Cross country started earlier this week. Here is a look at area girls teams:

Fort Loramie

The Fort Loramie girls cross country team is coached by Dennis Prenger, who has spent 16 seasons with the squad.

The roster for its 2024 season consists of seniors Marie Ballas, Harley Eilerman, Chelsea Gasson, Ariel Heitkamp, Kyleigh Houchin, Lauren Moore and Kateri Sherman, juniors Keira Eilerman, Kenleigh Eilerman, Payton Holthaus and Abby Knasel, sophomores Eliza Fullenkamp, Carly Holthaus, Renee Jacobs and Janelle Siegel and freshmen Bailey Gehret, Vivian Gerlach, Liza Poppelman, Evelyn Poppelman, Katelyn Poppelman, Ava Schmiesing, Kiersten Seger, Marissa Snider and Joslyn Zircher.

“The girls team has made eight straight state meet appearances,” Prenger said. “Our girls embrace our program’s tradition of success, but recognize the 2024 team will need to run their own journey. Our top core appears to have put in plenty of work over the summer and I really like where we are at through the first few weeks of practice.

“Our returners are challenging the new high runners to compete every day and to embrace our programs’ core values. With our returning runners and several promising newcomers, our goal is to get stronger week by week and be running at our peak come the end of October and early November.”

Botkins

The Botkins girls cross country team is under the direction of Ryan Gutman in his 16th season as head coach.

The team has five returning letterwinners in senior Grace Gutman (20:31 best 2023 time), juniors Bella Buccio (20:37) and Addison Blindauer (21:36) and sophomores Amelia Greve (21:06) and Kriston Wendel (22:24).

Newcomers to the team this season are senior Sophia Braun and freshman Brylie Greve.

“We lost our No. 1 and 2 runners from last season,” Gutman said. “But these girls are determined to step up and run to the best of their abilities. Team camaraderie is fun to watch and I am confident that they will fight for each other and be up for the challenges of the season.”

Anna

The Anna Rockets girls cross country team is coached by third-year head coach Jeff Maurer.

The Rockets have nine returners this season in seniors Serenity Williamson (20:30 best time), Rachel Harshbarger (23:13), Lydia Vasko (25:55) Madison Kipp (25:56), Margaret Bensman (25:50) and Mae Beckman, junior Kenslee Vanhorn and sophomores Olivia Broeker (23:40) and Jadyn Adamson-Holsinger (25:21).

Newcomers to the team in 2024 will be sophomore Melanie Kranenburg and freshmen Sheridan Williamson, Josie Phlipot, Brianna Bensman, Erika Powers and Mckenzie Simcoe-Housel.

“With the graduation of Paige Steinke (2022 state champion), we return the rest of our top seven runners from last season,” Maurer said. “In addition to returning a large group of experienced kids, we are adding six new runners to the high school squad that have the potential to make an impact this year.

“The girls are hoping to improve on their ninth place finish at least year’s district meet. The team has been running all summer and we are looking forward to the start of the season.”

Russia

The Russia Raiders girls cross country team is coached by Brad Heaton, who has 14 seasons under his belt as head coach.

Returners for the Raiders this year will be senior Sayer Magoto, juniors Annabelle Armstrong, Faith York and Callie Goubeaux and sophomore Madison Schulte. Junior Bernadette Borchers is returning as well to support the team.

The two freshmen newcomers to the team are Maci Armstrong and Grace Caldwell.

“The girls are working hard and putting in the effort,” Heaton said. “If they continue to work hard each week, the team will be where they need to be for the County league meet.”

Houston

The Houston girls cross country team is coached by Bill McKinney in his 10th season as head coach.

The lone returning letterwinner from 2023 is senior Mekayla Pleiman. Houston does have four newcomers in freshmen Ava Mowery, Gabriella Harding, Elizabeth Fogt and Kaelynn Richardson.

“We have a very young girls team this fall,” McKinney said. “All of them have running experience from prior years in cross country. Mekayla will be our experience leader and Mowery should make an impact right away after her success last year in junior high.

“The girls have worked hard this summer and have greatly improved from last year in junior high. With only five girls, staying healthy will be a key for our team scoring. Consistent and steady progress will be a key goal this fall.”

Lehman Catholic

The 2024 Lehman Catholic Cross Country team has nine girls ready for the season’s adventures. The team is guided by their favorite two teachers/coaches: Nick Wolters and Louis Gaier.

The girls are led by a trustworthy trio of juniors: Anna Minneci, Noelle Reineke, and Zippy Bezy. Coach Wolters is thankful he didn’t scare away sophomores Madelyn Nelson and Meg Schmiesing, who return for their second seasons. Freshmen Ava Reineke and Julia Gudorf bring junior high experience and will certainly look to compete. Newcomers Rosemarie Schmiesing (senior) and Holly Canavan (sophomore) bring great energy and positivity to round out the team.

The junior high will add nine girls to the mix to hopefully sustain the team for years to come.

The Cavaliers will strive to compete with the bigger schools of the Three Rivers Conference (Miami East, Milton-Union, Bethel and Covington), who Wolters said all have great established programs.

Coach Wolters says the “Lehman Catholic Cross Country team is truly a family. There is a contagious positive energy about this group. When you have a team of runners who run for one another and not themselves, something special can happen. Maybe that means returning to regionals for the first time since 2015. Regardless, this is a team who simply enjoys being around one another and we know we’re going to have a great season.”

Sidney

The Sidney Yellow Jackets girls cross country team is under the direction of first year head coach Adam Doenges.

Returners for them in 2024 are seniors Kara Kellner and MaKayla Huckleby and junior Hailey Dietz. Newcomers to the team this year are senior Marissa Berryman and freshman Emma Schmiesing.

“Kellner and Dietz will be competing at the top end of our races this year,” Doenges said. “We look forward to them being some of the better runners in the Miami Valley League this year.”

Riverside

The Riverside Pirates girls cross country is led by head coach Elizabeth Marks. While they don’t have enough runners to field a full team, junior Maggie Beaty, sophomore Madelyn Lemly and freshman Randi Doyle will be running this season as individuals.

Fairlawn

No information submitted.

Jackson Center

The Tigers do not have a girls team this season.

Reach Sidney Daily News assistant editor Ryan Harless at 937-538-4651, or follow @RyanHarless_ on Twitter.