From Zach Kreft’s US #1 performance in high school to the NCAA success of Dublin Duo Elliot Cook and Lucas Bons, and the growing Central Ohio-to-Syracuse pipeline, Central Ohio has solidified its reputation as one of America’s top distance running regions. In this inaugural article of Buckeye Run Report, we’ll highlight some of the best individuals who have excelled at both the high school and NCAA levels from Central Ohio. Known as the Pickerington North Region, Central Ohio has produced a remarkable number of elite runners in recent years. The region has claimed the last two Division I cross country state titles and boasts the reigning 1600m and 3200m Division I state champions on the track, alongside several athletes earning All-American honors.

We start in 2016, when those attending the Midwest Meet of Champions XC meet witnessed one of the greatest duels ever seen between two of the nation's top runners. The favorite, Dustin Horter, faced off against Central Ohio Division 3 standout Zach Kreft. Kreft claimed victory with a US #1 time of 14:29, while Horter finished close behind in 14:36. Kreft went on to run for Notre Dame, home to one of the most prestigious distance programs in the country, where he contributed to several national qualifying teams before finishing his eligibility at Walsh University.

In 2019, one of the most talent-rich years in the region's history, the regional 1600m final was won by future NCAA All-American Andrew Schroff, with a field that included future regional stars like Garner Wallace, Sean Carney, and Alex Dediu. The 800m event was the highlight of the year, featuring three sub-1:52 performances from Elliott Cook, Amon Thornton, and Alex Kenish. Kenish stayed local, becoming an NCAA East Regional qualifier in the 800m for The Ohio State Buckeyes while Thornton took his talents to the East Coast, earning multiple All-ACC honors for the Clemson Tigers and helping lead them to an ACC title in 2023. He is now finishing his eligibility at Iowa State. As for Elliott Cook, we’ll discuss him later in the article.

The final yearly recap brings us to another blazing-fast 800m regional final in 2023, which saw five sub-1:53 performances and an additional three sub-1:54, putting the entire podium under the 1:54 mark. The key competitors included Colton Thress, Jaxson Eckert, Hugh Jacobsmeyer, Cooper Citro, and Owen Towler. This group featured two hometown Buckeyes in Citro and Eckert, while Thress stayed in-state to compete for Division 2 powerhouse Ashland. Jacobsmeyer took his talents to Purdue, and Towler, currently in his senior year at Gahanna, aims to add state champion to his résumé. The 1600m event was equally loaded with talent, featuring Connor Ackley, Ben Gabelman, and Will McGraw, with a blistering 4:13 needed to crack the top four. McGraw joined Citro and Eckert as a Buckeye, while Ackley and Gabelman headed to ACC powerhouse Syracuse.

To conclude, we turn to the NCAA success of Dublin's duo, Elliot Cook and Lucas Bons, the Syracuse trio of Central Ohio athletes, and Owen Karas’s impressive 2024 track season for Yale. While we’ve already touched on Cook’s achievements, Bons is equally impressive, having won the 1600m state title in 2018 for Dublin Coffman. Cook, from Dublin Jerome, now competes for Oregon, while Bons runs for BYU. Both, representing two of the nation’s top programs, have excelled. At the 2024 Indoor NCAA Championships, Bons secured a 3rd-place finish in the mile with a personal best of 3:54.8, while Cook shone on the outdoor circuit, nearly winning the 1500m National Title with a runner-up finish and a blistering PR of 3:37.2. Owen Karas, an alum of St. Charles, also had an impressive 2024 season, finishing with a 1500m PR of 3:40.2 (a sub-4-minute mile equivalent) and placing 13th at the NCAA East Regional 1500m final, though just shy of qualifying for the Outdoor National Championships. Up north, Syracuse has established a strong connection with Central Ohio, recruiting three state champions: Connor Ackley, Sam Ricchiuti, and Ben Gabelman, who together boast five state titles across cross country and track. This trio aims to deliver All-American performances while helping Syracuse maintain its national prominence in the coming years.     

In summary, Central Ohio has firmly established itself as a powerhouse in distance running, showcasing an impressive lineage of talent from high school to the NCAA level. The achievements of athletes like Zach Kreft, Elliot Cook, Lucas Bons, and many others illustrate the region's commitment to excellence in the sport. As we have seen, recent years have brought remarkable performances, competitive rivalries, and a promising pipeline to top collegiate programs, including Syracuse and Oregon. With a rich history and a bright future, Central Ohio's distance running community is poised to continue its legacy of success, inspiring the next generation of runners to reach new heights. The Buckeye Run Report will continue to track this journey, celebrating the athletes who represent the heart of Central Ohio’s running spirit.