The Boys Cross Country team, along with junior Ana Crangle, raced at the Cross Country State Championship Nov. 7. The Boys Cross Country team placed 14th, with senior Thomas Naiman placing 18th, earning All-Ohio honors and senior Dawson Ansley placing 37th. Crangle was the only Girls Cross Country runner to advance to State, placing 61st overall. 

The runners left Friday morning, Nov. 6, and began their start to the weekend. As a State meet tradition, they stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast then made their way to the course to preview it. Friday night they got dressed up and traveled down to Bucci De Beppo. 

“These are truly the memories the kids will remember,”  Head Coach Jeremy Huth said.

Preparing for this season goes all the way back to the spring, where track season was canceled. Keeping a positive mindset, runners such as Naiman and Ansley began training on their own. 

“I wanted to have a good track season, but unfortunately we didn’t get any track season. So I just kept running, and kept improving, and I worked my tail off so I could be good enough to be a State qualifier,” Ansley said. 

The State weekend was full of firsts for many. It was the first time in 32 years that the boys team went to State. This was Crangle’s first time going to State as an individual, which made this trip very memorable. 

Senior Mackenzie Moran and junior Katrina Hunt were able to come to the State meet and watch Crangle compete, which “ made the trip down to Columbus so much fun,” Crangle said. 

“It was also memorable because after the race, my coach, Coach [Karyn] Loveless came up to me and just said ‘I am so proud of you’. It meant the world to me,” Crangle said.

As this was the last race of the season, many seniors are looking back on their past seasons. From freshman to senior year, accomplishments and goals have been achieved. 

Naiman said, “If you asked me freshman year if I’d be doing what I’m doing now, I wouldn’t have believed you.”   

The runners said that without the support of team, family, friends and community, this experience would not have been as special. Many friends, team members and community members all made appearances to cheer on the runners at the State meet. 

Naiman said, “There are so many things that made this special to be honest. I guess if I had to just pick one thing it would be knowing how many people actually support me. I had friends, family, coaches and so many other people there that truly care about me.”