Indian girls, Heitkamp run to state finals

TIFFIN, Ohio — The girls are going back to state.

They’ve got a boy making the trip with them.

Fort Recovery High School’s cross country team had all of its participants — the entire girls team and Trevor Heitkamp — qualify for the state meet during Saturday’s OHSAA Division III regional at Hedges Boyer Park.

The Tribe girls, who were 13th in the state last year, scored 245 points to place seventh in the regional meet.

Minster scored 43 points for the regional title. Liberty Center (72) was the runner-up while Colonel Crawford (206) was a distant third.

The top seven teams and individuals not on advancing teams finishing in the top 28 advance to the state meet, which is set for 9 a.m. Saturday at Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park in Obetz.

Sophomore Ellie Will was the top FRHS girl, ending 29th with her time of 20 minutes, 42.8 seconds. Classmate Jenna Hart was 10 spots behind in 21:04.3, while Joelle Kaup was 68th in 21:45.3. Alexis Wendel ended 101st in 22:27.1, and Anna Roessner was 109th in 22:43.8.

Liberty Center senior Hope Oelkrug was the individual champion in 18:49.8.

Heitkamp was the lone FRHS boy to compete at regional, and he posted a time of 17:23.3 to place 22nd overall.

Brady Yingst of Lima Perry won the championship in 16:11.2.

Columbus Grove, Holgate, St. Paul, Ottawa Hills, Minster, New Riegel and Bluffton all earned state berths.

Caitlin Weitzel (123rd – 23:10.5) and Megan Diller (132nd – 23:22.7) also ran for the FRHS girls.

The girls teams from St. Henry (227), Ashland Crestview (242) and Margaretta (243) were fourth through sixth, respectively, to qualify for state.