Free State High once again has been blessed by transfers.

Last year, Ryne and Robby Price moved from California and immediately became key contributors to the Firebird baseball team that advanced to state.

This year, the Firebirds’ boys cross country team wants the same good karma from its own exceptional move-ins.

Among the new faces coach Steve Heffernan has to work with this season is Nick Squier, a senior transfer from Hays who was all-state a season ago and posted a time of 17:25 at the Class 5A state meet at Rim Rock Farm.

He’s just one of four talented new runners Heffernan has to work with. It brings remarkable depth to the boys squad, which has Heffernan thinking big.

“Our guys team should realistically contend for a state title this year,” Heffernan said. “We have eight guys capable of running under 17:30 in the first meet, and we’ve never had that before.”

On the girls side, sophomore Alysha Valencia returns after an exceptional freshman campaign that concluded with a fifth-place finish at state.

She’s back and, Heffernan said, better than ever.

“She’s in a lot better shape than she was a year ago,” Heffernan said. “Everything was new to her last year, and she really accomplished a lot of great things. She’s so far ahead this year that I can’t even guess on how her season is going to go.”

City cross country runners are gearing for a new season. Among the city standouts are, from left, LHS seniors Harry Swartz and Meg Gentry, Seabury Academy sophomores Katie Pottorff and Adam Davis, and Free State seniors Kelsey Randall and Nick Squier.

The Firebirds will start the season Saturday at the Overland Park Aquinas Invitational at Johnson County Community College.

Lawrence

The Lawrence High girls cross country team’s approach to meets will be different from Free State’s, but that doesn’t mean coach Chip Anderson doesn’t expect success.

“We don’t have anyone like Alysha (Valencia), who’s always out in front,” Anderson said. “Our girls are going to all be together. We’re going to be in a pack.”

Look for senior Meg Gentry and sophomore Megan Johnson to bring the leadership. The Lions lost Megan and Lauren Davis to graduation, but still could improve on their sixth-place finish at state last year.

“Besides the Davis sisters, all of our varsity runners are back,” Anderson said.

The boys team was hurt more by graduation. Gone are the Lions’ top three runners from last year, but back is a deep pack, led by senior Harry Swartz, junior Drew Vogel and sophomores Kyle Morgison and Matt Riley.

Like the girls, the LHS boys team sticks together.

“They’re all running in more of a pack,” Anderson said. “I think we’re pretty strong. We’ll see on Saturday.”

LHS also will compete at the Overland Park Aquinas Invitational Saturday.

Seabury

Seabury cross country coach Jill Boyle has an advantage over most schools the Seahawks compete against.

The Seahawks’ top two runners — Katie Pottorff for the girls and Adam Davis for the boys — are just sophomores. They have two more years of high school left, yet they’ll have four years of experience under Boyle after this season.

“Our most experienced runners will end up running for me for six years,” Boyle said.

With Seabury’s junior high and high school teams practicing together, it gives Boyle and her runners familiarity that’s an asset.

Davis and Pottorff are Seabury’s two school-record holders at cross country. Pottorff was a state qualifier last year, and Davis missed qualifying by just 13 seconds.

With just four boys and five girls on this year’s varsity squads, the Seahawks might be stretching it to strive for a team berth at state. Still, they’d like to have more than just Pottorff there this time around.

“I know we have quite a few individuals looking toward state,” Boyle said. “If we stay out of injuries, we’ll see how we can do.”

Seabury opens Sept. 13 at the Wamego Invitational.