The North Union boys and girls cross-country team are as follows, row one, from the left, Anna Beard, Ashley Hayward, Savannah Amstutz, Catherine Hinkle, Lauren Hall, Aunna Kasler and Hayley Dailey. Row tow, from the left, coach Fred Holsinger, Tyler Huff, Troy Harvey, Mitchell Marlette, William Popovich, John Popovich, Evan Beery, Casey Clark, Traven Reber, Levi Bard and coach Penny Cunningham. Not pictured is Kendal Music. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The North Union cross-country teams are full of a wide range of age groups this season.
That is something head coach Fred Holsinger is looking forward to.
“I’m excited about the wide range of ages and running experience on the team,” Holsinger said. “In addition to our seven returning letter winners, we have three freshmen boys, three freshmen girls, three running cross country for the first time and one back to running after a year off.
“New runners often surprise me, themselves, and their teammates with big improvements each race.”
To help lead the inexperienced runners will be Holsiner’s group of returning letter winners.
The Wildcats have seven returning letter winners to a team of 17 runners. Of those returning letter winners, Holsinger is looking to Ashley Hayward, Kendal Music and Casey Clark to help them lead the teams of race day.
The trio of runners all received all-conference honors last season and the goals haven’t changed this season for Holsinger.
“Our goal is first-team All-Conference with an eye towards advancing to regionals,” he said. “Mitchell Marlette, John and William Popovich and Aunna Kasler will be expected to use their years of race experience to be important contributors to the team.”
Last season, NU’s boys took third place in the Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division behind Benjamin Logan and Urbana.
The Raiders lost quite a few runners to graduation, according to Holsinger, he but believes the Hill Climbers will be a challenge this year.
“Urbana is returning quite a few,” Holsinger said. “If we race our best against these conference rivals throughout the year, I think we’ll put ourselves in a good place heading into the CBC meet in October.”
On the girls side of the team, Holsinger believes the top spot is for the taking.
“I see a lot of competition for the top spot on the team between Kendal and Ashley and the three through five spot between our freshmen trio of Savannah Amstutz, Catherine Hinkle and Lauren Hall,” he said.
Holsinger isn’t counting out the younger Lady Cats to help them against their conference rivals Northwestern and Indian Lake.
“Hayley Dailey, Aunna Kasler, and Anna Beard have been improving rapidly and I can see them pushing the freshmen,” he said. “This competition for each place on the team can make us competitive.”