Baldwin
Coach: Mike Spielman (8th year). Mascot: Bulldogs. League: Frontier.
Boys' outlook: Baldwin remains loaded, returning five runners from last year's Class 4A state championship team, including runner-up Matt Noonan. ... Noonan, a sophomore, was Frontier League and regional champ last year. ... Other runners from that state team -- sophomore Eric Black (27th), senior Jared Coble (30th), senior Jimmy Gillispie (40th) and sophomore Glen Stansberry (47th). .... Others expected to contribute are sophomore Cory Martinez, seniors Cole Gladhart and Casey Morford.
Girls' outlook: Four juniors -- Megan Noonan, Megan Morford, Amanda Morford and Shawna Trarbach -- headline the Bulldog, who have finished third at state the past two years. ... Noonan was the 4A state champion, regional champion and league champion. ... Trarbach and Megan Morford placed 16-17 at state. ... Amanda Morford, state champion as a freshman, was 27th at state last year. ... Spielman believes team should be strong at end of year.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Anderson County. 11 -- Wamego Invitational. 18 -- at Kansas University Invitational. 23 -- at Prairie View Invitational. Oct. 2 -- at Blue Valley Invitational. 7 -- at Sabetha Invitational. 14 -- Frontier League, Eudora.
DeSoto
Coach: Mark Chipman. Mascot: Wildcats. League: Kaw Valley.
Schedule: Sept. 4 -- at Overland Park Aquinas. 11 -- at Wamego. 14 -- at Holton. 18 -- at Jayhawk Invitational. 23 -- at Tonganoxie. 25 -- at KC Metro. Oct. 2 -- at Blue Valley. 7 -- DeSoto Invitational. 14 -- Kaw Valley League, Lansing.
Eudora
Coach: Dave Durkin (28th year). Mascot: Cardinals. League: Frontier.
Boys' outlook: Junior Ben Thomas is the top returner after receiving honorable mention all-league last year. ... Others back are junior Dan Chrislip and senior Cyrus Hall. ... Durkin expects boys team to challenge for top five in league. ... Eudora will play host to the league meet on Oct. 14, one week after the Eudora Invitational.
Girls' outlook: Sophomore Jill Abel is the top returner for the young squad, which no longer has four-time state medalist Jessa Stein available for points.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Anderson County. 11 -- at Wamego. 16 -- at Wellsville. 23 -- at Tonganoxie. 30 -- at Gardner-Edgerton. Oct. 7 -- at Eudora. 14 -- Frontier League, Eudora.
McLouth
Coach: George Karn (4th year). Mascot: Bulldogs. League: Delaware Valley.
Boys' outlook: Junior Jason Burnett and sophomore Mark Smelser return to a young MHS boys squad that coach Karn expects to improve as the season progresses. ... Top newcomers are sophomores Brant Watson, Chad Gill and Brian Hollingsworth.
Girls' outlook: Sophomore Crystal Edgell, a state qualifier as a freshman, and senior Lisa Byers are back. ... Top newcomers are sophomore Sherri Braksick and freshmen Tina Edgell, Courtney Edmonds and Alayna Stewart.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Jefferson West. 9 -- at Atchison Maur Hill. 16 -- McLouth Invitational. 23 -- at Tonganoxie. 30 -- at Perry-Lecompton. Oct. 7 -- at Eudora. 14 -- Delaware Valley League meet, Rim Rock.
Oskaloosa
Coach: Marvin Keehn (5th year). Mascot: Bears. League: Delaware Valley.
Outlook: Junior Molly Bellinger, an all-league performer and state qualifier a year ago, leads the Bears. ... Neither the girls' nor boys' team has a senior on the roster.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Jefferson West Invitational. 11 -- at Wamego Invitational. 16 -- at McLouth Invitational. 23 -- at Royal Valley. 30 -- at Perry-Lecompton. Oct. 7 -- at Pleasant Ridge. 13 -- Delaware Valley League, Rim Rock.
Ottawa
Coach: Chris Kornhaus (13th year). Mascot: Cyclones. League: Huron.
Girls' outlook: Ottawa girls will be going for their fourth consecutive state championship. ... Senior Jessica Sylvester (seventh), senior Kristy Morton (12th) and sophomore Kathryn Sylvester (19th) all medaled at state last fall. ... Others to watch are senior Kalyn Fuller, senior Kristen Sells and sophomore Katie Sheffield.
Boys' outlook: Senior Ryan Stringer is a returning state medalist. ... Senior Darren Harbison and sophomore Bryce Huschka are other key returners.
Schedule: Sept. 4 -- at Overland Park Aquinas Invitational. 11 -- at Olathe South Invitational. 15 -- at KC Turner. 25 -- Ottawa Invitational. Oct. 2 -- at Blue Valley Invitational. 14 -- Huron League, Wyco Park.
Perry-Lecompton
Coach: Marla Cottrell (1st year). Mascot: Kaws. League: Kaw Valley.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Jefferson West. 9 -- at Santa Fe Trail. 16 -- at McLouth. 23 -- at Royal Valley. 30 -- Perry Invitational. Oct. 7 -- at Eudora. 14 -- Kaw Valley League, Lansing.
Santa Fe Trail
Coach: Rick Huddlestun (1st year). Mascot: Chargers. League: Kaw Valley.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Anderson County. 9 -- Santa Fe Trail Invitational. 14 -- at Holton. 23 -- at Prairie View. 30 -- at Gardner. Oct. 7 -- at Eudora. 14 -- Kaw Valley League, Lansing.
Tonganoxie
Coach: Phil Williams (25th year). Mascot: Chieftains. League: Kaw Valley.
Boys' outlook: Williams believes the THS boys should have their strongest team since winning state in 1991, especially with seniors Jordan Smith (sixth at the KVL last year) and Brett Becker (eighth) running 1-2. ... Sophomore Alan Davis is one of the Chieftains' top underclassmen.
Girls' outlook: Sophomores Sarah Mayes and Erin Seymour are the top returners. Mayes is a returning state qualifier.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- Tonganoxie quadrangular. 9 -- at Atchison Maur Hill. 16 -- at Hiawatha. 23 -- Tonganoxie Invitational. 30 -- at Gardner-Edgerton Invitational. Oct. 7 -- at DeSoto Invitational. 14 -- Kaw Valley League, Lansing.
Wellsville
Coach: Tim Savage. Mascot: Eagles. League: Frontier.
Schedule: Sept. 2 -- at Anderson County. 11 -- at Wamego. 16 -- Wellsville Invitational. 25 -- at Stanton County. 30 -- at Gardner. Oct. 7 -- at Eudora. 14 -- Frontier League, Eudora.
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