Central Ohio Boys State Preview

While 2023 presented its share of challenges, Central Ohio has a legacy of standout performances at the OHSAA Division 1 State Championships. In this article, we’ll dive into the teams and individuals who qualified from Region 3 and assess how they match up against the best in Ohio. With both the individual and team state titles up for grabs, you won’t want to miss this in-depth preview!

Central Ohio Top Projected Individual: Charlie Guerrera (Dublin Jerome)

Central Ohio Top Projected Team: Westerville North Warriors

In the past three years, Central Ohio has accounted for seven of the fifteen top-five finishing teams at the state meet. In 2021, Dublin Coffman upset Hilliard Davidson by finishing as the team runner-up, while Davidson finished in third place. In 2022, Lancaster, Dublin Coffman, and Hilliard Davidson finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively. In 2023, only one Central Ohio team finished among the top five, which was Olentangy Orange in third place. While the quality of teams in the state of Ohio is as strong as it has ever been, each Central Ohio representative should have a shot at placing highly at the state meet.

My projected top team from Central Ohio is Westerville North. Coming off an upset victory at regionals, North is one of two teams from the area that could realistically capture the state title. However, several factors will determine their success. First and foremost, Jordan Mazak needs to bounce back. He was a key member of the “Big 3” for Westerville North throughout the regular season, but he has struggled during the postseason, which has hindered the team’s overall performance. If Mazak can regain his form, North will be just a strong race away from a state championship. Additionally, Jeffery Kerns has been excellent as their lead runner, but for the team to contend for the title, he must finish as an All-Ohioan. They will also need repeat performances from their top five runners, including Gabe Wise, Casey Carlos, and Charlie Bosler, as seen at regionals. While a state title may ultimately be a tall order for the Warriors, a bounce-back performance from Mazak should position them to finish ahead of Dublin Jerome once again.

The other team from Central Ohio that has a shot at a state title is Dublin Jerome. One advantage Jerome has that North does not is a serious individual state title contender. Syracuse commit Charlie Guerrera may not have achieved the times he was hoping for this season, but he is absolutely capable of competing with the top runners in the state, including Alex Bruns, Eli Ilg, and Landon Kimmel. However, Jerome’s main obstacle to a state title is consistency from their back four runners. Ethan Ishida, Cayden McClure, and Lincoln Kelly have all run 15:50 or faster this season, while their current fifth runner, Graham Tyler, has a personal best of 16:13. Subpar finishes from a couple of these runners held Jerome back from the regional title, but if they can all perform to their capabilities, they can also challenge for a state title.

I predict that Olentangy Liberty will finish as the third-best team from Central Ohio and has a chance to crack the top five if all their performances align on the right day. Unlike Jerome or North, Liberty does not have a clear number one runner. While Zee Rabi seemed to be the top runner for the Patriots during the regular season, his position has diminished due to back-to-back breakout performances from other runners in their top five. Louie Perry finished as the top runner at Districts, while Gordon Kimberly took the lead at Regionals. Kimberly’s performance was particularly impressive; he broke 15:50 on a tougher course and finished within the top ten. Aadi Joshi, Sam Brockbank, and Sam Perez round out their top three runners, all with personal records under 16:20. This gives Liberty the second-smallest spread of any team in the race. If the Patriots can perform well and maintain a small spread, they should place highly at states.

Olentangy Orange is in an interesting position heading into states. They lost their third runner, Sahil Khandari, before the postseason began; however, they are still performing very well overall. They placed third at regionals, comfortably ahead of St. Francis DeSales and Liberty. In my opinion, Orange has the lowest ceiling of the five teams from Central Ohio, but one of the highest floors. While they may not be able to place in the top five at the meet, it would be surprising if they finished outside the top twelve. Their top runner, Matthew Schroff, has struggled in the last two races and must regain his form if they want to place highly. Bradyn Allender stepped up significantly at regionals, finishing fourth and earning a personal best on the tougher Pickerington North course. Although the rest of their top six runners—Sid Sivakumar, Rushil Gaddam, Dylan Willis, and Cowen Allender—aren't flashy names, they have all been relatively consistent this postseason, which is key to the team's high floor. If Schroff and Allender can both push for All-Ohio honors and their supporting runners remain consistent, they could challenge for a top-seven finish at states.

The final team representing Central Ohio at states is St. Francis DeSales. The hallmark of this team is their star duo, Charles Rizek and Jacob Reash, both of whom are serious contenders for All-Ohio honors, along with a formidable third runner, Ashton Boyd. However, DeSales has a weakness in their back two runners. While both Lucas Steele and Ryan Paes have personal bests of 16:22, which isn't a significant disadvantage on paper, they are only sophomores and still have much to learn about postseason racing. Although they undoubtedly have bright futures ahead, consistency is an area where they need improvement in their running careers. A great performance from these two could set DeSales up for a top-five to top-seven finish at states, but even one poor performance could cost them dozens of points and prevent them from reaching their potential.

With team discussions out of the way, let’s shift focus to the top individuals from the region. Alongside Charlie Guerrera, Tate Ruthers and Mick Temple are two other runners from Central Ohio with a shot at earning First Team All-Ohio honors (top 10 finishers). Their goal will be to stay with the lead pack as long as possible. Ruthers has had a highly consistent season, recently challenging Guerrera for the regional title, though he ultimately fell short. While Mick Temple may not be a contender for the state title, he still has the potential to finish in the top 10. He placed 10th at states last year, but after returning from a significant mid-season injury, he is still working to regain last season's form.

The primary Central Ohio contenders for Second Team All-Ohio (places 11-20) are Matthew Schroff, Bradyn Allender, Jacob Bolton, Charles Rizek, Jacob Reash, and Jeffery Kerns. The only runner from this group we haven’t covered is Jacob Bolton. He placed 5th in the region behind the established top three and Bradyn Allender, and he’ll aim to represent Dublin Coffman—a once-dominant powerhouse—well at states. Additionally, Ethan Ishida, Marcus Speed, Austin Benedict (the region’s top freshman), Owen Towler, and McKinley Norman all have the potential to challenge for All-Ohio Honorable Mention (places 21-25). We have also yet to touch on Justin Rona and Brock Jarrett, who may not be in All-Ohio contention, but still have a chance to make noise at states.

In summary, Central Ohio brings a formidable mix of talent and depth to the OHSAA Division 1 State Championships, with strong contenders in both the team and individual races. Westerville North and Dublin Jerome lead the charge, each with the potential to capture a state title if key runners deliver standout performances. Additionally, the region's top individuals like Charlie Guerrera and Tate Ruthers are poised to make waves among Ohio’s elite. With consistent performances from all teams and the drive to reach new heights, Central Ohio's athletes are ready to continue their legacy at the state level.