Fort girls make state

TIFFIN, Ohio — Tribe girls have had a knack for making history lately.

The cross country team was the latest to do so.

Fort Recovery High School's cross country team qualified for the state finals by taking third in the OHSAA Division III Region 10 meet Saturday at Hedges Boyer Park.

It marks the first time since 1998 the FRHS girls have reached the state meet, and it comes three days after the volleyball team claimed its first district title since 1991.

Liberty Center scored 46 points to win the regional crown, dethroning four-time defending state champion Minster by eight points. Fort Recovery finished with 204 points, four ahead of Woodmore.

Colonel Crawford (209) was fifth, Ottawa Hills (220) took sixth and St. Henry (276) was seventh. The top seven teams and individuals placing in the top 28 advance to the state meet, which is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Fortress Obetz in Obetz, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.

Freshman Ellie Will was the top Tribe girl as she placed 12th overall in 19 minutes, 38.3 seconds. Classmate Jenna Hart crossed the finish line in 41st with her time of 20:50.8. Brynn Stammen, another freshman, ended 62nd in 21:11.2.

Megan Diller (21:16.9) placed 65th and Hanna Metzger (21:42.4) was 84th.

Carey junior Sarah Reinhart was the individual regional champion with her time of 18:43.

Fort Recovery freshman Trevor Heitkamp, the lone Indian boy to run at regional, had his season come to a close as he placed 89th in 18:12.1. Braden Yingst, a Lima Perry junior, won the championship in 16:02.7.

Also running for the FRHS girls were Anna Wendel (93rd) and Alexis Wendel (102nd).