Fall high school sports are on the horizon.
Cross country, football, soccer, boys tennis and volleyball teams can each begin practicing on Monday, Aug. 5, with their first games and matches approximately two weeks later.
Girls golf is on a different timetable. Teams can start practices on Friday, Aug. 2, and can schedule matches as early as Monday, Aug. 5.
The Richmond Red Devils will be the first Wayne County team to hit the links when they host their annual Richmond Invitational at the Richmond Elks Club course on Monday, Aug. 5.
Several Wayne County teams will have new faces in their lineup because of graduated players, but all five teams expect improved scoring from players returning from last season.
Defending sectional champion and regional qualifier Richmond graduated their top golfers, Isabella Roll and Lauren Freeman, but they expect to return a solid nucleus to build around. Emma French, Priya Hodges and Hannah Stearley were in the lineup for both the sectional and regional last year, with Stearley posting a team- and career-best round of 80 in the sectional. The Red Devils will have a new head coach, but he will be familiar to Richmond fans: Kyle Ingram has been hired to replace Brent Struewing.
Centerville also qualified as a team for the regional last season after finishing second in the sectional. But, like Richmond, top golfers Alex Goodwin and Aurora Biava both picked up their diplomas last spring. Lila Bellew, Kenna Hemmerling and Emma Staton return sectional and regional playing experience for head coach Aaron Roberts.
Northeastern will return their top three golfers from last season in Ava Bales, Julia Beatty and Lauren Lacey. Lacey was an individual regional qualifier last season. Brian Wissler is the head coach.
Hagerstown, under second-year head coach Steve Abshire, will return four of the five players who played for the Tigers in the sectional last season, as well as several JV players who were pushing to join the varsity rotation. Stephanie Abshire, Havana Harris, Emily Hill and Alyssa Walker all return with sectional experience.
Lincoln, under head coach Craig Pennington, also returns four players who played for the Eagles in the sectional last season. Allison Clayton, Lili Griffey, Elliott Jones and Addyson Pitcock are expected to be the nucleus of what is expected to be a much-improved Lincoln team.
Seton Catholic will not field a golf team.
A version of this article appeared in the July 24 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.