Winner: Harper Allen

School: Lancaster

Quote: “I’m looking forward to some big races these next couple weeks and to see what the team and I can do”

Highlight:

It was a spectacular day for Harper Allen at the OCC Buckeye Conference meet, where she broke the five-minute barrier in the 1600 for the first time, winning the event in the process. She followed up her victory with another personal best in the 800, running 2:19.54 to finish as the runner-up. Including her contribution to the winning 4x800 relay, Allen scored 20.5 points for her team.

Joining Allen in breaking five minutes in the 1600 was her teammate Marisa Heil. Reflecting on the moment, Allen shared, “To have two Lancaster girls go sub-5:00 is incredible and gives me a lot of confidence going into championship season.” The strength of Lancaster’s top two runners will be crucial for their postseason success, as they compete for top team honors in the state and in the 4x800 relay.

With the postseason still ahead, Allen said she is “looking forward to some big races these next couple weeks and to see what the team and I can do.” Given the depth of competition in the region, she’ll continue to be pushed toward even more high-level performances.