Boys Cross Country Guide: Defending state champs looking for more at Mount Gilead.
MOUNT GILEAD — The Indians have won seven straight Division III district championships in boys cross country. They extended their regional title streak to five in a row. Most of all, Mount Gilead won the state championship last season at Fortress Obetz, dominating the field in winning by 69 points over runner-up Ottawa Hills.
Of course, the squad would love to keep those strings going, especially a repeat state title.
"We bring back a lot of really talented front-runners in our top three athletes and another four with championship meet experience," said MG's Jake Hayes who is in his sixth season as the head coach. "Our team has a lot of runners who have been waiting in the shadows that have been training hard this summer to reload our roster. With 15 guys working toward a common goal, we will have a competitive environment each day at practice that will help get them prepared for the bigger races later in the season."
The Indians bring back junior Will Baker, the reigning Knox Morrow Athletic Conference, district and regional champ who was an All-Ohio for the second time last year and who has clocked a 15:30 person record. Also a multi-time state track participant, Baker was 10th in the D-III state XC race in 16:16 last fall.
Also back are All-Ohioan senior Parker Bartlett who has a 16:12 personal record and who was 13th in 16:20 at state, plus sophomore Owen Hershner, an all-league and district runner with a 16:51 PR.
Senior Nathan Smith (18:11 PR), senior Luke Frazier (18:37) and junior Tommy Emberg (18:53) have state experience, too, while senior Collin Gabriel (18:42) and senior Quade Harris (19:07) earned letters. Senior Wyatt Mowry (19:41), sophomore Abram Newsom (19:39), sophomore Nolan Hershner (19:44), sophomore Ryan Swalley (19:23) and freshmen Ethan Turner and Kasen Wallace round out the team.
All-Ohioan Reed Supplee and key state runners Aaron Gannon and Cole Hershner as well as Sam Baer all graduated.
"Those guys did a great job of developing the underclassmen to step up and fill their roles this coming season," Hayes said. "Managing the pressure that comes with being the defending state champions will be something that we will need to monitor and keep at the front of our radar."
More: State Cross Country: Mount Gilead takes home championship
Two more teams to watch
Northmor went to state last year in Division III and would like to make a return trip. With three-time state qualifier Ryan Lehman to go with senior Bryce Cooper and sophomores David Blunk, Levi Hunter and Thomas Keen, head coach Kevin Ruhl has the pieces to make another state run.
"We have four guys who return from last season having run times in the 17s or lower. Five have also run at the state meet," Ruhl said.
While they lost Lucas Weaver (the No. 2 runner who broke his fibula during the regional race) and Connor Radojcsics to graduation, freshmen Jaxon Bechtler, who was last year's junior high champion in the KMAC, and Vinton Naylor are coming aboard as is junior Owen Yunker.
"The guys have worked hard this season to be ready for the season, and I expect them to compete for the top two team positions at every invitational that we attend. Hopefully we can get the team back to the state meet again like they were able to do in 2020 and 2022," Ruhl said.
Pleasant also brings back a wealth of talent from a Division III team that went to the regionals in 2022.
Head coach Beth Lictenberger will count on returnees senior Nick Swartz, senior Liam Curtis, junior Will Lichtenberger, junior Caleb Cameron and junior Elijah McGinniss to lead the squad.
"These give look to be much faster after strong track seasons collectively, minus Will who missed the whole track season due to injury," she said. "Behind these upperclassmen we have a potentially strong group of freshmen."
Newcomers will be senior Brayden Rinehart, sophomore Ethan Hall and freshmen Joey Dietsch, Jacob Meyers, Nathan Wagenblast and Ethan Cress.
"We need to stay healthy," Lichtenberger said.
More: A look back at last year's boys cross country prospectus
Dozen best returnees
∎ Will Baker, Mount Gilead: The junior is a two-time All-Ohioan who has clocked a 15:30.
∎ Parker Bartlett, Mount Gilead: The senior was an All-Ohio runner last year with a best effort of 16:12.
∎ Owen Hershner, Mount Gilead: The sophomore was the area's top freshman runner a year ago with his 16:51 and all-league and all-district runs.
