SHELBY — On an afternoon when some of the state’s best runners staggered to the finish line, Shelby senior Kayla Gonzales made it look easy.
The 2022 girls cross country Runner of the Year, Gonzales coasted to a fourth-place finish in the Division II race at last month’s state championships at Fortress Obetz. She crossed the line in 18 minutes, 35.8 seconds while battling 40 mph wind gusts and unseasonably warm temperatures.
“I was a little disappointed I didn’t PR. The wind was a factor,” Gonzales said afterward. “The first mile-and-a-half is pretty crazy because everyone is trying to get their placement. I tried staying behind people because of the wind.
“I just really wanted to improve from last year. I’m still happy with the placing.”
The state meet capped an extraordinary postseason stretch for Gonzales, who placed 15th at state as a junior. She won a district championship at Galion in 18:35.54 and a Tiffin regional title in a blistering 18:06.8.
The Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference Runner of the Year, Gonzales was a four-time state-qualifier and is the program's career record holder. She is the crown jewel of an all-area team that included four other All-Ohioans.
Cecelia Chase, Colonel Crawford: A junior, Chase led the Eagles to a third-place finish in the Division III team standings at the state meet. She finished eighth overall in 18:38.5. Chase finished fourth at the Galion district meet in 19:02.25 and was seventh at the Tiffin regional in 18:54. She won the Northern 10 Athletic Conference meet in 18:43.59.
Tess Shultz, Loudonville: The sophomore broke her own school record and reached the podium at the Division III state meet, finishing 19th in 19:11.6. Shultz placed seventh at the Youngstown Boardman regional in 19:20.4 and was fifth at the Lorain district (19:56.7).
Sophie Zoldak, Mount Vernon: A senior, Zoldak finished 41st in the Division I race at the state championships in 19:16.7. Zoldak won a district championship in 18:52.5 and placed 14th at the Pickerington regional in 18:55.88.
Brailey Slone, Lexington: Just a freshman, Slone led the Lady Lex charge at the state championships. She finished a team-best 18th in 19:19.8 to earn a podium finish and All-Ohio honors as Lexington finished third in the team standings. Slone was sixth at the district meet at Owens Community College in 19:19.8 and 15th at the Tiffin regional in 19:25.7.
Kenley Miller, Lexington: A senior, Miller earned All-Ohio recognition by finishing 28th at state in 19:43.4. She was fourth at the district meet in 19:07.91 and 11th at the Tiffin regional in 19:04.
Emma Wise, Lexington: The senior jump-started her postseason by winning the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet in 18:44.2. Wise was district runner-up in 18:53.58 and took sixth at the Tiffin regional in 18:52.3. She placed 31st at the state meet in 19:49.2.
Raygann Campbell, Galion: A junior, Campbell was fifth at the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference meet before turning it up in the postseason. She was third at the Galion district in 19:48.4 and ninth at the Tiffin regional in 18:57.5. Campbell placed 33rd at the state meet in 19:53.8.
I have covered high school sports in Richland County since 2000. Email him at curt@richlandsource.com or follow him on Twitter: Follow @curtjconrad on twitter.
