TROY — Fort Loramie’s girls cross country squad edged West Liberty-Salem in the Division III meet on Saturday in Troy to earn its first regional title since 2002.
The Redskins finished first with 60 points, one ahead of the Tigers. Botkins’ boys squad also earned a state berth, and several area boys and girls runners also earned individual state berths.
All area teams and individuals who qualified will race in the state meet on Saturday at Fortress Obetz, south of Columbus.
Redskins earn regional title, Anna’s Steinke 1st
Three Fort Loramie runners finished in the top 11 in the D-III girls race to help the squad earn a regional title.
Freshman Camille Borchers led the squad by finishing third in 19:25 while Colleen Borchers was 10th in 20:07.1 and Lauren Moore was 11th in 20:07.3. Harley Eilerman was 20th in 20:43 and Ava Turner was 27th in 21:03.
Anna’s Paige Steinke finished first individually and earned a state berth. She finished in 17:48, over 90 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
The top three teams and the top 12 individuals not on a qualifying team earned state berths.
Botkins’ Alaina Mann finished second in 19:20 and teammate Brittany Arnold finished fourth in 19:31. Both earned individual state berths.
Versailles’ Meredith Barga finished fifth in 19:41 to earn an individual state berth.
Botkins finished fourth with 116 points, 44 behind third-place Cincinnati Madeira. Versailles finished sixth, Anna finished eighth and Russia finished ninth out of 11 teams which competed.
Aside from Mann and Arnold, Botkins’ Grace Gutman finished 36th in 21:33, Bella Bucio finished 53rd in 22:34.4 and Ava Egbert finished 54th in 22:34.8.
Aside from Barga, Versailles’ Chloe Steinbrunner was 39th in 21:39, Carly Graves was 48th in 22:08, Paige Holzapfel was 52nd in 22:23 and Gabrielle Spitzer was 56th in 22:35.4.
Aside from Steinke, Anna’s Serenity Williamson was 14th in 20:30, Rachel Harshbarger was 64th in 23:15, Grace Bensman was 69th in 23:48 and Maggie Bensman was 85th in 27:55.
Russia’s Jaela Shappie finished 44th in 21:57.7 while Annabelle Armstrong was 50th in 22:12, Faith York was 58th in 22:40, Mackenzie Rose was 59th in 22:43 and Callie Goubeaux was 66th in 23:34.
Botkins boys 3rd, Fort Loramie’s Ballas, Anna’s Young earn state berths
Botkins’ boys finished third with 77 points to earn a state berth for the fourth consecutive year.
Keaton Schnippel, a senior, led the Trojans by finishing 12th in 16:57.8. Carson Brown was 17th in 17:13, Parker Schnippel was 18th in 17:14, Carter Pleiman was 19th in 17:16 and Collin Doseck was 25th in 17:25.
Anna’s John Young and Fort Loramie’s Adam Ballas earned individual state berths. Young finished seventh in 16:49 and Ballas finished 15th in 17:07.
The top four teams and top 16 individuals not on a qualifying team earned state berths.
Anna finished fifth, Russia finished seventh and Versailles finished eighth of 12 teams that competed.
Aside from Young, Anna’s Noah Deeren finished 39th in 17:53, Kyle Edelmann finished 42nd in 18:02, Ethan Blindauer was 49th in 18:12 and Austin Davis was 58th in 18:27.
Russia’s Brayden Monnin was 26th in 17:29 while Caleb Unverferth was 32nd in 17:40, Jayden Gaerke was 43rd in 18:06, Landon Pleiman was 61st in 18:32 and Sheldon Pohlman was 65th in 18:34.
Versailles’ Marcus Briscoe was 22nd in 17:20, Drew Meyer was 37th in 17:50, Dylan Dunn was 62nd in 18:32, Landry Knore was 69th in 18:42 and Cameron Magoto was 71st in 18:44.
Houston’s Wes Vondenhuevel was 34th in 17:40. Fort Loramie’s Frank Rethman was 40th in 17:54.
Sidney’s Fleming 51st in D-I girls race
Sidney’s Emily Fleming finished 57th in the Div. I girls race in 20:34 on Saturday in Troy.
Minster girls win D-III regional title in Tiffin
Minster’s girls finished first in the regional cross country meet in Tiffin on Saturday to earn another state berth.
Taylor Roth was sixth in 18:46, Margaret Hemmelgarn was 11th in 19:08, Chaney Cedarleaf was 15th in 19:15, Annie Hemmelgarn was 23rd in 19:25 and Morgan Ketner was 37th in 20:13.
Minster’s Jack Grieshop earned an individual berth in the boys race by finishing 27th in 16:43.
