Two cross country teams from Fairfield County earned the top spot on Saturday’s OHSAA podium at Fortress Obetz. The Lancaster girls squad finished first in Division I, with Hilliard Davidson in second place. The Fairfield Union boys captured the Division II title with a sizable lead over runner-up Lexington.

The Golden Gales were led by senior Marisa Heil who finished third with a time of 17:12.46. The top Central Ohio finisher in Division I was Olentangy Orange junior Brooke Chapman with a time of 17:12.2. It was Lancaster’s first state championship for a girls’ team and a school record time by Heil.

Fairfield Union was paced by first-place finisher Andrew Walton, a senior for the Falcons, who has now won back-to-back titles. He finished with a time of 15:09.84 Saturday. Walton was named the Gatorade Ohio Boys Cross Country Player of the Year for his performance last season.

Other top ten runners from the CBUS-area were:
– Girls Division I: #4 Elena Aldrink (junior, Olentangy Liberty); #9 Natalie Fouts (junior, Dublin Jerome); #10 Erica Kaulen (junior, Hilliard Davidson)
– Boys Division I: #9 Charles Guerrera (senior, Dublin Jerome)
– Boys Division II: #8 Nathan Phillips (senior, Fairfield Union); #9 Connor Caltrider (senior, Bishop Hartley)