Cross-country teams from Salem, Columbiana, and surrounding districts secured their paths to upcoming regional meets following standout performances at district tournaments held across Ohio on Saturday.
At Canton GlenOak High School, Columbiana’s girls cross country team captured first place in Division IV at the district meet. The Clipper girls earned one of six available team qualifying spots for the upcoming regional race in Boardman. Kaitlin Benner led the squad with a fifth-place finish in 21:25, followed by Sidney Schlueter in ninth at 22:18, and Maddie Jackson in 10th at 22:28. United’s Ruby Marshall finished 12th in 22:50 as the top area individual not running on a qualifying team. Meanwhile, the Columbiana boys team also advanced to regionals by placing fourth in their division.
Salem and West Branch Advance at Canton
In Division II action at Canton, Salem’s boys squad locked down a regional berth with a second-place team finish. Luke Stephens paced the Quakers by taking 10th place with a time of 16:34. Salem’s girls matched the boys’ success in Division III, securing second place as a team. Addison Hopple led the Lady Quakers across the finish line with a second-place individual time of 19:15, while teammate Liliana Pimentel-Alexander claimed 10th place in 20:44. West Branch’s girls also punched their ticket to the regional round, securing the sixth and final qualifying team spot.
Cambridge District Qualifiers
Further south at Cambridge High School, Beaver Local’s Luke Warrick placed fifth with a time of 16:29 to lead area competitors in the Division III district meet. Beaver Local’s boys team finished sixth, capturing one of 12 regional berths for the meet scheduled at Pickerington North High School. Minerva’s boys also advanced by taking second place. In the girls’ competition, Minerva captured the Division III district title, earning a spot among 13 teams moving on to the Pickerington regional, led by Tateum Richard’s sixth-place finish in 20:20. East Liverpool’s Daminyka Lisk finished 45th in 22:56, marking the highest individual placement for a Columbiana County regional qualifier at the site.
Road to the Regional Championships
Qualifying athletes and teams from the Canton and Cambridge districts will now prepare for next Saturday’s regional championship races. Division IV qualifiers will compete in Boardman, while Division III contenders head to Pickerington North High School for their respective regional showdowns.
