Class C girls season preview
Updated: Sep 1
Contributor: The Nerd
Class C top returners
’25 State Finish, Name, ‘26 Grade, School, Track PRs
1, Scout Bell, 11, Gothenburg (2:33, 5:26, 11:35)
2, Tayla Hurner, 10, Wayne (2:22, 5:17, 11:11)
3, Jaelyn Witter, 12, Kearney Catholic (2:30, 5:19, 11:34)
4, Addison Hauxwell, 10, Chase County (5:20, 11:21)
5, Macie Carter, 10, Milford (2:28, 5:17, 11:37)
7, Emma Williams, 12, North Bend Central (2:26, 5:17, 11:39)
9, Adelyn Whitten, 10, Minden (2:31, 5:45, 12:24)
11, June Lehn, 11, Adams Central (1:03, 2:24, 5:38)
12, Neva Bauer, 10, Arlington 2:32, 5:19, 11:11)
13, Emilyn Kavan, 12, Scotus Central (2:38, 5:54)
14, Gracie Calkins, 11, Chadron (5:44, 12:17)
15, Sage Meronk, 10, Omaha Concordia (6:00, 13:24)
16, Avery Heinrich, 11, Scotus Central (2:28, 5:23, 11:33)
18, Autumn Gasper, 11, Boone Central (5:39, 11:58)
19, Teagan Schomer, 10, Raymond Central (2:42, 5:42, 12:38)
20, Alayna Smith, 11, Chase County (2:39, 5:51, 12:43)
21, Alexa Rogers, 11, Adams Central (5:38, 12:12)
22, Madelyn Barnard, 10, Bishop Neumann (2:34, 5:44, 12:12)
23, Allyson Tvrdy, 10, Raymond Central (2:34, 5:47, 12:24)
25, Kiarra Kennedy, 10, O'Neill (2:24, 5:34)
26, Ashlyn Schauda, 12, Broken Bow (2:38, 5:47, 12:36)
27, Corinne May, 11, Arlington (2:32, 5:43, 12:37)
28, Anna McMahon, 11, Fort Calhoun (2:33, 6:13)
29, Jenna Anderson, 11, Gothenburg (1:03, 2:29)
30, Ellie Warford, 12, Wahoo (5:44, 12:24)
31, Clara Heppner, 11, Lincoln Christian (2:39, 5:57, 12:39)
2025 Class B finishers now in Class C
14, Mallory Robbins, 12, Plattsmouth (2:27, 5:16, 11:32, now Class C)
15, Brooklyn Kermmoade, 12, Platteview (2:30, 5:30, 12:13, now Class C)
Other top returners
Amelia Buhlke, 11, Central City (2:22, 5:30, 11:43)
Potential freshman additions
Hadley Dunklau, Wayne (2:41, 5:41, 11th at JH State XC))
Mercy Kann, Norfolk Catholic (2:45, 5:41, 1st at JH State XC)
Cassidy Reiman, Gothenburg (2:36, 5:44, 7th at JH State XC)
Izzy Streff, North Bend Central (2:36, 5:45)
Ella Desh, Palmyra (2:39, 5:46)
Classification changes
Class C gains six new schools: Plattsmouth, Omaha Gross, Platteview and Aurora from Class B, and Bertrand/Loomis and Norfolk Catholic from Class D. However, it appears seven schools are moving to Class D: Fillmore Central, Omaha Nation, Bloomfield-Wausa, Madison, Gibbon, Brownell-Talbot and Winnebago.
Individual outlook
The top five girls from the 2025 State meet return this year, led by defending champ Scout Bell of Gothenburg. With only three senior medalists in 2025 and strong freshmen entering the chat, this is going to be a very competitive field in 2026.
In most of the classes, the school classification changes won’t have much of an impact on the hunt for an individual title. That’s not true for Class C, which adds Mallory Robbins (2:27, 5:16, 11:32) of Plattsmouth and Brooklyn Kermmoade (2:30, 5:30, 12:13) of Platteview. Mallory and Brooklyn’s finishing times of 19:31 and 19:34, respectively, at the 2025 State meet would have been 3rd and 4th place in Class C behind Scout Bell (19:16) of Gothenburg and Tayla Hurner (19:30) of Wayne. In total, 12 non-seniors finished between 19:30 and 19:58 at 2025 State, and arguably any of those girls has a legitimate shot at the title.
Tayla Hurner of Wayne and Neva Bauer of Arlington both ran 11:11 this spring to post the fastest 3200s in the 2026 Class C field; the next best times were set by Addison Hauxwell (11:21) of Chase County, Robbins (11:32) of Plattsmouth, Avery Heinrich (11:33) of Columbus Scotus, Jaelyn Witter (11:34) of Kearney Catholic and Scout Bell (11:35) of Gothenburg. Of note, Heinrich was ranked 1st or 2nd the entire 2025 season before having what could be considered the first average result of her two-year XC career; look for her to return to the form that led her to a 2nd-place finish in 2024.
