The cross-country season dawns in the Valley with storylines swirling about recent graduates and who can step up to fill their shoes.

This happens every year — it’s inherent in high school sports. But on the girls cross-country scene, it’s especially pronounced this year with the departures of bona fide stars like Amherst’s Tamar Byl-Brann and Northampton’s Norah Reade, who both placed in the top 20 at last year’s Division 2 state cross-country meet.

It can be easy to get caught up in who’s leaving, but over at Amherst, the ‘Canes are more excited about who’s returning. While Byl-Brann and April Schilling won't be back to help the team defend their Division 2A title, Western Mass. title and their Pioneer North conference title, they’re returning a number of key members that will keep Amherst competitive this year. 

“We return nine out of our 12 best from last year... so I think we have a pretty good nucleus to build on. And we've got really strong leadership and we oftentimes do, but I think this year, we're really luck.  We've got not just one or two but we've probably got seven or eight really strong leaders on the team and so we're hopeful that the team culture is going to be going to be really good,” Amherst co-head coach Ron Jacobs said. “I think we'll be ready. I've liked what I've seen so far. People look like they've definitely done some work over the summer. We've got a couple of new people who weren't on the team last year who I suspect are gonna be pretty important contributors, at least by the time championship season rolls around.”

Amherst returns five of its seven runners who represented the team at the Division 2 state championships, most notably junior Elizabeth Sawicki. Sawicki crossed the line second for the ‘Canes at the state meet in a time of 20:31.75, nine seconds ahead of Schilling, and has already reasserted herself as the team’s top runner in their first meet of the season.

“Elizabeth Sawicki, who’s a junior, looks like she's going to be our strongest runner. She's got the best attitude of anybody I've ever seen in cross country and she's so supportive and so enthusiastic. I think she's gonna be a big leader,” Jacobs said on Sawicki.

Besides Sawicki, the team returns juniors Isla Cusick and Marisol Bonifaz and sophomores Claire Kennedy Eliza Zimmerman, who should look to be in the mix for the top spots again this year. Beyond the returning runners, the team is also welcoming back long-time co-head coach Elena Betke-Brunswick, who’s returning for her 11th season at the helm after taking last year off. Jacobs is thrilled to have his coaching partner back this year. 

“Elena and I coached together for I think six years. We have a pretty well established working arrangement and we've got different strengths and I like to think that they're pretty complementary. She's somebody who the athletes on the team really look up to. I can't be out there being (a) mom who’s running... and that's really inspiring for them,” Jacobs said. “She teaches in the school, which I don't do, and just has a really great sort of inclusive sensibility. It's not always easy to combine that really strong ethic of inclusiveness with a strong ethic of competitiveness. That's a delicate needle to thread and I think she's really mastered that.”

One place the ‘Canes won’t be lacking this year is depth, thanks in large part to the monster 16-runner junior class on the team. That’s approximately half of the team’s full roster, and is in large part thanks to original members Sawicki, Caroline Garman and Marisol Bonifaz, who more than quintupled their class size over a two year span.

“It’s kind of crazy when you look back and you realize that when they were freshmen, there were just three of them — between the three of them they all have so much charisma. I've already said to them we're gonna have to do an exit interview with them to figure out what the hell they did, because to increase the size of your class by like five times, six times, it's just insane,” Jacobs said with a laugh. “And so now we've got all of them, and they’re a really cohesive group, and they all want to be leaders.”

Amherst expects this year to be competitive, and it won’t be easy to defend its numerous titles with teams like Northampton, Longmeadow and Ludlow all renewing their rivalries with the ‘Canes this year. But they have a long ways to go before championship season, and Jacobs expects the team to be ready by the time the most meaningful meets of the year roll around.

