2022 Mercury-Area Girls Cross Country Season Preview

BOYERTOWN

Coach: Ed Baghdasarian, fourth year.

Last year’s record: 1-4 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division.

Runners to watch: Alyssa Albanese, Sr.; Grace Major, Sr.; Lillian DaSilva, Jr.; Tamara Engler, Jr.; Ava Gaisbauer, Jr.; Jaime Kelly, Jr.; Gabriela Martin, Jr.; Sofia Maraldo, So.

Outlook: The Bears’ roster will be bolstered by the presence of freshman Evangeline Montanye. … Albanese placed 14th in the 2021 PAC meet, with Engler 35th and Martin 38th. … “The team has been working very hard this summer and are looking to improve as much as we can in a very, very tough PAC girls league,” Baghdasarian said. “The team will be lead by senior Alyssa Albanese and newcomer freshmen Evangeline Montanye as well as juniors Kelly, Engler, Martin, Gaisbauer and senior Major. The goals are to get stronger, faster and stay healthy.”

DANIEL BOONE

Coach: Doug Snyder, third year.

Last year’s record: 3-4 Berks League. 9-6 overall.

Runners to watch: Danielle Ferrara, Jr.; Chloe Fries, Jr.; Natalee Kryman, Jr.; AnnaBeth Glass, So,; Amanda Spotts, Emrie Watts, So.

Outlook: Ferrara, Kryman and Watts were All-Division honorable mention picks in 2021. … Kryman was a Top-20 finisher for Boone in the BCIAA Championship Meet, leading the team with a 20th-place run in 21:22. Ferrara and Watts were a respective 33rd and 38th … Kryman again headed the Blazers at District 3, placing 52nd. … “We have a competitive group of girls looking forward to a winning season,” Snyder said.

HILL SCHOOL

Coach: Dan McMains, 12th year.

Last year’s record: 2-2 Mid-Atlantic Prep League.

Runners to watch: Colette Zidek, Sr.; Alexa Creciun, Fr.

Outlook: “A wave of new runners gives the team a lot of unknowns and some fantastic potential,” McMains said. “We are excited to see what this team can do as they learn to compete in high school cross country.”

METHACTON

Coach: Steve Mahan, 39th year.

Last year’s record: 3-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division.

Runners to watch: Caroline Cherekos, Sr.; Catherine Koran, Sr.; Bipasha Moktan, Sr.; Annabelle Cadlwell, So.; Emily Yeh, So.

Outlook: Cherekos and Koran will be the Warriors’ captains. … Methacton’s roster is bolstered by the presence of newcomer Juliana Trigone. … Billy Corby and Jessy Conran will serve Mahan as volunteer assistant coaches. … Moktan is Methacton’s returnee with the highest finish in last year’s PAC meet, 27th place. Cherekos followed in 32nd place. … “With Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley and Spring-Ford in the league, it surely feels like an uphill climb for Girls X-C,” Mahan said. “And with Boyertown, and Norristown under the direction of head coach Neil Schafer, there are no easy meets in PAC league racing. We had a very encouraging turnout for the ninth graders … 10 runners, but a few of them got banged up with the transition to high school cross country, and so we will try to get everyone healthy.”

NORRISTOWN

Head coach: Neal Schafer, first year (8th total).

Last year’s record: 0-4 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division.

Runners to watch: Lila Day.

Outlook: Schafer returns to head the Eagle program after doing a coaching stint at Ursinus College. He was Norristown’s head coach from 1993 to 2000. … Bill Scherer, who headed the Eagles for five seasons in the 2000s, has returned as Schafer’s assistant. … “We are in a rebuilding,” Schafer said. “We did not win a single meet last year and we did not place any runners in the varsity race at PACs in 2021. Lila Day is making her XC debut and will be someone to watch in the girls’ races.”

OWEN J. ROBERTS

Head Coach: Tim Marcoe, fifth year.

Last year’s record: 4-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division.

