SETTING THE SCENE: Milford High School’s cross country teams will hit the trail for the first time this season, at the Lakota East Fall Classic.
BOY’S PREVIEW: The boys will be led by Coach Dave Ackerman, and will rely heavily on junior Harris Craycraft. Last season Craycraft set a new personal best of 16:50, good for a 10th place finish at the ECC Championship Meet. Craycraft was named to the first team All-ECC in 2015 as well.
Joining Craycraft as key players are fellow juniors Peter Kroeger, Clayton Virzi and Sean Vonderhaar. Also expected to see varsity action are senior Joseph Kruse, as well as juniors Cooper Stooksbury and William Stout.
GIRL’S PREVIEW: Coach Tracy Neal-Adams returns to coach the Eagles with a huge roster of female runners. Noted returners from last year’s cross country and track and field squads, who will be expected to provide leadership, include seniors Marisa Detore and Cymone Horton and Trista Whitt. Other returning runners include juniors Audrey Moore and Sarah Pierce, and sophomores Andrea Armstrong and Katherine Perez-Oviedo.
THE WEEK AHEAD: The season opens for both squads at the Lakota East Fall Classic on Saturday August 27th at Voice of America Park. The Milford teams will join an expected record number of teams, with the varsity boys at the start line at 9:00 am followed by the girls at 9:30 am. Due to the large number of runners in all events, there will be no entry/parking fee.
POLL WATCH: Milford boys cross country opens the year out of the top ten in the Cincinnati Enquirer preseason coaches’ poll, but did receive one vote. As they did in 2015 as well, Mason and St. Xavier take the top two spots in the first poll, followed by Sycamore, Lakota East and the ECC’s Kings. Other ECC schools receiving votes include Loveland (13), Anderson (9), Turpin (4), Walnut Hills (3), and Milford.
Mason leads the preseason poll for the girls as well, followed by two ECC schools include #2 Turpin and #3 Kings. Ursuline Academy and Lakota West round out the top five. ECC schools receiving votes in the poll include Loveland (3), Walnut Hills (2), and Anderson (1). The Milford girls cross country team is not listed in the preseason coaches’ poll.