With top-shelf talent and depth just oozing from the girls cross country rosters at North Hagerstown and Chambersburg, expectations will be high when the Hubs and Trojans hit the trails this fall.
North Hagerstown, guided by twin sisters Mackenzie and Caroline Philp, has visions of gold following a 2025 campaign that saw the Hubs win the Washington County Championships and post Top 5 team finishes at both the region and state races.
Chambersburg returns almost every key runner, including senior PIAA qualifier Natalie Quinn, and will be determined to qualify for states as a team after missing the dance by one place last fall.
In our cross country previews, we’ll take a closer look at the Hubs and Trojans, while also shining the spotlight on the five other teams in the LocalNews1.org coverage area: Waynesboro, Greencastle-Antrim, Fairfield, South Hagerstown and Smithsburg.
Stick with LocalNews1.org in the days and weeks to come as we continue to preview the fall sports season before it kicks off later this month.
Below are team-by-team preview capsules for the 2026 high school girls cross country season:
Waynesboro Maidens
Coach: Jennifer Atkinson
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: 6-1
Top projected returners: Ariabella Dimino (Jr.), Katie Behnke (Sr.), Braelyn Thompson (Sr.), Leah Bryan (Jr.), Naomi Alvarez Castillo (Jr.), Morgan Jones (So.), Maribel Bentz (Fr.), Maycie Bitner (Jr.), Avalynn Carr (Fr.), Allegra Clothier (Sr.), Vera Cook (Fr.), Malu Dirr (Fr.), Stella Dorius (Jr.), Kerryn Eakle (So.), Lynse Finucane (Fr.), Janell Furtado (Fr.), Evie Garling (Fr.), Eva Garraway (So.), Joslynn Johnson (So.), Emma Jones (Sr.), Lilly Lego (So.), Lily McDannell (So.), Layce Moore (So.), Bella Moreno (So.), Gabriela Rutkowski (So.), Norra Swart (So.), Adrienne Warner (Sr.).
Meet the Maidens: Waynesboro will turn to an underclassman to lead the way following the graduation of a trio of District 3-3A qualifiers … The Maidens no longer have the services of Maddie Ruefle (109th in 21:13.5), Ella Swart (158th, 22:09.2), and Allison McCallum (223rd, 23:34.8), a trio that helped guide Waynesboro to a share of the Colonial Division title and a 16th-place showing at the Mid-Penn Championships last fall … The good news for the Maidens is they return their top runner in sophomore Morgan Jones, who ran to a 27th-place finish in 20:38.63 at the Mid-Penn meet and finished 75th at districts in 20:33.2 … Jones will be flanked by three Mid-Penn qualifiers in Braelyn Thompson (121st, 23:39.51), Bella Moreno (133rd, 23:59.75), and Leah Bryan (24:13.42) … If Jones and Co. can get a lift from Ariabella Dimino and Katie Behnke — a couple of 2024 district qualifiers — Waynesboro could have more than a puncher’s chance in the Colonial Division.
Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Enos Yeager Invitational
Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils
Coach: Rich Secrest
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: 1-6
Top projected returners: Monica Schemel (Jr.), Sophia Denlinger (Sr.), Rachael Graham (Jr.), Avery Russell (So.), Harper Baer (Fr.), Daisy Black (So.), Lily Black (Jr.), Alyssa Buckheit (Fr.), Isla Coy (Fr.), Noelle Ianno (Fr.), Chloe Parks (So.), Briella Pine (So.), Rayn Reuter (Fr.), Elizabeth Wynn (So.)
