KIRKERSVILLE — It may not have been the storybook ending Lillian Freundlich had hoped for but considering the nightmarish beginning, Lexington’s senior standout couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Freundlich and her Lady Lex teammates rebounded from a sluggish start to finish fourth in the team standings in the Division II race at the state cross country championships at National Trail Raceway.
Lexington finished with 143 points, behind Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (101), Bay (119) and Woodridge (141) The team title was SVSM’s fifth straight.
“I’m a little disappointed,” Freundlich said after finishing eighth overall in 18:51.00. “I was really hoping to … go out with a bang, but it was a slow day.”
A conservative race strategy, a sloppy course and bad luck conspired against Freundlich and Co. Consequently, Lady Lex spent most of the race making up for lost time.
“I got super boxed back. I could not get through. I was actually getting kind of angry,” Freundlich said. “Girls were everywhere. They were weaving in and out and there was just nowhere for me to go.
“I didn’t get to the mile until six (minutes) flat, which is 15 seconds slower than I was last week at the mile. Just not a good place to be in. I tried to make up for it but you can only make up for so much.”
Lexington coach Denise Benson was stunned by what transpired during the first 800 meters of the race.
“That was the worst start that we’ve ever had in Lexington history at the state meet,” Benson said. “We never want to go out too fast but we never want to do what we did today ever again.
“It shocked me because I did not expect for them to be as far back.”
Like Freundlich, senior Susan Fain had a strong second-half showing. She worked her way up to 14th overall in 19:02.20.
“Getting boxed in the beginning is always hard,” Fain said. “Our plan was to go out and have enough energy to really finish strong. We did go out kind of slow. It felt slow and we were really crowded. It was a little too conservative but I was happy with the finish.”
Mackenna Curtis-Collins finished 23rd overall in 19:22.30, giving Lady Lex three All-Ohioans.
A freshman, Curtis-Collins learned some valuable lessons at her first state meet.
“You can’t stay up too late,” she said. “It’s really hard to sleep at night, because you’re so nervous.”
Freshman Whitney Wendling ran a 20:20.70, good for 75th place overall. Sophomore Emily Taylor finished 77th in 20:21.10. Sophomores Abby Miller (20:42.40) and Ashley Basham (20:46.20) rounded out the field for Lady Lex.
In the Division II boys race, Lexington was 11th with 225 points. Defiance (107) won the team title, followed by Tippecanoe (140) nd Chagrin Falls (177).
Making their state tournament debuts, junior Zane Sturts and sophomore Nick Stricklen finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Sturts finished in 16:18.94, while Stricklen crossed in 16:21.72.
“It was a tough race … because of all the people you had to pass,” Sturts said. “I knew the people up top would probably go their first mile in four-fifty-something. I knew that I couldn’t do that so I had to hold back.
“I wanted to go so bad with those top guys, but I knew at the end if I did that I couldn’t hold it. It was all about getting out in the right spot.”
Sturts learned from watching Lady Lex earlier in the day.
“We knew that it was going to be tough to find a position and get into the groove,” he said. “Watching the girls race really helped. I was sad that that happened to them, but it was definitely a learning experience watching that.”
Even though he was well back in the field after 800 meters, Stricklen stuck to the game plan.
“Coach does a good job of putting into our mind that we should be back further and move our way forward,” he said. “It does worry me a little bit, but I’m comfortable.”
Benson was pleased with the composure her young runners demonstrated Saturday afternoon.
“They’ve had such a phenomenal season. Just to come out here today and rap it all up, I’m so proud of them,” Benson said. “Part of the game is coming here today and being composed and getting it done and it is not easy. We’re talking about a sophomore and a junior.
“Fourth and fifth in the state, I couldn’t ask for anything more from them today.”
Mitch Bastin finished in 17:26.65, followed by Quinton Glen (17:52.88), Kyle Frey (18:02.53), Austin O’Diam (18:11.30) and Dustin Lumadue (18:17.52).
Lexington’s top five finishers are all underclassmen. Benson said Saturday’s experience should serve them well.
“This is experience for next year,” she said. “It’s for sure putting it in the bank.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.
