By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Preview capsules for Portage County’s high school boys cross country teams for the 2025 season.

CRESTWOOD

Head Coach: Jim Schweickert, 15th year.

Coaching Staff: Greg Cicero, assistant, 3rd year.

2024: 2nd in Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division, district champions.

Returning Lettermen (6): Garrett Byers, sr.; Damien Richards, sr.; Austin Wurm, sr.; Julian Russo, jr.; Andrew Menteer, jr.; Evan Rhodes, soph.

Lettermen Lost (2): Augie Schweickert, Kevin Vechery.

Season Outlook: Byers put in a lot of work over the summer to prepare for the season, leading head coach Jim Schweickert to say that he is “running well ahead of last year already.”

Richards was a breakthrough runner a year ago and is expected to continue his maturation as a runner. At the team’s first invitational this year, Richards ran 6 minutes faster than he did in his first invitational last year.

FIELD

Head Coach: Ed Conroy, 20th year.

Coaching Staff: Mike McKinney, assistant, 2nd year; Zach Mack, middle school, 2nd year.

2024: 4th in Metro Athletic Conference.

Returning Lettermen (3): Mason Prusha, sr.; Daniel Manista, sr.; Sean Green, soph.

Lettermen Lost (4): Lucas Pollard, Parker Shutty.

Season Outlook: The team is led by seniors Prusha and Manista.

However, a pair of freshmen, Cole Schumacher and Colin Yaworski, also are expected to make an impact, according to Conroy.

“Both of the freshmen are hard workers and will learn a great deal this season about how to train and race a 5k.”

Green rounds out the team’s top-five runners.

“Sean has improved a great deal over the last year and has high expectations for improving his times from last season,” Conroy said.

KENT ROOSEVELT

Head Coach: Matt Pazderak, 3rd season.

Coaching Staff: Leah Wilson, assistant; Ken Claypoole, assistant.

Returning Lettermen (4): Carter Stevenson, sr.; Dean Foster, sr.; Colt Jurovcik, sr.; Harri Wunderle, jr.

Lettermen Lost (4): Cor Asp, Diego Coutino Granados, Carter Slack, Jack Toepfer.

Season Outlook: With the loss of impactful runners to graduation, head coach Matt Pazderak said the team is “looking to our returning and new athletes to rise up.”

Stevenson, Foster, Wunderlee and Jurovcik lead that push, as well as the senior Ethan Koher.

New additions to the team include Jacob Dunfee and Chris Plough.

Last season, Stevenson was the team’s top runner.

Underclassmen to Watch: Daniel Simon, Brennan Knowns, Jaxon Smith, Koher.

MOGADORE

Head Coach: Diana Morris, 4th year.

Coaching Staff: Rudi Hiney, Mike Morris.

Returning Lettermen (3): Cameron Brady, sr.; Scotty Shaffer, soph.; Thomas McEwen, soph.

Lettermen Lost (2): Dante Navarrete, Jude Leeser.

Season Outlook: Brady returns as the team’s captain and leader.

“He has developed into an incredibly strong and disciplined athlete,” Morris said. “He has what it takes to lead this young team to new heights.”

Underclassmen to Watch: McEwen, soph.; Shaffer, soph.

ROOTSTOWN

Head Coach: Larry Bailey, 43rd year, 303-160 career record.

Coaching Staff: Kyle Rodstrom.

2024: 1st in Portage Trail Conference.

Returning Lettermen (8): Brady Brown, sr.; Wyatt Schenal, sr.; Jacob Sturm, sr.; Brayden Doughtery, jr.; Jamie Lee, jr.; Isaac Simkanin, jr.; Tycho Smock, jr.; Brayden Polcyn, soph.

Lettermen Lost (3): Luke Flowers, Dylan Wilfong, Nathan Lee.

Season Outlook: Brown and Schenal return for their final seasons after winning All-Portage Trail Conference honors the previous three years.

Smolk is another solid contributor returning. He won the program’s Best Distance Award during the spring 2025 track and field season.

Sturm is another returning All-PTC runner, giving the Rovers plenty of talent and depth across their top five.

Doughtery is described by veteran coach Larry Bailey as an “outstanding competitor.”

Additional runners include Simkanin, who has made great improvement, according to Bailey, as well as PTC middle-school champion Grant Stevenson.

Underclassmen to Watch: Jamie Lee, jr.; Brayden Polcyn, soph.; Andrew DeLotell, fresh.; Thomas Workman, fresh.; Dylan Sturm, fresh.; Madix Sporx, fresh.

SOUTHEAST

Head Coach: Monica Kiskadden, 4th year.

Coaching Staff: Julia Dillon, assistant.

Returning Lettermen (3): Caden Dillon, Dylan Evans, Cohen Richardson.

Lettermen Lost (4): Owen Bowers, Micah Craver, Matt Fields, Brice Schoenbaechler.

Season Outlook: Dillon was named the team’s Runner of the Year. As a freshman, he qualified for the regional race, while the Pirates struggled through an injury-ridden season overall.

“Caden’s tenacity is what continues to impress us since his first race in seventh grade,” Kiskadden said. “Our sight is set on the state course at Obetz for Caden.”

Dillon is surrounded by a team that could make Obetz a reality.

“With the incoming freshmen and our returning upperclassmen, we are creating a recipe for team success,” Kiskadden said.

Richardson, a junior, helps lead that push. He has been named Honorable Mention All-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference the last two years.

“He has become a true competitor on the (basketball) court and the cross country course,” Kiskadden said. “We are expecting him to be a major contributor this year.”

Evans, a senior, as well as junior Austin Broman, battled through injuries last year, but according to Kiskadden, both have started this season stronger.

“We are excited to see how they perform this year.”

Underclassmen to Watch: Jacob Boivin, fresh.; Logan Chilson, fresh.; Eli Evans, fresh.; Noah Croston, fresh.; Seth Dillon, fresh.; Kaiden Richardson, fresh.

STREETSBORO

Head Coach: Jon Hannan, 7th year.

Coaching Staff: Larry Hoffman, Angela Novotny.

2024: 3rd in Metro Athletic Conference.

Returning Lettermen (3): Marcus Peters, sr.; Ares Miller, jr.; Troy Mazer, soph.

Lettermen Lost (4): Tim Harkleroad, Hayden Brown, Chris Daniels, Ty Zipprich.

Season Outlook: The leaders are the trio of Peters, Miller and Mazer.

“All three have put in a ton of work in the off-season and look like they can have breakout years to compete for the team’s top spot,” Hannan said.

Underclassmen to Watch: Preston Krzeminski, fresh.; Ryan Haber, fresh.; Brendan Malloy, fresh.