OHIO STATE MEET

Evelyn Prodoehl, Ben Gabelman Fastest At Fortress Obetz

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Evelyn Prodoehl capped off an undefeated junior season winning her first state individual title at the Ohio State Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Fortress Obetz. 

The Lakota West standout ran 17 minutes, 23.8 seconds to set a new 5-kilometer course record to capture the girls Division 1 crown, besting Olmsted Falls’ Katie Clute’s time of 17:25.1 from last year’s state meet when she also won the Division 1 title.

Perrysburg prevailed on the team side to capture the girls Division 1 title, scoring 102 points to Hilliard Davidson’s 124 points. Hannah Kersten finished eighth in 18:19.4 to lead the Yellowjackets. 

Ben Gabelman of Westerville North completed an undefeated season as well, winning the boys Division 1 title in a time of 14:51.7, just two seconds off his lifetime best of 14:49.4 back in September. 

Jackson (Massillon) managed to prevent Mason from winning a third consecutive Division 1 boys title, winning by a score of 86-148, with Eli Ilg finishing runner-up in 14:59.7.

Fairfield Union’s Andrew Walton fell short of a sub-15 effort but cruised to a Division 2 boys individual title in 15:00.2, winning by 21 seconds over Marlington’s Colin Cernansky in 15:21.9, who led the Dukes to the team title over Woodridge 108-123.

Minerva scored 144 points to claim the girls title over Woodridge (157) despite Reese Reaman winning the individual title in 17:52.3 for the Bulldogs.

Minster girls put five runners in the top 50, including Chaney Cedarleaf (18:43.1, sixth) and Margaret Hemmelgarn (18:46.1, eighth) in the top 10, to lead the Wildcats to their 16th Division 3 team title.

Rebecca Geiss of Heartland Christian edged Maplewood’s Caleigh Richards at the line by a tenth of a second to win the individual girls title in 17:55.

Columbus Grove beat Mount Gilead 122-128 for the Division 3 boys team title, with Rittman’s Luke Snyder winning the individual title in 15:26.1.

Team Champions

Division 1: Jackson (Massillon) boys 86 points; Perrysburg girls 102 points - RESULTS

Division 2: Marlington boys 108 points; Minerva girls 144 points - RESULTS

Division 3: Columbus Grove boys 122 points; Minster girls 62 points - RESULTS