Girls cross country: Previews for Columbus Academy, Gahanna and New Albany
We’ve announced our early season Super 12 girls 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 Lincoln and New Albany:
COLUMBUS ACADEMY
•Coach: Chris Mealick, second season
•Top athletes: Samantha Frickel, Sophia Lichten, Melanie Qin, Claire Richardson and Clara Stevens
•Key losses: Julia DeVore and Madeline Proctor
•2021 MSL-Ohio standings: Bexley (39), Columbus Academy (58), Grandview (69), Columbus School for Girls (75), Buckeye Valley (133), Worthington Christian (140)
•2021 postseason: Third at district, 11th at regional
•Outlook: After a strong showing last season in Division II, the girls will drop to Division III for the postseason.
Sophomores Melanie Qin and Clara Stevens are competing for the No. 1 spot, according to coach Chris Mealick. Last season, Stevens finished 44th (22:15.1) at regional and Qin was 58th (22:38.3).
Mealick also expects a big season from sophomore Sophia Lichten, and seniors Samantha Frickel and Claire Richardson also are vying for spots in the top seven.
•Quotable: “The girls are going to pick up right where they left off last season. We’re bringing back four of our top five from a team that was pretty close to making the state meet in Division II last season. The girls have pretty high expectations of themselves.” — Mealick
—Frank DiRenna
GAHANNA LINCOLN
•Coach: Ryan Callihan, second season
•Top athletes: Eliza Brofford, Addy Galloway, Eden Newman and Ava Tominack
•Key losses: Sophie Gartland, Olivia Perry, Hannah Reich, Alyssa Shope and Avery Suriano
•2021 OCC-Ohio standings: Pickerington North (50), Gahanna (52), New Albany (64), Westerville Central (99), Grove City (142)
•2021 postseason: Seventh at district
•Outlook: The Lions lost their top four runners to graduation, a group that included last year’s Division I state individual champion in Alyssa Shope. She finished in 17:32.1 to beat Olmsted Falls’ Katie Clute (17:39.7).
That being said, Gahanna is looking to take a step forward as a team after finishing seventh in the district 3 meet to miss advancing to regional by one spot.
Senior Ava Tominack missed most of last season with an injury but was one of the top middle-distance competitors on the girls track and field team last spring and could be the No. 1 runner.
Senior Eliza Brofford and juniors Addy Galloway and Eden Newman were the Lions’ other runners during the postseason and at the OCC-Ohio Division meet, where they were second behind Pickerington North.
Sophomores Amanda Evans and Makayla Fry and freshmen Jaylee Basten, Mackenzie Kemp, Ruby Lewis and Olivia Smeck are others vying for spots in the top seven.
•Quotable: “As a coaching staff, our goal for this season is to get these girls pushing each other as a team and running as a strong pack. Working on overall competitiveness in our races is going to be an emphasis at all levels. We have a strong group of four returning varsity runners. … Behind our core group of veterans, we have a large group of freshmen who are coming into this season with a really solid summer of training and are eager to help push this program ahead of where we finished as a team last season.” — Callihan
—Jarrod Ulrey
NEW ALBANY
•Coach: Mark Childs, first season
•Top athletes: Avery Bartels, Ella Cavaretta, Elise Hill, Mary Schultz and Stephanie Thomas
•Key losses: Gabbie Abbruzzese, Clara Doyle, Isabel Goldstein and Sammie Sika
•2021 postseason: Eighth at district
•Outlook: Senior Stephanie Thomas, a three-time Division I regional qualifier, is expected to lead a lineup with a mix of experience and underclassmen new to varsity.
Thomas was third at last year’s league meet, 17th at district and 46th at regional and is the clear leader of the team, according to first-year coach Mark Childs.
Senior Mary Schultz, who was eighth in the 800 meters at last spring’s Division I state track and field meet, also should be a veteran leader along with sophomore Addie Pentzer.
Senior Regan Davies, junior Elise Hill and freshmen Avery Bartels, Ella Cavaretta and Katelyn McMunn rounded out the early top seven.
Senior E’moni Saxton also has rejoined the team after not running since 2019.
Childs, a 2006 graduate of New Albany who played football and ran track and field at Heidelberg, takes over for the retired Herb Gregory. Childs has been an assistant track coach for the past several years and also coached cross country at the middle school level.
•Quotable: “(The tight pack) has just kind of worked out that way. We have the two freshmen who are up there, and I thought they might be there. The older girls are faster, and the freshmen have given us a spark. Having those points add up will be key. I have 15 girls I could interchange from the fourth to 10th spots. It’s a great problem to have, and it makes practice even better.” — Childs
—Dave Purpura
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Girls cross country: Previews for Columbus Academy, Gahanna and New Albany