This year’s Northwestern cross country teams will be in a bit of a rebuilding mode after both teams graduated some key seniors from their 2024 teams.

The Tiger girls team will be replacing four of it’s top five runners after the graduation of Sophia Cornell, Megan Fornwalt, Devon Heinly and Kellcey Pedron.

Northwestern does, however, return it’s top runner from last season as Rosalia Nestor is back after a freshman season that saw her run as the team’s No. 1 all season and finish third in the Colonial League meet. She missed qualifying for states by just a few seconds in finishing 18th at the district championships last fall.

“Hoping to get Rosie to states this year individually,” said 27th-year Tiger head coach Chris Stitzel. “She missed it by one spot last year. Hopefully that’s motivation to get there this year.”

Stitzel has just eight names on the girls team’s roster this year.

Returning to the team from last year’s roster, along with Nestor, are senior Ava Smedstad and junior Amber Carl. Newcomers to this year’s team include junior Charlotte David and freshmen Laura Earles, Emily Fornwalt, Katherine Furman and Anabel Kline.

All four freshmen were part of the Northwestern middle school team in 2024. They will all be counted on to help the team score this year with Furman likely the team’s No. 2 runner behind Nestor.

Stitzel’s first objective is to have at least five healthy runners for each meet so the Tigers can earn a team score in the girls race.

“At least we don’t have to forfeit,” he said. “That’s our main goal – to get enough for a team. We can build from there.”

Northwestern’s boys team graduated four of its top seven from last year’s team, including 2024’s top two runners in Xavier Giandomenico and Greyson Wellings, along with Bryce Thrash and Logan Thrash. It marked the second straight season that the team graduated it’s top two runners.

“We probably won’t have that stud, but we’ll run well in a pack,” Stitzel. “Some teams might go 1-2 on us, but hopefully then we’ll pack it in on them.

“At least we have the numbers for the guys. We won’t be one of the top teams, but we’ll be right there after that.”

Returning for the boys team are seniors Jonathan Fornauf and juniors Noah Griffith and Brady Furman, who all ran in league and district championship races last year.

Some of the top newcomers to this year’s line up with be sophomores Isaac Grubb and Quentin Guttierez-Kehm, along with senior Max Miller and junior Michal Richards.

The rest of this year’s boys roster includes seniors Kieran Baker, Lucas Berardi, Gavin Dwane, Chase Seither, Ethan Solderich and Griffin Unrath; junior Evan Mussel, sophomores Luke Breidinger, Moses Eastman, Seth Kershner, Chaz Penny, Gavin Phillips, Noah Schwartz and Henry Wade; and freshman Logan Spotts.