Boys cross country: Previews for Columbus Academy, Gahanna and New Albany
We’ve announced our early season Super 12 boys cross country team and the early season Super 7 rankings of the top teams.
Now for a look at the teams from Columbus Academy, Gahanna and New Albany:
COLUMBUS ACADEMY
•Coach: Chris Mealick, second season
•Top athletes: Dorian Bristol, Jonathan Hammond, Zech Kim and Elliott Schehl
•Key losses: Peter Heermann and Cyrus Richardson
•2021 MSL-Ohio standings: Bexley (28), Grandview (79), Buckeye Valley (83), Worthington Christian (97), Columbus Academy (104), Whitehall (175), Wellington (177)
•2021 postseason: Eighth at district
•Outlook: After finishing eighth at district last season, the Vikings are seeking a return trip to the regional for the first time since 2019.
Freshman Dane Chaky has been the No. 1 runner early in the season, with senior Jonathon Hammond also vying for that spot, according to coach Chris Mealick. Hammond finished 48th (18:35.8) at district last season.
Junior Elliott Schehl has been the third runner followed by senior Zech Kim, with junior Dorian Bristol and freshmen Graham Alexander, Jason Singleton and Joshua Sneeringer in the mix as well, Mealick said.
•Quotable: “We have a very nice group of freshmen that have moved up from middle school. It’s a nice group of kids that worked hard, so it will be a fun season. Even without our one and two (Peter Heermann and Cyrus Richardson) from last year, we have an outside chance of advancing to regional. It’s not something that we can’t do, but there’s some quality Division II boys cross country programs in central Ohio.” — Mealick
—Frank DiRenna
GAHANNA LINCOLN
•Coach: Ryan Beck, 10th season
•Top athletes: K’Tyo Hendershott, Will Michael, Abi Sileshi, Charlie Slates and Owen Towler
•Key losses: Sharmarke Ali and Jordon Anderson
•2021 OCC-Ohio standings: Pickerington North (27), Gahanna (50), Westerville Central (57), New Albany (95), Grove City (138)
•2021 postseason: Third at district, 11th at regional
•Outlook: The Lions returned just two key runners from 2020 a year ago but still managed to earn a league runner-up finish. Their 11th-place Division I regional finish also was one spot better than the previous season.
This fall with the return of five of its top seven competitors, Gahanna is expecting to battle for the league title and contend for a state berth.
Senior Abi Sileshi, who was 45th to lead the Lions at the regional, senior Charlie Slates and sophomore Owen Towler are the top three runners.
Senior Will Michael and junior K’Tyo Hendershott also competed at last year’s regional.
Sophomores Andrew Dietrich and Reef Murray and freshman Ethan Lacrosse are among the team’s other top runners, with sophomore Camden Goddard and freshman Hayden Stoecklin looking to contribute as well.
Sharmarke Ali, who was the No. 4 runner at the regional, and Jordon Anderson, who was the Lions’ sixth finisher at regional, were the biggest losses to graduation.
•Quotable: “Last year we only had one senior on varsity and we were pretty young, but this year we know what it takes for us to get to the state meet. We’re really ahead of where we were last year at this time. We’ve gotten off to a good start.” — Sileshi
—Jarrod Ulrey
NEW ALBANY
•Coach: Greg Flecher, second season
•Top athletes: Lleyton Axline, Jack Fischer, Caden Russell, Marcus Speed and Jonah Starinsky
•Key losses: Will Benseler, Eric Dehmer, Evan McClelland and Luke Weibel
•2021 postseason: Seventh at district
•Outlook: Senior Lleyton Axline, junior Jack Fischer and sophomore Marcus Speed return to anchor a lineup that coach Greg Flecher expects to be fluid throughout the season, thanks largely to several new runners to varsity.
Fischer is the defending league champion, and he and Axline were part of the track and field team’s ninth-place 3,200-meter relay in the Division I state meet last spring. Axline won the season-opening New Albany Cross Country Classic on Aug. 22 in 17:07.5.
Senior Henry Schumacher, juniors Boston Dues, Jonah Starinsky and Dylan Weerapulli and sophomore Caden Russell all have seen time in the top seven so far, although Flecher expects that they might be pushed by senior Zac Siegfried and freshman Ean Berberich among others.
•Quotable: “What we’ve been trying to produce for a few years is a situation where the underclassmen fill the roles of those who just left. Other guys move up, and they’re ready to do their part. That takes several graduating classes to hit that, and I’m glad to see that happen. I like where our program is right now.” — Flecher
—Dave Purpura
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Boys cross country: Previews for Columbus Academy, Gahanna and New Albany
