Derrick Webb, Managing Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
After a near two-month hiatus, high school sports are back in Southern Ohio. Well, they’re right around the corner at least … thankfully.
The fall calendar brings promise in our area as several programs always seem to turn late-season momentum into historic postseason runs — quite literally. That’s especially true on the cross country trails.
So as we get reacquainted with our local cross country scene, here’s a list of 10 runners in our coverage area, and in no particular order, to keep an eye on this fall.
NOTE: This certainly does not mean there aren’t other runners who will have great seasons. This is simply a list of 10 that we’ve randomly compiled.
Sophia Szolosi, Senior, Athens
If you’re compiling a list like this one and you don’t have Szolosi on it, it’s a crime. The senior is one of the most prolific names in the state, and her seven — not a typo — state championships between cross country and track and field back up that point. She won the Division II state title last fall with a time of 17:39.61. There’s no reason to believe she isn’t the favorite to repeat.
Gabby Maranzana, Sophomore, Chillicothe
Some runners never qualify for the state championships. Maranzana did it as a freshman. Following a sensational regular season, she turned on the burners in the district and regional races — finishing third in the district (19.27.99) and 13th in the region (19.23.5). The FAC’s Runner of the Year ended her year in Obetz and has aspirations of doing it again. She’s special.
JJ Purcell, Junior, Notre Dame
No stranger to success, Purcell was as advertised last fall. He enjoyed a sophomore campaign where he made a name for himself on the state’s largest stage. After qualifying for the state championships, he ran a time of 15:44, shattering his personal record — previously 16:02 — and placing 23rd in a field of 178 runners. That was enough to earn him All-Ohio recognition.
William Lynch, Junior, Unioto
If you’re looking for Lynch, you won’t have to wait long at the finish line. He’s usually crossing first. The SVC champion won the league race in 16:41.80 last season and proceeded to go on an absolute heater. He ran a 16:41.5 to finish eighth in the district before logging a 16.17.2 in the regional race, finishing 19th and catapulting himself into the state championships.
Braden Mantell, Senior, South Webster
Mantell won last year’s SOC championship and it wasn’t exactly close. A finish time of 16:43.40 did the trick and it was over 20 seconds better than the second place finisher. He’d follow that up by fighting through the district and regional levels — times of 16:33.67 and 16:20.26. Then, at the state meet, he was 13th overall with a 15:51.58. He just simply continues to get better.
Vanessa Conley, Senior, Adena
Conley was consistently the SVC’s best runner last season and her first place finish at 21:18.20 in the league’s championship race backs that up. But she wasn’t done there. As the postseason rolled on, Conley simply continued to get better. She was second in the district at 20:14.77 and ninth in the region at 19:43.33. Her season ended in Obetz. This fall could hold the same fate.
Nixon Snavely, Senior, Rock Hill
17 seconds before anyone else finished the Ohio Valley Conference championship race, Snavely did so. And after winning the conference title, he continued to be dominant. Snavely’s junior year ended with third and fifth place showings in the district and regional races — 15:55.38 and 15:59.30. He was an All-Ohioan with a 10th place finish (15:49.24) at state.
Connor Runkle, Junior, Fairfield Union
There were three boys, all sophomores, in our area that reached Obetz last fall and Runkle was one of them. After running a 16:28.02 in the Division II district race, finishing sixth, he qualified for the state championships with a time of 15:58.89 — cutting a staggering 30 seconds off his finish time. He then posted a 15:46.99 to earn a 29th place finish. He’s got two years left, too.
Seth Hamm, Junior, Coal Grove
The Ohio Valley Conference has the ability to boast of tons of talent on its cross country trails. Hamm is right at the top of that list. The sophomore finished third in the league last season at 17:21.15 before posting times of 16:59.60 and 16:25.60 in the district and regional competitions. Then, at the state meet, he ran a 16:20.62 to take 38th overall. He’ll only get better this fall.
Rachel Lute, Junior, Huntington
By all accounts, Lute is one of the area’s best up-and-coming— and most underrated — runners. Lute took third in the SVC as a sophomore with a finish time of 21:38.80 before posting a time of 21:04.83 in the district race, taking eighth overall. She’d qualify for the state championship race with a time of 19:57.25. With two years left to work with, she’ll undoubtedly make additional noise.
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