 Amherst

COACH: Elena Betke-Brunswick (11th year) and Ronald Jacobs (eighth year)

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Valley North/2

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 8-1

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: Western Mass champs, Division 2A champs, Division 2 States Championship meet, 6th place (226 points)

ROSTER – Seniors – Jasmine Alvarado-Machua, Julia Edgerly, Ava Zimmerman; Juniors – Lillian Alvarez, Marisol Bonifaz, Isla Cusick, Caroline Garman, Valeria Godoy Ramirez, Felix Goeckel, Indigo Halasz, Iris Liu, Elizabeth Macleod, Addie Mager, Brooke Nedeu, Allie Osman, Elizabeth Sawicki, Daniella Sherman, Maya Tkachenko Coggeshall-Burr, River Wolaver; Sophomores – Caroline Carolla, Willa Hudson, Claire Kennedy, Lillian Pope, Eliza Zimmerman; Freshmen – Eden Hahn, Vivienne Henry, Jane Lau, Quynh Li, Eleanor Rasche, Elizabeth Smith , Ella Wang, Susana Wolf, Scarlett Woddward-McNiff 

 Belchertown

COACH: Noelle Roy, second year

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Valley North/ 2

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 4-4

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: 10th place at Division 2C sectional meet (268 points)

ROSTERS: Seniors – Zoe Bate, Cameron Ting, Megan Watts, Kami Wlodyka; Juniors – Meera Berryhill, Kaia Couture, Katherine Dorman, Aubrey Harrington, Lucia Hellyar, Hannah Racine; Sophomores – N/A; Freshmen – Natalie Morra, Gina Moson, Mya Wojtczak

OUTLOOK: The Orioles graduated three of their top seven runners from last season – Molly Bail, Kathleen Day and Natalie Shaw, but so far senior Kami Wlodyka have stepped up in big ways early. Wlodyka outran Amherst’s top runner from last season, Elizabeth Sawicki, at the first meet of the season, crossing the line in first place in a time of 21:38, nearly 20 seconds ahead of Sawicki. Head coach Noelle Roy expects fellow senior Cameron Ting to be one of Belchertown’s top performers this season as well.

Last year the squad fell three places short of qualifying as a group for states. It won’t be an easy road for them again this year, but the Orioles could very well see at least one individual qualifier in Wlodyka if she keeps up the hard work throughout the season.

Easthampton

COACH: Lisa Ritchie

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/3

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 5-9

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: 11th at the Division 2 Western Mass meet (298 points)

ROSTER: Seniors — N/A; Juniors – Julianne Markee, Molly Marsh; Sophomores – N/A; Freshmen – Halle Fink; Eighth graders – Gwen Banz, Katie Cleland, Ivy McGee, Juliana Wijnhoven 

OUTLOOK: The Eagles graduated top runner Brooke Bongiovanni last year, who finished 40th at the Division 2 Western Mass. meet (25:12.30). Stepping up this year will likely be Julianne Markee, who finished second for Easthampton last year at the Western Mass. meet.

Frontier

COACH: Bob Smith (45 years), Walt Flynn (30 years)  

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/3

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 13-1

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: Placed seventh at 2022 Division 3 State Championship meet (230 points)

ROSTER – Leah Gump, Iris Hill, Nicole Plasse, Micky McCarthy, Una Millette; Juniors – Mary Burt, Sylvie DiBartolomeo, Sasha Malo, Isabella Graves, Perla Ordaz; Sophomores – Liv Christensen, Maia Christensen, Phoebe Radner, Eliza Montminy, Paisley Severance; Freshmen – Kali Beam; Eighth graders – N/A; Seventh graders – Bailey Cusson, Julianna Dettmers, Kiera Nugent

OUTLOOK: Frontier graduated two of its top seven runners last year, including their No. 2 runner at states last year in Abigail Howard. 

That shouldn’t slow Frontier too much this year – the team returns a solid and experienced group of athletes led by seniors Leah Gump and Nicole Plasse. Gump was the team’s top performer last year and will look to maintain that spot again this year.

