.; Hannah Stolpe, Sr.; Laura Styer, Sr.; Michele Daniels, Jr.; Annie Glodek, Jr.
Outlook: A freshman, Jocelyn Rotay, is also in the mix. … “One again,” Sullivan said, “the girls team is young but pretty deep. It returns with the nucleus of the 2014 team intact and some nice infusion of ninth-grade talent. Early-season races will really show if the young team has taken the necessary steps forward to compete for the title. We look to qualify for the (PAC) Final Four and compete for the PAC-10 title.”

PHOENIXVILLE
Head coach: Justin Winters, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 3-6 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Erin Morris, Sr.; Chloe Oustrich, Sr.; Kendall Beatty, Jr.; Natalie Rubino, Jr.; Kylie Crovetti, Brenna Daugherty.
Outlook: Kaleigh Quinnan, Jill Rotman and Natalee Serwatka rank as top newcomers for the Phantoms. … “Last year saw a major influx of talented, young, athletic girls to the team with a lot of mental toughness that pushed the team to one of its strongest performances in recent years,” Winters said. “Even more talent has signed on this season, and so the future looks very bright for the young squad. If the girls can learn and grow from some early-season race experiences, and some key runners take on leadership roles, the Lady Phantoms could be a team that surprises many people in late October.”

POPE JOHN PAUL II
Head coach: Matt Kavanaugh, second year.
Last year’s record: 0-9 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Nicole Moreland, Sr.; Kelly Williamson, Sr.
Outlook: “As coach, I am excited for this season,” Kavanaugh said. “I feel that we did good last year after my first season of coaching. With a new year and new runners, even a bigger team, I am excited to see how we do. Hoping our seniors head out with a bang and our freshman class are good to keep an eye on, I’m hoping they can surprise. As long as the team all works together and gives it their best, surprises can come from every runner.”

POTTSGROVE
Head coach: Larry Rechtin, 23rd year.
Last year’s record: 2-7 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Kerry Brennan, Sr.; Dyani Hairston, Sr.; Elese Christ, Jr.; Angelica Peil, Soph.; Amia Slade, Soph.
Outlook: “We added three hard working ninth-graders this year (Madison Giraud, Molly Neeson, Chloe Sullivan) to a team that graduated just one runner, so we are hoping to turn around last year’s record and be competitive in the league,” Rechtin said. “We have good leadership in Hairston, who has been a four-year runner. We are very excited about the talented ninth graders who have put in a summer of training. Slade brings a great deal of talent, too. But with a small squad of 11, it will be a challenge to keep everyone healthy. If we do, we can have an excellent season and make our presence known in the PAC-10 and district meets.”

POTTSTOWN
Head coaches: Mary Ann Hill/Mark Agnew, fifth year.
Last year’s record: 1-8 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Brittany Bosko, Sr.; Mya Pope, Sr.
Outlook: The Trojans boast a roster of 15 runners at present. … “We should make an impact on the standings,” Hill said.

SPRING-FORD

Head coach: Brian Sullivan, fifth year.
Last year’s record: 7-2 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Jenna Vledder, Sr.; Tori Hoffner, Jr.; Bella Marchini, Jr.; Abby Sykes, Jr.; Gabriella Bamford, Soph.; Sydney Galster, Soph.; Rachel Moyer, Soph.; Julie Vledder, Soph.
Outlook: Two freshmen, Rachel Murphy and Emily Smith, are also in the mix. … “The girls varsity team is relatively intact from last year’s team, which had one of the better seasons in recent memory,” Sullivan said. “I feel we’ve been working well together and have increased our team depth. Looking for another season where the girls improve over last year.”

UPPER PERKIOMEN
Head coach: Todd Niemann, 13th year.
Last year’s record: 4-5 PAC-10
Runners to watch: Jamie Homan, Sr.; Gabbie Marinelli, Sr.; Haley Martin, Sr.; Allison Ritting, Sr.; Megan Ritting, Sr.; Taylor Ayers, Jr.; Samantha Hannon, Jr.; Erin Himmelsbach, Jr.; Madi Phipps, Jr.; Lauren Weeks, Jr.; Brytney Wornham, Jr.; Leanne Markhalter, Soph.; Olivia Sefing, Soph.
Outlook: Two freshmen, Alexa Banner and Serena Detweiler, are also in the mix. … “There are several first-time runners that will have an immediate impact on the team this year,” Niemann said. “This is the largest team I’ve coached since I’ve been here, and possibly the largest girls’ team Upper Perk has ever had. We will be much improved from last year even though the team misses last year’s senior captain, Rachel Landis. The girls have been committed, supportive of one another and focused. I look forward to seeing how we will do against the other teams in this competitive league.”