Girls State Full Preview

The 2024 Ohio High School Cross-Country State Championships promise fierce competition as Central Ohio’s top two teams face strong challengers from Lakota West, Perrysburg, and Mason. Individual title favorites Daniela Scheffler and Evelyn Prodoehl are poised for a thrilling race, while standout teams and runners statewide look to claim podium spots and All-Ohio honors.

Projected Individual Champion: Daniela Scheffler (Uniontown Lake)

Projected Team Champions: Lancaster Golden Gales

While Central Ohio seems poised to hold the top two spots at the state meet, there are still several quality teams from around the state to consider.

The Lakota West Firebirds feature arguably the best 1-2 punch in Ohio, led by RunningLane Individual Champion Evelyn Prodoehl and 17:35 runner Ava Shepard. They also have a solid third runner in Kaitlin Kaszubski, seeded as the 22nd-highest scorer at states. If Prashi Vatsal or Myla Ludwig can come through in the Firebirds' final scoring spot, Lakota West has an outside shot at disrupting the Lancaster/Hilliard Davidson hold on the top spots.

Perrysburg, representing the northwest region, has also built a strong squad this season. They are led by Ava Beeks, who dominated at last week's regional meet, along with a deep top 5. Their #2 runner, freshman Lexi Schultz, is one to watch in this race. If Perrysburg’s scorers can gain a few extra points each, they could challenge Lakota West for third place.

As usual, Mason is expected to nestle into the top five at states this weekend. Led by a talented trio—Efa Pashka, Addison Stephens, and Atalia Hawkins—the key for Mason will be strong performances from their fourth and fifth runners. Lacking the depth of their boys’ squad, they’ll need solid showings from their back end to make a top 3 push.

Beyond these three teams and the two Central Ohio frontrunners, other contenders could break into the top 5 at states. While our Central Ohio coverage has included Dublin Jerome, watch for Talawanda and Milford, two teams capable of moving up with strong races from their back-end runners.

Individually, this race may be less contested than the team battle. With Katy Zang’s unfortunate DNF at the Pickerington Regional, only one athlete in the field has broken the 17-minute mark this season—Uniontown Lake senior Daniela Scheffler. Undefeated this fall, Scheffler boasts wins at meets like the Boardman Spartan XC Invitational and the Region One Championships, making her the likely state champion on Saturday.

However, Lakota West senior Evelyn Prodoehl is also a name to watch. Among the nation’s best in 2023, Prodoehl has raced only twice this season, winning both comfortably. If she can recapture her 2023 form, she could defend her title as state champion.

After Prodoehl and Scheffler, a group of non-Central Ohio runners will contend for All-Ohio honors. Avon’s Kaitlyn Reese, Lakota West’s Ava Shepard, Talawanda’s Lucia Rodbro, and Perrysburg’s Ava Beeks are all sub-18 runners aiming for first-team All-Ohio. Additional All-Ohio contenders include Strongsville’s Hannah Jicha, Seton’s Heidi Harmeyer, Mason’s Efa Pashka, Milford’s Elle Campbell, Stow-Munroe Falls’ Danzi Jones, Loveland’s Delaney Ciley, and Lakota East’s Molly Deardorff.

As the 2024 Ohio State Championships wrap up, Central Ohio’s top contenders, alongside fierce challengers like Lakota West, Perrysburg, and Mason, will have left it all on the course. Whether it's team victories or standout individual performances, this championship meet will cap an unforgettable season, showcasing Ohio’s finest distance runners and crowning new All-Ohio honorees.