TIFFIN — Elmwood’s cross country teams had so much fun together at the state cross country meet last year
that they decided to make the trip once again. CLICK
HERE TO VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
Both
Royal teams finished in the top four of their Division III regional races at a soggy Hedges-Boyer Park
Saturday, marking the second straight year they’ll be riding to Columbus together.
“Things go in cycles and we’re on a definite high cycle,” said Elmwood coach Chris Hailey. “I feel very
fortunate to have the kids I have.”
Elmwood’s girls finished third and the boys finished fourth to advance. The top four teams advance to the
state meet at Scioto Downs next Saturday.
The Royal boys, ranked 11th in Division III, got a second-place finish from standout Nick Goebel and
solid placements from its two through five runners.
“We ran extremely well. We really did,” Hailey said. “Times are kind of out the window with it being this
soft course, but I was so pleased with our pack.
“The guys packed up nice. I didn’t have to go far at all. They were like one after the other.”
Elmwood finished with 123 points, four points behind third-place Stryker. Hilltop was second with 103
points and Delta won the regional title with 85 points.
Goebel was six seconds behind the race winner, Delta’s Colin Fisher.
“We made it. That’s all that really matters to me,” said Goebel. “I think we should of gotten at least
second, but oh well, we made it.”
“It’s pretty sweet that we’re going back, both girls and boys,” he added.
Dexter Lee was 23rd for Elmwood, finishing in a time of 17:24. Wes Lee was 31st in a time of 17:39, and
Josh Boes (48th, 17:56) and Travis Wagner (57th, 18:04) rounded out the Royals’ top five times.
The boys were coming off of a district title. They finished eighth at state last season.
“We fulfilled our expectations by making it to the next week, and that’s what the whole season was all
about,” Hailey said. “Not that we’re ever satisfied with just making it, but when other teams run well
you take what you can get.”
The girls, ranked 15th in Division III, had their top five finish in the top 37 of individuals on a
qualifying team.
Elmwood finished with 124 points, four behind second-place Ottoville. Liberty Center took the team title
with 105 points and Old Fort also advanced, finishing fourth with 140 points.
Senior Bethany Flage led the Royals by finishing 15th overall in a time of 20:41.
“We’re just so excited to go back (to state). It’s what we’ve been working for all season,” Flage said.
“We’ve just been working for each other all season. Just all trying to stay together so we can make it.”

As for her individual finish, Flage was a bit surprised.
“I didn’t expect it at all, honestly,” she said. “I was just running to try to make it to state for the
team. I’m just so happy. It’s overwhelming really. It’s my first year. It’s just crazy.”
“Bethany really stepped up today,” Hailey said.
Senior Darla Heimann was right behind at 19th in a time of 21:01. Heimann finished seventh at regionals
last season and 13th as a sophomore.
“Darla hung in there,” Hailey said. “She had a rough time up on the front.”
Miranda Wagner (29th, 21:19), Ashley Wolfe (48th, 21:52) and Addy Mathias (50th, 21:55) rounded out
Elmwood’s top five.
“The key was our pack,” Hailey said. “Our top five just got it done.”
No other team from Wood County advanced to the state meet.
Perrysburg’s girls finished eighth in Division I.
“We were hoping for a little better but we’re happy with how we competed,” Perrysburg coach Vern Kiehl
said. “We tell the the girls all along you can only worry about you and you can’t worry about other
people, and other people from other schools stepped up and that happens.”
The Yellow Jackets’ Andrea Alt advanced as an individual, finishing 10th overall in a time of 19:11. The
top 16 individual times advance to state.
Eastwood’s girls finished 16th in Division II.
For the boys, Eastwood was seventh, Lake ninth, and Otsego 16th in Division II.
“That was as good as we could run,” Eastwood coach Richard Morgan said of his boys team. “I’ve had better
teams, but I never had a team that did was this one did.”
Lake’s Zach Powell advanced individually, finishing ninth overall in a time of 16:34.
Bowling Green’s boys took 15th in Division I
“We were hoping to come down and run hard, and they ran terrific,” BG coach Brian Tucker said. “We had
some great efforts today. We got to the regionals this year and we’ve got a lot of guys back next year,
so we’re excited about it. It was a good day for us.”