The Division II Central District Championships delivered an exciting slate of races, setting the stage for what’s shaping up to be a competitive regional weekend. From dominant team performances to standout individual efforts, runners across all four sections battled through ideal racing conditions in pursuit of district titles and regional berths.

Boys Section 1

Individual Champion: Michael Kinzer

Team Champion: Bishop Watterson

The first race of the day brought fireworks, with Dublin Scioto’s Michael Kinzer taking the district title in 15:57. His win was comfortable, finishing over 15 seconds ahead of Bishop Watterson’s Jack Hangen. Rounding out the top five were London’s Cameron Carn and Bishop Watterson’s Luke Hollis and Brady Spears, giving Watterson three of the top five finishers in the race.

The main story of this section was Bishop Watterson’s dominance, as they scored a strong 37 points to earn the district title. Their trio of Hangen, Hollis, and Spears is formidable and will be tough to beat at regionals. If they can get more out of their back-end varsity runners, they could be on their way to a top finish at the state meet in November. Division II newcomers Dublin Scioto finished as the section runner-up, led by Kinzer’s individual victory and improved performances from their back-end varsity runners.

Boys Section 2

Individual Champion: Grant Hamilton

Team Champion: Granville

Much like in the first boys’ section, we saw a clear individual winner and a strong team performance. Canal Winchester’s Grant Hamilton won by 20 seconds to capture his first district title, dipping under 16 minutes with a 15:59. Finishing as runner-up was Bishop Hartley’s Rowan Smith, followed by a trio of Granville runners, Callum Sproul, Logan Miller, and Benjamin Rose, to round out the top five finishers.

Anchored by their strong trio of Sproul, Miller, and Rose, Granville won the district title with 46 points. Finishing as team runner-up was Bishop Hartley, with Rowan Smith’s individual performance propelling them to a narrow victory over Big Walnut, who finished third — just four points behind Hartley.

Girls Section 1

Individual Champion: Lucy Ruch

Team Champion: Canal Winchester

Mount Vernon’s Lucy Ruch continues to prove she is one of the best runners in Division II, capturing the Section 1 district title in 18:52. She took down a quality field led by Big Walnut’s Grace Buskirk, who finished as runner-up in 19:05, along with Jonathan Alder’s Ella Luker and Addison Ranly, and Canal Winchester’s Peyton Hughey.

Canal Winchester pulled off an upset to claim the district title, defeating strong teams in Big Walnut and Jonathan Alder. While they lacked a true ace, Canal’s exceptional depth proved decisive, with their scoring runners placing 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th, and 16th. Big Walnut finished as runner-up, while Jonathan Alder placed third.

Girls Section 2

Individual Champion: Kaitlyn Van Zandt

Team Champion: Bishop Watterson

This race was all about Bishop Watterson. They put on a dominant display at districts, scoring a whopping 18 points, just three shy of a perfect score, with Kaitlyn Van Zandt earning a commanding victory over the field. Her teammates Campbell Retzke, Karine Bhowmick, and Cecilia Keller backed her up, finishing second, third, and fourth, respectively.

Breaking up Watterson’s near-perfect score were Granville’s Elsa Tonnessen and Blake Witter, along with Whetstone’s Miriam Rule. Watterson still claimed the next three scoring spots to seal their dominance. Outside of Watterson, Granville finished as team runner-up, while Bishop Hartley took third.

With the district races in the books, the focus now shifts to the regional stage, where the stakes only get higher. Bishop Watterson, Granville, Canal Winchester, and several standout individuals enter with momentum, ready to make their mark and earn a spot at the state meet in November.