Cross Country: Van Wert boys, O-G girls win WBL titles

LIMA – Saturday’s Western Buckeye League Championships was full of challenges.

The very hilly terrain of the 5,000-meter course at Faurot Park was one obvious challenge for the WBL cross country runners.

Then, add in the high level of competition that would toe the starting line on Saturday, and it had all the makings for a very competitive meet.

The Ottawa-Glandorf girls’ team rose to the occasion on Saturday as it placed eight runners in the top 22 spots, en route to winning the WBL title. The Titans scored 55 points, compared to second-place Kenton’s 72 points. Celina (112), Bath (113) and Wapakoneta (128) rounded out the top five teams in a field of 10.

Leading the charge for O-G on Saturday was senior Anna Buddelmeyer, who pulled away from the pack of runners early on and went on to win the race in a time of 19 minutes, 7.7 seconds. Shawnee’s Jenna Stump finished a distant second in 19:45.3. Kenton’s Addi Manns (19:46.7), Celina’s Jennalee Dameron (20:03.7) and Bath’s Penny Francis (20:23.2) rounded out the top five overall runners.

The top 12 finishers at Saturday’s WBL Championships earned first team all-WBL honors. Van Wert’s Symphony Schuerman (sixth, 20:24.1), Kenton’s Leah Harder (seventh, 20:25.3) and Marissa Ledley (eighth, 20:56.9), Bath’s Morgan Schrock (ninth, 21:15.5), Wapakoneta’s Maci Neumeier (10th, 21:25.9), O-G’s Brea Recker (11th, 21:33) and Izzy Utendorf (12th, 21:42) rounded out the top 12 finishers in the girls’ race.

Runners who placed 13 through 22 on Saturday, earned second team all-WBL honors.

Buddelmeyer, who placed sixth at last year’s Division II state cross country meet, said she came into Saturday’s meet with a different mindset than she had in her previous races.

“It’s definitely harder when you don’t have people around you to push you,” Buddelmeyer said. “But coming into the meet, we knew it was going to be a hard course. We knew not to focus on the times, but just focus on the place. So, I wasn’t really worried about my pace or anything. I was just focusing on keeping the lead and staying in front for my team.”

O-G’s pack of runners behind Buddelmeyer on Saturday helped pave the way for the league crown.

Rounding out O-G’s top eight placers (who earned all-WBL honors) behind Buddelmeyer were Brea Recker (11th, 21:33), Izzy Utendorf (12th, 21:42), Rose Turnwald (14th, 22:09.9), Alivia Schroeder (17th, 22:14.1), Avery Laubenthal (18th, 22:17.3), Liana Fortman (20th, 22:28.7) and Carly Siefker (21st, 22:28.8).

“It was cool. … When I finished, I then watched the girls come in. I would see them coming in like in pairs of two or three. It was awesome,” Buddelmeyer said.

Buddelmeyer feels like her team has a chance to do really well in the upcoming postseason tournament. Next week’s Division II district meet will be at Columbus Grove, where the Titans will vie for a chance to compete at the regional meet at Tiffin the following weekend in hopes of qualifying for the state meet. The state meet will be on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Fortress Obetz.

“I think the girls are going to be ready,” Buddelmeyer said. “We just all need to run our best at the same time and hopefully make it down there (to the state meet).”

At last year’s Division II state cross country meet, Buddelmeyer finished sixth.

On the boys’ side, Van Wert placed its top five runners (scorers) in the top 13 overall spots, en route to notching the WBL championship.

Van Wert scored 40 points, compared to Celina’s 52 points on Saturday. Bath (91), Wapakoneta (118) and Defiance (124) rounded out the top five teams.

Van Wert senior Owen Scott finished a very close second to O-G senior Ty Rosengarten on Saturday. Rosengarten crossed the finish line in 16:20, while Scott finished in 16:20.4.

Scott and Rosengarten have gone head-to-head in many races in the past couple years. Like many of their previous races, Saturday’s race proved to be a tight one between those two standouts.

At last year’s Division II state meet, Scott placed fifth, while Rosengarten came in ninth.

“Going into the race, we knew it was going to be terrible,” Scott said in reference to Faurot Park’s challenging course. “So, we talked and said, ‘Let’s see how it feels, chill through it and try not to get hurt’.”

For most of Saturday’s race, Scott stayed in front of Rosengarten. Then, late in the race, Rosengarten made his move.

“I felt a pace change when we went up the last hill,” Rosengarten said. He (Scott) led for most of the race. Then, I took the lead with about 100, 150 (meters) to go. It was just an all-out sprint from there.”

Both Rosengarten and Scott are looking forward to the postseason tournament.

“I’m ready for the postseason,” Rosengarten said with a grin. “I said, ‘Let’s get through this race, then the fun starts next week (districts)’.”

Rounding out the top five Van Wert runners (scorers) behind Scott included Andrew Laudick (fourth, 16:54.7), Quintin Parrish (10th, 17:41.5), Noah Spath (11th, 17:48.1) and Johan Gemmer (13th, 17:49.6).

