Course records fall at National Trail Raceway

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

Much of the supporting cast surrounding Lainey Studebaker changed since last season, but the outcomes were even more impressive for the Centerville senior and her teammates the second time around at the Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships.

Studebaker broke the 5-kilometer course record at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, clocking 17:39 on her way to repeating as Division I champion and leading Centerville to back-to-back titles with a 71-124 victory over Olentangy Liberty.

Centerville, which graduated Kelsey Kohls, Alexa Jennings and Abby Hecht from last year’s team that defeated Mason 52-92, relied on four freshmen in its lineup to become the fifth Division I girls program to repeat as state champion.

"It’s an incredibly young group of girls, but the culture that the coach (David Dobson) brought to the team, with incredible dedication and making the team feel like a family, got (the freshmen) involved right away,” Studebaker said. “With the talent that was there we knew we wanted to turn it into something great this year.”

Studebaker, who clocked 18:09.43 last season, was third at the 2-mile mark before a late surge helped her overtake Troy sophomore Morgan Gigandet and Hilliard Davidson junior India Johnson.

Studebaker clocked 17:39 to break the 2012 course record of 17:39.31 set by Lebanon’s Jacquelyn Crow and become the first female to secure back-to-back Division I championships since Alliance’s Jen Wollam in 1996-97.

Johnson finished second in 17:43, Olentangy Liberty sophomore Emma Bower was third in 17:54.3 and Gigandet placed fourth in 18:04.

Studebaker was supported by sophomore Kelli Walsh (18:43.6) in 23rd and senior Taylor Malchow (18:49.4) in 26th, along with freshmen Savannah Lowe (18:52) and Rachel Whitehead (18:53.9) placing 29th and 31st.

“We have an end of season party after the state meet that night, and personally we were all about moving on, always thinking about bigger and better,” Studebaker said. “We tried to focus for what was coming up next.”

Patience pays off for Jordan

Studebaker wasn’t the only athlete to establish a new standard at National Trail Raceway.

Watkins Memorial senior Andrew Jordan, who was eighth at the mile, won the Division I title in 14:54, eclipsing the 2012 record of 15:09.95 set by Tippecanoe’s Sam Wharton.

Jordan, third last season in 15:40.04, took over the lead at the 2-mile mark from Hudson senior Gavin Gaynor and never relinquished control. Gaynor, who finished 17th last year, secured second in 15:13.8.

St. Ignatius also made a significant improvement from last season. Following a sixth-place effort last year, St. Ignatius knocked off defending-champion Mason with a 66-96 victory to capture its fourth Division I state title.

Luke Wagner (15:26.6) was fifth and C.J. Ambrosio (15:38.6) placed 14th for St. Ignatius, which won the program’s first state championship since 2009.

Back-to-back crowns for Bistritz

Chagrin Falls senior Joseph Bistritz repeated as Division II champion, clocking 15:16.9.

Bistritz, the first male athlete to capture consecutive Division II titles since Bay Village Bay’s Michael Brajdic in 2009-10, improved from 15:44.37 last season.

Lexington, which placed fourth last year, relied on three runners in the top 13 to unseat reigning champion Tippecanoe with a 54-77 win.

Mitchell Poynter (15:24.1) finished second for Tippecanoe, but Lexington had Nick Stricklen (15:43.2) finish third and Ryan Johnston (15:47.6) take fourth.

Repeat performances for Dahmen, Maplewood

Senior Tristan Dahmen captured back-to-back Division III championships, leading Maplewood to a successful title defense with a 61-87 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas.

Dahmen, who ran 15:57.53 last season, improved to 15:18.8 for Maplewood, which moved into a tie for second all-time in the state with its seventh boys team title.

Elevating to the top of the podium

Lexington and St. Thomas Aquinas relied on strength up front to both capture their first girls team championships.

Lexington, which lost to Granville by one point in last year’s Division II final, relied on four athletes placing in the top 13 to defeat Tippecanoe 64-125.

Senior Dominique Clairmonte, the individual champion last season, finished fourth in 18:29.2. Clairmonte was supported by juniors Whitney Wendling (18:42.8) and Mackenna Curtis-Collins (18:53.3) placing ninth and 11th in addition to senior Abby Miller (18:55.7) taking 13th.

In the most thrilling individual battle of the meet, Alter senior Abby Nichols improved from eighth last season to win the Division II title in 18:05.4, edging Oakwood senior Mary Kate Vaughn, who clocked 18:05.6.

St. Thomas Aquinas, seventh last year, produced a 69-87 victory over Minster to secure the Division III title.

Senior Athena Welsh prevailed in 17:58.6, followed by junior teammate Kalee Soehnlen (18:10) in second. Welsh and Soehnlen improved from third and sixth last year for St. Thomas Aquinas, which benefited from the return of its top six runners.