The Pleasant Valley Girls Cross Country team capped off an incredible 2024 season as State Champions. Their achievements included conference titles at all levels—varsity, JV, and FS—along with regional and state victories, showcasing the strength and depth of the entire team. At the state meet, five Spartans earned All-State honors:
- 2nd Team All-State: Vivian McCombs (25th), Brynn Edgin (18th)
- 1st Team All-State: Maddie Millage (11th), Ani Wedemeyer (8th), Grace Boleyn (6th)
Ani, Grace, and Maddie also achieved Elite All-State recognition for their top-30 combined times across all four classes, with Grace’s time ranking 11th.
To view the team’s state championship results, click here.
Coach Wheeler credits the team’s success to the strong culture they’ve built over the years, where each athlete is valued as an individual. “At this point, we are fortunate to have great athletes who carry on the team culture through example and leadership,” she said. “Our focus is on positive improvement and valuing each individual for what they bring to the team.” Team-building activities, the Spotlight Drill, and a focus on personal records (PRs) are just a few of the ways Coach Wheeler and her team foster camaraderie and personal growth.
Reflecting on the season, Coach Wheeler highlighted the conference meet as a special moment: “Our girls take so much pride in winning the MAC meet at all levels and showing that they are the best team from bottom to top.” The team’s depth was on full display with a perfect JV race score, many lifetime PRs, and a shared sense of accomplishment that extended from the first to the last runner.
Senior runner Grace Boleyn shared her own highlight from the state meet: “My proudest moment from this season is right after we finished our race at state and my dad told me we won as a team. It was great to find out from him because he has always supported me and my goals in running.” Grace also noted that despite facing early-season challenges, the team’s hard work and dedication paid off with an unforgettable victory.
The Pleasant Valley High School Boys Cross Country team also showcased an impressive season, with notable individual achievements that carried them to the state meet. At the MAC Conference meet at Crow Creek Park, seniors Jack Perry and Cam Gotto qualified individually, running 16:28 and 16:29, respectively. At the state meet, Jack placed 72nd with a time of 16:39, and Cam finished 84th in 16:46.
Our Junior High Cross Country teams also had an outstanding season. The 7th-grade boys captured the state championship, scoring 46 team points to take the top spot. The 7th-grade girls finished as state runners-up, the 8th-grade girls took third, and the 8th-grade boys placed 7th in their division.
PVJH also celebrated two individual state champions. Sarah Foad defended her title as the 8th-grade girls' champion with a remarkable time of 11:19. Ella Beason earned the title of 7th-grade girls' champion, winning her race in 11:39—one of the fastest times ever by a PV 7th-grade girl.
Zeke Swanson also made a strong showing as the 7th-grade boys' individual runner-up, finishing with a time of 11:14, one of the fastest times ever recorded by a PV 7th-grade boy.
Coach Sarah Kraklio praised the team’s dedication and effort throughout the season, noting the depth of talent and teamwork shown across all grades. "We’re so proud of how our athletes competed, not just at state, but all season long. These runners put in the work day in and day out, and their results speak for themselves."
Other top 10 individual finishes included Gianna McCombs (3rd), Alex Kresowik (4th), Keira Kane (5th), Emma Richards (6th), Ibraheem Baig (8th), and Elijah Taylor (9th).
With 115 runners on the team this year, Pleasant Valley’s Junior High cross country program continues to build a strong tradition of excellence.
Congratulations to all of our athletes on an incredible season!