Besides Gump and Plasse, Sylvie DiBartolomeo, Sasha Malo and Maia Christensen will round out the always competitive Frontier roster. It’s a given that they’ll compete again for a conference and Western Mass. title, and should be able to advance their squad to the state meet if everyone stays healthy.

Gateway

COACH: Denae Dostal, eighth season

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer South/3

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 9-4

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: Alexandra Henrichon individual qualifier Division 3 States Championship meet, (103rd, 22:52.42)

ROSTER: Seniors —Sawyer Wilkinson, Alexandra Zajko; Juniors – Abby Robbins; Sophomores – Ashley Tacke, Lily Peloquin, Eliza Mueller, Rylan McCaul, Hannah Primack; Freshmen – Anya Niles, Charlotte Hansen, Leah Fulton; Eighth graders – Tricia Theime, Felina Knachel Ella Baralou, Kianna Tatro

OUTLOOK: The Gators lost a crucial member of their team this year in Alexandra Henrichon, who was the lone state qualifier last year. Henrichon transferred to Hampshire Regional this year and will be racing with the Raiders, leaving the team in Anya Niles’ capable hands. Though still just a freshman, Niles has plenty of experience running at the varsity level for Gateway; last year she placed 56th at the Division 3C state qualifying meet (24:22.79) as the Gators’ second finisher. Over her two years of running, Niles has picked up seven individual wins, and she looks to continue that in her third season. 

The Gators will be led by senior Sawyer Wilkinson, entering her seventh year on the team after joining as a sixth-grader and has stayed loyal to the team during her middle school and high school years.

Granby

COACH: Suzanne Williams, third year

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer South/3

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 0-10 

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: Division 2 Western Mass meet, Quinlin Cook (36th, 24:30.50)

ROSTER: Seniors – N/A; Juniors – Quinlin Cook, Aurora Lee; Sophomores – N/A; Freshmen – N/A; Eighth graders – Jocelyn Curran; Seventh graders – Rowan Cook, Audree Flowers, Addison Hill, Stella Siudak

OUTLOOK: The Rams are an extremely young group this year with just two returners, juniors Quinlin Cook and Aurora Lee. Cook was the only runner for Granby in last year’s Division 2 Western Mass. meet, placing 36th overall with a time of 24:30.50.

Hampshire

COACH: Sue Tracy

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Valley/3

ROSTER: Seniors – Kaylee Rooney; Juniors – N/A; Sophomores – Ava Bourbeau, Keegan Butler, Sicily Chase, Alexandra Henrichon, Amelia Perry, Corrine Somes; Freshmen – Kathleen Barry, Julia Caputo, Natalie Dunlap, Kaitlin McDonald, Sophia Tremblay; Eighth graders – Ada Corner, Talia Craig, Lucy Skawski, Estella Steffenhagen

OUTLOOK: The Raiders are going to the 2023 season in excellent shape – they’re both young and experienced, a dangerous combination. Head coach Sue Tracy is returning four of her top five runners from last year, led by freshman Kathleen Barry, who’s had a storied varsity career on both the cross-country course and track before even hitting the high school.

Joining Barry are top performers like Sicily Chase, Keegan Butler, Amelia Perry and Natalie Dunlap. Alexandra Henrichon will also compete for the Raiders this year after transferring from Gateway, and Tracy is also excited to see eighth grader Lucy Skawski line up in a race this year. Expect Hampshire to be in contention for a conference title and make it back to the state meet.

Hopkins

COACH: Jeff Mish, 10th year

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/3

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 2-8

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: Caprial DiBartolomeo qualified for Division 3 state meet, placed 113th (22:58.67)

ROSTER: Seniors – Aurora Donta-Venman, Jayce Lanzafame, Isabelle Salgado; Juniors – Ri Horgan; Sophomores – Caprial DiBartolomeo; Freshmen – N/A; Eighth graders – N/A; Seventh graders – Emily Cain

OUTLOOK: Expect Caprial DiBartolomeo to come back and lead the way for Hopkins. The sophomore has qualified for the state meet for the last two consecutive seasons and is poised to do so again; head coach Jeff Mish says she's looking stronger than she has in seasons past. 

