LISK LEADS LOCAL RUNNERS IN PICKERINGTON

PICKERINGTON, OH – The road to the OHSAA Cross Country State Championships brought together some of the top Division III girls runners in Ohio, and Beaver Local and East Liverpool were among the programs represented at the regional championships in Pickerington. While neither school advanced a runner to the state meet, their athletes gained valuable experience competing against a loaded regional field.

Beaver Local sent three runners into regional competition, led by sophomore Georgie Long, who turned in the Beavers’ top performance. Long finished 130th overall with a time of 23:11.30, leading a young group that included senior Hadley Johnston and freshman Ezra Hull.

Johnston crossed the finish line in 26:21.60 to place 201st, while Hull completed her first regional championship appearance with a 219th-place finish in 28:22.40. The trio represented Beaver Local against some of the toughest competition in the region, with Long and Hull gaining experience they can build upon in future seasons.

East Liverpool was represented by sophomore Daminyka Lisk, who delivered the area’s top finish among the two schools. Lisk placed 95th overall with a time of 22:00.00, breaking into the top 100 against a competitive regional field.

Lisk’s performance highlighted a strong individual postseason effort for the Potters, as the sophomore continued to establish herself as a runner to watch moving forward. With two years of high school eligibility remaining, the regional appearance provides another building block for her development.

At the front of the field, West Holmes freshman Ava Reiheld delivered a championship performance, capturing the individual regional title with a time of 18:02.90. Reiheld’s victory was especially impressive considering her freshman status, as she topped a field featuring experienced upperclassmen and several of the region’s strongest distance runners.

Claymont senior Kali Wallace finished runner-up in 18:19.20, while Ironton senior Marlena McCown placed third in 18:30.20. Fairfield Union sophomore Sadie Schultz crossed the line fourth in 18:40.00, and West Holmes junior Iriel Mena rounded out the top five with a time of 18:50.30.

Reiheld and Mena helped West Holmes secure two of the top five individual finishes, although the Knights narrowly missed advancing as a team.

In the team standings, Minerva captured the Division III regional championship with 95 points, finishing comfortably ahead of runner-up Tuscarawas Valley, which totaled 120. Indian Valley placed third with 182 points, followed by Claymont in fourth with 210 and Fairfield Union in fifth with 212.

Northmor claimed sixth place with 215 points, while Fairless secured the seventh and final team qualifying position with 226. West Holmes finished just outside the qualifying cutoff in eighth place with 228 points, narrowly missing a state berth by two points.

Worthington Christian finished ninth with 320 points, followed by Buckeye Valley in 10th with 321. Waverly placed 11th with 331 points, Marion Pleasant finished 12th with 337, and Richmond Edison took 13th with 341.

Carrollton finished 15th overall with 364 points, while Sandy Valley placed 19th with 449. Barnesville took 21st with 519 points, and Ironton finished 22nd with 528 despite McCown’s third-place individual performance.

The regional championship marked the conclusion of the cross country season for Beaver Local’s Long, Johnston and Hull, along with East Liverpool’s Lisk. While the results didn’t produce a state qualifier for either program, both schools had athletes earn the opportunity to compete on the regional stage.

For Long, Hull and Lisk, the experience provides a foundation for the future, while Johnston closes her senior campaign having represented the Beavers at one of the highest levels of postseason competition.

The seven qualifying teams will now turn their attention to the 2026 OHSAA Cross Country State Championships on Saturday, November 7, at Fortress Obetz & Memorial Park in Obetz, Ohio. The Division III girls championship race is scheduled for 1:40 p.m., followed by the Division III boys race at 2:20 p.m.

For the athletes advancing, the chase for a state championship continues. For Beaver Local and East Liverpool, the regional meet served as another opportunity to compete against Ohio’s best and build toward the future.

LISK LEADS LOCAL RUNNERS IN PICKERINGTON

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