Cross country: Minster girls win third consecutive Division III state title

OBETZ – When Chaney Cedarleaf and Margaret (Maggie) Hemmelgarn were managers for the Minster girls’ high school cross country team back in grade school, they dreamed of someday winning a state title.

Now, seniors on the Minster cross country team, Cedarleaf and Hemmelgarn can say they have won not just one state title, but three.

At Saturday’s Ohio High School Athletic Association Cross Country Championships at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park, Minster won its third consecutive Division III state title.

Minster won Saturday’s state championship in convincing fashion. Minster defeated second-place Rittman, 62-123. West-Liberty-Salem (175) and Fort Loramie (191) rounded out the top four teams. There are 20 full teams that figure into the team scoring in each division at the state meet.

Fort Recovery (10th, 306) and Lincolnview (18th, 345) were the two other Lima area D-III full girls’ teams at Obetz.

Cedarleaf led Minster on Saturday with a sixth-place finish (18:43.07) and Hemmelgarn placed eighth (18:46.05). Teammate Maria Niekamp was not far behind, placing 21st (19:00.19) on the 5,000-meter course at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park.

With their top-30 finishes Saturday, Cedarleaf, Hemmelgarn and Niekamp earned all-Ohio honors. Minster’s other two scorers were Annie Hemmelgarn (44th, 19:42.20) and Claire Bohman (46th, 19:44.63). There were 185 finishers in the D-III girls’ race.

“Chaney (Cedarleaf) and I have been on this team together since we were managers in sixth grade,” Margaret (Maggie) Hemmelgarn said. “It’s so crazy because this is our last time to run with all of these girls. They have been a large part of my life. I’m just so thankful for them and to have the opportunity to run here, to leave it all out on the course and to win together.”

Added Cedarleaf, “I just love running with my teammates. It just makes it so much fun. Maggie (Hemmelgarn) helped me so much throughout the race. Just being able to run with her one last time is so exciting.”

Longtime girls’ head coach Jessie Magoto said she approaches each meet pretty much the same way.

“That’s just the focus – run your race, relax, and do what you normally do. We’re definitely not trying to underplay it (a state championship), but for their sake – it’s another race, another meet. … (Go out and) compete and see what you can do. Challenge yourself, and just run the race. Of course, there’s a lot more behind it. I love these girls. They love each other.”

Magoto said that each team is different, and she doesn’t dwell on the past.

“The number (of state championships) doesn’t matter. … It really doesn’t because every year is an amazing opportunity,” Magoto said. “Every group is unique and different. They’re all teenage girls that are just getting enough courage to go after for what they want. So, it really doesn’t matter what has happened before. … It’s what you can do today.”

Ottawa-Glandorf girls place fifth in D-II

After making school history last year by qualifying for the D-II state cross country meet and then placing sixth at Fortress Obetz, Ottawa-Glandorf returned to Fortress Obetz on Saturday in hopes of improving on last season’s performance.

On Saturday, O-G did just that as it placed fifth in Division II.

Anna Buddelmeyer led O-G Saturday with an impressive sixth-place finish in a personal-best time of 18:41.37. Teammate Madelyn Hovest was not far behind in 16th place (18:59.23).

The rest of O-G’s scorers included Corinne Closson (42nd, 19:34.98), Liana Fortman (104th, 20:40.99), and Morgan Maag (112th, 20:49.81). There were 179 finishers in the D-II girls’ race.

Buddelmeyer admitted that she was a little surprised about her performance on Saturday.

“I was just trying to go all out. This is my last race of the season. I was just trying to give it my all,” Buddelmeyer said. “We were just having fun this week. We tried not to worry too much. We were just trying to create some good memories. I was just expecting to go all out and be proud of myself, no matter what.

“I felt really good. I kept hearing my splits, and they were fast. I thought, ‘I can’t give up now’. … I just gave it my all.”

Hovest, a senior, recently broke her toe playing soccer. She also plays soccer during the fall sports season. Hovest said that when she first realized she had a broken toe, she wasn’t sure how things would play out with cross country and soccer.

“It was really tough, the first couple days after it broke,” Hovest said. “I had no idea if I was going to be able to run the rest of the season. I kind of thought my season was over. To be able to come back, run regionals, be with my team and run with them, was more than what I could have asked for. So, I’m really excited with it (her performance on Saturday).”

