Two runners who enjoyed successful 2025 seasons will be leading the Montgomery County cross country team this fall.

Senior Jacob Roesner and sophomore Anna Johnson are the only returning runners from last fall’s team that had five runners earning all-Eastern Missouri Conference honors, but had its seven-year streak of state qualifiers come to an end. They will lead a team that will have several new runners.

Roesner is the only senior on the team and is back for his fourth year with the Wildcats, earning him the nickname, “Captain Goose.”

“I’m glad Jake decided to come back again because I think cross country is one of those sports in which burnouts can happen really fast,” said Chasity Rodgers, who returns for her 14th season as head coach. “To make it from your middle school years all the way to your senior year, that says a lot about his dedication and his determination, his perseverance and his character as a person. That’s going to carry over with him and habits that he’s going to have for a lifetime.”

Last year, Roesner was the top performer of a boys team that had just two runners. He earned his first all-EMO award by placing 11th in the boys conference meet, finished seventh at the Wellsville-Middletown Invitational and ran a personal-best time of 19:39 at the Bowling Green Invitational.

Roesner said he’s looking forward to leading his boys team that includes new runners such as Caleb Waters, Dylan Finke, Mason Case, Blake Welker and Ashton Hampton.

“I got (Caleb) who has been able to keep up with me all summer, so I’m hoping that once I’m eventually gone after this year that he can kind of hold the torch along with Mason to continue to lead the boys team really strong,” Roesner said.

Johnson is back after a strong freshman season that included her first all-EMO award and a season-best 24:10 at the Bowling Green meet.

“It’s really good,” Johnson said. “I’m glad to be back. I’m glad to have so many freshmen and meet new people so we can build the program back up.”

Last fall, Johnson was a dual-sport athlete, competing in cross country and playing volleyball in the same season. Rodgers said she’s happy that the sophomore is concentrating in only cross country this year.

“I am so glad that she is just running this year,” the MCHS coach said. “She’s definitely good at persuading other people to do cross country. She is like a mini coach. She helps keep me sane most of the days. She’s going to help build the team. Being around her, you want to join cross country.”

Joining Johnson on the girls team is freshman Jaidyn Milligan, who turned in an outstanding season with the Montgomery County Middle School team that included a win in the New Haven Invitational last fall.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Milligan said. “I like all of my teammates. We’ve been having a good time. Training has been pretty good.”

Milligan was a standout for the High Hill Hounds youth cross country team for several years.

“She’s been running for a while,” Rodgers said. “She is very dedicated as well. She ran the whole summer. Long runs have built up to her. She’s running an hour. I think she’ll probably be under a six-minute mile.”

The Wildcats begin their season on Sept. 4 at the Mexico Invitational, one of three new meets they added to the schedule this year. They will also compete at the Palmyra Invitational on Sept. 12 and the South Callaway Invitational on Sept. 19.

“These (meets) are a little bit smaller just to build their confidence in racing and get them comfortable with racing,” Rodgers said. “As the years go on and when they get older, we’ll add some of those bigger meets.”

Junior Emma Rodgers – the coach’s daughter – returns to the team after a year hiatus. She was a state qualifier in her freshman year.