Ottawa-Glandorf’s Madelyn Hovest and Lincolnview’s Conner Baldauf compete in Saturday’s Columbus Grove Cross Country Invitational.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
COLUMBUS GROVE — Last fall, the Ottawa-Glandorf cross country program made great strides.
At last season’s Western Buckeye League Championships at Ottawa Memorial Park, the O-G girls’ and boy’s teams notched team titles.
Both squads went on to win Division II district titles at Columbus Grove; and then both placed third at the Division II regional meet at Tiffin and qualified for the state meet at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park.
At the state meet, the O-G girls’ team placed sixth, while the boys’ squad came in 16th.
This year’s O-G girls’ squad – which is coming off a dominating first-place performance at last week’s Defiance Early Bird Open – ran away from the competition for the team title in the Red Division (large schools) at Saturday’s Columbus Grove Invitational.
Saturday’s 5,000-meter course traversed around the Columbus Grove athletic field area and finished on the track at Clymer Stadium.
O-G scored 55 points, compared to second-place Findlay’s 102 points to notch the team title. Archbold (145), Sherwood Fairview (170) and Bryan (182) rounded out the top five squads in the 15-team field. Van Wert had the next best area finish (246, 10th).
O-G placed its five scorers in the top 22 overall spots. There were 154 finishers in the Red Division race.
Leading the way for O-G Saturday were Madelyn Hovest (fourth, 19:11.81) and Anna Buddelmeyer (fifth, 19:17.52). Rounding out the rest of O-G’s scorers were Corinne Closson (13th, 20:30.91), Brea Ricker (16th, 20:50.79) and Liana Fortman (22nd, 21:13.41).
Hovest, who also plays soccer during the fall, is excited about this cross country campaign.
“It (Saturday’s time) is definitely my best time for the season,” Hovest said. “I’m still about three seconds off my lifetime PR (personal record), but we’ll get there. We’ve got time.
“We can tell that everyone this summer put in tons of work. Anna (Buddelmeyer) has made huge breakthroughs the last couple meets. Everyone is excited. We’re very positive at practice. It’s a fantastic environment.”
Added Buddelmeyer, “The whole team works together, really well. It’s like everybody has groups they run with, and they motivate each other.”
Despite graduating a few key seniors this past spring, Hovest feels like this year’s team is quite capable of taking the program to another level.
“I think we can do better than last year,” Hovest said. “We lost a lot of talent, especially Alexa (Fortman) and Olivia Fenbert. This year, I think everyone sees how much they need to step up, after losing such great seniors. We’ve all put in the work this summer.”
O-G head coach Holly Flueckiger said her team is buying into the process.
“The girls are amazing. … They have so much confidence. They put in the work during the summer. Madelyn (Hovest), a senior, is a great leader. Anna Buddelmeyer is right there, next to her. They’re just pushing each other as teammates. That’s what we want to see.
“The boys and girls are working together. They’re pushing each other. They had the taste of state last year. So, they knew they had to work hard this summer. … It put a fire in their bellies,” Flueckiger said.
In the boys’ Red Division, Toledo St. Francis won the team title with 49 points. Liberty-Benton (92), Van Wert (119), Bryan (124) and Findlay (149) rounded out the top five teams. O-G was sixth with 160 points. There were 19 full teams in that race.
In the Red Division, O-G’s Ty Rosengarten came on strong in the final 800 meters to notch the win in a school-record time of 16:04.17. Van Wert’s Owen Scott was a close second (16:06.87). Bath’s Jacob Wireman was the next area finisher, placing seventh (16:23.85).
For most of Saturday’s boys’ Red Division race, there was a pack of four or five runners up front. With around 800 meters left in the race, Rosengarten made his move.
“Back behind the woods, we were coming around that curve. … I felt amazing,” Rosengarten said. “I didn’t start to kick. I just started speeding up as I came out of the woods and headed to the finish.
“My goal today was to go sub-16 (minutes); and I missed that by five seconds. So, the goal today was (to get) the school record, and a sub-16. … We missed one. …We got one.”
Added Flueckiger, “Ty had a great day. He had a great race. He was mentally focused. He worked really hard over the summer, and he knows what it takes. He’s eating right. He’s getting his sleep. He has the routine down. So, what he is doing does not surprise me, because he is ready and he’s mentally focused.”
The rest of O-G’s scorers Saturday included Cooper Fischer (22nd, 17:16.18), Jordan Croy (35th, 17:42.22), Brandon Frey (47th, 18:06.49) and Connor Johnson (55th, 18:21.07). There were 134 finishers.
