The Salisbury Township High School cross country teams may be small in numbers, but the program often churns out some of the top runners in the Colonial League and District 11.

Last year was no different as then-freshman Emily Batten ran to a seventh-place finish at districts to earn a trip to the state meet in her first season.

The Falcon boys team didn’t have a state qualifier last year, but it won more meets than it had in any season since 2014. Salisbury boys went 9-15 last season, but will have to make up for the loss of their top runner from 2022 in Connor McGinty.

First-year head coach Emily DeOliveira likes the way her team has been preparing in preseason.

“They seem strong, they seem ready and wanting to run,” she said.

Batten, a sophomore, makes up half the girls team along with sophomore Soledad Lausch. With just two runners, the girls team is three runners short of being able to score as a team.

Batten finished in the top five at most dual meets in the regular season before a 22nd-place finish at leagues and a stellar district race. Last year’s experience should benefit her in the 2023 postseason.

“She looks strong in preseason,” said DeOliveira. “She’s ready. We foresee her to have a great season.”

The boys team, while still young with just one senior, returns five runners who competed in leagues last year and four that raced in last year’s district championship meet.

Juniors Cameron Kubinsky, Gregory Tenzer, Joshua Orach and Joseph Tiao all ran in leagues and districts last season, while sophomore Rafael Carpo was part of the team at league’s but not districts.

Senior Nolan Grejda and sophomores Emerson Juhasz and Riley Nemitz make up the rest of the roster. All three competed in dual meets last season.

DeOliveira, a middle school teacher in the Catasauqua School District, graduated from Salisbury High School where she played varsity soccer and ran cross country. She has been coaching soccer since she was 14-years old and was part of the Falcon girls soccer and track and field coaching staffs last season.

She’s excited to take the helm of a varsity team for the first time and encouraged by what could lie ahead for her team.

“I want to see what these guys can do and excited to see improvements and love for the sport,” she said.