TIFFIN — A total of six individuals from Wood County will be running at the state cross country meet next
weekend at Scioto Downs. CLICK
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At
Hedges-Boyer Park, Lake’s Zach Powell and Lakota’s Kyle Babcock advanced from their respective regional
races. For the girls, Lakota’s Julia Windom, Perrysburg’s Andrea Alt, Otsego’s Leah Wagoner, and Notre
Dame Academy’s Elizabeth Lemon, a Bowling Green resident, all finished in the top 16 of their respective
races.
The top 16 individual times qualify for the state meet.
Elmwood’s boys and girls were the only county teams to advance to the state meet.
For Lakota’s Windom, the senior was able to make it back to state for the third time. She advanced with
her team as a freshman and sophomore and this time qualified individually by finishing fifth overall in
the Division III race.
“I’ve been working so hard to go to state. Last year we were so close as a team to going, so this year,
it’s just relief. I’m really excited for state,” said Windom, who finished in a time of 20:24, less than
a minute behind the race winner, Ottoville’s Shayla Siefker.
“I was not expecting to do that,” she said. “The race just fell in place for me.”
Otsego’s Wagoner also advanced from the Division III race, finishing two seconds behind Windom at sixth
in a time of 20:26.
“It’s amazing. I did not expect it at all. It’s awesome,” Wagoner said. “You just have to keep telling
yourself that you’re not tired and keep going.”
Perrysburg’s Alt advanced for the second straight season after finishing 12th at regionals last season.
She finished 10th this year in a time of 19:11. Her Yellow Jacket team failed to advance, finishing
eighth in the team standings.
“We knew she had a good shot to accomplish the same thing again. That’s been her goal all year, to get
back to state this year,” said Perrysburg coach Vern Kiehl. “We’re happy with at least being able to get
her down there.”
For Lake’s Powell, the senior was able to overcome a hip problem and gut out a ninth-place finish
individually in the Division II boys race. He finished in a time of 16:34.
“It’s definitely an improvement from last year but I was hoping to do a little better today,” said
Powell, who didn’t make it out of districts last season. “I definitely felt it (the hip) during the
race. Everything else went well. I stayed with the pack until I couldn’t stay any longer.”
“I’m definitely happy,” he added. “Going from last year not even making it to regionals, to this year
placing in the top 10 at regionals.”
Also advancing was Lakota’s Babcock, who qualified by finishing 16th in a time of 17:12.
At the Pickerington regional, Lemon finished 12th overall in a time of 20:38. Notre Dame advanced as a
team, finishing third.