Meet the Blue Devils: Following a breakout freshman season from Avery Russell, Greencastle has a standout runner to build around and high hopes to improve upon the 2025 campaign … Russell made an impact as soon as she stepped on the course for the Blue Devils, and ran all the way to the postseason, where she took 31st in 20:43.76 at the Mid-Penn Championships and placed 82nd in 20:42.9 at the District 3-3A race … Russell’s supporting cast will include a couple of multiple-time Mid-Penn qualifiers in Sophia Denlinger and Monica Schemel. Last year’s conference meet saw Denlinger place 134th in 24:04.01 and Schemel take 146th in 25:18.87 … Rachael Graham, an experienced junior, is also projected to return … To round out the starting lineup, the Blue Devils will turn to a large group of rising underclassmen … Greencastle will be competing without the services of graduated Shalini Maharaj, who qualified for Mid-Penns last fall and took 174th in 28:43.09.
Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Enos Yeager Invitational
Chambersburg Trojans
Coach: Chris Monheim
Division: Mid-Penn Commonwealth
Last season: 6-0
Top projected returners: Natalie Quinn (Sr.), Kaylie Savage (Jr.), Annamarie West (Sr.), Zara Ward (Sr.), Maggie Holtry (Sr.), Kylie Savage (Jr.), Molly Yardley Gontz (Sr.), Lillian Spohn (So.), Arrabella Rife (So.), Isabel Clark (So.), Abby Berger (Sr.), Isabella Brantner (So.), Sofia Cieza (So.), Payton Loraw (So.), Atlea Pereschuk (So.), Taliya Raber (So.), Janelle Rosenberry (Jr.), Miriam Willson (So.)
Meet the Trojans: Chambersburg returns most of the key runners from a 2025 squad that smashed its competition in the Commonwealth Division and took third at the Mid-Penn Championships … That Trojans squad, however, didn’t get the happy ending it was hoping for, as the team season came to an end with a sixth-place finish at the District 3-3A Meet, one spot shy of a berth into states … With its roster — and that bittersweet taste — still intact, Chambersburg has all it needs to make another deep run into the postseason … Leading the way for the Trojans is senior state qualifier Natalie Quinn, who last year zipped to sharp finishes at the conference (4th in 19:02.02), district (16th in 18:57.6), and PIAA (31st in 19:49) races … Lillian Spohn looks to be Chambersburg’s No. 2 runner after a solid freshman season that saw her take 18th at Mid-Penns (19:58.15) and 56th at districts (20:18.9) … Quinn and Spohn will have an exceptional supporting cast of talented and postseason-hardened runners, athletes who would top the depth charts for most other high school programs … Kaylie Savage (85th in 20:45.9), Arrabella Rife (96th in 21:00.9), Maggie Holtry (106th in 21:12.0), and Isabel Clark (178th in 22:33.4) all competed at districts last season and are expected to return this fall … The Trojans suffer a key loss in PIAA qualifier Brook Boone, who did not come out for her senior season.
Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Enos Yeager Invitational
Fairfield Knights
Coach: Sarah Skoczen
Division: South Central Athletic Conference Division III West
Last season: 2-17, 2-4 division
Top projected returners: Amber Skoczen (Sr.), Victoria Snyder (So.), Taylor Borne (So.)
Meet the Knights: With three returning District 3-1A qualifiers in tow, Fairfield is just a handful of runners away from fielding a competitive dual team … Senior Amber Skozcen, a multiple-time district qualifier, is projected to lead the charge for the Knights after a 2025 campaign that saw her take 102nd in 29:29.99 at the YAIAA meet and 50th at districts in 27:57.5 … Victoria Snyder and Taylor Borne both picked up valuable postseason experience as freshmen last fall. Snyder placed 56th at districts in 31:13, while Borne was just behind in 31:29.6 for 57th … It’s a promising team core, but the Knights would love to add runners to their small roster, especially with the graduation of Haley Best, who took 52nd at districts in 28:50 last season … If Fairfield can add a few more quality athletes, the squad could be well on its way toward improving upon last year’s two-win campaign.
Opener: Wednesday, Sept. 2, at home for SCAC Meet
North Hagerstown Hubs
Coach: Anthony Robinson
Classification: 3A West Region
Top projected returners: Mackenzie Philp (So.), Caroline Philp (So.), Anna Ramanan (Jr.), Anabelle Myers (Sr.), Emma Robinson (Jr.), Charlee Hajel (So.), Philomena Ortiz (So.), Quinn Schnebly (So.)
