Magnificat, St. Ignatius off to fast starts in cross country.
Joe Magill
Special to The Plain Dealer
Magnificat and St. Ignatius entered this cross country season with lots of questions after graduating several key members from their respective 2009 Division I state championship teams.
However, Saturday's 33rd annual Avon Lake Early Bird Invitational at Lorain County Community College let opponents know that it will be business as usual with these two powerhouse programs.
With senior John Sweeney taking the individual title, St. Ignatius scored 66 points to 102 for runner-up Toledo St. Francis to win the Maroon Division. Host Avon Lake was a close third with 109.
In the girls Maroon Division, Magnificat was in a much tighter battle, but the Blue Streaks still emerged on top with 73 points, followed by Toledo Notre Dame Academy with 86 and Perrysburg with 89.
The girls from Bay had the low team total of the day, using the 1-2 finish of Hanna Sterle and Maddie Britton to score just 25 points to 43 for runner-up Avon in the Gold Division. Avon's boys returned the favor in the boys Gold race, dominating the field with 48 points with Buckeye second with 108.
"We're looking at what we have as opposed to what we lost," Magnificat coach Anjanette Arabian-Whitman said. "It remains to be seen how good we can be. As coaches we know what we believe they can do, but it has to come from the athletes. Our job this year is to help build their confidence so they have the opportunity to reach their potential."
The team's top two finishers, Katherine Stultz in third and Abigail Marquard in 12th, are the lone returners from one of the top teams in the nation last year. But with traditionally strong programs, there is always talent to step in, as Katherine Kerr, Laura Hogan and Macey Walker all finished within the top 23.
"This was a great leap for everybody," Arabian-Whitman said. "But we still have a long way to go. This isn't the state meet. This is step one toward the state meet."
St. Ignatius also returns just two from last year's championship squad, but with Sweeney leading the way, coach Michael Gallagher likes his team's chances to make another run to Columbus.
"John is just driven," Gallagher said of the lone senior in the top seven. "He really wants to get back to the state meet. And he's really been pushing all the guys. I don't have to say a thing. He's just a tremendous leader."
Gallagher had the fastest time of the day, crossing the line in 16 minutes, 10 seconds. Brunswick junior Selena Pasadyn won her first invitational in taking the girls Maroon race with a time of 19:03.
The boys from Avon are hoping to make some noise this year, as they anticipate moving to Division I next year. Led by seniors Tyler Kvach in second and Sam Bickley in ninth, the Eagles appear poised to achieve what they missed out on in 2009.
"Last year we weren't really a factor in our conference and we didn't get out of the district meet," said coach Tara Gruskiewicz. "But we have great group of guys running this year and they've worked really hard. It's been a process that I think has been building for two years. I've been telling them that they better take advantage of this opportunity this year."
Bay's girls were impressive, especially considering there were four freshmen in the top seven and three in the top five.
"It remains to be seen how good we can be, but we're excited," said coach Danielle Harkins.
Joe Magill is a freelance writer in University Heights.