Pictured (front row from left) are Ellen Grimes, Abigail Gorzalski, Emily Southern, Bianca Kubicki, Rachel Rohrbach, Chelsea Smith, (back row from left) assistant coach Leslie Anderson, Hannah Ferree, Marissa Campbell, Anna Gorzalski, Courtney Campbell, Katie Grimes, Andrea Rapson, Laura Murphy and head coach Eric Pahl.

Canton cross country team
has strength in numbers

  With three sets of siblings on the roster -- the Gorzalskis, Campbells and Grimes -- you could call the Canton girls cross country team the "Sole" sisters.

  With 31 runners on the roster, you can also call the Chiefs very deep and very talented heading into the 2010 campaign.

  "We lost a lot of seniors (10) to graduation from last year's team, but we actually have a bigger team," said Canton head coach Eric Pahl. "A lot of the girls worked very hard over the summer and it's going to pay off for them in the weeks ahead."

  The Chiefs will be led by multi-time state-qualifier Bianca Kubicki, a four-year varsity performer who is one of the area's most-accomplished distance runners.

  Kubicki will serve as a captain along with Rachel Rohrbach, Chelsea Smith and Abigail Gorzalski.

   "Bianca had a good year last year, but a couple little things went wrong for her and they just kind of snow-balled," said Pahl. "She was one of the top runners in the conference and Region last year and she missed being All-State by just five or six places. I'm expecting big things from her this year."

  The Chiefs' No. 2 runner should be Rohrbach, a four-year varsity runner who also excels for Canton's soccer team.

  "Rachel worked very hard again this summer, probably harder than she has in the past," observed Pahl. "I anticipate her performing much better than she did the past two years, probably closer to where she was her freshman year when she PR'ed with a 19:37.

  "Rachel's not only a good runner, but she's a good leader, too. She does everything you'd want a captain to do."

  Junior Emily Southern gives the Chiefs a strong No. 3 runner.

  "I anticipate another good year from Emily," Pahl said. "She struggled at times last year, but I see her ironing things out, pushing forward and taking her game to the next level this year."

  A pair of freshmen -- Anna Gorzalski and Jessica Siegler -- are expected to play key roles in the team's success, Pahl said.

  "It will probably take them some time to figure out what they can do and settle into this whole thing, but once they do, I think they'll be girls who we will be relying on quite a bit this season," said Pahl.

  Abigail Gorzalski, Katie and Ellen Grimes, Chelsea Smith, and Marissa and Courtney Campbell should also be front-of-the-pack runners for the Chiefs, Pahl added.

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.