Cross country: Minster defends girls Division III state title

OBETZ – Minster junior Maggie Hemmelgarn knew she might have a long road for recovery, after she suffered a stress fracture at last year’s state track meet.

In 2021, as a sophomore, Hemmelgarn helped lead Minster to a Division III state cross country title, when she placed third overall in 18 minutes, 23.1 seconds on the 5,000-meter course at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park in Obetz.

However, despite not being able to race this fall until the Midwest Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 15, Hemmelgarn led Minster to its second consecutive Division III state title Saturday at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Cross Country State Championships at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park.

At Saturday’s Division III race, Hemmelgarn placed 17th in 19:06.3 to lead Minster to another state title.

The top 30 finishers in each race at Saturday’s state meet, also earned all-Ohio status.

“It’s incredible,” an elated Hemmelgarn said after Saturday’s race. “At the beginning of the year, I had a stress fracture. So, I didn’t know if I was going to make it down here. So, I was grateful for every opportunity to run with the team. … It’s an incredible feeling.

“It’s been a little bit of a struggle with getting back to racing at the end (of the regular season). It feels good; and I’m grateful to be able to run.”

Longtime Minster girls head coach Jessie Magoto said Hemmelgarn’s season was in question for quite a while.

“She was only allowed to step on land in August,” Magoto said. “Her first race was our league race. So, there was no training plan for how it went toward the end. We had no idea, week to week (on her future). But she is tough as nails. It’s just unbelievable at what she has done.”

Minster successfully defended its title Saturday, outscoring second-place Fort Loramie, 63-119. Colonel Crawford (164), West Liberty-Salem (183) and Liberty Center (184) rounded out the top five squads in the 20-team field.

Rounding out the rest of Minster’s runners Saturday were Taylor Roth (18th, 19:10.8), Chaney Cedarleaf (23rd, 19:26.2), Maria Niekamp (27th, 19:39.2), Annie Hemmelgarn (39th, 19:59), Morgan Ketner (60th, 20:21.2) and Ava Stammen (87th, 21:03.3).

Roth, one of two seniors for Minster, said this season’s state championship was extra special. Roth was part of three state cross country championships during her high school career. This past spring’s state track-and-field meet, Roth won the Division III state title in the 800 meters.

“Being a senior, it’s a little more meaningful. … It’s meaningful every year, but with me being a senior, this is the last one for me,” an emotional Roth said.

Added Magoto, “The goal was to leave it all out there. I just told them that no matter what, that it is going to be OK. … I’m so proud of these girls.”

Anna junior Paige Steinke won Saturday’s girls Division III race in 17:46.1. Last season, Steinke placed 49th (19:51.3) at the state meet.

“I can’t believe it. … I’m just lost on words,” Steinke said. “I’m just really thankful for what I have. You just can’t take anything for granted. I just didn’t think I could do it. I was hoping to get on the podium, or maybe top five.”

In the Division III girls race, Fort Recovery placed 13th in the final team standings with 312 points. Natalie Brunswick led Fort Recovery with a 33rd-place finish (19:46.6).

Lincolnview freshman Brynleigh Moody just missed getting into the top-30, as she placed 31st overall (19:45).

Armstrong, Nygaard

finish in the top four

All season, Bluffton seniors Landon Armstrong and Erik Nygaard have battled each other.

It would only seem fitting that it would play out the same way at Saturday’s Division III state meet at Fortress Obetz.

Armstrong outkicked Nygaard on Saturday, en route to a third-place finish in 15:55.3. Nygaard was a close fourth (15:59.2).

As a team, Bluffton placed 10th Saturday.

Armstrong said Saturday’s race played out like the others.

“Whenever one of us makes a move, the other one just goes with them. We kind of just go back-and-forth,” Armstrong said with a grin.

At last week’s regional meet at Tiffin, it was Nygaard getting the best of Armstrong, as Nygaard placed second, while Armstrong finished fifth.

“I think it’s great,” Nygaard said about Saturday’s state meet. “At the beginning of the year, we write down goals. Then, we write down dreams. Our dream was (to place) top five at the state meet. Everything is so sweet. This experience is so amazing. We both plan on running in the future (in college).”

The rest of Bluffton’s team included Sam Derstine (63rd, 17:14), Liam Jordan (154th, 18:44), Jonah Rehm (170th, 19:04.7), Landon Selhorst (165th, 18:58.6) and Isaiah Conley (180th, 19:48.6).

Grove places sixth

After losing four seniors off last year’s fourth-place team at the Division III state meet, Columbus Grove got back to this year’s state meet and placed sixth.

Mount Gilead won the D-III team title Saturday, scoring 82 points. Ottawa Hills (151), Summit Country Day (157), Botkins (167) and Maplewood (188) rounded out the top five D-III boys teams.