For Van Wert, behind Owen Scott were teammates Drew Laudick (16th, 17:04.61), John Kramer (19th, 17:07.66), Rylan Miller (30th, 17:36.33) and Johan Gemmer (52nd, 18:15.25).
Lincolnview, Grove battle in the boys’ Gray Division
Saturday’s lineup of teams in the boys’ Gray Division boasted several top-10 ranked Division III teams.
Locally, the spotlight was on Columbus Grove and Lincolnview, the two projected frontrunners this fall in the Northwest Conference.
In Saturday’s final team standings in the Gray Division (small schools), a mere 10 points separated first and fourth place.
West Liberty-Salem won the team title with 77 points. Maplewood finished a close second with 83 points. Lincolnview edged out Columbus Grove for third place, 86-87, while Minster came in fifth (113) in a field of 16 teams.
Maplewood’s Alex Donaldson won the Gray Division race in 15:55.60.
Columbus Grove’s Luke Ellerbrock was a close second with a personal-best time of 15:59.13. Lincolnview’s Conner Baldauf was on Ellerbrock’s heels, finishing with a school-record time of 16:06.43.
“In practice on Monday, we kind of used this (Columbus Grove Invite) as a goal race,” Ellerbrock said. “We kind of set goals (for Saturday’s race). … We have a couple races during the season where we do that. I actually put my goal down as 15:59. … Ironically, I ran exactly that.”
For Baldauf, setting a school record was not his goal for Saturday.
“I was really coming in, hoping to get in the 16:20s,” Baldauf said. “I would have been happy with that. But this did not cross my mind, even once, about going this low. I crossed the (finish) line and I was in disbelief. I couldn’t believe it.
“I was really coming in, wanting to stay with Luke Ellerbrock. We’ve ran against him all through high school. I know the guy. He’s a good competitor. To come out and run those kinds of times – he’s done it before. I just wanted to stay with him because I knew he would bring me along.”
The pack of Lincolnview runners behind Baldauf included Evan Johns (ninth, 16:35.85), Kreston Tow (16th, 16:51.48), Maddox Norton (29th, 17:28.80) and Kaleb Denman (32nd, 17:34.25).
Evan Pitts (fourth, 16:22.58), Bryce Bonifas (24th, 17:21.58), Logan Merschman (26th, 17:23.29) and Levi Bryan (35th, 17:46.18) filled out the rest of the Bulldogs’ scorers behind Ellerbrock.
Minster notches team title in girls’ Gray Division
Minster placed its top five runners in the top 17 overall spots Saturday, en route to winning the team title with 41 points. West Liberty-Salem finished second (57). Botkins (80), Lincolnview (95) and Columbus Grove (166) filled out the top five squads in the 11-team field.
Leading the way for Minster Saturday was Margaret Hemmelgarn, who finished second to Botkins’ Brittany Arnold.
Arnold won the race with a personal best of 18:35.46. Hemmelgarn crossed the finish line in 19:05.93.
Arnold, a senior, has made all-Ohio the previous three years at the Division III state meet. This fall, Arnold is hoping to get higher up on the awards podium.
“I’m hoping to get maybe top five this year (at the D-III state meet), so I can find a good school to commit to,” Arnold said. “I am looking at a couple (schools). I’ll go visit and see what feels like a good fit.”
Minster’s pack of runners were close to Hemmelgarn on Saturday.
Maria Niekamp (third, 19:21.13), Annie Hemmelgarn (11th, 20:02.53), Claire Bohman (12th, 20:12.40) and Ava Stammen (17th, 20:50.52) rounded out Minster’s scorers. There were 147 finishers in the race.
Lincolnview sophomore Brynleigh Moody placed fourth (19:37.49) in the Gray Division. Last season, Moody competed at the Division III state meet as a freshman.
Moody’s plan Saturday was to stay close to the front runners and then see what she had left at the end of the race.
“My coach – when we first entered that big loop out in the woods – he was like, ‘You got them. … Key off them. Just make sure they are in your sight’. So, that was my key. The Minster girls are always quick. So, I knew I wanted to stay in that pack,” Moody said.
Moody is hoping the team can qualify for the state meet this season.
“I’m so excited. We’re in the state rankings right now. I think it would be amazing to go to state with those girls. We’re such a close-knit team. Last year, when I made it to state, it was hard not having them with me. So, I hope this year everyone gets to experience that.”
Lincolnview’s other scorers behind Moody were Ava Milligan (sixth, 19:47.30), Keira Breese (20th, 21:10.55), Kassidy Hammons (42nd, 22:06.84) and Harper Reindel (43rd, 22:10.49).
