Crestview boys win state CC championship

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

OBETZ — A year after finishing as the Division III state runner-up, Crestview High School is adding a state championship trophy to its trophy case.

For the first time in school history, the Knights are cross country state champions. Competing in Division IV this season, Crestview earned 2025 title during Saturday’s OHSAA cross country state championships at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park near Columbus. The Knights, who also finished No. 1 in the Division IV OATCC (Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches) poll, finished with 86 team points, enough to outdistance runner-up and NWC foe Columbus Grove (99). The team also became the first Van Wert County cross country team to win a state title.

“Last year we had unexpected success at the Division III level, being state runners-up and after that we were completely focused once we stepped off the podium last year,” Crestview head coach Randy Grandstaff said. “Their hard work and dedication to be No. 1 this year was all that needed to be done and they did it today.”

“These boys came into the season with a state championship as their top goal,” he continued. “Each week, I would set the bar a little higher with the workouts and all they did was exceed them week after week. They came into the season running fast and kept getting faster. We had two boys run in the 15s this year and go past a school record that stood for a long time.”

Lincoln Smith led Crestview with a 17th place finish and a time of 16:07. Derek Young (16:22) and Hudson Perrott (16:23) finished 25 and 26, followed by Kale Vining (43rd, 16:38), and Andrew Heth (63rd, 16:53). Caleb Thomas (73rd, 17:32) and Ian Owens (150th, 17:54) also competed for the Knights.

“The top five of this team are among the 10 fastest runners in 5K at Crestview,” Grandstaff said. “Saturday’s race was tight for most of the race. The first 400 (meters) we were in second to Rittman, at the mile we were in first, but at the two mile we were well behind Columbus Grove. Between mile two and three our boys really ran a great last mile.”

Bennett Lehman of Ansonia won the individual title with a time of 15:17.

On the girls’ side, Crestview freshman Emily Heth and senior Anna Gardner competed as individuals and finished 112th (20:57 and 123rd (21:14) respectively.

“When Anna qualified for state I was extremely happy for her,” Grandstaff said. “She constantly works so hard to make herself the best runner and teammate she can be and it was a joy to see her compete at the state meet. With Emily being a freshman, she learned how to run the 5K race. Each race she got faster and ran better each time she raced. Btoh girls ran good for their first state meet.”

In her final race, Lincolnview senior Brynleigh Moody finished 26th in Division IV (19:22) and the Lancers finished 21st as a team. Kassidy Hammons finished 113 (20:58), followed by Josie Miller (162nd, 22:03), Kendall Hoffman (172, 22:25) and Harper Reindel (174, 22:35). Elyssa Renner and Keira Breese finished 187th and 188th with times of 23:09 and 23:14.

“Brynleigh finishes her career as the most decorated cross country athlete in Lincolnview school history -four-time individual state qualifier, first team and second team All-Ohio, Academic all Ohio, four-time NWC champion and female cross country athlete of the year, and school record holder (18:39),” Lincolnview head coach Matt Langdon said. “The team qualified for three consecutive state meets and holds the lowest team average in school history. All seven runners were academic All-Ohio with an average GPA of 3.95. We could not be more proud of this group and how the represent the Lancer community. They have left a lasting legacy that will be very difficult to match.”

Ottawa Hills (114) was crowned Division VI girls’ team champion and Minster (158) was the runner-up. Lincolnview finished with 453 team points, one more than Delphos St. John’s. The Blue Jays were led by Claire Martz, who finished 52nd (20:01). Kaitlynn Carr of Smithville was the invididual champion (17:29).

In the Division III girls’ meet, Van Wert (376) finished 14th out of 24 teams and the Cougars were led by sophomore Symphony Schuerman, who placed 35th with a time of 19:41 and was named second team All-Ohio. It was Schuerman’s second trip to the state meet. Freshman Ruby Dicke finished 115th (20:36), followed by junior Noelle Byrum (117th, 20:37), freshman Jasleen Sharma (123rd, 20:48), and freshman Faith Stoller (184th, 22:23). Freshman Whitney Holliday (188th, 22:29) and senior Brenna Kimmet (212th, 24:17) also competed for the Cougars. Kimmet and Byrum were named Academic All-Ohio.

“We had the youngest girls team in Division III with four freshmen and only one other girls’ team in all divisions had four or more freshmen,” Van Wert head coach Bob Spath said. “We are young and will be back stronger next year.”

Marlington’s Irelyn Johnson won the individual Division III championship (18:10) and Oakwood (71) was the Division III team champion.