Winner: Kyla Benedict

School: New Albany

Quote: “I felt very strong on those hills and that’s what made a difference in my performance. I look forward to learning and improving after each race the rest of the season and hopefully qualify for the state meet.”

Highlight:

Coming off her second consecutive victory, and a PR just two weeks ago, New Albany sophomore Kyla Benedict has been on a tear, earning this week’s Runner of the Week award. Benedict was the individual champion at the Pickerington Central Invite, winning by nearly 30 seconds. She defeated a strong field that included Reese Galinger and Grace Buskirk, who both finished in 19:29 for 2nd and 3rd place. Since then, Benedict has lowered her PR to 18:35 at the always-fast Berlin Bear Den Dash. She credits her strong hill running as a key factor in her Pickerington Central victory.

“I felt very strong on those hills and that’s what made a difference in my performance,” Benedict said after the race. While back-to-back wins and a shiny new PR are exciting, she has her eyes fixed on postseason success. “I look forward to learning and improving after each race the rest of the season and hopefully qualify for the state meet.” Last year as a freshman, Benedict placed 27th at regionals. Now, with experience and momentum on her side, she looks poised to contend for an individual bid to this year’s state championships.