LebCo Boys Cross Country Season Outlook: 2024

Our season outlook for LebCo Boys Cross Country features six teams, each with talented athletes looking to improve on last season’s performance, promising an exciting season ahead.

The season officially starts on Tuesday, with all of LebCo’s teams competing at the LVC Dutchmen Invitational at Union Canal Park on Saturday morning. The season will culminate on November 2nd with the PIAA State Championships in Hershey.

Girls Cross Country Outlook

If you like this type of coverage, please let us know by Following us on social media: Twitter/X – @lebcosports1 and Facebook.

For any questions, comments, or discrepancies, please reach out to dan@lebcosports.com.

   Annville-Cleona Dutchmen 

Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3

Head Coach: Caitlin Heller – 6th season

Key Returners: Dominic Basselgia (Sr.), Matthew Clemson (Sr.), Landon Hostetter (Sr.), David Moran (Jr.), Oliver Funck (Jr.), Z Moyer (Jr.), Luke Tshudy (Jr.)

Key Newcomers: Benjamin Boyd (So.), Oliver Brandt (Fr.)

Key Losses: Samuel Domencic

Outlook: Last year could not have gone any better for the Dutchmen as they ended the season by winning the PIAA Class A State Title. Coach Caitlin Heller is returning six of the seven varsity team members who struck gold at Hershey. The veteran group, led by senior Landon Hostetter (District 3 Champion / 11th – States) and junior Oliver Funck (21st – States), will be hungrier as they have put in the work since last year with hopes of a repeat of 2023. Also in the mix is junior David Moran, who finished 34th in the States last year but then went on to finish with a State silver medal in the 800m during the Track season. One of the challenges they will face is a move to AA due to a reclassification. However, this team is not without talent, determination, or a drive to win at the next level. When the Annville Girls made the move two years ago, they responded by winning the District 3 AA Championship. Look for these Dutchmen to follow suit.

2023 PIAA Cross Country State Championships: Annville-Cleona Captures Crown

 Cedar Crest Falcons 

Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1

Head Coach: Brandon Risser – 20th season

Key Returners:  Viseth Meng (Sr.), Arturo Chavez-Ramirez (Sr.), Tony Figueroa (Jr.), Jack Williams (Sr.), Travis Furmanski (Jr.), Cameran Willis (So.), Toby Felker (So.), Evan Weimer (So.)

Key Newcomers: Zach Margut (So.), Avery Gatto (Fr.), Terry Lewis (Fr.), Hayden Snavely (Fr.), Henry Wengert (Fr.), Wyatt Wolfe (Fr.)

Key Losses: Ben Causak, Jake Perhonitch

Outlook: The Falcons return two 2023 State Qualifiers, senior Viseth Meng and junior Travis Furmanski, to lead them this season. They will be joined by senior Jack Williams and junior Tony Figueroa. Coach Risser, who has a combination of veteran upperclassmen and a young crop of runners who will be debuting at the varsity level for the first time. Risser credits Coach Werner and the junior high staff much for the program’s growth, as they have gotten a large number of students to join the sport and are ready to compete at the high school level. If all goes according to plan, look for Cedar Crest to prove to be one of the top teams in the Lancaster Lebanon League again this season. 

 ELCO Raiders  

Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3

Head Coach: Chuck Gerberich – 16th season

Key Returners: Gabe Asper (Sr.), Chad Keller (Sr.), Harrison Kramer (Sr.), Ethan Donough (So.)

Key Losses: Wesley Doll, Deacon Shearer

Outlook: Last season, the Raiders were led by Chad Keller, who became a two-time State Qualifier. He is now back for his senior year and will be surrounded by a cast of runners who return with experience and hope to show improvement. Though the team is small, if they can support Keller, they should score well as a team. Outside of that, Keller will be worth watching during his final year running high school XC.

 Lebanon Cedars

Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1

Head Coach: Tom Pearson – 10th season

Key Returners: Gavin Sheetz (Sr.), Owen Kreider (Sr.), Samuel Hershey (So.)

Key Losses: Ramon Urena Batista (Shippensburg University), Jonathan Beltran Garcia (Eastern University)Tyler Long (Eastern University), Cole Showers (Mansfield University), Brendon Shaak

Outlook: In 2023, the Cedars benefitted from a solid senior class that allowed them to be very competitive in Section 1, even defeating Cedar Crest for the first time in modern history. That group consisted of four runners who have committed to running in college, headlined by Ramon Urena Batista, who finished 38th at States and is now running at Shippensburg. That said, Coach Pearson still has a talented group that will represent Lebanon this season. The group includes senior Gavin Sheetz and sophomore Samuel Hershey, who are likely to finish towards the top of the pack in nearly every meet this season. Also, look for senior Owen Kreider to continue his evolution after becoming one of the League’s top 800m runners last Spring.  While Lebanon has adopted the motto of Unbreakable, a roster that is full of athletes committed to hard work could result in the Cedars surprising a lot of people in 2024 and them proving to be Run-breakable.

Northern Lebanon Vikings

Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3

Head Coach: Tricia Schafebook – 16th season (non-consecutive)

Key Returners: David Boyer (Sr.), Benjamin Clemmer (Sr.), Carter Kubica (Sr.), Charles Bomberger (Jr.), Evan Driscoll (Jr.), Luke Hentz (Jr.), Josiah Kelly (Jr.), Thaddeus Raub (Jr.), Tucker Reiber (Jr.), Connor Troxell (Jr.), Carlos Polanco (So.)

Key Newcomers: Alex Breiner (Fr.), Chase Brewer (Fr.), Anthony Frederick (Fr.), Myles Horst (Fr.), Owen Kelly (Fr.).

Key Losses: Tyler Shunk (Bloomsburg University), Joseph Escobales, Gavin Kubica, Caleb Sanders

Outlook: The Vikings shocked everyone except themselves when they finished 2nd at the PIAA District 3 AA Championships last season before coming in 12th at the State Championships. They lost several runners to graduation, including Tyler Shunk, who finished 35th at States. However, Coach Schafebook has a hardworking group of talented athletes with knowledge of what it takes to make it to States. They will be led by junior Luke Hentz, who was the team’s #2 runner in 2023. With goals of making it as a team to the postseason, you can expect these Vikings to show consistent improvement throughout the season as they encourage one another and collectively celebrate successes throughout the journey.

.

 Palmyra Cougars

Mid-Penn Conference – Keystone Division

Head Coach: Dave Hollen – 10th season

Key Returners: Cohen Claar (Sr.), Jason Foutz (Sr.), Ethan Yorty (Sr.), Gavin Bullard (Jr.), Cornelius Cummings (Jr.), Josh Miller (Jr.), Nathan Keiner (Jr.), Landyn Rose (So.)

Key Newcomers: Brendan Monahan (So.), Dalton Cole (Fr.)

Key Losses: Logan Mierzwicki, Josh Townsend, Jake Vottero

Outlook:The 2024 edition of Palmyra Boys Cross Country hopes to be competitive within the very tough Keystone Division that features Lower Dauphin and Hershey. Overall, there are twenty-nine runners on the team, with the majority of the boys being juniors and seniors. With each meet, expect this veteran group to improve. The experienced pack will be led by junior Cornelius Cummings, who was a State Qualifier in 2023 after placing 24th at Districts. There will also be several other runners who will be towards the front of the pack, including Gavin Bullard, Cohen Claar, and Josh Miller. Expect fierce competition for those final spots on the varsity squad to have a net positive on the overall development of the team. Given all that we know, there is no reason to think that this Palmyra team could have a starting block assigned to them when the gun goes off at States.