Houlihan, Sheldon and Wyatt to lead TRL girls XC returners

Published 4:31 pm Monday, July 28, 2025

Things are going to look a little different in Three Rivers League girls cross country this year.

Five of the league’s top 10 district finishers graduated last year, including top-three finishers Chloe Huyler of Lakeridge (she was the TRL and Class 6A champion), Hannah Huyler of Lakeridge and Ana Peters of Lake Oswego.

While the first fall practices for those teams won’t be held until Monday, Aug. 18, and the first meets don’t come around until Thursday, Aug. 28, the TRL’s best are putting in the miles right now.

Beyond their informal work during the “off-season” – daily runs, weight room work, etc. – and the start of fall practice, the first meets are set to kick off on Friday, Aug. 29.

West Linn and Lake Oswego open their 2025 seasons at the annual Wilsonville Night Meet, while Lakeridge begins the year at The Opener at Ash Creek Preserve near the Western Oregon University campus in Monmouth.

The 2025 regular season includes just two meets with all six TRL teams, the TRL/Pac Crossover meet on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Clackamas Community College, and the TRL District Meet, set for Wednesday, Oct. 29, at Clackamas Community College.

While no one knows what’s going to happen in those opening meets, here’s a look at the top returning runners who are expected to lead their teams in the 2025 fall season.

• Lake Oswego: The Lakers won the TRL district meet a year ago, and later, took second at state, but are expected to bring back just two runners from their 2024 district team. LO is expected to be led by senior Taylor Sheldon (she was seventh at the TRL district meet and 14th at state) and senior Cordelia McGowan (31st at district and 84th at state).
• Lakeridge: The Pacers took second in the TRL a year ago and third at state, but are expected to bring back just two runners from their ’24 district team. Lakeridge is expected to be led by senior Grace Houlihan (she was fifth at district and 12th at state) and senior Kaya Merrill (23rd at district and 113th at state).
• West Linn: The Lions were fourth in the TRL a year ago and are expected to bring back six runners from their ’24 district team. That group is expected to be led by sophomore Eleanor Wyatt (she was ninth at district and 22nd at state), senior Violet Gowdy (21st at district) and sophomore Lauren McKinley (25th at district).

Around the rest of the league, top returners include: Tualatin junior Lauren Gerlach (she was fourth at district and 10th at state); Oregon City senior Grace Carillo (10th at district and 28th at state); Tigard senior Leah Heidt (11th at district and 53rd at state); and St. Mary’s senior Adelaide Nelson (12th at district and 38th at state).