The Hilliard Bradley High School girls cross country team has a lot to look forward to with everyone eligible to return next season.

The Jaguars took their lumps competing with the same schedule as the Division I boys team, but when the postseason came around, the girls team dropped down to Division II and ended up qualifying for the regional meet.

"The girls really exceeded expectations," coach Jon Agriesti said. "We only had 10 girls total on the team and we only ended up running five runners for the regional."

Sophomore Lauren McCabe was the Jaguars' top runner. She helped Bradley finish 13th (304) in the regional meet at Pickerington North on Oct. 31, behind champion St. Clairsville (29).

The Jaguars qualified for the regional by finishing fourth (98) in the district 1 meet at Watkins Memorial on Oct. 24, as Granville (22) won the team title.

Agriesti called that Bradley's best race of the year.

Bradley was sixth (125) in the OCC-Capital Division meet on Oct. 17 as Watkins Memorial won (84).

Expected to return next season are juniors Alisha Mackintosh, Madison McDonald, Rebecca Nikolaus and Mariah Sasson and sophomores Madison Hammerberg, Emily Knife and Emily Kukula. Freshmen Sarah Bell and Alexandria Winter also are expected back.

With McCabe leading the way, Mackintosh, Nikolaus, Sasson and Winter rounded out the top five.

•Davidson had a successful season this year, but the Wildcats are expecting to be better a year from now with everyone coming back, including two-time state qualifier Jessica Hoover.

Hoover, who suffered from cramps when she finished 38th (19:38.63) in the Division I state meet on Nov. 7 at Scioto Downs, leads a group of expected returnees consisting of juniors Maddie Harster, Claire Lieburn and Karrie Kuder. Sophomores Caroline Hildebrand, Eleanor Rogers and Danielle Trisel as well as freshmen Lauren Hoover, Elsa Saelens and Carrie White are also expected back.

"We had a lot of young runners and we definitely learned a lot this year," coach Emily Holliday said. "We had a lot of illness like everyone else did. Considering the circumstances, we had a good year. I'm looking forward to next year."

With Hoover way out in front, Hildebrand, Hoover and Kuder ran in a tight pack to make up Davidson's next wave of runners.

The team portion of the season ended in the Division I regional meet where the Wildcats finished sixth (178) to Sylvania Northview (61).

Davidson advanced to the regional after finishing second (51) in the district 1 meet on Oct. 24, behind Upper Arlington (45). Jessica Hoover won the district 1 championship in 19 minutes, 29.83 seconds.

Davidson also finished as a runner-up to UA in the OCC-Central meet on Oct. 17, scoring 51 points to the Golden Bears' 40.

•Darby also had its season end when the Panthers were 13th (340) in the regional meet. They finished fourth (127) in the district 3 meet, behind Dublin Scioto (67) to advance to the regional meet. They were fifth (122) in the OCC-Central.

Darby was a young team this season and is expected to have most of their postseason roster returning, except seniors Shannon Kelleher and Natalie Lissey. Kelleher was Darby's top runner. Darby also loses senior Xerina Hughey, Chloe Kie and Emily Young.

Expected to return are juniors Taylor Baldridge, Sadjamah Museitif and Kasey Norval as well as sophomores Jodi Mescher, Dawnyae Simpkins, Nickie Tocke and Marissa Shannon. Freshman Liz Bookhamer and Marlon Dodds also are expected back. Baldridge, Bookhamer, Mescher, Tock and Simpkins were on the postseason roster.