Fairbanks’ cross-country teams are pictured from left, front row, Mollie Thrush, Hannah Niehaus, Mara Vicari, Marissa Wenger, Kinley Green and Riley Jones; second row, Adeline Thrush, Elaina Lahmers, Meredith Reinhard, Caleb Wenger, J.J. Meihis and Rachael Hoover; back row, assistant coach Jeff Powell, Nicholas Johnson, Cameron Nisly, Nicholas Powell, Bryce Nisly, Zeke Gingerich and Nathan Parks. Not pictured, head coach Mike Van Winkle.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
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Members of the Fairbanks High School boys and girls cross-country teams have been working hard all summer in preparation for the 2022 campaign.
“In 2021, we were young and you knew it was just going to take time for these runners to develop,” said coach Mike Van Winkle.
FHS lost only one senior to graduation and has solid lettermen in the fold.
Those veterans include Cameron Nisly, Nathan Parks, Caleb Wenger, Nicholas Powell, Zeke Gingerich, Nicolas Johnson and Bryce Nisly for the boys and Kinley Green, Elaina Lahmers, Addi Thrush, Rachael Hoover and Kayden Fields for the girls.
Hoover was a girls state meet qualifier the past two years, while Gingerich advanced to regional competition in 2021.
The lettermen are balanced by a group of first-year high school runners.
They include Marissa Wenger, Elizabeth Philippo, Hannah Neihaus, Meredith Reinhard, Nicole Nabbale, Mara Vicari, Molly Thrush and Riley Jones for the girls.
JJ Meihls is a newcomer to the boys team.
The Panther boys finished sixth during the Ohio Heritage Conference meet last year, while the Lady Panthers placed third.
“We feel we have plenty of room to improve for both teams,” said Van Winkle. “However, the OHC is such a strong running conference.”
The circuit had five teams qualify for 2021 regional competition and three (the boys and girls teams from West Liberty-Salem and the boys squad from Mechanicsburg) advanced to the state meet.
Hoover placed 55th during last year’s Ohio High School Athletic Association state meet and is looking to improve on her previous success.
She said she took some time off after her All-Ohio 800 meter race during the state track and field meet in early June.
Hoover, however, added she is back to running longer distances.
Van Winkle provided opinions on how the OHC season could proceed.
“West Liberty-Salem will be the team, on the girls side, that everyone is going to be chasing,” he said. “The boys are very similar as West Liberty and Mechanicsburg really have a hold on the conference from the top.
“We are excited to get out there and mix it up with those schools,” said Van Winkle. “If we can finish as a top three team at the OHC championships on October 15, then we are going to feel really good about our team goals for the Division III Central District meet.
“Zeke, Cam and Bryce have been the heart beat of the boys team over the last two seasons,” said the coach. “They are great friends, team leaders and fun to be around. They have an enthusiasm for the sport that permeates out to the rest of the team.
“Zeke looks like he will be in the mix at the regional meet and be a possible individual qualifier for the state competition. The question, really the goal, is to have his teammates running with him at the regional as well.”
The Panthers have some challenging invitationals on the schedule that should shape them for a solid season.
“We are going to Pickerington North for two invitationals because that’s where our regional is run, “ said Van Winkle. “Our home invitational is on Sept. 6 and Tiffin (Sept. 10) is a popular meet for our runners.”
The biggest regular-season invitational will occur on Sept. 16.
That’s when the Panthers will travel to Michigan State University to compete in the Spartan Invitational.
“It’s our first time traveling out of state for the cross-country program, so obviously that’s a new challenge as well,” said Van Winkle.
“A lot of how this team is going to race this season was built last year,” said the coach. “As a team in 2021 we struggled to find the runway at times.
“Those experiences helped us develop a really strong core of runners who understand the challenge of 5K races,” he said. “There are some young runners, freshmen, who will also contribute.
“If we simply improve on what we accomplished last year – personal records and overall team times – then our goals are, for sure, in sight and we plan to fly.”