AnnArbor.com's last of 10 fall sports previews takes a look at Washtenaw County's boys soccer teams.

RUNNERS TO WATCH

Alyssa Cummings (so.), Saline: After finishing 40th in the state as a freshman, Cummings has picked up right where she left off with medalist honors at the Bath Invitational, Troy Athens Red Hawk Invitational and the first Southeastern Conference jamboree.

Katherine Hoevet, Pioneer: The junior should be among a group of strong individuals leading the pack in a loaded SEC. She finished 59th at last year’s Division 1 state finals.

Annie-Norah Beveridge, Huron: Finished 30th at the Division 1 finals as a junior and has fellow all-state teammate Karyn Rapundalo to push her in training and on the race course.

Karyn Rapundalo, Huron: The area’s leading state returner after a 23rd-place finish at the Division 1 state finals. Along with Beveridge, the senior makes up half of the best 1-2 punch in the area.

CHELSEA BULLDOGS Chelsea continues to shrink as a school district and the number of girls out for the cross country team reflects that. The team will consist of just 11 runners, the smallest in coach Pat Clarke’s tenure. And Clarke has been coaching the Bulldogs since before the enactment of Title IX.

Coach: Pat Clarke (40th year) Last Season: Second in the SEC White. Key Returners: Jessi Battaglia (jr.), Corrine Carpenter (sr.) Danielle Dahl (jr.), Elaine Johnson (jr.), Samantha Newbound (sr.). Key Newcomers: Ella Fritzemeier (so.), Madison Nelson (fr.) Strength: Chelsea’s top three runners return from last year. Weakness: Low numbers. Outlook: The Bulldogs are probably a year away from being able to challenge Dexter for the top spot in the SEC White. Coach Pat Clarke says: “Any time you return your top three, you should be O.K. as long as you don’t get hit by that injury bug.”

DEXTER DREADNAUGHTS The Dreadnaughts lost only one runner to graduation from a team that placed eighth at the Division 2 state finals. There are two problems, though. The one lost runner was Kristen Yarrows, who was fifth in the state, and Dexter will jump up to compete in Division 1 this year. Even if Dexter is improved, that may not be enough to advance from the regional round.

Coach: Katie Jazwinski (5th year) Last Season: SEC White champions; eighth at Division 2 state finals. Key Returners: Mara Bottomley (so.), Caci Dishman (sr.), Emily Pap (jr.), Emily Tarnaski (jr.). Key Newcomers: Abbie Betzolf (fr.), Elise Dombcowski (fr.), Olivia Vollmers (so.). Strength: Where the top runners place is often interchangeable, which means they are constantly pushing each other. Weakness: Jazwinski says the girls sometimes develop a pecking order of sorts and seem afraid to pass one another. Outlook: Moving up a division and into a strong regional will be a major test to this traditionally-strong program. Coach Katie Jazwinski says: “Bumping up to Division 1 presents a challenge, but we will stick to our philosophy of personal improvement.”

FATHER GABRIEL RICHARD FIGHTING IRISH The Fighting Irish came one place away at the regional from qualifying for the Division 3 state finals last year. Moving to a new region in the Flint area, the Irish will have to compete with traditional powerhouses Williamston and Leslie to make it to Michigan International Speedway this year. Coach Jim Spencer has a lot of numbers (24) to work with, but most don’t have any racing experience.

Coaches: Jim Spencer (2nd year) Last Season: Catholic High School League division champs; fourth at Division 3 regional. Key Returners: Rosemarie Dahl (jr.), Sarah Lipinski (sr.), Annie Patton (so.), Teresa Scerbak (jr.). Key Newcomers: Andrea Bodary (fr.), Emily Erickson (so.). Strength: Talent and a willingness to work. Weakness: Much of the talent is very raw. Outlook: Gabriel Richard should contend for another Catholic League title, and could make a run at states if the bottom part of the lineup progresses. Coach Jim Spencer says: “With the new region, it’s kind of an unknown how we stack up. I’d like to see us get to states but it will depend on the training.”

GREENHILLS GRYPHONS A 12-person team might be low numbers for some larger schools in the area, but for co-coaches Jim Hare and Bill Stewart, it’s the largest turnout they’ve ever had at Greenhills. All but two girls return from last year’s Division 4 state-qualifying squad and with the addition of junior Corrine Gardner - a transfer student from Pennsylvania - and senior Katy Sims - a senior triathlete, out for the first time - the Gryphons will have a seasoned squad.

