The Division 2 girls’ regional at Pickerington North delivered both dominance at the front and tight battles throughout the team standings. With individual star power headlining the race and several programs fighting to keep their seasons alive, the stakes were high from the opening gun. What followed was a showcase of elite talent, rising underclassmen, and defining moments that shaped the state meet field.

Top 5 Individual Finishers: Sophia Szolosi, Kaitlyn Van Zandt, Lucy Rush, Elsa Tonnessen, Ella Luker

State Qualifying Teams: Bishop Watterson, Athens, Canal Winchester, Big Walnut, Granville 

First and foremost, what a performance from Athens’ Sophia Szolosi. The Duke commit ran an astonishing 16:43, one of the fastest times in the nation this season. Her win over the field was dominant, finishing an astounding 80 seconds ahead of the next finisher. It’s unfortunate that she competes in Division 2, otherwise we’d get to see an incredible matchup between her and Elena Aldrink at the state meet. Without Aldrink in the field, expect Szolosi to dominate in her final race of the Ohio postseason.

After Szolosi, Watterson’s Kaitlyn Van Zandt took home runner-up honors, finishing with a strong 18:04 as a sophomore. Mount Vernon’s Lucy Rush finished just one second behind her, well ahead of fourth-place Granville’s Elsa Tonnesson. Jonathan Alder’s Ella Luker rounded out the top five with a time of 18:45. More top finishers followed closely behind, with Big Walnut’s Grace Buskirk, Unioto’s Cameron Walker, Jonathan Alder’s Addison Ranly, Athens’ Landis Corrigan, and Watterson’s Karine Bhowmick all finishing inside the top 10 and under 18:55.

The team race went about as expected, with Bishop Watterson dominating. They scored 61 points as a team, 55 ahead of the regional runner-up. Their depth is unmatched, with their fifth scorer finishing all the way up in 20th place. The lineup of Kaitlyn Van Zandt, Karine Bhowmick, Campbell Retzke, Cecilia Keller, and Berkley LaCount should be nearly impossible to beat. The wildest part of their squad? Only one of their top five is a senior, and the rest are returning freshmen or sophomores. It’s safe to say they’ll have a strong hold on the state for the foreseeable future.

Athens finished as team runner-up, scoring 116 points. They’re an interesting contender this season. They have a very strong top four, but experience a steep drop-off at the fifth runner. Their ceiling will largely depend on how much they can get from that spot, which currently sits above 21 minutes. Should one of their back-end varsity runners have a breakout race at the state meet, Athens will be firmly in the conversation as a top team in Division 2.

Canal Winchester and Big Walnut finished third and fourth to punch their tickets to the state meet. They finished within three points of each other and will look to battle for a podium position next weekend. Rounding out the state qualifiers was Granville, who edged out Jonathan Alder by only three points. Alder looked poised to advance early, but their fifth runner scored 75 points, which was ultimately the difference in allowing Granville to move on instead.

With the qualifiers now set, the stage is ready for an exciting Division 2 state championship. Szolosi enters as the clear favorite to cap off her storied career, while Bishop Watterson looks nearly untouchable in the team race. Still, Canal Winchester, Big Walnut, Athens, and Granville will have opportunities to challenge and reshuffle the projected standings if they deliver their best efforts in Columbus. What unfolded at Pickerington North was only the beginning- the final chapter will be written at Fortress Obetz.