Mish also thinks that senior Jayce Lanzafame could be poised for a breakout season.

Northampton

COACH: Linda Rowbotham

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Valley North/2

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 6-1 

LAST TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE: Runners-up at Division 1 Western Mass, Runners-up at Division 2A qualifying meet, fifth at Division 2 States Championship meet (218 points)

ROSTER: Seniors – Xiaohan Brunton, Sarah Molnar, Summer Sorensen, Ursula von Goeler; Juniors – Sihe Austin, Fiona Blackburn, Aiyana Dyami, Zoe Engel, Tess Geis-Benton, Nona Hadden, Maeve O’Neil, Bailey Park, Sophie Parrott, Jules Rice, Chloe Ritt, Gabriela Ronquillo Dunn, Arianna Silva, Evelyn Smith, Klara Sokop, Misha Stewart; Sophomores – Maddalena Figueroa-Starr, Cairo Harrell, Mia Jones, Molly Rowlett, Charlotte Shimpach, Quinn Siang, Virginia Sidoti, Helen Tejirian, Milo Young; Freshmen – Edie Bacal, Tali Cohen-Hamer, Ben Dalhaus, Lily Green, Breanna Hensley, Elizabeth King-Pollet, Mairead O’Neil, Winnie Russell Jones

OUTLOOK: Losing Norah Reade, Anna and Lily Zamer and Elizabeth McDonough, all state qualifiers, will be tough for Northampton this year, but they have more than enough capable runners who can take up the mantle as the team’s top runner. So far, Maeve O’Neil looks like she’ll be one of the fastest runners in the area, breaking 21 minutes in her first meet of the season against Longmeadow (20:58). The Blue Devils also return a boatload of experience; just four runners in the senior, junior and sophomore classes are new.

Besides O’Neil, expect Tess Geis-Benton and Charlotte Shimpach to be some of Northampton’s top performers. Freshman Mairead O’Neil also had an impressive debut in the team’s meet against Longmeadow, finishing in 22:51.

PVCICS 

COACH: Kevin Brown, fifth season

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/33

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 12-3

LAST POSTSEASON APPEARANCE: Placed seventh at Division 2 Western Mass meet (167 points)

ROSTERS: Seniors – Nina Dejnak, Mahri Hayden; Juniors – Francesca Barlow, Sarah Fardal; Sophomores – Cathy Chang, Imani Letasz, Isabela LaRose, Emma Vasovic; Freshmen – Lien Powers-Moran, Calista Harkins, Bella Sulikowski, Sharlene Ker; Eighth grader – Althea Turner, Eunice Lo, Anna Nuesslein, Anwen Toleno; Seventh graders – Lauren Coney, Tei Hernandez-Day, Juliet Hutchinson, Astrid Kynt, Ellery Maier, Grace Rachele, Axella Yap; Sixth graders – Selina Ker, Nadia McQueen

OUTLOOK: The Dragons look to continue trending upward from last season, graduating just three seniors and returning top performer Sarah Fardal, who placed 30th at the Division 3C State qualifying meet and advanced to the Division 3 State Championship meet, where she finished 129th (23:39.37). PVCICS also has a robust team this year with 25 athletes. 

While Fardal attempts to return to the state meet this year, expect Ellery Maier to keep improving – though she’s just a seventh grader, she has a year of experience under her belt and was the team's second-best runner as a sixth-grader last year. Head coach Kevin Brown also expects Calista Harkins to potentially shake up the top seven this season.

Smith Voc

COACH: Joshua Shearer

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/3

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 2-6 

ROSTER: Juniors – Hannah Guertin

OUTLOOK: This year it’s only Hannah Guertin on the Smith Voc cross-country team. Though the Vikings won’t be able to score this year unless more runners join, the goals stay the same – look to improve every race.

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