Centerville dipped into its team depth – as well as its desire and determination – to capture its third straight Division I state championship Saturday at National Trail Raceway. Centerville held off runner-up Troy 120 to 145, winning the final battle of the season against the Greater Western Ohio Conference champions and the team that knocked the Elks out of the No. 1 spot in the state poll.
Beavercreek finished third with 168 points.
“Last year we were a confident group coming in. Today, we were hoping to have a confident swagger about ourselves,” Centerville coach David Dobson said. “When you get challenged and you face adversity and can overcome that, it’s great. We knew our kids would give their best. We’d be proud of that no matter what.”
Troy led 36-55 after the teams’ first three runners finished (the top five are scored with the final two runners serving as tiebreakers, if needed). But Centerville’s Kerri Walsh and Kelli Walsh – who Dobson said each picked up 14 spots in the final mile – finished 31st and 34th in the team points, respectively, to beat out Troy’s finishes of 52nd and 57th.
“I’m elated and really want the girls to be that way too,” Troy coach Kevin Alexander said of his team’s finish. “Centerville is the defending state champs for a reason. They’ve built a dynasty.”
Sophomore Grace Kilroy finished 19th to lead the Elks. Centerville’s Savannah Lowe (33rd) and Rachel Whitehead (35th) gave the Elks three sophomores among their top three finishers.
“This year for state was a little more nerve-wracking that last year,” Kilroy said. “Last year our fastest runner also won state. Knowing we didn’t have that one strong runner, we knew it was going to be harder. … We just gave it all we could today.”
Troy junior Morgan Gigandet finished sixth overall, 27.5 seconds behind winner India Johnson of Hilliard Davidson. Davidson capped off an undefeated season.
Beavercreek freshman Taylor Ewart (13th), Springboro junior Lindsey Coffin (15th) and Troy sophomore Olivia Tyree (17th) joined Gigandet and Kilroy on the podium.
“That’s great for the GWOC. We can be state champions,” Dobson said, smiling, “but we can’t be conference champions.”
In D-I boys, Beavercreek senior Ben Ewert had the area’s lone podium finish in 18th.
In D-II boys, Carroll senior Mike Laughlin highlighted the team’s fourth-place finish with his podium effort. Laughlin was 19th.
“The main goal was for the team to place high,” Laughlin said. “I wasn’t feeling great today. This wasn’t my best race but I’m pretty happy with the results.”
Eaton senior Seth Gard just missed the podium, finishing 21st by a 1.4 seconds.
In D-III boys, Fort Loramie finally broke through in its 13th state appearance with a state championship, beating out St. Thomas Aquinas 97 to 120. Sophomore Jake Rethman led the Redskins in eighth.
“These guys just came together,” Fort Loramie coach Dennis Prenger said. “There’s no egos. They’re committed to each other. … When you put three guys on the podium as individuals you feel pretty good about your chances.”
In D-II girls, Tippecanoe finished third behind sophomore Katie Taylor’s 16th-place finish. Oakwood senior Elizabeth Ordeman was 10th for a podium spot.
In D-III girls, Minster won its state-record 10th state championship and first since 2010. No program, boys or girls, had won more than nine entering Saturday. The Wildcats scored 38 points to beat St. Thomas Aquinas’ 95 points. Minster freshman Emma Watcke (5th), senior Morgan Pohl (13th) and sophomore Kaitlynn Albers (14th) scored podium finishes.
Bradford sophomore Karmen Knepp was 10th.
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