Horter digs deep to defend Division 1 title against Smith 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Running next to a drag strip at National Trails Raceway in Hebron, Dustin Horter accelerated past Conant Smith in a dramatic final 50 meters at the Ohio state cross country championships.

Horter, of Lakota East, ran 15:03.4, within a second of his winning time in 2016. Smith, a junior from Middletown, was timed in 15:03.8. In a regional final the week prior, Horter had beaten Smith by 23 seconds. 

Hudson put three runners in the top 17 and won the team title with 73 points. 

Morgan Gigandet from Troy won the Division 1 girls race in 17:30.8, just two seconds shy of India Johnson's 2016 course record. Olivia Howell of Solon was second in 17:32.5 and six girls ran under 17:40.

Centerville defended its girls team title with 122 points, led by freshman Emma Bucher's 12th-place finish.

Lexington High swept the Division 2 team titles. The boys had scored 97 points and had a big advantage up front with brothers Ryan and Caleb Johnston going 2-4. The girls scored 137 points and beat Fairfield Union (147).

Zach Kreft of Buckeye Valley, one of the top runners in the country, ran 15:20.6 for a 21-second win. 

Annie Zimmer of Chagrin Falls won the girls race in 18:13.6 and beat defending champion Leah Roter of Beachwood (18:17.1).

Sophomore Emma Watcke won the Division 3 girls race in 18:38.4 and led Minster to a dominant team victory. Minster defended its title with four runners in the top 13 and five in the top 22 -- all non-seniors. The team's 34 points lowered the meet record it set last year (38). It was the girls team's 11th state title.

Chad Johnson of Colonel Crawford capped his second straight unbeaten season (in-state) with a victory in the Division 3 boys race in 15:33.3. Johnson has won 15 races over the past two seasons in Ohio and the only race he didn't win was last year's Foot Locker Midwest (14th).

RESULTS - Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3

Team Champions

Division 1  Boys - Hudson 73 points

Division 1 Girls - Centerville 122 points

Division 2 Boys - Lexington 97 points

Division 2 Girls - Lexington 137 points

Division 3 Boys - East Canton 119 points

Division 3 Girls - Minster 34 points