KIRKERSVILLE — Dom was indomitable.
Lexington’s Dominique Clairmonte put the finishing touches on a perfect season — on an altogether un-perfect afternoon — by winning a Division II state title during the 37th annual girls cross country state championships at National Trail Raceway.
Clairmonte’s winning time of 18 minutes, 17.10 seconds was almost 10 seconds faster than runner-up Rachel Iacofano of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. The Lady Lex junior won every race she competed in this fall.
“It just feels great,” an overjoyed Clairmonte said between giggles. “I can’t say I’ve felt this good … I don’t know, I just feel really good.”
Neither the woeful conditions — temperatures were in the lower-40s and a strong wind blew from the northwest — nor the star-studded field could derail Clairmonte. She led Iacofano by less than a second and Kettering Alter’s Abby Nichols by less than three seconds at the two-mile mark before dropping the hammer during the final mile.
“I knew I had a lot left in me,” Clairmonte said. “I went out there and was like, ‘Here’s your time to give it all you’ve got.’ ”
By the time Clairmonte turned for home, her nearest pursuer was nowhere to be seen.
“It was a phenomenal performance,” Lexington coach Denise Benson said. “She poured her heart out on the course.”
Run for the Ages: While Clairmonte stole the show, her Lady Lex teammates nearly orchestrated one of the biggest upsets of the cross country season.
Lexington finished second in the team standings with 87 points, just one point behind state champ Granville (86).
The teams met twice earlier in the season with Granville easily outdistancing Lady Lex.
“We didn’t expect to be that close,” Clairmonte said. “That in itself is amazing.”
What’s more, Lady Lex finished well in front of five-time defending Division II state champ St. Vincent-St. Mary (127). The Irish had beaten Lexington three times during the regular season.
Lexington was runner-up to SVSM in 2010 and 2012 and finished fourth last year.
“It’s amazing. I’m so happy,” said sophomore Mackenna Curtis-Collins, who finished fourth overall in 18:41.49. “It hurt (to miss out on a state crown by a single point), but it was a good hurt. It was an amazing hurt.”
Curtis-Collins made her move during the second mile. She was 17th at the mile post, but moved up to sixth at the two-mile mark.
“I haven’t felt that great in a race since Tiffin, not regionals but actually the Tiffin Carnival (in early September),” Curtis-Collins said. “I wanted it.”
Junior Abby Miller was 31st in 19:35.30, while junior Keelie Speckert was 34th in 19:36.16. Junior Ashley Basham was 41st (19:42.01). Running but not scoring for Lexington was junior Emily Taylor (49th, 19:50.59) and sophomore Whitney Wendling (61st, 20:08.55).
“I knew at the mile that we were out in a really good spo. When it got to the two mile I’m like, ‘We have a shot to win this race,’ ” Benson said. “I’ve never seen them race as a team like they did today. All year, we’d have a few on and a few off. Today everybody was on.
“For us to be one point from a state title, I am just absolutely thrilled.”
“It just feels great,” an overjoyed Clairmonte said between giggles. “I can’t say I’ve felt this good … I don’t know, I just feel really good.”