We like to base our preseason rankings on track results but there is a flaw with that approach in Class C and Class D; most of the athletes are three-sport athletes who may not start running until late February, so their spring running fitness is often not as good as their fall fitness. With that in mind, and based on last year’s XC results, the Class C girls competition is going to be a dogfight. Eleven girls have a 1600 PR between 5:17 and 5:30, and eight girls have 3200 PRs below 11:45.
What does this mean? Well, two things. Our rankings until the UNK meet are going to be wild guesses, and this is going to be a fun group to watch.
As in past years, we’ll be posting individual rankings every Tuesday during the season. As a reminder, we provide rankings to generate increased interest in the sport, and we’re not out to hurt anyone’s feelings. The great thing about cross country is that the State meet represents the only rankings that matter. Even then, that’s just one day and just one race, a snapshot in time, and it in no way reflects an athlete’s future or their chance of success in life. We don’t love distance running because of the medals; we love distance running because it makes us better people. Keep that in mind if you face a few struggles this season.
Team outlook
Chase County started the 2025 season unranked and moved up to #2 in the final pre-State coaches’ ranking. They could return as many as four girls from their 2025 State squad, let by super-soph Addison Hauxwell.
I’d expect the State title team to have at least two medalists, and Scotus has a good shot at that with Emilyn Kavan (2:38, 5:54) and Avery Heinrich (2:28, 5:23, 11:33). They could return two other State competitors and may have one or two freshman who could add depth.
Adams Central had five sophomores on last year’s runner-up squad. The youth movement continues in 2026, with the time trial results from last week reflecting a whopping six freshman girls from the team that finished third at the State JH XC meet. The pecking order from the time trial was June Lehn (junior, 2:24/5:58), Aubrey Vontz (senior, 2:31), Margaret Lehn (freshman, 6:11), Mady Vontz (freshman, 6:21), McKenna Smith (junior, 6:11), Kruzann Osborne (freshman), Mya Wisemann (freshman, 6:29), and Juliana Lehn (junior, 6:12). Adams Central had 13 girls run the time trial. Our biggest question: will their Districts team include three Lehn’s and two Vontz’s?
Auburn graduated 10th-place Liston Crotty but could return their #2-#5 athletes from last fall. They may also get some help from freshman Maddie Vinson (22nd at JH State XC).
Gothenburg could return all six girls from their 5th-place team. Beyond defending champ Scout Bell (2:33, 5:26, 11:35), the Swedes best performers this spring were Adalyn Carlson (1:01, 2:26), Jenna Anderson (1:03, 2:33) and Brooklyn Reiman (2:36, 5:49). They should also be adding Cassidy Reiman (2:36, 5:44) and Lexi Brown (1:04, 2:39, 6:18), who finished 7th and 39th, respectively, at the JH State XC meet.
Milford and Boone Central could return all six girls from their 2025 State team, and Fort Calhoun could return five. Milford’s top performers during the spring were Macie Carter (2:28, 5:17, 11:37), Abby Crabtree (59.9), Addleyn Gurnsey (2:45) and Elsa Schweitzer (6:01, 13:21). Boone Central’s top performers this spring were Leah Erickson (5:47), Ava Tisthammer (2:40, 5:52), Autumn Gasper (5:58, 13:04) and Johnna Spence (2:35, 6:08). Fort Calhoun’s best performances this spring came from Anna McMahon (2:33), Raeann Massey (2:38, 5:43) and Lauren Lammer (2:43, 6:09). Raymond Central and Lincoln Christian could also return all six State athletes from 2025.
Minden did not qualify for State in 2025 but returns four girls and adds four quality freshman. Among the returners, the best track results were recorded by Alexa Warner (4:52, 12:37), Adelynn Whited (2:31, 5:45) and Alexa Warner (4:52, 12:37). Minden finished 2nd at the JH State XC meet last fall, led by Regan Johnson (9th place, 2:33), Gemma Fritson (10th place, 2:37) and Emerson Kuehn (58th, 2:41, 5:55).
Wayne could return three girls, including runner-up Tayla Hurner, from the team that finished 13th in 2025. Wayne finished 5th at JH State XC and has added Hadley Dunklau (11th, 2:41, 5:41), Sarah Kuchta (26th, 2:42, 5:55) and Rose Kaup (83rd, 2:42, 6:12).
Nerd predictions
1. Adams Central
2. Chase County
3. Gothenburg
4. Columbus Scotus
5. Minden
Errors and omissions
Our season previews are based on prior results and an assumption that underclassmen competing at State in 2025 will run again this year. If you’re aware of an error in the article above, or have information on an impactful runner not listed above, please email jayslagle@hotmail.com so we can determine whether the article should be updated. Our goal as volunteers is to be a resource for fans of Nebraska high school country, but we readily acknowledge that we need feedback from followers and coaches to provide accurate information.
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Originally written and published in August 2026 at www.preprunningnerd.com.
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