Although the high school cross country season doesn’t begin in earnest until the end of the month, the local squads at Wharton and Freedom High have been logging big mileage numbers all summer in preparation for the 2017 season. Here’s how the Wildcats and Patriots stack up.
FREEDOM BOYS
Head Coach:Â Chris Biernacki (3rd year)
2016 Results: 13th at county championships.
Key returning runners: Alejandro Michel (Sr.), Kevin Jefferis (Sr.), Samuel Burson (Sr.), Cole Rodgers (Sr.).
This year: The boys squad has a bit more depth than the Freedom girls and a bonafide No. 1 runner in Michel. Michel’s school record in the 5k (16:36) and 3200m (10:06) are accolades he could build on in 2017.
Michel will go up to Tallahassee to run at the FSU Pre State meet in early October.
Senior Evan Castro is a welcome addition, coming over from the soccer team. Biernacki predicts he’ll slot into the number two or three spot early.
Key meets: Sept. 23 Don Bishop Invitational (Brandon), Oct. 6-7 Disney Cross Country Classic
FREEDOM GIRLS
Head Coach:Â Christopher Biernacki (3rd year)
2016 Results:Â 13th at county championships.
Key returning runners:Â Morgan Kugel (Jr.), Lessi Millington (Jr.), Miranda Berlin (Sr.), Lauren Blair (Jr.)
This year: The Patriots do not have a ton of depth and they will have to deal with the absence of Mercedes Mendoza after the team’s top 2016 runner graduated. However, both Kugel and Millington are in their third year on the team. Last year, Kugel finished seventh in the county in the freshman/sophomore division, and along with Millington, the Patriots have some experience to bring along newcomers like sophomore Lauren Batcho.
Batcho is a softball player who batted .282 last season with 11 RBI as a freshman, and Biernacki thinks she’ll compete for one of the top three spots on the team.
Senior Schuyler Rutherford returns after a one-year hiatus, but Biernacki also expects her to be one of his top five runners.
Key meets:Â Sept. 23 Don Bishop Invitational (Brandon), Oct. 6-7 Disney Cross Country Classic
WHARTON GIRLS
Head Coach: Anthony Triana (6th year)
2016 Finishes: 3rd in county,
 3rd in Class 4A, District 6
Key returning runner: Rachel Lettiero (Sr.).
This Year: Triana insists 2017 is a re-loading and not a re-building year, but losing six of your top seven runners — including your top two in Rania Samhouri (USF) and Bryanna Rivers (University of Massachusetts) — will punch the reset button on the odometer.
That being said, the sheer numbers and the work ethic of this year’s team has Triana excited.
“We’ve had no less than 16 girls at every practice this season,” Triana says. “This year might not have the talent of years past but this is the hardest working group I’ve had in years.”
Varsity newcomers Amanda Brake (Jr.) and Nicolina Otero (Jr.) have shown a lot of promise in early season workouts and will form a core around Lettiero for the Wildcats to rally around.
Key Meets: Sept. 2 Wiregrass Ranch Run with the Bulls, Sept. 23 North Port XC Invitational, Oct. 6-7 FSU Invitational (Pre State).
WHARTON BOYS
Head Coach: Kyle LoJacono (4th year)
2016 Finishes: 3rd in county, 9th in state,
  runner-up in Class 4A, District 6
Key returning runners: Nehemiah “Tre” Rivers (Jr.), Sahil Deschenes (Sr.), Frankie Godbold (Sr.)
This Year: Long in the shadow of the girls team, 2017 could be the year that the Wharton boys break out. The Wildcats were within eight points of county champ Steinbrenner last season, posting their best finish ever at States, and aim to climb the state ladder.
Rivers leads the way for the Wildcats after winning a district title, finishing fourth at the county championships and taking ninth overall at States. He ran a personal best of 16:16 last season, within striking distance of the school record of 15:56.
Deschenes and Godbold add some veteran leadership for the Wharton boys.
Fellow senior Eric Jurgensmeyer is new to cross country, but has track experience. LoJacono is impressed with Jurgensmeyer’s early ability to handle the 5k distance.
Finding that fifth runner to step up will be instrumental to the 2017 team’s success, although LoJacono claims that his growing team and its hungry mentality are changing the culture for Wharton boys cross country. It will be tough sledding as the Wildcats compete in a very tough district with the likes of Steinbrenner, Plant, Wiregrass Ranch and Sickles.
Both the Wharton boys and girls cross country squads are still getting help from former coach and distance guru, Wes Newton.
Key Meets: Aug. 26 Jim Ryun Invitational (Lakeland), Sept. 23 UF Mountain Dew Invitational, Oct. 6-7 FSU Invitational (Pre State)
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