Boys State XC: Snyder, Tegtmeier have sights set on high finishes
A year ago, Northwestern’s Kade Tegtmeier had a bittersweet day at the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships.
Sure, the then-junior earned his first All-Ohio honor of his career, but he missed being among the top 20 on the podium in front of the crowd at Fortress by one place — less than six seconds shy of a spot.
And if you think that isn’t motivation for the now three-time state qualifier heading into this Saturday’s Division III Championships, you would be mistaken.
“I think it about every now and again,” Tegtmeier said. “It would feel good to get on the podium, I mean, the goal is always to go down there and do good.
“It feels good, I get to go down there again and run hard. I really left everything I had out (at regionals) and this week I need to do the same.”
The man he’s been chasing the past three weeks — Rittman’s Luke Snyder — is out for a little more than just getting on the podium as the reigning state runner-up has the overall title at the forefront of his mind.
And who can blame him as the sophomore comes into the final meet of the season with the fastest time overall by nearly 15 full seconds, ahead of the season-best time of Mount Gilead’s Will Baker (15:17).
But the field could be closer behind him with other runners like Covington’s Asher Long, Whiteoak’s Landen Eyre and Reed Eastern’s Connor Nolan all have run 15:30 or better this fall.
“I locked in all year and try and stay really discipled for every race; prepare like every race is going to be state, so when state comes, I'm not trying to switch gears,” Snyder said. “I'm already prepared, so when October comes, I just focus more.”
As for how it will all play out, Snyder is look forward to the chance to run among the top runners in the state and, just maybe, bring home the first state individual title in the sport since Triway’s Tom Woods captured the Class A championship in 1988.
“I'm pretty excited. It's going to be fun,” he said. “It's going to be a good race and hopefully I win.”
Along with Snyder and Tegtmeier, Waynedale’s boys team qualified for the D-III meet, while Orrville sophomore Owen Lacy will compete in the D-II race.
The Golden Bears have been paced this fall by Jackson Varner, a sophomore who was an individual state qualifier a year ago and has been among the area’s fastest runners in 2023.
For Varner, the strategy is finding runners and teams and just hanging on for the ride.
“I just have to ride with the pack and hammer down,” he said. “I always want to find familiar names and hang with them, knowing who you can hang with, and just run with them. I think it's more about placement, but it was nice to have a great time down there.”
Junior Nick St. John and sophomore Jayden Varner have complemented Jackon Varner nicely this postseason and their performance will be key once again this weekend. Lucas Miller, Wyatt Moore, Caden Schmeltzer and Dylan Adams round out the expected lineup for Waynedale.
Lacy is the lone area runner in the D-II boys, earning his first career state berth with an impressive final 500 meters at last weekend’s Boardman Regional.
The underclassman locked-up 22nd overall to earn one of the final state bids in a race that he emptied everything he had left in the tank over the final stretch.
“I was hearing (during the race) from people I didn't even know, from my coaches, that I was right on the border of making it or not making it,” Lacy said, of the regional race. “That was where my mind was set at for the entire race from there and I'm happy to be able to qualify for state.”
Marlington senior and Ohio State recruit Colin Cernansky is a heavy favorite to defend his D-II state crown. It won’t be easy, however, as Fairfield Union’s Andrew Walton has also broken the 15-minute mark this season and should be up there along with Charles Putnam (Marietta) and Michael Hanselman (Bay).
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Boys XC: Snyder, Tegtmeier lead the way at state
