The Jaguar XC Invitational (Senior Night) Recap

The Jaguars hosted a memorable Senior Night, rebranded this year as the first-ever Jaguar XC Invitational. It was a fitting way to close out the regular season with standout performances across the board.

Out of the 36 Jags running, 31set new season bests, with 23 of those being lifetime bests. The team’s hard work all season was on full display, making for a powerful finish to the regular season.

Six athletes earned Athlete of the Meet honors for their exceptional performances:
Jezebel Kostecke (‘27), Bridie Hyland (‘26), Alexy Actis (‘28), Grace Litten (‘29), Ella Antonetti (‘27), and Alex Cromer (‘26).

With momentum on their side, the varsity squad, along with two alternates, now turns its attention to the postseason. The Jags will head to LCCC this Saturday to compete in the district meet, ready to chase even bigger goals.

Medina and Portage Recap

It was a split week for the Jaguars, with part of the team traveling to Portage, MI for the Portage Invite (consisting of captains, four-year seniors, and sub-24 runners) while the rest competed closer to home at the Medina Milt Place XC Festival. Despite the high temperatures at both locations, the Jaguars rose to the occasion and gave gritty performances across the board. In Portage, Katherine Starck (‘26) earned the Athlete of the Meet honor for running a strong, determined race in tough conditions, while in Medina, Noel Heuberger (‘27) was recognized for her supportive spirit and a powerful finish that helped set the tone for her teammates.

Madison Recap

With less than three weeks left until the post-season, the Jaguars continue to put in solid effort, showcasing another strong performance at the U Wanna Come Back meet in Madison. The competition was fierce, with the Varsity Jags finishing 8th out of 12 teams, while the JV squad came through impressively, securing 3rd place among the same 12 teams.

Leading the Varsity team once again were Maddie Koons (18:54) and Avery Stives (18:58). Both athletes not only cracked the sub-19-minute mark but also earned spots at 8th and 9th place, respectively, on SJA’s all-time rankings.

On the JV side, senior Silvia Lanese led the charge with a personal best time of 22:32. She was closely followed by Celia O’Leary (23:07), Mora O’Linn (23:13), Alex Humphrey (23:25), and Bridie Hyland (23:25).

The day wrapped up with 26 runners achieving season-best times and 9 athletes hitting lifetime bests. The team recognized two standout performers as Athletes of the Meet. Avery Stives (’27) for securing her place on the all-time list, and Kate Neitzel (’28), who earned a lifetime best with a strong race.

Looking ahead to next week, the team will split up for two meets. Captains, four-year seniors, and those who have run sub-24 minutes this season will compete at the Portage Invite in Michigan, while the rest of the squad heads to the Milt Place XC Festival in Medina.

Black River Recap

This past weekend, the team split into two squads. The Varsity Jags took a well-earned break from racing, while the rest of the team competed at the JB Firestone / Black River XC Invitational. After placing fourth at the meet last year, the team returned with renewed determination and raced their way to an impressive first-place finish.

The Jag pack was led by strong performances from Anna Heuberger (5th place), Mae Wimbiscus (7th place), and Jezebel Kostecke (9th place), each playing a key role in the team’s success.

This week, three athletes earned the title of Athlete of the Meet for their standout performances and for leading and supporting their teammates both on and off the course. Congratulations to Stella Garland (‘27), Anna Heuberger (‘28), and Mary Linehan (‘29) for exemplifying the spirit and strength of the team.

Next up, the team will head to Madison High School for the Madison U Wanna Come Back Invitational.

Massillon Jackson HeckSpacular Recap

This past Saturday, the SJA Jaguars competed at the HeckSpacular, hosted by Massillon Jackson. While the meet was smaller in size, the competition remained tough. The Jags rose to the challenge, securing an impressive 2nd place team finish.

Leading the pack once again was Maddie Koons (‘29), running a season-best 19:01, followed closely by Avery Stives (‘27) with a lifetime-best 19:13. Both runners solidified their spots on SJA’s all-time performance list with these stellar times.

Senior Katherine Starck crossed as the team’s third finisher, also earning a lifetime-best with a time of 20:45. The next four scorers followed closely:

Carolyn Skrha (‘28) – 21:07
Olivia Newman (‘28) – 21:26 (lifetime best)
Ella Schneider (‘27) – 21:37 (lifetime best)
Anna Heuberger (‘28) – 21:45 (lifetime best)

In total, 26 athletes recorded season-best times, while 7 achieved lifetime bests. This is a testament to the team’s continued hard work and growth.

This week’s Athletes of the Meet, as voted by the team, were Izzy Snow (‘29) and Silvia Lanese (‘26) for their dedication and outstanding performances.

Next weekend, the Varsity squad will take a well-earned rest while the rest of the team heads to the JB Firestone Invitational at Black River High School. Go Jags!

Avon Lake Earlybird Recap

This weekend, the SJA cross country team tackled a more challenging and tactical course at the Avon Lake Earlybird Meet. Once again, the Jags delivered impressive results bringing home some more hardware. The Varsity squad raced to a 3rd place finish out of 18 teams, led by the dynamic duo of Avery Stives and Maddie Koons, who crossed the line in 4th and 6th place, respectively. Close behind, Elizabeth Siefker, Carolyn Skrha, Amelia Litten, Katherine Starck, and Olivia Newman ran a strong pack helping secure the team’s podium finish.

The rest of the squad dominated the Open Division, earning 1st place out of 13 teams. Ella Schneider led the way with an 8th place finish, while senior Yamaralz Vargas set a lifetime best, earning her a well-deserved nomination and the team’s second Athlete of the Meet title of the season.

Next week, the Jags head to Walsh Jesuit High School for the Pat Ritchie XC Invitational, ready to take on a fast, flat course and continue their streak of strong performances.

Riverside Recap

 The 2025 cross country season has started strong. The girls competed on the trails at Riverside High School during the HOKA Kickoff Classic. The varsity Jags secured 2nd place out of 36 teams, leaving the meet optimistic about the season ahead. The JV Jags also performed well, finishing 6th out of 33 teams.

Leading the pack were junior Avery Stives (3rd place), freshman Maddie Koons (5th place), and sophomore Elizabeth Siefker (7th place). Not far behind were Carolyn Skrha (‘28), Katherine Starck (‘26), Olivia Newman (‘28) and Sylvia Langer (‘29). A total of 47 Jags completed the race, including 12 athletes running their first-ever high school 5k! This year’s team boasts great depth, blending youthful talent with valuable experience.

The team voted to recognize an athlete of the meet for their significant contributions. This week, Mae Wimbiscus earned the honor and received the first athlete of the meet t-shirt of the season.

The Jags’ next competition will be this Saturday at Avon Lake’s Early Bird Invitational, hosted at LCCC.

Summer and Fall schedule now posted!

 The meet schedule for this fall has been posted. It is the same schedule as last fall, but with some subtle changes. We will NOT be going back to Cedarville for the All-Catholic meet and we will go back to using the Portage meet as the overnight trip for 4 year seniors and those who make the time standard.

Also, the important summer dates have been shared as well...camps, etc...

Remember, we will meet 3x/week during the summer for conditioning. It is not mandatory, but highly encouraged if you're in town. Mondays and Fridays at South Mastick: 8:00-9:30...Wednesdays at SJA 8:00-10:00.

Feel free to sign up for the strength/conditioning program as well! Being stronger is a good thing!