By THE EXAMINER STAFF
With two area cross country teams winning Central Buckeye Conference championships this fall, area runners were well represented on the recently released all-league team.
Bellefontaine’s boys won the Kenton Trail division title and Benjamin Logan’s boys claimed the Mad River division championship. A total of 22 local runners earned all-league honors between the boys and girls, including 10 first-team selections.
All-league awards are based on how runners finish at the CBC meet. The top eight in each division earn first-team, the next eight in each division receive second team and the next four are named special mention.
Earning Kenton Trail division first-team honors for the boys were Bellefontaine’s Nate Murphy, Garrett Jenkins, Connor Skidmore and Gavin Wilson.
Racing to Mad River division first-team spots for the boys were Benjamin Logan’s Tucker Munz, Blake Rhoads and Tayte Williamson and Indian Lake’s Caden Paavola.
Receiving second-team spots were the Raiders’ Noland King and Andrew Hughes and the Lakers’ Brant Parsell.
Two area girls received first-team spots in the Mad River division. Those went to Ben Logan’s Dani Widmark and Indian Lake’s Ella Wagner.
Earning second-team accolades were the Raiders’ Kerry Copenhaver and the Laker’s Elayna Richardson and Rachel Wahl.
Taking home special mention honors were Ben Logan’s Kendra Kennedy and Indian Lake’s Andi Miller.
Bellefontaine’s Brooke McClellan earned a second-team spot in the Kenton Trail division.
Local male runners receiving sportsmanship awards were Bellefontaine’s Kauffman, Ben Logan’s King and Indian Lake’s Kalib Minnich. Area female runners receiving sportsmanship awards were the Chieftains’ Cheyenne Shade, the Raiders’ Tori Miller and the Lakers’ Wahl.
Runner of the year awards in the Kenton Trail division went to Jonathan Alder’s Luke Malone, while runner of the year in the Mad River division went to Northwestern’s Drew Blazer.
Earning Kenton Trail first-team spots were Alder’s Malone and Zach Hicks and Shawnee’s Alex Dyar and Jordyn Dillavou, while second-team spots went to Alder’s Jonas Watkins, Caleb Freyhof, Colyn McDaniel and Sergey Dutt and London’s Adam Siddiqi.
Racing to Mad River division first-team spots were Northwestern’s Blazer and Dominic Root and North Union’s Joel Krebehenne and Jacob Willis. Second-team spots went to Northwestern’s Phillip Niswonger and Michael Moerch, Urbana’s Nolan Rickett and Jack Buckalew and North Union’s Casey Clark.
Receiving special mention spots were Urbana’s Braylon Daniels and Lucas Chess, Northwestern’s Jaidan Peters and Graham’s Donovan Holbrook.
Springfield Shawnee won the Kenton Trail division girls championship. The Braves also had the runner of the year in Audrey DeSantis. Northwestern claimed the Mad River division title and had the runner of the year with Kassidy Carpenter.
Earning second-team spots were Alder’s Reggan Gray, Eliza Streit, Kate Curtiss and Avery Wynk, Tecumseh’s Laine Adams and Jaci Rife and Shawnee’s Abigail Klemmensen.
Making up the special mention list were Alder’s Emma Kennedy and Evelyn McDaniel, Shawnee’s Alysis Applin and Tecumseh’s Gena Diller.
Northwestern won the Mad River division title and had the runner of the year Kassidy Carpenter.
Joining Carpenter on the Mad River first team were Northwestern’s Jenna Cleland and Madison Little, Graham’s Holly Kamper and Kelsey Demarco, North Union’s Kendal Music.
Making up the second team were North Union’s Kaylee Smith and Ashley Hayward, Urbana’s Kayla Booze and Jenny Zaborowski and Northwestern’s Madison Lyday.
Others receiving special mention were North Union’s Madelyne Liebler and Ashlee Kohler.