Kentridge High coach Ryan West expects the boys cross country team could challenge for a state berth and should have a high finish in the South Puget Sound League standings.

West returns for his seventh year to coach the Charger cross country teams. Senior Isaac Derline and junior Alec DeLucia will return to lead the boys team that also will include Jacob Zielke, Luke Russel, Chris Camarero and Jacob O’Connell.

Seniors Erika Sweet and Anna Lamping will lead the girls team.

Because of the new crop of girls, combined with injuries over the summer, West’s expectations are slightly more tempered about the girls team, but he hopes they will qualify for districts.

Kent-Meridian

Jeffrey Cowart is in his second year as coach of the Royals. Cowart, a 1996 K-M graduate, also ran cross country for the Royals. The boys team failed to get a win last year, while the girls team fared better, coming in third place with a 4-4 record, taking seventh in the league meet and 14th in the district meet.

Senior runner Stewart Kunzelman returns for his fourth year on the boys varsity team, and will run with juniors Christopher Arias and Jahleel Smith along with sophomores Max Fredell, Jose Hernandez and Anthony Raftis.

Briann Funk returns for her fourth year on the girls varsity team, along with fellow seniors Sara Madden and Allyson Reaney. Sophomore Magdalena Mojkowska and freshmen Akoly Vongdala, Jasmine Gonzalez and Olivia Baerny round out the squad. Cowart said to keep an eye out for Baerny, who will be a clutch runner.