The Beavers boys cross country team captured the school’s first-ever Division I state title at the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Fortress Obetz in Columbus.
“We knew we had a shot. We felt good going in that if we were in position with a mile to go, and I saw that we had a lead, that we would close really hard,” Beavercreek head coach Howard Russ said. “With four seniors leading, I felt really good about it.”
Beavercreek was led by senior Jackson Davis. He finished sixth in a time of 15 minutes, 24.34 seconds. Senior Aiden Allen got 10th in 15:35.69.
Beavers junior Owen Tuinstra (41st), senior Tom Ward (56th) and senior Brody Graley (63rd) all scored for Beavercreek with junior Will Przybyla placing 82nd.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
Davis said he felt his group was one of the best in the state, and to see them show up and prove it was an amazing feeling.
“I think coming into this the goal was to get first, and we had a good idea that we could get first, and to see that finally pay off was really good,” Davis said.
Russ said he has a picture of his seniors from their freshman year when he recalled them telling him they would eventually bring home a trophy.
“Then this summer, them talking about the commitment when they met and said to one another, ‘Guys, we’re all in,’” Russ said. “This was a great moment.”
Ansonia junior wins inaugural title
The OHSAA expanded cross country from three to four divisions beginning this year.
Ansonia junior Bennett Lehman captured the first ever D-IV state title with his run Saturday.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
Lehman ran the course in a time of 15:17.91. He remained with the top group until late in the race, pulling away from Rittman’s Luke Snyder, who won a state title last year, before they reached the final stretch through the stadium.
“I had the number one time coming in, but we knew that Luke has a successful career and is a stud,” he said. “We knew it was going to be really tough to come out here and beat him, and it was just one of those things that shows the work we’ve put in.”
Lehman ran near the lead pack through the first mile and remained with Snyder through the third stadium pass before beginning to pull away through the course’s final hill section.
“Coaches have given me a lot to look up to and even fellow runners with people texting me and giving me words of advice,” Lehman said. “They have just said to ‘Go do you’ and things will work out.”
Tipp’s Kimmel wins second state title
There was some doubt in the offseason whether an injury that took Landon Kimmel out of track season would heal by the fall.
The Tippecanoe senior prioritized getting himself ready to run and giving himself another opportunity to return to state in cross country.
“I really wanted to get back here, and it was a lot, it took a lot out of me,” Kimmel said, “but I trusted the training and trusted my coaches and I was able to find that mental lock in to get back to where I needed to be.”
It paid off Saturday as the Tippecanoe senior captured his second consecutive individual state title.
Kimmel won the D-II race with a time of 15:12.7. He finished more than 16 seconds ahead of his closest competitor, which was a greater margin than his victory last year.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
He ran the race just under 40 seconds faster while winning the title in D-I last year and setting a state record for any division on the course. Kimmel said he wanted to break 15 minutes, but he was satisfied still with his performance considering the circumstances he went through just to be ready to run again.
“Without the love and support of my team, Jesus being in my life and helping shape me to who I am today, I would not have been able to do any of this,” Kimmel said.
The top-24 placers in each division made the podium and were awarded medals.
In D-IV, Russia junior Samuel Phlipot (18th) and Cedarville junior Nathan Sultan (24th) both placed.
Oakwood senior Cameron Lindsey (9th) was the area’s top finisher in D-III. Joining him on the podium were West Liberty Salem senior Caleb Larson (10th) and sophomore Asher Cole (17th), and Versailles junior Jackson Spitzer (13th) and senior Tony Moorman (16th).
Talawanda senior Garrison Franks placed 22nd in the D-II race.
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