Moeller Cross Country: A Strong Start to the 2025 Season
The Moeller Cross Country team is off to a strong start in the 2025 season, guided by the dedicated leadership of Coach Prenger, Coach Russo, Coach DiCristoforo, Coach Adams, and Coach Mallott. With each passing week, the team moves closer to the GCL Championship and the ultimate goal—State.
The season kicked off at the Primetime Opener, where many seniors set personal records. Moeller finished 2nd overall, led by junior Preston Wesley, who placed 7th with a time of 16:15 out of 93 runners. Other varsity scorers included junior Owen Speed (8th – 16:21), junior Brock Gruber (11th – 16:37), junior Zach Lazor (23rd – 17:04), and freshman Paul Eckstein (39th –
17:52). The JV team also had a strong showing, finishing 2nd out of six teams. Junior Keegan Hantak led the way in 18th place with a time of 20:14 out of 101 runners. Supporting scorers included Luke Zielinski, Xavier Ferguson, Archer Beckstedt, and Charlie Meyer.
On September 13, the Crusader Blue Squad competed in the Troy Twilight Invitational at Troy Memorial Stadium, an electric meet held under the lights with over 3,000 runners. Moeller placed 6th out of 38 teams with 289 points. This meet was especially valuable for varsity runners, as the course is used for districts, offering a chance to familiarize themselves with the terrain. Brock Gruber had a standout performance, finishing 9th out of 387 runners with a time of 15:56.
Earlier that same day, the Crusader Gold Squad raced at the St. Xavier Invitational, placing 5th out of 10 teams with 111 points.
On September 20, the entire team competed together as varsity for the first time this season at the Midwest Regional Catholic Championships, held at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course on the campus of Cedarville University. The course featured rolling hills and wide paths, offering runners more space to maneuver compared to previous meets. Moeller dominated the Gold Division, finishing 1st out of nine teams with 36 points. Preston Wesley ’26 led the team in 2nd place with a time of 16:10 out of 236 runners. Also scoring were Brock Gruber ’26 (3rd – 16:17), Owen Speed ’26 (4th – 16:26), Hayden Sorg ’28 (13th – 17:11), and Duncan Shirley ’26 (14th – 17:16). Rounding out the top seven were Zachary Lazor and Luke Long.
The team continues to train hard with tempo runs ranging from 6 to 9 miles and interval workouts designed to build endurance and speed. As the season progresses, the Crusaders remain focused and determined, aiming to capture the GCL title and make a strong push toward State.