Runners to watch: Grace Fennell, Sr.; Maggie Lustig, Sr.; Claire Zubey, Sr.; Brianna Cargo, Jr.; Danielle Nemeth, Jr.; Ava Taylor, Jr.; Khya D’Angelo, Soph.; Jane Kratz, Soph.; Kaitlin McGuire, Soph.

Outlook: The Wildcats’ roster is bolstered by the addition of freshman Nora Horton. … Zubey will be looking to repeat as PAC and District 1-AAA champion and improve on last year’s third-place run in the PIAA Class AAA meet. … Taylor (seventh), D’Angelo (13th), Lustig (15th) and Kratz (16h) were Roberts’ other Top 20 finishers at 2021 PACs. … Roberts is also looking to repeat as a PIAA team qualifier and match last year’s runner-up finish in the district team standings. … “The girls are looking forward to building on the success of their top-5 finish at last year’s district championship. Our goal is to compete well at each meet this season and continually improve as the season progresses. We want to practice and race to the best of our ability each time out so that we are as prepared as possible for the championship season.”

PERKIOMEN SCHOOL

Coach: Jacob Wells. second year.

Last year’s record: Not available.

Runners to watch: Brianna Jones, Sr.; Ocean Mayer, Sr.; Pearl Bixler, So.

Outlook: The Panthers are coming off a 2021 season that saw them win the Penn Jersey Athletic Association championship. … Mayer was a Top 20 finisher in last year’s Pa. Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) championship meet, placing 17th. Brianna Jones added a 35th-place showing. … “We are very excited for the upcoming season,” Wells said. “Our girls team won the PJAA league championships, and we are hoping to claim that victory again. The girls team will be incredibly strong in the league this season, and we hope to perform well at PAISAA again this year.”

PERKIOMEN VALLEY

Coach: Ryan Sullivan, 21st year.

Last year’s record: 7-0 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division.

Runners to watch: Sydney Fitzpatrick, Sr.; Audrey Liberi, Sr.; Abi Schweitzer, Sr.; Elyse Tancini, Sr.; Summer Watts, Sr.; Allie Hurd, Jr.; Sienna Miller, Jr.; Allie Matasich, So.; Emerson Whetstone, So.

Outlook: The Vikings roster is bolstered by the addition of freshman Claire Mages. … Watts, Matasich and Whetsone were all Top 10 runners for PV in the 2021 PAC meet. Watts placed fifth, Matasich eighth and Whetstone ninth. … Watts cracked the Top 50 at states, placing 49th in the AAA race. Whetstone placed 94th in the event. … “The girls team returns six out of seven top runners that have not lost a dual meet in three years,” Sullivan said. “It enjoyed a productive summer of training, led by Summer Watts and Emerson Whetstone. With the addition of Abi Schweitzer from track, we’re looking forward to challenging returning PAC-12 champion Phoenxiville, continuing our unbeaten streak for a fourth consecutive season and improving upon a 6th place finish in District 1.”

PHOENIXVILLE

Coach: Eric Sprenkle, fifth year.

Last year’s record: 5-0 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division.

Runners to watch: Nevaya Carr, Sr.; Alyssa Cunningham, Sr,; Liza Barbash, Jr.; Anna Carruthers, Jr.; Kenzie Padilla, Jr.; Josie Reed, Jr.

Outlook: The Phantoms were the PAC’s team champion in its 2021 championship meet. … Padilla and Carruthers were a respective third and fourth in the PAC meet’s finishing order. Carruthers went on to score 43rd place in the PIAA Class AAA meet, and Carruthers 62nd. … “The Phoenixville girls team is energized and excited for the fall season,” Sprenkle said. “Last season’s competitive experiences have helped grow the team’s commitment to the sport and to each other. From the roots of this strong culture, and focus on the process of training, the team has set targets on repeating its successful outcomes at the conference, district and state level. The senior leadership of Alyssa Cunningham and Nevaya Carr will help focus the efforts of the dedicated junior class and guide our enthusiastic underclassmen to running their best.”

POPE JOHN PAUL II

Coach: Lisa Cagliola, seventh year.

Last year’s record: 3-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division.

Runners to watch: Marisa Sala, Sr.; Ava McNicholas, Jr.; Maria Souder, Jr; Izzy Berquist, So.

