August 21, 2018
A new era will take shape when the Bluffton harriers hit the cross country courses this fall as Kaylea Jachno, the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field takes over the program following a superb seven-year run for Karen and Jim Brandt who are enjoying their retirement in North Carolina. The Beavers will work to build on the foundation that is in place following a 2017 campaign that saw Bluffton with its first-ever female Heartland Conference champion as the women took third while the men were a step back in sixth place. Interim Head Cross Country Coach Ryan Schadewald returns to Bluffton after two years as a sports information graduate assistant at rival Defiance College.
Junior Alexis Cash (Gaines, MI/Lake Fenton) paced the HCAC field en route to a dominating 15-second victory, breaking the women's 6,000 meter school record as well, with a sub-23:00 performance (22:57)! She is set to headline a talented women's squad that also features seniors Jennie Matteson (Guysville, Ohio/Alexander) and Tami Groff (Versailles) who are back for their final campaign. Junior Arie Cox (Ontario) along with sophomores Kimberly Hetrick (Fremont, Ohio/Ross) and Bailie Barrington (Waynesfield, Ohio/Waynesfield-Goshen) give the Beavers a formidable group of returners who went toe-to-toe with conference heavyweights Rose-Hulman and Manchester last fall.
The Bluffton men saved their best for last when they topped conference stalwart Manchester at the 36-team regional meet. Leading the way with the highest men's finish in Bluffton history was sophomore Dakota Frost (Edgerton/Hicksville) who placed 28th in the five-state field of 242 runners. Frost had a breakout season that was a necessity when senior Kris Lyons went down with a season-ending injury just two weeks after arriving on campus. Michael Lehman (West Liberty, Ohio/West Liberty-Salem), Jonah Eckert (Terre Haute, IN/West Vigo), Joshua Ehlers (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) and Jacob Hill (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne) have been consistent scorers during their time at Bluffton and they have given the Bluffton men outstanding leadership during the coaching transition. Junior Connor Gulick (St. Louisville, Ohio/Utica) rounds out the group of six returners capable of competing with the best the Heartland has to offer.
A compact season that includes six competitions kicks off at home with the annual 'Back to the Nature Preserve Invitational' on Friday, August 31. Four weeks later, the Beavers will duke it out with the best in the state when they travel to Cedarville for the All-Ohio Invitational. The Heartland Conference Championships are slated to be hosted by Mount St. Joseph on October 27 before the Great Lakes Regional takes center stage on November 10 at Blue River Park in Shelbyville, IN.
-BEAVERS-