The Division 1 regional girls’ race at Pickerington North brought both expected dominance at the front and meaningful movement throughout the pack. With state berths on the line, top individuals delivered statement performances, while several teams had to rely on depth and composure to secure their advancement to Fortress Obetz.

Top 5 Individual Finishers: Elena Aldrink, Katy Zang, Harper Allen, Natalie Fouts, Brooke Chapman

State Qualifying Teams: Gahanna Lincoln, Hilliard Davidson, Olentangy Liberty, Upper Arlington, Teays Valley, Dublin Jerome, Lancaster, Dublin Coffman

To no one’s surprise, Olentangy Liberty’s Elena Aldrink took home the regional title, winning with a commanding lead over the field. While her time wasn’t as fast as Sophia Szolosi’s earlier performance, it still stood as the second-fastest of the day. Given her previous head-to-head victory over Szolosi, it’s more likely that Aldrink was conserving herself ahead of a potential record-breaking effort at next weekend’s state meet.

Behind Aldrink, however, the finishing order brought several notable surprises. Teays Valley’s Katy Zang looked fully back to form, placing comfortably as the runner-up in 17:37, her fastest time since last season, with signs of more improvement to come. Lancaster’s Harper Allen edged Dublin Jerome’s Natalie Fouts, running 17:48 to Fouts’ 17:49. Rounding out the top five was Olentangy Orange’s 1600m standout Brooke Chapman, who dipped just under the 18-minute mark.

The next group across the line included Gahanna Lincoln’s Ruby Lewis, Hilliard Davidson’s Erica Kaulen, Gahanna Lincoln’s Abigail Young, Licking Heights’ Addison Caudill, and Teays Valley’s Reese Galinger. Lewis and Kaulen performed largely as expected, while Young, Caudill, and Galinger each delivered strong races to secure impressive finishes.

Other non team qualifying individuals advancing to the state meet included Hilliard Bradley's Chelsee Fischer, Watkins Memorial's Kate Michael, Hilliard Bradley's Lucy Buschur, Olentangy Berlin's Georgia Speelman, Marysville's Lyla Channell, Westerville South's Lily Zappin, Hilliard Darby's Emmaline Anderson, Worthington Kilbourne's Evelyn Cavin, and eight others.

As expected, Gahanna Lincoln controlled the team race, scoring a strong 77 points, 25 ahead of the runner-up. They were led by their reliable core of Ruby Lewis, Abigail Young, Olivia Smeck, and Jillian Gomez. One of the four typically steps up when it matters, and this time it was Young, whose eighth-place finish played a key role. Dylan Yost once again provided stability in the five-spot, with Rebecca Shope offering valuable depth.

Hilliard Davidson finished as runner-up and has shown no signs of slowing down, even following the departure of the legendary Coach King. Erica Kaulen continues to run at an elite level, and Mackenzie Kline’s 12th-place finish was a huge boost. Gemma Pusateri scored as their third runner in 19th, with Celia Schulte and Laken Wenclewicz closing out the top five.

The remaining qualifiers were largely expected, though the final order brought some shifts. Olentangy Liberty finished a comfortable third, while Upper Arlington, Teays Valley, and Dublin Jerome placed fourth, fifth, and sixth. Teays Valley’s fifth runner remains the question mark, though the trajectory is moving in the right direction. Rounding out the state qualifiers were Lancaster and Dublin Coffman, both securing their spots without much pressure.

With the qualifiers now set, all eyes turn to the state meet and the highly anticipated rematch between Aldrink and Szolosi. Gahanna Lincoln and Hilliard Davidson look strong in the team title conversation, while Liberty, Upper Arlington, Teays Valley, and Dublin Jerome will each have opportunities to make podium pushes with well-timed peak performances. What unfolded at regionals has set the stage. Now, it’s time for the final showdown in Columbus.