Outlook: The Golden Panthers roster is bolstered with the addition of freshmen Rory Luna, Sophia Zajkowski and Mary Kate Zollers. … Sala is the Golden Panthers’ top returner, having placed 52nd in the PAC’s 2021 meet. … “With the loss of three key seniors from last year, all of the girls are working to move into the varsity spots,” Cagliola said. “It’s been a productive summer and it will be fun to watch these girls.”

POTTSGROVE

Coach: Torry Dugan, first year.

Last year’s record: 0-4 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division.

Runners to watch: Noelle Barone, Sr.; Shauna Kerlin; Lauren Vaughn.

Outlook: Dugan has taken over the Falcon program from Toni Crater, who stepped down from the post after one season. … “Noelle Barone is our top returner for the team and has been working hard over the summer to get ready for a great senior year,” Dugan said of the senior who placed 45th at PACs in 2021. “We have a full varsity team this year, which is exciting. Shauna Kerlin and Lauren Vaughn have been two standout runners so far in our training, and we are excited to see what they will do with their first seasons.”

POTTSTOWN

Coach: Stephanie Konnick, fourth year.

Last year’s record: 0-4 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division.

Runners to watch: Lily Fetterman, Sr.; LaRayna Rosado, Jr.

Outlook: Rosado was Pottstown’s top finisher at PACs in 2021, placing 64th. … “We’re looking forward to sending off our seniors with a good running season and working on growing our team for future years,” Konnick said.

SPRING-FORD

Coach: Larry Rechtin, first year.

Last Year’s Record: 3-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division and overall.

Runners to watch: Abby Duersch, Sr.; McKenzie Thomas, Sr.; Sarah Heinz, Jr.; Caley Kuestner, Jr.; Ryann Short, Jr.; Sofia Williams, Jr.; Ava Hensley, So.; Lauren Latsko, So.

Outlook: Rechtin takes over the Spring-Ford program after a long tenure as head coach of Pottsgrove’s cross country and track teams. … Duersch finished 26th in the 2021 PAC meet, making her Spring-Ford’s highest-placing returner. … “We’re looking to improve on 2021 placings at PACs and Districts,” Rechtin said. “This team will get better and better. We have a really nice pack with a small time spread from 1 to 7. If they can work together and improve as a group, SF girls can be a really dangerous as the season progresses.”

UPPER MERION

Coach: Kriston Jae Bethel, sixth year.

Last year’s record: 2-3 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division, 3-3 overall.

Runners to watch: Anna Fleischer, Sr.; Morgan Lawson-Moll, So.; Amelia Desilets, Fr.

Outlook: Fleischer is the Vikings’ top finisher from the 2021 PAC championship, placing 29th. … “After some setbacks and injuries last season,” Bethel said, “Upper Merion girls are going into this year with renewed dedication. Add to that a number of new athletes that are excited to be here, we’re looking forward to a season with lots of big personal records. Even further out, there’s now a huge amount of potential that we hope to develop in the coming years.”

UPPER PERKIOMEN

Coach; Todd Niemann, 20th year.

Last Year’s record: 4-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division.

Runners to watch: Abigail Conti, Sr.; Danielle Fritchman, Sr.; Brynn Hinkle, Sr.; Tia Leister, Sr.; Allison Schaffer, Sr.; Lauren Donahue, Jr.; Nadia Frydlewicz, Jr.; Ella Lyman, Jr.; Maggie Milkowich, Jr.; Angelina Glackin, So.; Maren Landis, So.; Natalie Rowland, So.; Ashlee Shafer, So.

Outlook: The Indians’ roster will be bolstered by the presence of freshmen Niveena Conklin, Amy Rohl and Abigail Rowland. … Landis led the UP contingent in the PAC’s 2021 meet with her 21st-place finish. … “The team is excited for the upcoming season,” Niemann said. “We are returning six out of our top seven runners from last year and have added three runners who have placed themselves right in with the pack. We dropped down to AA for Districts and we should be real competitive in that race. I also must say that this is a great group of girls as well. I look forward to coaching them this year.”