State cross country Banner day for locals I
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The Associated Press/Will Shilling
The La Salle cross country teem acce:Jts the first-place team trophy after repeating as the Ohio
Division I state champion at Scioto Dc·I'Vns in Columbus Saturday.
Lancers, Bulldogs race to the top By Jarrod Ulrey
Lakota West's Burger dethrones Ridder
Enquirer contributor
COUJMBUS - Unlike t1e La Sallt• boys' team, winning tw state championship was far from a sure thing for the St. Un•ulaAcademy girls heading into the st:te cross country meet Saturday at Scioto Downs in Collllllbus. The wins by the two tea!lls, along with Lakota West senio::Amanda Burger's individual chanpionship, proved again this area's depth among its Division I programs.
St. Ursula finished with 116 points to unseat three-time defer.:cJ. ing champion Bowling Gre-3n (128), despite having no runnm among the top 25 individuals. liz Coorey led the way with a 28th-place finish in 16 minutes, 13 seconds, followed by Camer.)n ' Kurz (39th, 19:26). Teresa Thaler {50th, 19:35), Meghan Shage.ta (51st 19:36) and Shannon Balma: (59th,19:43). "We ran the best team race this progr.un has ever run, one through seven.~ coach Jeff Branhan sa;d. ''We haven't had a front-runner on this team all year. We got first and our first girl was 28th overall. Th~y were so unbelievably packed :<r gether. We came in thinking wf' had a shot to stand on the podium.~ La Salle scored 79 to edge To.edo St. John's (91). Jake Nusekal:el led thewaywithan llth-placefini•h (15:48) and was followed by Kyle Lang (16th. 15:57), Ricky Lu;>p (28th, 16:19), Corey Spriggs {4l3t. 16:31) and Michael lnderh~ (64th, 16:46). The Lancen; won their first state title last season. "It's our senior year and it wa~ a really tough battle," said Nusd:a· bel. v.ilo was one of five !leniors among La Salle's state competitors. "There's a lot of pressure, but i: ft:tt:1lc
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La·ota West senior Amanda Burger edged Oak Hills' Brooklyne Ridder for :he fourth time in six races Saturc<y as she finished in 17:36 to win :l!e Division I girls' cross country indi\i:ll'al title. Ridder was second in 17:58. Last year, Ridder won the title and Burger was third. "I'm really proud and happy with how I finished the season." Burger said. "I wanted to go for my Burger best time and I also wan·ed to win, and I did both. I felt good t'1e whole race." S-~id Ridder: "(Burger} took off The Associated Press/Will Shilling from :h ~ very beginning and got a Brooklyne Ridder of Oak Hills rea II; big lead." came up just short of a state - Jan'Od Ulrey championship repeat.
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Ac:d :!<1 coach Frank Russo: "PCf•p.e don't realize the presl>'UI'e of n·prating. When they camP ttr getl:£-r as f:eshm~: we knew this was c: special class. M3..."011 finished fifth (166) and Turp·n was eighth (201) in the Division I g':rls·race. Stephanie Chaney (19th 18:58) led Mason, and Meredith ]2.worek (23rd, 19:07) led Turpin. M::..I!J.t!ey's Christina Schneider (eigilt1,1R:28), Sycamore's Alanah Sonn:ag (22nd, 19:06) and Colernin':<:<:nnRagouzis (25th,l(}:ll} also ea'11ed all-state honors by finishing ii:. t1e top 25. "lt1t:io'ls like a good accomplishmenC said Schneider, who fin.. ishe<.l hurth last year and was in third at one point of the race Saturday. "I "'3Jlted to do better, but 111 take it~ Aho in the Division I boys' race.
Ohio honors. '"~mton Woods' Michael Perry finished third (15:27). Also placing in the top 25 were Sycamore's Taylor Williams (fourth, 15:37), Turpin's Ryan Kiracofe (21st 16:03), Sycamore's Alphonse Ranis (23rd, 16:08) and Moeller's Brad Meyer (25th, 16:13). "We went out a lot faster than I thought we would," Perry said. "I v;as real happy I was able to hold on and hang v.ith some of the guys from StJohn's and La Salle." In the Division II boys' race, New Richmond's Eric Fman finished fourth (15:48), the area's only placer. Cincinnati Christian finished 13th (284) in Division mboys. Isaiah Bragg led the Cougars with a47th-placefinish (17:09). Mariemont's Tommy Kauffmann
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