NOTABLE RUNNERS Maria Arnone, SVSM: Senior helped lead the Irish to the Division II state title, placing seventh overall and scoring a fourth-place ranking in the team race (19:19). Katie Betts, Stow: Senior placed seventh at Division I state meet (18:47). Christina Blair, CVCA: Senior won Division II state titles in cross country and the 1,600 meters in track...
NOTABLE RUNNERS
Maria Arnone, SVSM: Senior helped lead the Irish to the Division II state title, placing seventh overall and scoring a fourth-place ranking in the team race (19:19).
Katie Betts, Stow: Senior placed seventh at Division I state meet (18:47).
Christina Blair, CVCA: Senior won Division II state titles in cross country and the 1,600 meters in track in 2009-10. Her best cross time was 18:19. She also was third in the 3,200.
Anna Boyert, Medina: Was the Bees' top runner at state as a sophomore, placing 27th in Division I (19:20). Best time was 19:01.
View full sizeMedina's Anna Boyert, right, leads a Battling Bees cross country team aiming to improve on last year's 15th-place finish at the Division I meet.
Abby Clifford, Perry: Senior placed fifth in Division II state cross country and third in the 1,600 at state track in 2009-10.
Deanna Godby, Mayfield: Junior placed 17th at Division I state meet (19:07).
Madison Hartline, Hudson: The top freshman at state last year, she placed ninth in Division I (18:45), her best time of the season.
Katie Link, Avon Lake: Junior was 35th at Division I state meet (19:30).
Alexandra Markovic, Hawken: The fastest freshman at the Division III state meet last year, as well as the top Northeast Ohio placer, taking 12th (19:37).
Abigail Marquard, Magnificat: Junior is the top returner from historic state championship team. Also a speedskater in the winter, she placed 20th in Division I (19:11).
Loren McDaniel, Brunswick: The No. 1 runner at state for the fourth-place Blue Devils, she was 29th as a sophomore in Division I (19:24).
Maria Moore, Woodridge: Senior was 11th at state in Division II (19:24).
Alyssa Moran, Strongsville: Senior placed 49th at Division I state meet (19:47).
Hannah Neczypor, North Royalton: Among the state's most accomplished distance runners. Senior placed third at the past two state Division I meets. She also has a third and first in the 3,200 at state track.
Caroline Sauers, Hudson: Won a Division I regional 3,200 title as a freshman last spring.
Allison Stucky, Brecksville: The Bees' No. 1 runner as a freshman at state last year, placing 23rd in Division I (19:15).
Erin Vanek, NDCL: Senior battled with teammate Liz Weiler all season for No. 1 spot and finished 22nd at state in Division II (19:46).
NOTABLE TEAMS
Berkshire: Third at state in Division III last year and a definite contender with returning seniors Noelle Jurcak, Allie Noble, Erica Dingman, Megan Burnett and Hannah Sawyer and sophomore Sara Patterson.
Brecksville: Four of the top five are back from fifth-place Division I state team, including sophomore Alison Stucky, who also plays soccer. Others to watch are senior Tabitha Jacofsky, juniors Lauren Greenlee and Megan Beaver, and sophomore Libby Roether. Senior Benita Wu is the lone remaining runner from the 2007 state championship team. State qualifier Veronica Thompson is recovering from an ankle injury after being hit by a car.
Brunswick: Three of the top five, and five overall, are back from last year's fourth-place Division I team at state. Juniors Lauren McDaniel and Selena Pasadyn are battling for the No. 1 spot. Junior Alexis Uber and seniors Jenny Timoteo and Sophia Gentile also return.
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy: Division II state champ Christina Blair, now a senior, led the Royals to third place last year, and they are in contention to win their second title in three years. The top five all return, including Joy Talbott, Mallory Myers, Irene Frangos, and Laura Rybka.
Green: Sophomores Marisa Papp and Krista Roehlig are among five returners from last year's 12th-place Division I team at state.
Hudson: Finished a disappointing 10th with one of the field's youngest teams at state: two freshmen, two sophomores, a junior and a senior. Poised to do much better this year. Sophomores Madison Hartline and Caroline Sauers top the squad, which includes senior Haley Turner, juniors Marissa Sinko and Rachel Raykov, and freshmen Katie McGregor and Jillian Saccogna.
Magnificat: Graduated five runners from a team that scored an all-division record 28 points to win last year's Division I state title. Junior Abigail Marquard (20th, 19:11) and senior Katherine Stultz (44th, 19:42) are back, and are joined by two seniors, two sophomores and a junior.
Medina: Bees aiming to improve upon last year's 15th-place finish at state. Junior Anna Boyert, who also plays soccer, leads a returning quartet that includes Halley Green, Marissa McHugh and Magen Murphy. Two strong freshmen, Maria Scavuzzo and Casey Midlik, and first-year junior Taylor Wickey could impact the top five.
Mentor: Six return from state qualifying team. Core runners are seniors Dianna Kreider, Kristen Ruckstuhl, Lauren Starks and Carly Berman, junior Julie Lowe, and freshman Jenny Mulhall.
Perry: Senior Abbie Clifford was fifth overall and second in the team race, and led the Pirates to fourth place at state in Division II. Juniors Ally Nelson, Jackie Tenney, Ashley Adamik also ran at state. Nelson is injured and will miss the start of the season.
Rocky River: Looking for its sixth trip to state in the past seven years with a still-young team that returns five from an 11th-place Division II team: Madi Connelly, Maddy McDonough, Elyse Bierut, Megan O'Keefe and Megan Auzenbergs. Freshman Ellen Corcoran and sophomore Anna Eversman could work their way into the top five.
St. Vincent-St. Mary: Defending Division II state champ returns five, led by senior Maria Arnone, who was seventh (19:19). Also picked up a soccer player, Sam Kirk, who could be a big factor. Marissa Rosetti, Tessa Weigand and Anna Mion also return. Likely will have to improve upon its 19:59 team average time to repeat at state.
Woodridge: Returns five from 10th-place state Division II team. Senior Maria Moore placed 11th. Miranda Stockton, Alyssa Whiddeon, Angelina Moore also return. Senior soccer player Morgan Willis, who placed fourth in the 1,600 meters at state track, joins the team and adds to a formidable top five that also could include seniors Emelie Moeller and Katie Allaman and any one of several promising freshmen.
KEY DATES
Aug. 23: Season began.
Oct. 23: District meets.
Oct. 30: Regional meets.
Nov. 6: State meet, Scioto Downs, Columbus.