Girls Top 25 Cross Country Countdown: #12 Marvin Ridge


#12 Marvin Ridge


Key Losses

None

Key Returners

Kaitlyn Cole

Delaney Caulder

Sarah Cuddy

Brynn Hennessey


Last year Marvin Ridge ended the season ranked 25th in our rankings.  The team returners their entire team from a year ago having no seniors on their roster.  The Mavericks had six of their top seven set their 2017 seasons best at the NCHSAA State Championships showing they certainly were prepped to peak at the right time.  Their top 5 consisted of four sophomores and a freshman a year ago showing this program is on the rise after a big graduation hit a few years ago.

The teams top girl last fall was Kaitlyn Cole who placed 8th at the 3A West Regional and 29th at the 3A State Championships.  Cole ran 19:40 last fall having a very consistent season running under 20 or in the low 20s throughout the 2018 season.  Cole will return as a junior as she comes off a strong track season where she clocked 11:40 and 5:25 on the track.  Cole also clocked an 11:29 during the indoor season showing she's capable of doing much more on the cross country course.

Sarah Cuddy will be the teams #3 returner but is likely going to be in their top 2 this fall after a strong track season this spring.  Cuddy ran 20:09 last fall in her cross country season for the Mavericks.  On the track she showed she had a lot more in the tank clocking 2:30 and 5:26 for the 800m and 1600m.  Cuddy was 52nd at the NCHSAA 3A State Championships last fall where she set a 42 seconds PR.  

Delaney Caulder was the teams #2 girl last fall running 19:57 as a sophomore.  The junior ran 5:37 indoors and clocked 5:51 outdoors.  Last fall she dropped her PR throughout the course of the season with her best performance coming at the state meet where she placed 45th.  Caulder has come a long way the last two years, and could make another jump this fall.

At 4 & 5 the team will return rising sophomore Brynn Hennessey and rising junior Anna Utesch who sport PRs of 20:20 and 20:32.  Hennessey only ran cross country for the Mavericks last fall after posting a promising freshman campaign.  Utesch had an up and down season, but ran her best when it mattered setting her 20:32 PR at the state meet.  Utesch has been inside the teams top 5 the last two seasons and should be a solid piece for this squad once again.

A big boost for this program would be the addition of 5:07.27 1600m runner Elyse Wood.  Wood is a rising senior who placed 3rd at the 3A State Championships last fall.  She also placed 6th in the 3200m Outdoors clocking 11:21.  She hasn't run cross country the last three years, but after a breakout track season over the long distances, she could make her debut this fall.