∎ Ryan Lehman, Northmor: The senior stands third on the school's all-time leaderboard with a 16:14 as he is a three-time state qualifier.
∎ David Blunk, Northmor: The sophomore set the school's all-time freshman mark last year with a 17:10.
∎ Will Lichtenberger, Pleasant: The junior was All-MOAC and a regional runner who had a best of 16:46.
∎ Caleb Cameron, Pleasant: The junior was right with Lichtenberger with a 16:50 PR for the Spartans.
∎ Nick Swartz, Pleasant: The senior is coming off his first state berth in boys track and ran to all-league honors in cross country. He ran a 17-flat last year.
∎ Chase Osborne, River Valley: The senior was All-MOAC and ran a season-best 17:39 a year ago.
∎ Kade Sutherland, Marion Harding: The senior earned a Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month Award last season en route to all-league status with a 16:38 PR.
∎ Carter Ferguson, Marion Harding: The senior ran a season-best 17:38 last year for the Presidents.
∎ Gabe Douce, River Valley: The senior is running cross country for the first time. He is a regional qualifying middle distance runner in track and is one of the school's top soccer players who will be running cross country this fall as well.
Other teams to watch
∎ Cardington: Aiden Reitmire (Sr., letter), Luke Visconti (Sr., letter), Brandon Hughes (So., letter), Brayden Rammelsberg (So., letter), Danny Townsend (So.), Thor Kovacs (So.), Riley Patterson (Fr.). Denny West, the architect of the Mount Gilead cross country program, is now the head coach at Cardington and he said the goal is to finish races and improve as the season goes.
∎ Elgin: Peyton Zempter (So., letter), David Colby (So., letter), Hunter Johnston (Jr.), Karson Thomas (Jr.), Bo Daniels (Fr.). The Comets graduated three All-Northwest Central Conference runners in Ethan Marshall, Sage Brewer and Kolby Wasserbeck, plus Gabe Freshour, so this is largely a new team made up of athletes training for other sports according to coach Jeff Ferrell. He wants them to "learn how to run an even race on pace,"
∎ Highland: Matthew Miller (regional qualifier), Cael Gilmore (regional qualifier), Austin Grandstaff (letter), Brendan Lester (regional qualifier), Colton Clarkson (letter). The Scots lost five contributors to last year's regional run: Caleb Wetzel, Hunter Bolton, Joel Roberts, Grath Garee and Corban Benedict. Coach Rich Williams expects several newcomers will fill voids in the lineup for 2023.
∎ Marion Harding: Kade Sutherland (Sr., 16:38), Carter Ferguson (Sr., 17:38), Sebastian Swihart (Jr., 18:53), Peyton Ward (Jr., 19:21), Brendon Morgan (Jr., 24:00), Andrew Tackett (Fr.), Brody Cahill (Jr.). The Presidents lost no one to graduation last year, but they are still a small group with just seven runners. "Our team goal this year is to place some runners on the school record board," coach Bob Peters said.
∎ North Union: Tyler Huff (Sr., first-team Central Buckeye Conference), Max Leavitt (So., letter), , Traven Reber (Jr., letter), Felix Plouck (Fr.), Zachary Meyer (Fr.). The Wildcats are a small squad for coach Penny Cunningham. "Our goals this year are to reach our potential and place in the upper half of our division," she said.
∎ Ridgedale: Isaac Lust (So., letter), Brogan Weston (So., letter), Michael Richardson (Fr.). With only three runners, the Rockets can't compete for team scores. "They are incredibly supportive of each other and push each other to bring their best to each run," coach Amy Mazza said. "All my runners participate in summer run club together and work hard in the weight room. Their commitment will help them make progress on the course throughout the season."
∎ River Valley: Chase Osborne (Sr., 17:39), Gabe Douce (Sr.), Conner Davis (Fr.), Harrison Lee (Fr.), Iain Linville (Fr.), Kael Swartz (Fr.). "Chase was able to train at a high level on his own last year, but now he has a team to train with. We still have small teams with little depth," coach Aric Smith said.
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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Boys Cross Country Guide: Mount Gilead shooting for second state title
