By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE - Almost all eight members of the Ada cross country teams who competed in the season-ending Div. III district 2 race at Columbus Grove Saturday morning posted season-best times.
"We had an awesome meet," said Ada veteran head coach Josh Klein. "No one advanced (to regionals), but we ran our best times of the season. Personal records were set across the board.
"I'm so proud of the kids," Klein continued. "They have worked hard this season. Even though we didn't have one of the fastest teams out there, the kids remained positive and worked on improving their speed throughout the entire season - despite not always having a full team."
Minster won the district 2 boys team title with 29 points to easily defeat the field, with Kalida (84) a distant second. New Bremen came in third (113).
Hardin Northern finished sixth with 168 points, followed closely by Allen East in seventh (170) and Riverdale (190).
The Ada boys finished ninth at the meet with 204 points, ahead of Ottoville (237). Cory-Rawson and Perry also competed but were two runners shy of a team score.
The Bulldog boys were led by senior Jacob Morgan, who finished 22nd out of 68 runners in a season-best time of 18:13. His time was one second better than his NWC meet showing last week, also at Grove.
Junior Riley Ferguson finished 39th in 20:13.6, 34 seconds faster than his league meet time last weekend on the same course.
Sophomore Robby Waters came home 48th in 21:19.8, 33 seconds better than last week's NWC time.
Sophomore Connor Daugherty finished 50th in 21:27.5, which was 91 seconds ahead of his time last Saturday.
Senior Cole Anspaugh came in 55th in 22:45.8, a 10-second improvement from the NWC race.
"The boys started the season running an average time of 26:30, and finished with an average of 20:47," Klein noted of their improvement.
Junior Braden Yingst of Perry won the boys individual race in a time of 15:49.7. Junior Alex Albers of Minster came in second (15:57.1).
Allen East junior Hunter Sidle finished sixth in 17:11.2 to qualify as an individual for the regional meet. Hardin Northern junior Aiden Gatchel also made it to regionals by finishing eighth in a time of 17:21.3.
The top three teams and the individuals who finish in the top 12 not on qualifying teams advanced to the regional tournament at Tiffin October 31.
Boys Div. III district 2 team results
1) Minster 29 points
Average Time: 17:04.8
2) Kalida 84
Average Time: 18:04.8
3) New Bremen 113
Average Time: 18:27.5
4) Coldwater 122
Average Time: 18:58.8
5) Delphos St. John's 147
Average Time: 19:20.1
6) Hardin Northern 168
Average Time: 20:03.7
7) Allen East 170
Average Time: 20:32.0
8) Riverdale 190
Average time: 20:29.2
9) Ada 204
Team total times: 1:43:59.9 Average Time: 20:47.9
10) Ottoville 237
Average Time: 22:56.8
Cory-Rawson and Perry had runners compete but did not field enough runners for a boys team score.
Powerhouse Minster took the first six places in the girls Div. III district 1 race to post a perfect score of 15 and run away with the team crown.
Senior Ella Boate of Minster won the girls individual race in a time of 19:33.
The next four Minster runners all hit the chute within 2.5 seconds of each other (between 19:46 and 19:49) as they ran in an impressive pack.
Ada sophomore Amelia Alexander finished 40th out of 51 runners in 24:46.1 to pace the Lady Bulldog harriers. She took 41 seconds off her time on the same course last weekend at the NWC meet.
Bulldog freshman Melia Santillanez came in 48th in 27:58.7, an improvement of 76 seconds over last Saturday at Grove.
Ada freshman Jillian Hazelton ended up 50th in 29:34.4.
Ada was two runners short of the requisite five to register a girls team score.
"We started the season running an average time of 38:21 for the girls, and finished with an average of 27:21," said Klein.
Girls Div.III district 1 team results
1) Minster 15 points
Average Time: 19:44.4
2) New Bremen 57
Average Time: 21:05.3
3) Delphos St. John's 73
Average Time: 21:30.1
4) Coldwater 118
Average Time: 22:40.7
5) Parkway 126
Average Time: 23:25.6
New Knoxville, Bluffton, Kalida, Ottoville and Cory-Rawson also competed in the meet but did not have enough runners to post a girls team score.
"This was the first season we have continuously seen our times drop from meet to meet," Klein summed up. "That is all I can hope for, faster times and good attitudes. This year's team was a pleasure to coach, and I look forward to working with all of the returners next year."
