Girls cross country preview: Wadsworth reaches milestone anniversary

The Wadsworth girls cross country team is looking to unite the present with the past this season. The Grizzlies are celebrating the 50th anniversary as a girls program and last week brought former coach John Martin to talk to the current team. "It's been a lot of fun celebrating that," Grizzlies coach Zach Humrichouser said. "Hopefully, we'll add an exciting chapter this season." Along with special shirts and other things to commemorate the occasion, Wadsworth is hoping to join some of those early teams in becoming the first to qualify for the state meet three years in a row since 1978-80. The Grizzlies took eighth last season, while the 1979 and 1980 teams won state titles. With a fourth division now added, Wadsworth and Highland join Buckeye and Cloverleaf in Division II. Black River moves to D-IV. Elsewhere around the county, Brunswick, Buckeye and Medina are young, but the Bees bring back All-Gazette senior Alexis Warnement. Black River, Cloverleaf and Highland are looking to take the next step. Here's a closer look at the eight Medina County teams: Black River Coach: Steve Rhein (2nd season). Last season: 3rd Lorain County League, 12th Lorain County Community College Division III District, Olivia Szmania 23rd individually at Boardman Regional. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Haley Lambdin (sr.), Ruby Johnston (jr.), Jade Mitchell (so.). Newcomers: Scarlett Olive (fr.), Ella McCann (fr.). Noteworthy: Replacing Szmania will be a tough task for the young Pirates. l Mitchell has a chance to take a large step forward after a successful freshman season. Brunswick Coach: Kerry Hunter (34th season). Last season: 3rd Greater Cleveland Conference, 4th Lorain County Community College Division I District, 12th Boardman Regional, Amber Kemmann 62nd individually at state. Key letterwinners lost: Amber Kemmann (All-Gazette), Olivia Komperda (All-Gazette), Kylie Lockwood (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Olivia Petitto (sr.), Elise Juchnowski (jr.), Laura Abraham (jr.), Reese Nolan (jr.). Newcomer: Lila Snider (jr.). Noteworthy: With the graduation of Komperda, Kemmann and Lockwood, new opportunities for fresh faces to emerge have opened. l Petitto has been leading workouts so far, but it will take a few races to iron out who will help fill out the rest of the lineup. Buckeye Coach: Renee Harden (10th season). Last season: 5th Cleveland West Conference, 10th Lorain County Community College Division II District, Sophia Regiec 59th individually at Boardman Regional. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Ruby Joy (sr.), Paige Pedmo (sr.), Sophia Regiec (sr.), Shelby Skilskyj (sr.), Aria Knight (jr.), Kate Shearer (jr.). Newcomers: Kiedalin Allen (fr.), Lila Hoover (fr.), Anna Kosman (fr.), Hayleigh Kreeger (fr.), Riley Onyx (fr.), Ivy Tinay (fr.). Noteworthy: Half the team is made up of freshmen, so significant improvement throughout the season is reasonable to expect. l Regiec improved her time from the preseason exhibition meet in intense heat on Saturday to the Keystone Icebreaker on Monday by more than four minutes, down to 21:44.55. Cloverleaf Coach: Garth Gucker (14th season). Last season: 2nd Metro Athletic Conference, 5th Lorain County Community College Division II District, 15th Boardman Regional, Emma Hibler 67th individually at state. Key letterwinner lost: Emma Hibler (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Sam Porter (jr.), Carrigan Baltic (jr.). Newcomers: Elise Mion (fr.), Gwyneth Staiger (fr.), Leah Monhemius (fr.). Noteworthy: The Colts are without a senior, so it will take a team effort to replace state qualifier Hibler. l Monhemius led Cloverleaf to finish fifth at the Keystone Icebreaker, taking 13th in 22:01.11. Highland Coach: Devan Lippincott (23rd season). Last season: 4th Suburban League American Conference, 13th Lorain County Community College Division I District. Key letterwinners lost: None. Letterwinners: Katie Schuler (HM All-Gazette, jr.), Ava Pallante (sr.), Julia Madison (sr.), Celia Pylypiak (jr.), Audrey Hartschuh (jr.), Audrey Messina (so.). Newcomers: Olivia Keough (fr.), Mary Cullen (fr.), Jillian Pesek (fr.), Evalyn Eshleman (fr.). Noteworthy: Highland was fifth at the OHSAA Preseason Meet behind Schuler (20:20.97, 8th) and Pylypiak (20:30.90, 9th). l Pylypiak decided to focus solely on cross country after also playing soccer the past two seasons. Medina Coach: Brian Dudek (1st season, 4th season as boys coach). Last season: 1st Greater Cleveland Conference, 3rd Lorain County Community College Division I District, 8th Boardman Regional, Alexis Warnement 51st individually at state. Key letterwinners lost: Haley Black (HM All-Gazette), Eliana Wilson (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Alexis Warnement (All-Gazette, sr.), Julia Dietrich (sr.), Alanya Yanmaz (jr.), Leah Bugner (jr.), Ella James (jr.), Julia Black (so.). Newcomer: Addison Joffre (fr.). Noteworthy: Dudek has been impressed with the energy and leadership of the senior class. l Warnement took 51st at state last year in 18:58.40, the second fastest countian. Wadsworth Coach: Zach Humrichouser (4th season). Last season: 1st Suburban League National Conference, 1st GlenOak Division I District, 1st Boardman Regional, 8th state meet. Key letterwinners lost: Ollie Smith (All-Gazette), Rowan King (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Maggie Gerschutz (Gazette MVP, jr.), Cami Ross (HM All-Gazette, sr.), Natalie Buzard (HM All-Gazette, so.), Ella Dolgowicz (HM All-Gazette, so.), Emily Hanson (sr.), Kyleigh Friedl (jr.). Newcomers: Hadley Dietz (fr.), Lyida Hall (fr.), Zoe King (fr.). Noteworthy: With the expanded divisions, Wadsworth will compete in D-II. l Gerschutz was 32nd in 18:32.72 at last year's D-I state meet. That time would have been good enough for 16th in D-II. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.