O-G head coach Holly Flueckiger said her girls’ team accomplished its goals Saturday.

“That was one of their goals – to do better than they did last year; and they nailed it. Anna had a strong race the whole time. She didn’t back down. She ran her race. Madelyn – to run on that broken toe and to be up there in 16th place – was amazing.”

Lincolnview girls led by Moody

Lincolnview was led Saturday by sophomore Brynleigh Moody, who finished 29th in 19:23.07, and earned all-Ohio honors in Division III.

As a team, the Lancers placed 18th.

The rest of Lincolnview’s scorers included Ava Milligan (77th, 20:16.01), Keira Breese (144th, 21:33.39), Kassidy Hammons (148th, 21:40.18), and Kendall Hoffman (151st, 21:49.32).

The scores of the D-III teams in the second half of the final standings were tight. Lincolnview finished just 39 points behind 10th-place Fort Recovery.

“I didn’t realize that we were 45 points from ninth place,” longtime Lincolnview head coach Matt Langdon said. “At a state meet, that’s not too many points.

“Brynleigh (Moody) made all-Ohio – a very positive thing. The team had never run down here before. So, it’s a big ask for kids that have never run at the state meet before.”

Last season, Moody competed at the D-III state meet, where she placed 31st overall.

Fort Recovery notches 10th place

The Fort Recovery girls’ team placed 10th in Division III.

Natalie Brunswick led Fort Recovery with a 43rd-place performance (19:41.65).

Riverdale’s Woodruff earns all-Ohio status

Riverdale’s Allison Woodruff placed 23rd in D-III (19:14.74) and earned all-Ohio status.

Results

Division II

Top 10 Team Scores/Area Team Scores: 1. Minerva 144, 2. Woodridge 157, 3. Lexington 166, 4. Tallmadge 171, 5. Ottawa-Glandorf 177, 6. Waynesville 208, 7. Oakwood 221, 8. Salem & CVCA 231, 10. Athens 243.

Race Winner/Area Finishers

1. Reese Reaman (Woodridge) 17:52.21, 6. Anna Buddelmeyer (O-G) 18:41.37, 16. Madelyn Hovest (O-G) 18:59.23, 34. Jennalee Dameron (Celina) 19:26.76, 42. Corinne Closson (O-G) 19:34.98, 46. Addi Manns (Kenton) 19:37.97, 58. Jenna Stump (Shawnee) 19:50.17, 104. Liana Fortman (O-G) 20:40.99, 112. Morgan Maag (O-G) 20:49.81, 114. Brea Recker (O-G) 20:53.78, 132. Rose Turnwald (O-G) 21:23.94.

Division III

Top 10 Team Scores/Area Team Scores: 1. Minster 62, 2. Rittman 123, 3. West Liberty-Salem 175, 4. Ft. Loramie 191, 5. Madeira & Liberty Center 206, 7. Huron 227, 8. Maplewood 262, 9. Grandview Hts. 300, 10. Ft. Recovery 306, 18. Lincolnview 345.

Race Winner/Area Finishers

1. Rebecca Geiss (Heartland Christian) 17:54.98, 6. Chaney Cedarleaf (Min) 18:43.07, 8. Margaret Hemmelgarn (Min) 18:46.05, 21. Maria Niekamp (Min) 19:00.19, 43. Natalie Brunswick (FR) 19:41.65, 44. Annie Hemmelgarn (Min) 19:42.20, 46. Claire Bohman 19:44.63, 77. Ava Milligan (Lin) 20:16.01, 90. Makenna Huelskamp (FR) 20:26.59, 92. Morgan Ketner (Min) 20:28.57, 99. Andrea Pfau (Miller City) 20:36.59, 105. Ellie Will (FR) 20:42.05, 112. Riley Hagens (Min) 20:53.27, 124. Joelle Kaup (FR) 21:16.91, 144. Keira Breese (Lin) 21:33.39, 148. Kassidy Hammons (Lin) 21:40.18, 151. Kendall Hoffman (Lin) 21:49.32, 160. Jenna Hart (FR) 22:08.77, 165. Madison Heitkamp (FR) 22:34.00, 167. Anna Roessner (FR) 22:38.50, 169. Elyssa Renner (Lin) 22:48.91, 172. Harper Reindel (Lin) 22:59.64.

Complete results

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