The Carterville girls' cross-country team has a good streak going — and doesn't plan to end it this season.
Coming off its fifth-straight state-meet appearance, the girls' team has its top three runners from last season back to lead the charge in 2016. Senior Megan Adams was 74th at the state meet, junior Shelby Olson was 87th and sophomore Reese Herrin was 68th. Adams and Herrin also were on the 4x800-meter relay team that made the state meet during track season earlier this year.
“I will be looking to them for leadership and strong performances this year,” Head Coach Nancy Adams said.
The boys' team, meanwhile, is rebuilding around three letter winners and several new faces. One of those letter winners, junior Austin Knight, had a good track season by qualifying for the mile at the state meet.
“I look for him to be the leader this year,” Adams said.
The other returning letter winners on the boys' team are senior Johonson Conner and sophomore Brandyn Wiseman.
BENTON
The boys' team has three returning letter winners from last year's state-meet team.
Mason Wills, Avery Potter and Triston Summers are all returning and are expected to lead the team's charge. Earlier this season, Kyle Sneed was seventh and a high team finisher Aug. 25 at a quadrangular in Pinckneyville, with Wills finishing ninth.
Wills was the high finisher at the Murphysboro Invite on Aug. 31, finishing 17th.
“The boys (had a) strong pack toward the end of (last) year and are hoping to repeat last year's success,” Head Coach Brent McLain said.
The girls' team features freshman Amelia McLain, who was last year's Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association Class L state cross-country champ, according to sijhsaa.com. That success carried over to the early part of this season, as McLain finished first at Pinckneyville and second at Murphysboro.
GOREVILLE
Three 2015 starters are back for the Goreville boys' and girls' teams.
The girls' team has sophomore Paetin Arnold back, while the boys' team has varsity runners Cole Tosh and Darron Kraklow returning.
First-year runners include senior Ian Bernhardsgrutter; juniors Mason Novak and Morgan Bishop; sophomore Breanna Stout; and freshmen Dustin Hutman, Riley Horn, CJ Grimm and Madison Herren.
“We don't have much experience or any standouts, but they are competitive and we may have a few as individuals that will do well this season,” Head Coach Mark Patterson said.
HARRISBURG
According to roster information, Harrisburg's teams have a total of two seniors: Ethan Haney and McKenzie Sullivan.
Other team members include juniors Walker Henley, Nathan Horn, Franchesca Laurencio, Aruniti Manawa, Christian Murray, Trey Robinson, Seth Thai and Justin Womack; sophomore Franko Teston; and freshmen Shavnah Ballard, Caleb Bethel, Devin Gunter, Lauren McDaniel, Marisa Miller, Hannah Reid, Haley Sullivan, Aniha Taborn and Brady Womack.
Note: Not all teams returned information before press time.
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