OBETZ — As soon as the starting gun fired, the top-ranked Lexington boys cross country team roared into Fortress Obetz during the Division II state championship race and never looked back.
The Lex boys won the Division II team trophy with 110 points, with the next closest squad 81 points behind them.
Senior Latrell Hughes led the Minutemen with his time of 15:43.31, a ninth-place finish.
“For us seniors, for the two years we were in Division I, it was super hard. But we came here last year [in Division II] and got runner-up, and this year we really wanted it,” Hughes said.
Fellow senior Lincoln Rice joined Hughes on the podium, boasting a 15:59.00 performance for 15th place.
“Most people look at a state championship and they see the final race, but we both know that it takes hundreds and hundreds of miles, year-round,” Rice said.
“And through that, we’ve really built a bond, and I think that’s really what helped us win this.”
Even though Hughes and Rice’s times were a little higher compared to their regional finishes, the duo was proud of how their team ran and appreciated the crowd of fans who came to support them and their teammates.
“It means a lot for everybody to come out and show support. We did it for them,” Hughes said.
“It really warms the heart when you see a whole town come together to cheer you on,” Rice said.
Lexington also rose to the top thanks to junior Will Hooper, who finished 35th (16:20.42), senior Luke Haring, who finished 53rd (16:30.51) and sophomore Christian Estep, who finished 70th (16:39.91).
Senior Gage Devaney also placed 112th (17:00.11) and junior Finn Devaney placed 122nd (17:05.97).
Lexington girls take third as a team
Three podium-finishing runs propelled the Lex girls to third place with a 202-point finish, narrowly missing the runner-up spot by a three-point margin.
Senior Katya Prykhodko found her place on the podium by hitting the tape in 18:15.70 for an eighth-place finish.
The future of the Lex girls team, freshman Gabi Twedt, snagged 20th in 18:47.19.
After running nearly step for step with Twedt, senior Brailey Slone finished 22nd in 18:48.39.
Slone noted that she’s always wanted to have her teammates with her on the podium ever since her freshman yeear. With Prykhodko’s efforts and Twedt stepping up, Slone knew there was more than just a chance at it.
“It was amazing that we all three got up here. I think that was the overall goal for today,” Twedt said.
“I don’t think I could have done it without my teammates pushing me and everybody cheering me on, especially my coaches and the rest of my teammates. It’s amazing.”
Prykhodko took an emotional moment to reflect on her time with not only her teammates, but also all the other people who came together to make their success happen.
“It truly was such an amazing experience,” Prykhodko said. “I think about those people and the things that led me to this moment, and I make sure that I stay focused on that throughout the entire race.”
Junior Jenna Halfhill also finished 113th (20:04.27), junior Evalynn Adkins took 128th (20:25.46), senior Hallie Durbin was 139th (20:32.60) and Adria Sharrock finished 155th (20:49.30).
Also in Division II, Shelby junior Anna Will notched a 59th-place finish by crossing the tape in 19:32.04.
Division IV
Three runners hailed from Richland County in the Division IV girls races, Mansfield Christian senior Riley Patrick, Lucas sophomore Riley Trumpower, and Crestline junior Nevaeh Hill.
All three runners ran as individuals in this year’s race.
This year’s Division IV races for both boys and girls marked the inaugural year under the OHSAA, and thus the first podium finishes of the Division IV tournament.
Patrick was ninth after her 18:45.64 effort, who simply wanted to go out and have fun in her last high school race.
“I just wanted to go out there, soak it in and enjoy it. I have a whole chapter ahead of me, so kind of keep my feet here while also looking ahead,” Patrick said.
Patrick added that she was very grateful for her 50+ supporters who came out and “just made it so joyful.”
Additionally, Trumpower finished 90th after her 20:36.71 tour around the Obetz course. Hill finished 53rd in 20:03.52.
Division III
Clear Fork junior Katrina Neal represented Richland County in the Division III girls race, running as an individual.
Neal weaved her way around the course fast enough for an 18:47.19 15th-place effort.
After walking the course the day before the race, Neal felt confident coming into her big day, noting her hometown landscape.
“Coming from the valley, there’s a lot of hills. Knowing that there’s a hill in this course, we were like, ‘I got this,'” Neal said.
Neal also thanked her teammates who walked the course with her and even noted some of her coaches from previous sports as sources of encouragement.
As for the Division III boys, Ontario placed 17th as a team with 425 points.
Senior Xavier Trent claimed 23rd place with his 16:05.41.
“My two goals were a school record and all-Ohio. I got the all-Ohio, I didn’t get the school record, unfortunately, but I’m just super happy because that was really challenging mentally, and I didn’t let anyone pass me in the last stretch,” Trent said.
Senior Rylan Baker finished 108th (17:05.04), senior Ashton Drozda was 139th (17:26.22), senior Michael Ward finished claimed 166th (17:43.95), freshman Jackson Buttil finished 172nd (17:55.73), freshman Alex Simmering placed 179th (18:10.06) and senior Remington Schroeder was 186th (18:15.89).
Below is a photo gallery of all the schools from Richland County that competed in the various divisions. Credit: Jack Slemenda
