Plains 2024 cross country can be at least partially summoned up by one word: loaded.

And they are “loaded” with some very young running talent that has created a buzz in the cross-country scene. 

“We are young,” said Plains head coach Jesse Jermyn.  “But I think we have a shot to be 2-3 in the state for both boys and girls.”

Last year’s results from a freshman and an eighth grader, along with a summer of hard work are key reasons for Jermyn’s optimism. 

One of the brightest of the young stars is sophomore Marina Tulloch, who was a top five finisher last year in most of the meets she was in.  

The “senior” member of the list of top returnees for the girls’ squad is junior Savanah Costner, who won the local library fund raising run this summer and is a consistent team point accumulator. 

The other top runners on the girls' team are two freshmen; Annika Ercanbrack and Tia Bellinger.  Both had strong seasons as eighth graders. 

On the boys' side, junior Kalem Ercanbrack, who had a strong sophomore year, sophomore Asher Seymour and a pair of talented freshmen, Owen John Jermyn and Kord Greer also had strong seasons for the Horsemen and are expected to be part of an outstanding core of runners. 

The two teams (boys and girls) each lost one key senior due to graduation, with Peyton Wasson and Drew Carey finishing their high school careers last year. 

Jermyn said the team put in a lot of work over the summer “off-season”. 

“The majority of the team ran all summer, logging 25-40 miles a week,” he said.  

The teams take to the trail this Friday with time trials at Plains High at 8 a.m. Their first local meet is the Thompson Falls Invitational, set for Saturday, September 21 at River’s Bend Golf Course. 

That meet will be an early clash between Plains and T Falls, which also features a strong young cross-country team. 

Jermyn said he expects Manhattan, Loyola and Joliet will be among the strongest team the Horsemen and Trotters harriers will compete against this year.

    Last season's Plains boys' cross-country team (orange shirts) bursts over the starting line at the T Falls Invitational last year. The boys return a young, talented team for this season. (File photo)