Girls cross country preview: Will Penn's reign as top South Bend area program continue?

MISHAWAKA — Penn girls cross country runners know the pedigree of the program.

Fifteen-straight Northern Indiana Conference titles. Fifteen-straight sectional crowns. State finals appearances in every year but one since 2011.

The pressure to perform well is always high. This year is no exception.

Although the Kingsmen graduated two of its more decorated runners in program history in Mary Eubank and Ellie Stabnik, Penn is expected to be in the mix to make another trip to the IHSAA state championship meet at the end of October in Terre Haute.

“Mary and Ellie were two girls who, between cross country and track, ran at least six or eight state meets each,” veteran Penn coach Michael Clements said. “I think with last year being their senior years, it was a little deceptive to people how young we really were. We still had a great season.”

More: 2023 IHSAA cross country state finals recap

Penn was regional runner-up and 16th at state to go along with its NIC and sectional championships last year. They still finished ahead of all the same teams from regional at the state meet despite Stabnik being sick and missing the state finals.

Of the seven runners that competed at state for the Kingsmen, five return in seniors Aubrey Morgan and Janine Mbianda, juniors Ari Balinnang and Gabby Smith and sophomore Lila Van Hoveln. The two seniors in Morgan and Mbianda have increased their training over past summers, as Morgan had been playing travel softball and Mbianda was more of a short-distance runner in track and field.

“Those five girls coming back are definitely going to be the core of what we do this year,” Clements said. “They’re hungry, and they’ve really embraced that this is their team. They want to compete for a regional championship and do well at the state meet.”

A pair of incoming freshmen in Shreya Nayee and Sami Pentelow have also caught the eye of Clements. The former set numerous middle school records in the Big 11 conference, making her one of the top new faces in the state cross country scene. Nayee is also playing for the junior varsity girls soccer team at Penn as well.

“We’re going to be deep this year, and I think it’s going to be competitive for those last couple of spots,” Clements said. “As a coach, I love that. I know it creates stress for the girls, but pressure creates diamonds. When they’re fighting for those sixth and seventh spots, it just makes us tougher come race day.”

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Other top area girls cross country teams to follow this fall

Northridge Raiders

The Raiders have the top returning state finisher from the area in junior Dakotah Moore, who took 28th last year. She’s already off to a strong start this season, finishing third individually at the Valley Cross Kick-Off in Terre Haute last weekend. All eight Northridge runners that competed at the regional last season return: seniors Gretchen Ludwig and Izzy Snyder and sophomores Briene Bemis, Hannah Miller, Natalie Gillette and Jade Snyder. Juniors Hadley Troyer and Addy Long are also in the mix for the varsity lineup.

LaPorte Slicers

LaPorte finished 10th as a team at the New Prairie regional last year, but have the top five runners returning in seniors Faith Spain, Lila Gillisse, Caitlyn Carnes, Natalie Poston and Margaret Conner. Spain was the lone state qualifier of the group, placing 45th individually last year.

Six other individuals to consider

Goshen senior Kassandra Ortega

Ortega was a state qualifier last year, finishing 67th in Terre Haute. She also had an 11th-place showing at the New Prairie regional the week prior.

South Bend Adams sophomore Agnes Hasler

Hasler was one of the top performing freshman runners in the area a season ago, placing 34th at the regional meet. Adams returns the bulk of its team that advanced to regionals last year.

Concord senior Zoe Roberts

Roberts has been a top runner for the Minutemen her entire career. She’ll have one last shot at making the state meet this year after taking 45th at regionals a season ago.

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South Bend Saint Joseph junior Izzy Frabutt

Frabutt was one spot behind Roberts at the regional meet last year. Although the Huskies didn’t officially qualify for regionals as a team last year, they still had several runners compete in the meet, including returnees in sophomore Cathy Lutz, junior Ella Trenerry and senior Addy Farmer.

Mishawaka senior Koryn Flick

Flick is expected to lead the Cavemen this fall after finishing 49th in last year’s regional meet. Finishing two spots behind her at that meet was junior teammate Savannah Hinton.

South Bend Trinity at Greenlawn sophomore Annika Lute

Lute first burst onto the scene by winning the South Bend city meet last fall. The freshman wall caught up to her some, but she was still able to advance to regionals and place 57th at that meet.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Girls cross country preview: Will Penn's reign as top South Bend area program continue?