Girls OCC Recap #2

Between two loaded divisions and a handful of standout doubles, the OCC girls distance events lived up to the hype. Whether it was a wire-to-wire win or a tactical kick in the final lap, both the Cardinal and Capital divisions brought out big names, rising stars, and postseason-ready depth. Let’s break down who stood out — and why these races matter going forward.

Cardinal Division

4x800 Meter Relay

This was a battle up front, with the Marysville Monarchs claiming the title in 9:30.45. The veteran-heavy squad of Bailey Gross, Marguerite Foust, Lyla Channell, and Cameron Cave edged out a strong Dublin Jerome team by roughly three seconds.That Jerome relay was anchored by superstar Natalie Fouts, who went on to claim two individual titles in addition to her runner-up finish in the 4x8. In third were the Olentangy Berlin Bears with a season-best 9:40, anchored by 800-meter champion Elliana Alonso.

1600 Meters

This one was all about Natalie Fouts — and frankly, it was never really in question. The Dublin Jerome junior took control early and cruised to a 5:06.72 win. It wasn’t quite a personal best, but it was more than enough to grab the title and conserve energy for her busy weekend.The real drama came in the battle for second. Marysville’s Marguerite Foust ran her best race of the season, dropping a PR of 5:13.10 and pulling away from teammate Bailey Gross (5:17.81) and Thomas Worthington sophomore Lainey Fauth (5:17.87) in the final 300 meters.Further back, Elena Wanek (Olentangy) and Dublin Jerome freshman Ella Wynk both broke 5:26, while freshman Graceyn Baker clocked a strong 6:09. The Cardinal 1600 showcased top-end talent and emerging underclassmen depth.

800 Meters

This was one of the deepest and most balanced 800s we’ve seen all season. Olentangy Berlin’s Elliana Alonso took the win in a new PR of 2:18.38 — just shy of the meet record and only her third recorded 800.Behind her, Dublin Jerome’s Abbie McBrearty (2:20.52) and Ella Watson (2:21.22) nearly made it a Jerome sweep, with Hilliard Darby’s Abigail Rumschlag (2:21.69) right behind.Marysville’s Lyla Channell and Thomas Worthington freshman Alessia Backs each clocked 2:22, with Backs standing out for her poise as a ninth-grader in a high-stakes setting. Evelyn Joseph, Kaleigh Lockard, and Alaina Smullen also dipped under 2:30, rounding out a field full of postseason potential.

3200 Meters

Once again, this was Natalie Fouts’ race. Her 11:01.52 win wasn’t far off her season best, and considering she’d already won earlier in the meet, it was a strong close to her day.Marysville’s Marguerite Foust (11:34.81) and Bailey Gross (11:39.29) worked together to secure second and third. Though not their fastest times, they showed grit in the double-meet format.Olentangy Berlin sophomore Georgia Speelman impressed with an 11:46.94, while freshman Meredith Hinten (11:56.71) and senior Grace Heitkamp (12:09.22) added to Berlin’s strong showing.Dublin Jerome’s Emma Styn and Ella Wynk also clocked sub-12:30s as freshmen, highlighting a field filled with promising young talent.

Capital Division

4x800 Meter Relay

This was both fun and fast. The Hilliard Davidson Wildcats came ready to roll, winning in 9:23 behind the efforts of Mackenzie Kline, Gemma Pusateri, Ashley Alsko, and Erica Kaulen.Olentangy Liberty wasn’t far behind — led off by Elena Aldrink’s smooth 2:20 and closed by Bridget Snider’s 2:18 — they finished second in 9:26. Dublin Coffman was just a hair behind at 9:26.85, thanks to a huge 2:16 anchor leg from Deana Hudson.

1600 Meters

The marquee matchup of the night: Celia Schulte vs. Brooke Chapman. They went stride for stride in a tactical, gritty race, with Schulte edging Chapman 4:50.72 to 4:50.86 in the best finish of the entire meet.Minori Hudson broke the five-minute barrier for the first time, running 4:58.96 in a clutch senior performance. Erica Kaulen (5:00.12) and Bella Conforti (5:00.98) were close behind, and Aldrink rounded out the top six in 5:01.49.Further back, Ashley Alsko and Addelyn Miller dipped under 5:25, and Ruby Koenig dropped a huge PR of 5:23.01. It was a deep, loaded race from top to bottom.

800 Meters

Same names, different order. Less than an hour after her 1600 win, Celia Schulte returned to dominate the 800 in 2:11.29, the fastest time of the meet.Chapman and Hudson each ran 2:16, while Bridget Snider, Gemma Pusateri, and Morgan Hamilton followed closely between 2:18 and 2:21.Underclassmen Abigail Eiferman and Sadie Okonak broke into the top eight with personal bests — a great sign for the future.

3200 Meters

The meet closed with a dominant showing from Elena Aldrink, who won in 10:42.60 — nearly seven seconds ahead of Bella Conforti (10:49).Erica Kaulen completed a rare triple with her third top-five finish in 11:21, followed by Emma Donovan (11:26) and McKinley Newcomer (11:38). Fresh faces stepped up as well, including Olivia Bachmann (11:54) and freshman Clare Ammons (12:50), making this a well-rounded and deep race.

Between the star power up front and a wave of underclassmen rising through the ranks, both the Cardinal and Capital divisions proved why the OCC remains one of the premier distance conferences in Ohio. With the postseason looming, expect more fast times, thrilling battles, and breakout performances in the weeks ahead.