OHSAA State Cross Country Championships

November 7 Columbus, by Matt McGowan - Perfect November cross country weather, except for a strong wind, greeted 445 boys from 146 schools and 442 girls from 143 schools who participated the 81st Boys and 32nd Girls Ohio High School Athletic Association State Cross Country Championships. Over1 10,000 fans enjoyed the weather, the six races and perhaps the country’s best High School State Cross Country Championships.

The Girls Division III race was the first Championships of the day as runners started in the infield of the Scioto Downs race track and looped around the first 1200 meters before heading out and running on the south side of the property grassy area. The runners would return to the infield around the mile and three quarter mark and run in front of the cheering fans in the grandstands. The runners then exited the infield just after the two mile mark and would run the hilly north part of the course. The final 600 meters was again run in the infield, as the runners would finish in front of the grandstands.

A pack of eleven girls in the Division III race hit the first mile within a second of 5:55. Only three runners were still together at the 2 mile mark in 12:04 as Versailes’ sophomore Tammy Berger, Attica Seneca East’s junior Brittany Stockmast and Russia’s junior Katie Borchers battle the final mile. Stockmast who took home the silver last year behind Stephanie Morgan was the first girl to return to the infield with Berger, who placed sixth last year, close behind. Berger in the final 400 meters pulled away for the victory in 18:47. Stockmast captured runner up honors again with her 18:55 clocking. Borchers who placed fifth last year finished third in 19:10. Spencerville’s senior Lydie Brown 19:21 nipped Columbus Grandview’s junior Hannah Stefanoff by less than a second for fourth.

Minster placed seven runners ahead of all of their competition to defend their team title with 98 points. The title was the eighth for the Minster girls cross country team and the most State titles for any girl’s team. The Caldwell boys have nine titles. Spencerville took home the tam runner up trophy with 123 points. Burton Berkshire finished third with 134 points. Cortland Maplewood (143) and West Liberty Salem (171) finished next.

In the Division II race Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy’s junior Christina Blair took a six second lead thru the mile mark with her 5:36. Blair would increase her lead to ten second at the two mile mark with her 11:46. Blair who moved from Indiana this summer went on to win in 18:39. Chillicothe Zane Trace’s sophomore Taylor Hatfield placed seventeenth last year captured the silver in 18:49. Tipp City Tippecanoe’s junior Katie Landwehr (18:55) placed sixth last year won the bronze. Cincinnati Indian Hill’s sophomore Elizabeth Heinbach (19:00) placed tenth last year finished fourth. Perry’s junior Abbie Clifford last year’s runner up finished fifth in 19:04.

Akron St Vincent St Mary improved from their 2008 seventh place finish to win the Division II team title in 98. St. Clairsville took home the runner up trophy with 105 points. Last year’s team winner Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy finished third with 115 points. Perry (159) moved up one spot from last year to place fourth while Kettering Archbishop Alter dropped three spots from last year to place fifth with 185 points.

A pack of nine girls hit the Division I mile in 5:40. Sylvania Northview senior Meredith Wagner pulled slightly ahead before the two mile mark with her 11:32. Rocky River Magnificat’s senior Madeline Chambers and North Royalton’s junior Hannah Neczypor went thru the two mile in 11:35. Wagner who placed twelfth in 2008 went on to win the individual title in 18:03. Chambers who placed fifth in 2008 captured runner up honors in 18:07. Necypor captured the bronze for the second year with her 18:15. Cincinnati Glen Este’s Michelle Thomas (18:19) was the runner up in 2008 placed fourth this year. Dresden Tri-Valley’s senior Allison Stillwell (18:23) moved up one place form last year to finish fifth.

Rocky River Magnificat successfully defended their tem title as they placed their top five runners in the top ten in the team competition to win with an all time State Championships low of 28 points. Springboro moved up a spot from 2008 to take home the runner up trophy with 137 points. Last year’s runner up North Canton Hoover finished third with 142 points. Brunswick finished fourth with 179 points while Brecksville Broadview Heights was fifth with 183 points.

The Division III Boys Championships was the first boy’s race of the day. The early leaders in the race faded before the half way point and Independence’s sophomore Ryan Polman was one second back at the two mile mark with his 10:14. Polman who placed twentieth last year pulled away from the field in the final mile to win in 16:01. Senior Isaiah Bragg who won the individual Division III title while a student at Cincinnati Christian last fall moved to Springfield Emmanuel Christian Academy when his dad became the school superintendent took home runner up honors in 16:09. Garfield Heights’ junior Nick Gliha placed thirteenth last year took home the bronze in 16:17. Independence’s freshman Kyle Polman (16:18) finished fourth while Cincinnati Summit’s junior Colin Cotton moved down a spot from last year to place fifth in 16:20.

Independence who had three runners run last years qualified the whole team this year and won the Division III team title with 84 points. Louisville St Thomas Aquinas repeated as the runner up team with 109 points. Last year winner Bellaire St John Central finished third with 111 points. Cortland Maplewood moved up three spots from 2008 to finish a close fourth with 113 points. McDonald moved down two sports from last year to placed fifth with 122 points.

Twenty six runners went thru the first mile in the Boys Division II race in 5:05/5:06. Bay Village Bay’s junior Michael Brajdic and Circleville’s senior Brad Liston took the lead as the runner return to the infield and ran thru the 2 mile mark in 10:13. Brajdic who placed sixth in 2008 pulled away from Liston in the hilly third mile and won in 15:49. Liston who won the Division II 3200 meter last track season and was eleventh in the cross country Championships took home runner up honors in 15:58. Elyria Catholic’s senior Marty Collidge (16:03) and Dayton Oakwood’s senior Peter Hix (16:07) each moved up a spot from 2008 to finish third and fourth respectively. Mantua Crestwood’s senior Brandan McGee was fifty eighth last year finished fifth in 16:08.

Peninsula Woodridge won their fourth straight team title with their 93 points. Elyria Catholic improved eight places from 2008 to captured the runner up trophy with 98 points. St Clairsville moved up five spots from 2008 to captured the bronze with 132 points. Defiance (150) moved down a spot from last year as they placed fourth while Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy placed fifth with 155 points.

Defending champion Mason’s junior Zach Wills took a three second lead thru the mile mark (4:50) and increased his lead to eight second (9:58) at the two mile mark. Wills a two time defending 3200 meter State Track Champion cruised to victory in 15:45. Salon’s senior Conner Paez improved twenty three spot from last year to captured runner up honors with his 15:49. Green’s senior Kyle Paez improved two spots from last year to take home the bronze in 15:55. Pickerington North’s senior Daniel Garleb placed fourth in 16:00. Sidney’s senior Aaron Dinzeo improved nine spot from last year to finish fifth in 16:02. Pickerington North’s senior Nick Hissrich and Green’s senior finished next in 16:03.

Cleveland St Ignatius placed tenth as a team last year ran away with the Division I team title with 82 points. Cincinnati St Xavier placed twelfth as a team last year won the runner up trophy with 118 points. Sylvania Northview captured the bronze with 137 points. Last year’s winner Mason placed fourth with 146 points one point ahead of Pickerington North.

The future site of the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships is to be decided. Many coaches, athletes and fans hope that Scioto Downs will renew their agreement to host this championships held at Scioto Downs since 1975.

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