Columbus Grove’s top runner Saturday was Sara Kamphaus (14th, 20:35.35). Lily Montgomery (18th, 21:02.25), Grace Morman (47th, 22:31.33), Lauren Martz (52nd, 22:54.08) and Jade Siefker (83rd, 24:49.43) rounded out the Bulldogs’ scorers.
Results
Boys
Gray Division
Team Scores: 1. West Liberty-Salem 77, 2. Maplewood 83, 3. Lincolnview 86, 4. Columbus Grove 87, 5. Minster 113, 6. Botkins 120, 7. Fayette 228, 8. Crestview 256, 9. Hicksville 265, 10. Pandora-Gilboa 277, 11. Carey 341, 12. Delphos St. John’s 345, 13. Edgerton 363, 14. Ayersville 375, 15. Spencerville 385, 16. Upper Scioto Valley 445.
Race Winner/Area Finishers in the Top 25: 1. Alex Donaldson (Map) 15:55.60, 2. Luke Ellerbrock (CG) 15:59.13, 3. Conner Baldauf (Lin) 16:06.43, 4. Evan Pitts (CG) 16:22.58, 7. Jack Grieshop (Min) 16:30.65, 8. Ryan Halpin (Min) 16:32.88, 9. Evan Johns (Lin) 16:35.85, 14. Nick Prenger (Min) 16:48.54, 16. Kreston Tow (Lin) 16:51.48, 23. Collin Heitmeyer (Kal) 17:21.28, 24. Bryce Bonifas (CG) 17:21.58.
Red Division
Team Scores: 1. Toledo St. Francis 49, 2. Liberty-Benton 92, 3. Van Wert 119, 4. Bryan 124, 5. Findlay 149, 6. Ottawa-Glandorf 160, 7. Anna 225, 8. Sher. Fairview 234, 9. Van Buren 243, 10. Bath 257, 11. Archbold 276, 12. Wauseon 333, 13. Mil. Lake 359, 14. St. Marys 369, 15. Tinora 382, 16. Napoleon 414, 17. Paulding 441, 18. Fostoria 461, 19. Woodmore 528.
Race Winner/Area Finishers in the Top 25: 1. Ty Rosengarten (O-G) 16:04.17, 2. Owen Scott (VW) 16:06.87, 7. Jacob Wireman (Bath) 16:23.85, 16. Andrew Laudick (VW) 17:04.61, 19. John Kramer (VW) 17:07.66, 22. Cooper Fischer (O-G) 17:16.18.
Girls
Gray Division
Team Scores: 1. Minster 41, 2. West Liberty-Salem 57, 3. Botkins 80, 4. Lincolnview 95, 5. Columbus Grove 166, 6. Delphos St. John’s 187, 7. Antwerp 201, 8. Carey 233, 9. Bluffton 236, 10. Edgerton 247, 11. Crestview 254.
Race Winner/Area Finishers in the Top 25: 1. Brittany Arnold (Bot) 18:35.46, 2. Margaret Hemmelgarn (Min) 19:05.93, 3. Maria Niekamp (Min) 19:21.13, 4. Brynleigh Moody (Lin) 19:37.49, 6. Ava Milligan (Lin) 19:47.30, 11. Annie Hemmelgarn (Min) 20:02.53, 12. Claire Bohman (Min) 20:12.40, 13. Andrea Burgei (Kal) 20:32.39, 14. Sarah Kamphaus (CG) 20:35.35, 17. Ava Stammen (Min) 20:50.52, 18. Lily Montgomery (CG) 21:02.25, 19. Riley Hagins (Min) 21:09.50, 20. Keira Breese (Lin) 21:10.55, 22. Morgan Ketner (Min) 21:12.65, 24. Brezlynn Rohr (DSJ) 21:17.57.
Red Division
Team Scores: 1. Ottawa-Glandorf 55, 2. Findlay 102, 3. Archbold 145, 4. Sher. Fairview 170, 5. Bryan 182, 6. Liberty-Benton 188, 7. Tinora 197, 8. Napoleon 199, 9. Van Buren 203, 10. Van Wert 246, 11. St. Marys 247, 12. Anna 264, 13. Woodmore 265, 14. Wauseon 349, 15. Mil. Lake 436.
Race Winner/Area Finishers in the Top 25: 1. Caleigh Richards (Map) 18:24.86, 4. Madelyn Hovest (O-G) 19:11.81, 5. Anna Buddelmeyer (O-G) 19;17.52, 13. Corinne Closson (O-G) 20:30.91, 16. Brea Recker (O-G) 20:50.79, 17. Camila Anderson (SM) 20:51.80, 22. Liana Fortman (O-G) 21:13.41, 25. Lauren Schloemer (SM) 21:26.90.
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