Co-Coaches: Jim Hare and Bill Stewart (5th year) Last Season: Tied for second in MIAC; third in regional; 22nd at Division 4 state finals. Key Returners: Maddie Csere (jr.), Katrina Kaczymski (sr.), Anna Schwartz (so.), Marjorie Totten (jr.), Madi Vorva (so.). Key Newcomers: Corrine Gardner (jr.), Kaity Missio (fr.), Katy Sims (sr.). Strength: Though the Gryphons don’t have a stud No. 1, having their top runners around the same level is conducive to competition and improvement in training. Weakness: Top runners are young and upperclassmen have little race experience. Outlook: Lutheran Westland and Greenhills should be the top contenders for the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference title again and the Gryphons have a shot at returning to states. Coach Jim Hare says: “Hopefully this year we’ll have a lot better pack, and won’t be as spread out from first to the back.”

HURON RIVER RATS In a league with Pioneer, Saline, Bedford, and Monroe and a regional with Livonia Churchill, Pioneer and Salem, even good teams can be left on the outside looking in. Huron was that team last year. The River Rats’ regional draw is more favorable this year, adding Dexter and Skyline - both new to Division 1 - and losing traditional powerhouse Pioneer. Two all-state runners, Karyn Rapundolo and Annie-Norah Beveridge, will lead a senior-laden group that will need significant contributions from its talented underclassmen.

Coach: Kevin Behmer (11th year) Last Season: Fourth in SEC Red; fourth in regional. Key Returners: Annie-Norah Beveridge (sr.), Aeri Em (sr.), Supret Grewal (sr.), Grace Kanzawa (sr.), Karyn Rapundolo (sr.). Key Newcomers: Alexandra Cell (fr.), Jessica Johnson (fr.), Maya Long (jr.), Hannah Sherman (jr.). Strength: A wealth of upperclassmen. Weakness: Stiff competition in league and regional. Outlook: It’s been so far, so good for the River Rats, whose complementary runners have exceeded Behmer’s expectations in the early goings of the season. Coach Kevin Behmer says: “With so many seniors and four-year girls that are both capable and enjoy each other’s company, they should make tolerating the work that’s necessary to be competitive enjoyable.”

LINCOLN RAILSPLITTERS In the immediate, the prospects look a little dim for Lincoln, which only has six girls out for the team, five of whom are freshmen. Coach Dan Green, however, is optimistic about the upcoming season, but even more so for the years to come because this particular group of freshman is rather talented. In the first SEC jamboree of the season, Lincoln placed ahead of Ypsilanti, Adrian and Tecumseh, three teams that finished ahead of the Railsplitters in the conference standings last year.

Coach: Dan Green (4th year) Last Season: Last in the SEC White. Key Returners: Alexa Geider (sr.). Key Newcomers: Mara Darn-Seifer (fr.), Emily Czinski (fr.), Marina Geider (fr.), Aleah Kramarczyk (fr.), Adella Myles (fr.). Strength: A large freshman class that will progress as the season and years go by. Weakness: Youth and inexperience. Outlook: In the early goings of the season, Lincoln has already shown it can compete with the top half of the SEC White. Coach Dan Green says: “There’s a lot of talent in this group, it’s a very encouraging group of freshman.

MANCHESTER FLYING DUTCHMEN Manchester qualified for the Division 3 state finals last season for the first time since 1998. Six of the seven runners from that team, which finished in 19th place, return to the lineup. Coach Elissa Weidmayer is encouraged by what she’s seen so far, including the performance of senior Jenny Kempher, who has already shaved 30 seconds off of her personal record this year.

Coach: Elissa Weidmayer (2nd year) Last Season: Tied for second in Cascades Conference; 19th at Division 3 state finals. Key Returners: Jenna Chandler (jr.), Evelyn Dority (sr.), Jenny Kempher (sr.), Alex Mazur (jr.), Jackie Timoszyk (jr.), Christy Weidmayer (so.). Key Newcomers: Taylor Fegan (fr.). Strength: Top three runners have state championship experience and are fast enough to qualify as individuals. Weakness: With only seven runners, one injury or illness could devastate the lineup. Outlook: Moving into a tougher region, it will be tough for Manchester to enjoy the same level of success it had in 2009. Coach Elissa Weidmayer says: “They are all faster and have the ability, I’m much more concerned about the competition in the region which I think will be much harder.”