Meet the Hubs: After exploding on to the high school running scene as freshmen last fall, twin sisters Mackenzie and Caroline Philp are back to lead the charge for North Hagerstown this fall … The Philp sisters are threats to win any race they enter, and they proved as much last season … Mackenzie won the Washington County race in 19:37.7, took third at the 3A West Region Meet in 19:29.40), and claimed fourth at states in 19:22.55 … Caroline was a step behind her sister on the trails last fall — taking second in the county (19:46.9), fifth in the region (19:51.60), and 11th at states (20:24.42) — but don’t expect her to go down without a fight after winning track state titles in both 1,600 (5:04.95) and 3,200 (10:44.31) last spring … With the Philps spearheading the Hubs attack last fall, North Hagerstown won the county team title, took third at regions, and placed fifth at states … Junior Anna Ramanan doesn’t get the same headlines her younger teammates get, but she is one of the better returning runners in the state. Last season, Ramanan surged to third in the county (20:15.6), eighth in the region (20:22.40), and 16th at states … Sophomore Charlee Hajel and Annabelle Myers were both Top 8 finishers at the county meet and went on to take 105th (24:51.07) and 119th (25:15.66) at states, respectively … Other projected returners with postseason experience include Philomena Ortiz, Emma Robinson, and Quinn Schnebly … Ortiz ran a 26:42.96 to take 142nd at states, while Robinson claimed 46th at the region meet in 23:48.50. Schnebly took on the county meet and finished 13th in 27:16.8 … With this group, North Hagerstown will be aiming for a big season, even with the graduation of Anna Chamberlin, who took fourth in the county (22:37.1), 38th in the region (23:12.30), and 109th in the state (24:51.07).
Opener: Saturday, Sept. 5, at Interstate Classic
South Hagerstown Rebels
Coach: Mady Welsh
Classification: 4A North Region
Top projected returners: Aniyah Lubin (Jr.), Allison Cruz Almaraz (Sr.)
Meet the Rebels: South Hagerstown’s season will ultimately come down to how many new runners coach Mady Welsh can recruit to the program … As it currently stands, the Rebels are projected to trot out Allison Cruz Almaraz and Aniyah Lubin … Almaraz competed in two races last season and recorded a PR time of 26:07.1 at the Frank Keyser JV Invite … Lubin, a junior, is new to the team … South Hagerstown will compete without the services of the graduated Brianna Price, who took 20th in the county in 33:01.1 last season.
Opener: Saturday, Sept. 5, at Interstate Classic
Smithsburg Leopards
Coach: Adam Rudy
Classification: 1A West Region
Top projected returners: Melyssa Bard (Sr.), Maru Weidmyer (Sr.), Miya Lewis (Sr.), Jez Unger (Sr.), Alayna Vierra (Jr.), Grace Stockslager (So.), Lohgan Viar (So.)
Meet the Leopards: With four 1A West Region qualifiers — including state qualifier Maru Weidmyer — projected to return, Smithsburg has the potential to improve upon a 2025 campaign that saw the team take second in the county and seventh in the region … Weidmyer was the Leopards’ lone MPSSA qualifier last season. Her postseason journey included a fifth-place finish in the county in 22:42.4 and an 11th-place showing at regions in 22:53.94, before she ran a 24:22.94 for 36th at states … Weidmyer will be flanked by three region qualifiers in Alayna Vierra (35th in 27:13.57), Grace Stockslager (42nd in 28:44.84), and Jez Unger (44th in 31:10.84) … Also projected to return is sophomore Lohgan Viar, who showcased her talent last fall with a seventh-place finish in 23:20.6 at the county meet … Lost to graduation is Jazmina Demar, a region qualifier who took 45th in 32:06.56 last season.
Opener: Saturday, Sept. 5, at Interstate Classic