Bluffton placed 10th, Marion Local finished 12th, while Lincolnview was 15th in the final team standings.

Trent Koch led Columbus Grove on Saturday with a 36th-place finish (16:46.4). Evan Pitts (64th, 17:14.7), Luke Ellerbrock (72nd, 17:19.2), Bryce Bonifas (113th, 17:52.2), Logan Mershman (118th, 17:58.9), Levi Bryan (135th, 18:12.8) and Anden Blankemeyer (145th, 18:31) rounded out the Columbus Grove squad.

“They’re pretty excited about sixth place; and that’s great,” longtime Columbus Grove boys head coach Terry Schnipke said. “I told them a couple weeks ago that there are 196 schools in Division III boys cross country. So, if you are at state, you are already one of the elites. … If you are in the top six, then that’s pretty impressive.”

Oakman, Stucke

earn all-Ohio status

Spencerville senior Lanny Oakman finished 16th in Saturday’s Division III race (16:25.5).

“I wasn’t expecting to be on the podium, today,” Oakman said. “I think I did pretty well. I’m really excited at how I did.”

Marion Local senior Troy Stucke placed 29th Saturday (16:38.7) also earning all-Ohio status.

O-G girls sixth,

boys finish 16th

The O-G girls team, behind senior Alexa Fortman, notched sixth-place as a team Saturday in Division II.

Fortman, who was leading Saturday’s race at the first mile, finished in sixth place (18:42.3).

The rest of the O-G pack included Madelyn Hovest (32nd, 19:51.7), Olivia Fenbert (76th, 20:35.1), Corinne Closson (79th, 20:36.9), Rose Turnwald (128th, 21:33.1), Anna Buddelmeyer (148th, 22:08.1) and Morgan Maag (150th, 22:11.5).

Fortman said she stayed focused on what she needed to do Saturday.

“I really tried to focus on staying calm. I knew the first mile was going to be a big pack of girls,” Fortman said. “I wanted to stay up with them; and try to hang up there as long as I could.

“I like getting out fast – trying to separate from the pack. Then after that, I like to settle in and run my race.”

On the boys side, O-G finished 16th.

Ty Rosengarten led the Titans with a 60th-place finish (17:08.5). The rest of the O-G boys pack included Ty Buckland (77th, 17:20.2), Cooper Fischer (123rd, 17:51.1), Hunter Stechschulte (134th, 17:56.5), Isaac Macke (137th, 17:58.6), Connor Johnson (166th, 18:50.7) and Jordan Croy (175th, 19:29.2).

“I thought they looked really good,” O-G head coach Holly Flueckiger said about her team. “They were confident. It was windy. But right at the starting line, you could tell they were mentally into it. It comes down to the training and the confidence; and they were confident. I told them to start out hard, and then settle in and run their race; and they did that.”

This was the first time in school history that O-G has sent teams to the state cross country meet.

Bath places 19th in D-II

In its first-ever trip to the state cross country meet as a team, the Bath boys placed 19th overall.

Jacob Wireman led Bath with a 72nd-place finish (17:15.3).

Rounding out the rest of Bath’s pack were Everett Bensman (100th, 17:32.2), Landen Jones (121st, 17:49.1), Connor Raines (142, 18:03.6), Jaden Ryan (169th, 18:58.8), Treg Sibert (174th, 19:26.1) and Jonah Volbert (176th, 19:43.5).

Shawnee’s girls 14th

The Shawnee girls team placed 14th in Division II on Saturday.

Shawnee senior Molly Stump earned all-Ohio status with her 19th-place finish (19:21.5).

“It was like, ‘This is what I’ve been training for’. I was just so thankful that God gave me all those years to run. So, I thought, ‘This is my race,’” an emotional Stump said after Saturday’s race.

The rest of Shawnee’s team included Alaina Williams (35th, 19:57.5), Jenna Stump (115th, 21:17.5), Savannah Hohe (137th, 21:46.7), Tayma Jmiai (146th, 22:06.6), Addy Hull (166th, 23:53.7) and Kate Carson (177th, 25:17.1).

Noah Williams

earns all-Ohio

In the Division I boys race, Shawnee junior Noah Williams notched 30th place, and earned all-Ohio status with his performance. Williams crossed the finish line in 16:05.3.

“I got out quick. … I thought I was in a pretty good spot,” Williams said. “But, obviously the competition – being bumped up a division (from D-II to D-I) – it was going to be a lot tougher. But I’m always going to run my best.”

Kaylie Dameron

posts 16th place

Three-time Western Buckeye League champion Kaylie Dameron placed 16th in Saturday’s Division II race (19:18.2), earning all-Ohio status. This was the third year that Dameron earned all-Ohio status in cross country.

Her sister, freshman Jennalee Dameron, finished in 51st (20:13.4).

Mark Altstaetter wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.