“I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” Van Wert coach Kim Laudick said. “I’ll be honest, I was nervous. Going into it, you just want all the pieces to fall. So, nerves were at an all-time high. I got very little sleep last night. But when that gun goes off, there is nothing else that you can do. It was a tough course, obviously. … It’s a cross country course. So, we told them not to worry about times, but placement and to be competitive. Working on attacking the hills was one of our goals. And I truly feel that was something that set us apart. I was watching them just attacking those hills today. It makes a difference.”

Winning the WBL title was extra special for Coach Laudick. Her son Andrew is a senior.

“I’m just tickled to see how they ran. I also don’t think it has sunk in as a mom, that this was the last WBL (Championships for her son). So, I’m kind of letting it sink in. We’re super proud of the boys and girls. They’ve put the work in. This is one of the biggest meets that you work for,” she said.

The O-G boys’ team placed sixth on Saturday. The Van Wert girls’ squad came in sixth.

O-G coach James Rader was pleased at how his team performed on Saturday.

“It’s a really tough course. For them to come out and compete as well as they did today, we were really happy,” Rader said. “Anna (Buddelmeyer) led the charge for the whole race and looked really strong. So, we’re happy at where she’s at and what we can get from her in the future. Owen (Scott) looked great today. Ty (Rosengarten) also looked great today. Those guys came out to compete today. And that’s exactly what they did. We’re really pleased at how things are looking.”

The top 12 finishers in the boys’ race (not already mentioned) included Celina’s Colin Buening (third, 16:40.1), Bath’s Jacob Wireman (fifth, 17:13.6),

Celina’s Kaden Steed (sixth, 17:21.9) and Kaleb Dameron (seventh, 17:23.9), O-G’s Cooper Fischer (eighth, 17:28.4), Bath’s Landen Jones (ninth, 17:40.7), and Wapakoneta’s Hayden Sell (12th, 17:49.2).

**Full results for the WBL Championships can be found on FinishTiming.com.

Northwest Conference Championships

VAN WERT – The Columbus Grove boys and Lincolnview girls won team titles at Saturday’s Northwest Conference Championships at Van Wert.

In the boys’ race, Columbus Grove edged out Crestview for the title. The Bulldogs scored 37 points, while the Knights recorded 40 points.

Lincolnview (66), Bluffton (112) and Spencerville (128) rounded out the field of five full teams (at least five finishers).

Columbus Grove’s Levi Bryan won the race on the 5,000-meter course that traversed around the Van Wert Reservoir area in a time of 16:31.40.

Rounding out the top five runners for Columbus Grove on Saturday included Bryce Bonifas (sixth, 16:59.20), Aidan Vogt (eighth, 17:11.70), Zach Bryan (10th, 17:23.90) and Braylon Best (12th, 17:33.90).

Rounding out the overall top 10 runners for the boys (not already mentioned) included Bluffton’s Levi Fenzl (second, 16:38.50), Crestview’s Andrew Heth (third, 16:39.50), Crestview’s Lincoln Smith (fourth, 16:42.30), Lincolnview’s Evan Johns (fifth, 16:55.10), Lincolnview’s Kreston Tow (seventh, 17:03.60), and Crestview’s Derek Young (ninth, 17:21.80).

On the girls’ side, Lincolnview ran away with the conference title, scoring 26 points. Columbus Grove finished second with 41 points.

Crestview (91), Bluffton (104), Allen East (143) and Lima Central Catholic (145) were the remaining full teams.

Lincolnview’s Brynleigh Moody won the race in 19:54.50. Teammate Keira Breese finished second in 20:07.10. Kendall Hoffman (sixth, 21:20.90), Kassidy Hammons (seventh, 21:22.10) and Josie Miller (10th, 21:40.90) rounded out the top five runners for the Lancers.

The rest of the top 10 runners (not already mentioned) were Columbus Grove’s Sarah Kamphaus (third, 20:12.30), Crestview’s Anna Gardner (fourth, 20:47.60), Columbus Grove’s Lily Montgomery (fifth, 20:55.70), Grace Morman (eighth, 21;32.21) and Lauren Martz (ninth, 21:37.21).

**Complete results for the NWC Championships can be found on Milesplit.oh.

Northwest Central Conference Championships

MORRAL – The Waynesfield-Goshen girls and the Hardin Northern boys notched NWCC team championships on Saturday.

For the girls, W-G scored 27 points, compared to North Baltimore’s 36 points. Cory-Rawson (78) and Upper Scioto Valley (86) rounded out the four full teams.

North Baltimore’s Rylee Fennell won the race in 22:33.16. W-G’s Avery Kessen finished second in 22:53.94.

On the boys’ side, Hardin Northern won with 34 points, while Upper Scioto Valley finished a distant second (78). Perry (82), North Baltimore (86), Cory-Rawson (93) and W-G (129) were the remaining full teams.

Ridgedale’s Brogan Weston won Saturday’s race in 17:25.03.

**Complete results for the NWCC Championships can be found on Milesplit.oh.