Saline’s girls cross country team is already rocking a No. 8 ranking in Division 1 at the halfway point of the season, and it’s no accident: this squad is rolling deep, bringing back five of seven runners from last season’s state final lineup. Coach Derek Stern is absolutely buzzing, saying, “We’re happy with the development we’ve seen with all of our athletes, they’ve been, been coming along nicely.” It sounds like that summer grind was no joke, and it’s paying off big time now.
The Core Three Are Crushing It
Leading the charge for Saline is junior Savannah Staton, who didn’t just show up, she dominated the Hudson Early Season Invite, taking first with a 19:26. That wasn’t a fluke either, as she’s already bagged two top five results in her first six races. Right alongside her is senior Katarina Munson, who’s also locked down two top five finishes this season and clocked a personal best 18:06.6 to land eighth at the Jackson Invitational. Then there’s junior Adelynn Turck, who snagged second individually right behind Staton at Hudson and chalked up 12th and 13th place finishes at Saline’s first two Southeastern Conference meets. Coach Stern is super clear on their impact, stating, “They’ve been consistently kind of our top three in each of the meets that we have participated in so far. They’ve done a nice job of holding on to those leadership roles and making sure that they are getting around the course and picking up the points that we need early in the race.” These three are the real deal, carrying the team’s momentum from the gun.
Depth Charges: The Young Guns and The Comeback Kid
It’s not just the front runners making noise, though. Saline’s sophomores, Lauren Tomaszewski and Caroline Cotner, are out there posting their quickest times of the season. Tomaszewski pushed hard for 20th at the second conference meet with a 20:38.7, and Cotner blazed to a 21:10.78 at the Jackson Invitational. But seriously, get this: senior Michelle Jiang, despite doing “a lot of traveling over the summer” and not training with her teammates, just hit a career-best 21:14.9 at Jackson. Coach Stern totally called it out, saying, “She has really come on over the last few weeks and clearly did her training on her own because she’s in our top seven and just doing a great job.” That’s the kind of dedication that builds a powerhouse team, pushing from the top all the way through the lineup.
This team is clearly gelling, with that offseason grind paying dividends at the exact right time. Coach Stern’s observation that “that work is paying off now as we get into the middle of the season” couldn’t be more true. With the way these athletes are developing and hitting their stride, don’t be surprised if Saline keeps climbing those rankings. They’re making a statement, plain and simple.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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