Another high school cross country season is upon us. Get to know the Lincoln teams in 2024.
Christian
Coach: Joe Manley (third year).
Boys outlook:It was a great season last year with another state runner-up finish. Four of the six runners from the state meet team graduated, but a young team has a solid start with two runners who finished in the top 20 at state last year (Trevin Opp and Nolan Engel).
Girls outlook: The Crusaders placed third at the state meet last year but graduated its top three from the state meet team. Senior Joslyn Schneider is back after placing 53rd at state last season.
Boys outlook: East returns six of the seven runners from its state meet team — a really large percentage of returnees for a Class A boys team — and has a great chance to improve on its eighth-place finish at the state meet. Many of the runners have held varsity spots since they were freshmen or sophomores and have set their goals high this season.
Girls outlook: East has won a remarkable six consecutive state championships, but that streak may face its biggest challenge yet to continue. The Spartans graduated a past state champion (Mia Murray) and four seniors overall from its state meet team. Millard West was just 12 points behind Lincoln East at state with its top four runners being underclassmen. Sadie Yager, Kadence Hurley and Ella Herzberg are each back and have been strong in practice.
Lincoln High
Coach: Brad Rettig (ninth year).
Boys outlook: Hutton Rettig and Trey Crabtree are back after helping to lead the Links to the state meet last season.
Girls outlook: Lincoln High had two runners qualify for state last season as individuals and both are back: Sydney Wendt and Jerusha Osborne.
Lutheran
Coach: Gary Bredehoft (18th year).
Boys outlook: Sophomore Max Prochnow, senior Cooper Schelkopf and senior Gavin Loewe are each back from a team that qualified for the state meet.
Girls outlook: Senior Sawyer Benne should be one of the top runners in Class C, having placed in the top 25 at the state meet during each of her three seasons.
Northeast
Coach: John Snoozy (27th year).
Boys outlook: Seniors Tommy Lorensen and Chase Thomas lead a team that was sixth at the city meet last year.
Girls outlook: Northeast will have a new No. 1 runner after the graduation of four-time state qualifier Allison Badura. Sammara Alfayo and Aubrielle Cook are the top returners.
Northwest
Coach: Dan Bax (third year).
Boys outlook: Last year, Travis Emblin gave the school one of its first state meet qualifiers, and he’s back as a junior. The team has added more athletes and should be able to field a full team.
Girls outlook: It was impressive last year when the team qualified for the state meet in just its second season, and three runners are back from the state meet team: Skylar Lappe, Skye Tabke and Adanya Vanarsdale.
North Star
Coach: Brian Wandzilak (first year).
Boys outlook: Brian Wandzilak was promoted after previous head coach Matt Musiel left to coach at Bellevue University. Wandzilak ran cross country at Lincoln Southeast and has been an assistant at North Star for about 20 years. He takes over a team that won the city championship last year and is deep again this season.
Girls outlook: Senior Hope Riedel is one of the top runners in Lincoln and finished eighth at the state meet last season.
Pius X
Coach: Bill Rice (third year).
Boys outlook: Pius X has been in the top five at state the past two seasons and should quickly be one of the top programs after dropping down to Class B this season with a roster that coach Bills Rice says is “loaded with depth.†Junior David Krier finished ninth at state last year.
Girls outlook: Now in Class B, the team brings back several varsity runners after finishing fifth place in Class A last season.
Southeast
Coach: David Nebel (23rd year).
Boys outlook: This is a team with a lot of varsity races led by seniors Cody Fikar, Josh Bradley, Cameron Wesche and Elijah Mulliner.
Girls outlook: Lucy Detering had a top-15 finish at the city meet as a freshman last season.
Southwest
Coach: Ryan Salem (17th year).
Boys outlook: No. 1 runner Max Myers graduated and is now running cross country for Nebraska, but the Silver Hawks could have another top finisher in junior Connor Boyle.
Girls outlook: Southwest should have a great chance to move up from a sixth-place finish at state last year. The Silver Hawks are led by junior Silvy Munn and sophomore Meredeth Marsh. And Lilly Kenning has joined the team as a senior — she was the state runner-up in Class C for Milford last season. A few freshmen could also quickly make the varsity roster.
Standing Bear
Coach: Joey Black (second year).
Boys outlook: Black was previously an assistant coach for the successful Lincoln East program and then started the program at Standing Bear. The program has gone from 11 athletes to 30 for Year 2.
Girls outlook: Sophomores Hannah Zimmerle and Claire Seeba are back after being the top runners last season.