Coffman boys, Davidson girls win regional cross country titles
Saturday, October 28, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Westerville North’s Ben Gabelman edges Dublin Jerome’s Sam Ricchiuti for the Division I boys cross country regional championship Oct. 28 at Pickerington North. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
A precursor for what figures to be an even more intense battle a week from now between Westerville North senior Ben Gabelman and Dublin Jerome senior Sam Ricchiuti came down to a running sprint to the finish Saturday in the Division I boys cross country regional at Pickerington North.
During the last of six races to determine which teams and individuals will compete among three divisions at state Nov. 4 at Fortress Obetz, Gabelman finished in 14 minutes, 51.17 seconds and Ricchiuti wound up a close second in 14:52.37 after the two went back-and-forth during their first matchup this season.
“I don’t know if my legs have ever moved that fast during a cross country race,” Gabelman said. “It was pretty exciting. There was definitely some bumping between (the top) four in the woods to get position. This meet was probably between all four of the top individuals in the state.”
Ricchiuti and Gabelman, who finished second and fourth, respectively, last season at state, both have committed to Syracuse.
“I’d rather win states than regionals,” Ricchiuti said. “I definitely would have wanted to win, but (Gabelman) has a great kick.”
The top five teams and top 20 individuals advanced to state. Coffman captured the team championship with 112 points, followed by Olentangy Orange (129), Westerville North (131), Dublin Scioto (146) and Lancaster (148).
Upper Arlington’s Thomas McMahon finished third (14:57.62), with Worthington Kilbourne’s Ryan Smith (14:59.42), Dublin Scioto’s Weston Day (15:05.59), Orange’s Saketh Rudraraju (15:18.39), Pickerington North’s Mick Temple (15:24.6), Coffman’s Caden Ozbun (15:33.41), Jerome’s Charles Guerrera (15:33.55) and Lancaster’s Wes Taylor (15:37.76) rounding out the top 10.
Dublin Jerome’s Helen Randolph captured the Division I regional girls cross country championship Oct. 28 at Pickerington North. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
“We knew it was going to be a bloodbath coming in here,” Coffman coach Joe DePalma said. “There’s a lot of good teams and we were just hoping to get out. I knew they were capable of it.”
Jerome took the top two individual spots in the Division I girls race, with Helen Randolph running 17:50.47 to defend her title and Natalie Fouts placing runner-up (17:54.83).
“I was in the middle of a huge pack, elbows were thrown, including some by me, and everyone was getting tripped up,” Randolph said. “I was just trying to stay patient in that pack and waiting. Right before we went into the woods, I started to feel good again so I made my move and tried to hold on. At the finish, I gave it everything I had.”
Hilliard Davidson finished with 61 points to defend its team championship, with Olentangy Liberty (113), Marysville (118), Jerome (124) and Gahanna Lincoln (157) rounding out the top five.
Senior Sophie Lane (18:24.85) and sophomore Celia Schulte (18:26.89) placed eighth and ninth, respectively, to lead Davidson.
“We had a good team race,” coach Nate King said. “We get out hard, find our spots and engage in the race. It got sloppy in the middle, but they were far enough up where the team performance kind of absorbed some of the sloppiness.”
Lancaster’s Marisa Heil finished third (18:04.08), followed by Orange’s Brooke Chapman (18:05.58), Marysville’s Kylie Andrews (18:14.35), Liberty’s Julia Bockenstette (18:21.61) and Marysville’s Bailey Gross (18:24.81).
Bexley boys headline area Division II finishes
Even with its No. 1 runner, senior Solomon McDow, not at 100 percent, the Bexley boys left the Division II regional with a runner-up finish with 124 points behind Fairfield Union (47).
Thornville Sheridan (127), Jonathan Alder (131), Minerva (146) and Granville (171) also advanced, as did the top 24 individuals.
Junior Holden Gohs turned in a 10th-place finish (16:10.32) to lead the Lions. McDow finished 28th (16:46.64) for Bexley’s second-best finish.
Lancaster’s Marisa Heil finished third at the Division I regional girls cross country meet Oct. 28 at Pickerington North. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
“Pickerington North is my favorite course to run,” Gohs said. “We went out quick, but that’s how all these races go, and I sat on the Jonathan Alder guy (senior Brady Tremayne, who finished 12th), the rest of the race.”
Fairfield Union junior Andrew Walton won the individual title in 14:59.21.
Hartley junior Connor Caltrider finished seventh (16:08.04) and Heath senior Tucker See was ninth (16:08.93).
In the girls race, Minerva won the title with 68 and Jonathan Alder (third, 106) and Granville (fifth, 164) also advanced.
While Athens sophomore Sophia Szolosi won the title (17:57.88), Granville senior Kara Bergeron was fourth (18:51.42), Jonathan Alder sophomore Ella Luker took fifth (19:02.64) and Johnstown senior Reece Savage placed eighth (19:06.79) to lead the area.
Grandview girls capture Division III title
A tight pack helped the Grandview girls team finish with 113 points to capture its second consecutive Division III title.
Senior Madelina Palmisciano took fourth (18:55.32), and the Bobcats’ next four runners all finished between 36th and 50th.
“We’ve got a really good team that works really well together,” coach Chris Szabo said. “We’ve got a tight pack, which helps. We’re going to enjoy that we’re moving on and we’d like to get in the top 10 as a team at the end of the day.”
Columbus School for Girls finished third (139) to also advance.
Tuscarawas Valley sophomore Trista Lieser won the title in 18:37.91, but Worthington Christian senior Emma Unger (18:45.13) and CSG senior Mira Martin (18:54.6) took the next two spots.
Centerburg sophomore PaytonTucker was sixth (19:30.85).
In the boys race, Mount Gilead finished with 61 points to capture the title, with Fredericktown taking second (136), Marion Pleasant fourth (150) and Fisher Catholic fifth (177) to also advance to state.
Whiteoak junior Landen Eyre won the title (15:38.08). Mount Gilead was led by junior Will Baker (third, 16:03.57) and senior Parker Bartlett (sixth, 16:13.21).
Grandview junior Denison Murphy was eighth (16:14.65) to advance individually.