Freeport’s Michael Braun won a PIAA cross country medal in 2023 and looks poised to build on that performance this year. Butler Eagle file photo

One of the most talented runners to conquer the hills and turns of Butler County has graduated, off to compete against the nation’s best at Notre Dame.

There will not be another Drew Griffith for some time, after he shattered records and established himself as the Class of 2024’s best distance runner in the country.

His former Butler teammates now hope to compete for postseason hardware without him and improve on their own times. That includes the most experienced member of the team, Zach Slear, a top returning senior. There are several juniors and even a sophomore who posted impressive times a year ago they can build on.

And there are other runners across Butler County ready to post medal-winning times in the 2024 high school cross country season. That includes PIAA medalists like Freeport’s Michael Braun, who placed ninth in Hershey a year ago.

Here are five boys cross country runners, listed alphabetically, you won’t want to miss this season:

The only returning PIAA Cross Country Championships medalist from Butler County this season. Braun finished ninth at states in Class 2A in 16 minutes, 27 seconds. That came a week after he finished seventh in the WPIAL Class 2A championships with a 16:19.1, the second-fastest runner in the field that wasn’t a senior.

North Catholic's Tyler Carroll broke the school's track and field records in the 1600 and 3200. He's hoping to build off that during the cross country season. Submitted photo

Carroll parlayed a 27th-place finish at the WPIAL championships and 42nd-place finish at states (17:17) into an impressive track and field season where he broke the school records in the 1600 and 3200. His coach said he’s only gotten stronger with his summer training regimen. “I’m looking for him to have a huge season,” Tim Souders said. That could include a Top 10 finish at WPIALs, Souders hopes.

Butler's Brendan Eicher finished 13th at the WPIAL Class 3A cross country championships as a freshman and could be the new face of the program for the next few years. Submitted photo

Who takes up the Golden Tornado mantle with Griffith now off and running at Notre Dame? Eicher has a claim. As a freshman, he was the second Butler runner to cross the finish line at the WPIAL Class 3A championships, finishing 13th in 16:32.2. He struggled at states, his time of 17:51 landing him 153rd. But there’s talent coaches inside and outside Butler’s program recognize.

Butler's Zach Slear is a returning veteran for the Golden Tornado hoping to build off strong postseason finishes a year ago. Submitted photo

Slear could also be in the mix as the Golden Tornado’s best runner this season. He finished 22nd at WPIALs (16:51.6) and 62nd at states (17:29). With longtime coach Rick Davanzati retired and track and field head coach Mike Seybert taking over the program, Butler has an intriguing Top 4 that could be in the mix in the postseason. Slear should be right up there, but don’t count out juniors Logan Rogers and Ethan Thomas.

Smith struggled at the state championship a year ago, finishing 176th with a time of 18:08 in the 3A race. But he was impressive in WPIALs, crossing the finish line in 11th with a time of 16:26.3. That WPIAL time is likely more indicative of what he could accomplish this season as one of the top returning veteran runners in Butler County.