Cross Country Teams Excel at CBC and OHC Championships

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Saturday, local high school cross-country teams delivered impressive performances at the Central Buckeye Conference (CBC) and Ohio Heritage Conference (OHC) championships, showcasing the dedication and talent of the athletes.

Chieftain Girls Claim CBC Title

The Chieftain girls’ team had a standout performance at the CBC championships, finishing fourth in the Kenton Trail Division. Grace Brown clinched the CBC title with a remarkable time of 18:59, earning First Team honors and being named the Kenton Trail Runner of the Year. Her victory was the culmination of months of hard work, having marked this date on her calendar since June.

Other notable finishes for the Chieftain girls included Kailyn Newman, who placed 25th with a time of 22:30, securing a spot on the 2nd Team. The rest of the team included Cece Reier (36th, 23:18), Hannah Wilson (59th, 25:27), Claire Grandstaff (77th, 34:35), and Caitlin Haley (78th, 34:40, seasonal personal record).

Coach Wilson expressed immense pride in the team’s performance, especially given the rugged terrain of the Graham course and the absence of senior Brianne Sechrest. “The girls ran with heart and left everything on the course; you cannot ask for more than that,” she stated.

Looking ahead, the Chieftains are preparing for the Division 2 District Meet at Cedarville.

Chieftain Boys Take Second Place

On the boys’ side, the Chieftains also performed admirably, finishing second out of 12 teams at the CBC championships. Hayden Maus claimed the overall title with an impressive time of 16:03, making him the first Chieftain since 2016 (Justin Clayton) to win the CBC title.

Following Maus were Jake Moreland (6th, 17:01) and Oliver Grandstaff (11th, 17:30), both of whom earned First Team honors. The team’s strong showing was rounded out by Will Myers (17th, 18:02), Elias Abrego (22nd, 18:22), and Landon Gerwels (29th, 18:38).

Coach Davis praised Maus for his dedication and training, particularly on the challenging hills of the course, which paid off during the race. He noted that the team is ready to face the challenges of the upcoming district meet.

Benjamin Logan Teams Excel

The Benjamin Logan boys cross country team finished second in the Mad River Division of the CBC meet at Graham High School. Tyler Shoopman led the Raiders with a 6th place finish (18:41), followed closely by Landon Zehner in 7th (18:57) and Eric Hughes in 8th (19:03), all earning First Team Mad River Division honors.

Honorable mentions went to Holden Zehner (18th, 19:53) and Maxwell Troth (20th, 20:01). Several runners also achieved personal records, including Greyson Butler (28th, 20:45) and Michael Berry (39th, 21:50).

The Lady Raiders also showed strong performance, placing second among six schools in their division. Nora Elliott led the team with a time of 22:54, finishing 28th overall. She was followed by Lucy Wenger (31st, 22:59), Peyton Smith (32nd, 23:03), and others who contributed to the team’s scoring.

The Raiders are set to compete again at the Southwest District meet at Cedarville University on October 19.

West Liberty-Salem Dominates OHC Championships

In OHC news, the West Liberty-Salem boys’ cross country team celebrated their fourth consecutive OHC title and 14th in the past 16 years, solidifying their status as a dominant program. Caleb Larson won the OHC Runner of the Year award with a time of 15:58.2. Other standout performances included Asher Knox (2nd, 16:08.4, personal record) and Asher Cole (3rd, 16:39.0).

The girls’ team also shone, winning their 10th straight OHC title. Malia Miller led the charge, finishing first with a season-best time of 19:01. She was supported by Addi Wallen (4th, 19:40) and Gwen McCullough (7th, 19:56, personal best).

The coach expressed pride in both teams, highlighting the hard work that led to their successes and noting that the athletes are well-prepared for the upcoming district races.

 

Reagan Rash

Indian Lake Cross Country Teams Shine at CBC Championships

The Indian Lake High School cross country teams delivered impressive performances at the Central Buckeye Conference (CBC) Mad River Division Championships held at Graham High School, with several Lakers earning individual accolades.

The Indian Lake High School girls team finished strong, placing third overall with a score of 158 points. North Union claimed the top spot, followed by Ben Logan in second. Notable individual performances included Reagan Rash, who achieved first-team honors by finishing 8th overall (3rd in Mad River) with a time of 20:31. Evie Wagner secured second-team recognition by finishing 23rd in 22:25, while Kayleigh Taylor received special mention after finishing 41st in 23:36. Other finishers for the girls included Alicia Brielmaier (46th, 24:06) and Haley Metzger (60th, 25:32).

The boys team faced tough competition, finishing fifth in the CBC with a score of 253 points. Highlights included Titus Kelly, who earned second-team honors with a 38th place finish (19:22). Will Faler finished 41st in 19:40, while Bryan Mohler closely followed in 42nd place with a time of 19:41. Additional competitors included Cason Lacher (62nd, 20:17), Caleb Altstaetter (90th, 21:40), and Daniel Wahl (98th, 22:31).

With outstanding performances across the board, the Laker runners are poised for their upcoming competitions. The high school teams will head to Cedarville next Saturday for the district championships. Great job, Lakers!

 

As these local teams look ahead to the district meets, the excitement builds for what promises to be an exhilarating end to the cross-country season. Good luck to all our runners as they continue to strive for excellence!