Here are the Wooster Daily Record's top returning girls/boys XC runners

[ASFN Admin]

Heading into the 2026 cross country season this fall, two of the best distance runners in Wayne County high school sports history in Smithville's Kaityln Carr (2025 girls state champion) and Rittman's Luke Snyder (2023 & 2024 boys state champion, 2025 state runner-up) won't be competing on the preps level anymore.

Wayne County will surely miss there presence, but going into a new season, here are the boys and girls runners to pay attention to that will look to leave their own mark.

More: Here are the Wooster Daily Record's top returning volleyball players

2026 top returning girls cross country runners​

Kloe Smith, Hillsdale​

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As a sophomore, Smith earned her place at the Division IV state meet where she placed 82nd. She produced a top 15 finish at the always strongly competitive Wayne County Athletic League meet.

Eilash Widmer, Norwayne​

Widmer secured the second-highest placing (88th) at last year's Division III state meet behind teammate and graduate Lillith Drebelbis, who earned an All-Ohio state medal by finishing 21st.

Adyson Fosen, Rittman​

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Of all the quality girls distance runners Rittman pushes out every year, Fosen was the lone runner that walked away with a state medal at last year's Division IV state meet. In her junior year, Fosen placed 14th (18:58.29) to get her spot on the podium, which was the second straight year she earned an All-Ohio state medal (2024: 15th place).

Annabelle Snyder, Ryver Ramsier, Hannah Shipley, Selah Amos, Rittman​

Snyder didn't run in last year's Division IV state meet due to an injury but the year before as a sophomore, she placed 18th to earn a state medal. She's back for her senior year with teammates Ramsier (83rd individually at state meet), Shipley (73rd) and Amos (80th). As a group — along with Brooke Bowlby who graduated — Rittman won regional, district and WCAL team titles before placing fourth overall at the Division IV state meet.

Maryn Erdman, Smithville​

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Fresh off her second career 800 meters state title in track and field in June, Erdman will look to make her fourth state appearance and improve upon her 70th place finish at last year's Division IV state meet.

Piper Polen, Waynedale​

Polen will be one to watch for this fall as the sophomore placed 39th at the Division IV state meet, 14th at the regional meet, fifth at the district meet and seventh at the WCAL meet.

Iriel Mena, West Holmes​

Mena will look to make it back to the Division III state meet after coming in 49th at the state meet, 11th at the regional meet, fifth at the district meet and third at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet during her sophomore season.

2026 top returning boys runners​

Logan Kister, Central Christian​

Kister was a Division IV state qualifier (115th place) last season.

Cofy Hofstetter, Dalton​

As a junior, Hofstetter produced top-15 finishes at last year's regional and district meets, while coming in 82nd at the Division IV state meet.

Romagn Wingate, Norwayne​

In his junior season, Wingate placed 84th at the Division III state meet and was third at the WCAL meet.

Gavin Bolender, Rittman​

Bolender returns for his senior season having placed 86th at last season's Division IV state meet.

Nigel Wenger, Smithville​

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At last season's Division IV state meet, Wenger earned a 14th-place finish (16:07.01) and a state medal as a sophomore.

Brady Speicher and Kaden Hilty, Triway​

Both Triway runners were Division III state qualifiers as juniors (Speicher placed 77th, Hilty 82nd) and made the Principals Athletic Conference Second Team.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Here are the Wooster Daily Record's top returning girls/boys XC runners

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