Dalton runners race to regionals

PHOTO PROVIDED

Dalton’s cross country team advances to regionals.

By ARIEL STAHLER
DGKN sports writer

For the third year in a row, Dalton High School’s boys and girls cross country teams punched their tickets to regionals after strong performances at districts.

At the Division III districts Oct. 23 at Lorain County Community College, the girls team results mirrored the finish of the WCAL Championships. Waynedale (37) came in first, followed by Rittman (75) in second and Dalton (85) in third. Three Dalton girls qualified for regionals as individuals: Janae Hostetler, Emberlynn Nolt and Molly Soehnlen. Hostetler finished 12th in the individual race with a time of 21:59.6, which was almost one minute faster than her time on the district course last year. Nolt was 16th at 22:20.3.

Soehnlen finished 19th with a time of 22:27.9.

Dalton’s head coach Jodi Augspurger noted the efforts from the rest of the girls team, including Brianna Chenevey, Lauren Clos, Ava Fivecoat and Aly Jackson, that pushed them through to a team qualification for regionals. Nolt came in 16th place in the individual race with a time of 22:20.3. Soehnlen was 19th at 22:27.9. Chenevey was 23rd at 23:09.4. Clos placed 24th at 23:10.5. Fivecoat came in 29th with a time of 23:13.4. Jackson finished in 33rd at 23:49.8.

In the boys team race, Black River (52) took first place. Smithville (106) finished second, Open Door Christian (109) was third and Dalton (113) came in fourth place. Carson Steiner placed 6th in the individual race with a time of 17:41.9. This finish qualified him individually for regionals.

“He once again led the team from the start of the race, and much like Hostetler, Steiner’s time of 17:41.9 was a full minute faster than what he ran last year on this course,” said Augspurger. “For most of the other athletes on our team, it was their first district meet, and it was a course on which they had never competed before. Thus, their places and times were eye-opening as to what to expect from the competition next week.”

Jordan Muth placed 20th in the individual race with a time of 18:31.00. Ely Hutson came in 24th at 18:54.2. Kole Miller was 29th at 19:04.6. Karey Lehman placed 37th with a time of 19:23.00. Jacob Fink finished 41st at 19:33.8. Kyle Pauley came in 76th at 20:59.3.
The regional meet will be Oct. 30 on the Boardman Middle School/High School course. The top four teams and first 16 individuals from each race will qualify for the state meet.

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