PIONEER PIONEERS Pioneer graduated five of its top six runners from last year’s team, which was 10th in the state last season. Coach Bryan Westfield isn’t worried about the former junior varsity runners filling those spots because, “they were pretty good last year, just not good enough to crack our lineup, which was really good.” The attrition Westfield is more worried about are the girls who he’s coached at the youth level whose sisters - and, yes, parents - have come through his program that he is losing to Skyline.

Coach: Bryan Westfield (33rd year) Last Season: Second in SEC Red; regional champions; 10th at the Division 1 state finals. Key Returners: Katie Hoevet (jr.). Key Newcomers: Christina Lim (sr.), Rosanna Neuhausler (jr.), Adriana Tzalel (so.). Strength: Very talented group. Weakness: Lack of varsity experience. Outlook: Though Pioneer doesn’t have the numbers and depth it’s accustomed to, it’s still a top-tier program with a bevy of talent. Coach Bryan Westfield says: “They’ve adjusted to my way of doing things, which is old school training and conditioning.”

SALINE HORNETS Saline won the Division 1 state title last year and what coach Mike Smith knows is that this year’s team has the talent to repeat. What he’s unsure of: all his runners’ names. The Hornets have upwards of 130 girls out for the team and the talent to field multiple, competitive varsity teams.

Coach: Mike Smith (33rd year) Last Season: SEC Red, regional and Division 1 state champions. Key Returners: Amy Creutz (jr.), Alyssa Cummings (so.), Katie Colosimo (jr.), Kristin Green (so.), Emily Reyst (so.). Key Newcomers: Kelly Hall (so.), Calley Jastrow (so.), Elianna Shwayder (fr.), Sam Szuminski, (jr.). Strength: Numbers, depth and tradition. Weakness: None. Outlook: Losing two of the state’s top-10 runners (Alex Leptich and Kate Carter) would devastate most programs, but the small army that is the Saline team just reloads. Coach Mike Smith says: “We may have to go to name tags at the beginning of the season. Between freshmen and new kids there’s probably 40 to 50. That’s a lot of ponytails.”

SKYLINE EAGLES In its third year as a program, Skyline moves up to Division 1, but is still sans seniors. Sophomore Lauren Halpern and junior Madison Mayleben will pace the Eagles all season and contend in every race they enter. But there is too much of a drop off from No. 1 and 2 to spots 3-5 for the Eagles to have a real shot at pushing the top-tier teams in their league and regional.

Coach: Amber Culp (3rd year) Last Season: Last in SEC Red. Key Returners: Lauren Halpern (so.), Madison Mayleben (jr.). Key Newcomers: Maddy Rombes (jr.), Randa Sakallah (jr.). Strength: The team has put in the work over the summer to improve. Weakness: As a third-year program sans seniors, the Eagles are still young. Outlook: Skyline’s top two runners alone should almost guarantee them an improved placed in the SEC standings. Coach Amber Culp says: “We’ve had the time to work on the little things to make us stronger without all the pressures so far.”

WHITMORE LAKE TROJANS In coach Larry Bostwick’s first year, the Trojans made the Division 3 state finals, but relied largely on a talented group of seniors. Four of the six that ran at last year’s state finals are gone. The Trojans could be another year away from returning to the Michigan International Speedway.

Coach: Larry Bostwick (2nd year) Last Season: Qualified for Division 3 state finals. Key Returners: Sam Blount (sr.), Madelyn Smid (so.). Key Newcomers: Hanna Fanson (fr.), Kelly Spurlock (jr.). Strength: The young core of the team is learning the ropes together. Weakness: Youth and inexperience. Outlook: This will likely be a rebuilding year for the Trojans. Coach Larry Bostwick says: “We’ll only lose one of our top seven next year, and the group coming up behind will make us strong in the future.”

YPSILANTI PHOENIX Coach Torin Moore is now running the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track programs at Ypsilanti. This consistency has already resulted in higher numbers. Moore feels each team will, eventually, feed off of each other as his runners transition from one season to the next with steady improvement and consistent training methods.

Coach: Torin Moore (3rd year) Last Season: Finished in the bottom half of the SEC White. Key Returners: Reta Burnette (jr.), Olivia Heator (jr.), Mary Roach (sr.). Key Newcomers: Voctoria Banks (sr.), Fatou Condo (so.), Carneysha McGee (jr.). Strength: The Phoenix have a lot of young talent work with. Weakness: Youth and inexperience. Outlook: Ypsilanti will likely be in the bottom teams in the SEC White. Coach Torin Moore says: “We need to get some miles under our belt, learn what cross country is all about.”

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