Colonel Crawford and Bucyrus cross country teams hope to outrun the competion in the regionals on Saturday.
The Eagles teams for boys and girls along with the Lady Redmen head over to the regional meet at Boardman High School in the Youngstown area. The girls’ race will take place at 11 a.m., while the boys’ race is at 1:30 p.m. The Bucyrus boys team did not qualify for the regionals but Carson Pirnstill is the only Bucyrus boy competing in the regionals after placing among the top 16 individuals from last Saturday’s meet.
“We hope for the best,” said Bucyrus coach Carl Rittenour. “It’s a tough course (in Youngstown).”
The Lady Redmen head to the regionals for the first time in about 15 years, he said. The team has three seniors, three freshman and a junior running in Saturday’s regionals.
“It would be nice to get the whole team to state (championships),” Rittenour said.
The Eagles took first and third place in the boys and girls race, respectively, in the Div. III, District 1 meet at Amans Reservoir in Galion last Saturday.
In the boys’ race, Colonel Crawford finished with 28 points, while Bucyrus finished in sixth with 165, Wynford, which didn’t have a full team, had 242 in 10th and Crestline came in last with 367.
Chad Johnson highlighted local performances on the day by winning the boys’ race in 16:00.49 for the Eagles.
Brad Bauer was third in 17:00.76 and Nick Studer took fourth in 17:10.87. Brandon Long ran ninth in 17:33.44 and Wade Hopkins placed 11th in 17:35.99, while Braxton James finished 52nd and Brandon Bauer was 83rd.
Carson Pirnstill took sixth in 17:25.71 for Bucyrus, which qualified him for the regionals. His teammate Devon Sigler ran 33rd, while Dakota Hedrick finished 37th and Tyler Rittenhour took 54th. Also, Mason Kent finished 66th and Cody Dalton ran 77th.
“I was hoping we would make it out,” Pirnstill said. “It would’ve been better.”
In the girls’ race, Colonel Crawford finished third with 97 points, while Bucyrus tallied 125 for fourth. Wynford and Buckeye Central finished in the last two places with 312 points and 321 points respectively.
Claire Reynolds won the girls’ race in 19:10.18 for Mansfield Christian.
For the Lady Eagles, Anna Reffey placed fifth in 20:42.66. Emily Kemper was seventh in 21:00.40 and Courtney Britt took 10th in 21:12.61. Haley Laughbaum was 28th in 22:29.63.
Also, Alyssa Spears placed 52nd, while Courtney Lyons ran 53rd and Taylor Price ran 63rd.
Shaylee Campbell placed 12th in 21:21.24 for the Lady Redmen. Mirium Everett finished 13th in 21:21.94, while Julia VanVoorhis ran 18th in 21:44.84.
And Lauren Kohler ran 41th, while Jessica Campbell tallied 47th, Kristen Vaughn was 49th and Desiree Sigler finished 65th.
Rittenour said Pirnstill could have an exceptional day that could help qualify him for the state meet. The junior has the potential to place again in the top 16 of Saturday’s meet if he can “run up with the Crawford boys,” he said.
Pirnstill said he has the mentality to place high in the regionals.
“I really got to push it, if I want to go to the state,” he said.
