Winner: Marisa Heil

School: Lancaster

Quote: “This season was about proving to myself that I could do more than I believed was possible”

Highlight:

It’s been a stellar postseason for Lancaster senior Marisa Heil, capped off by a fourth-place finish in the 1600 and a runner-up finish in the 3200 at the OHSAA Outdoor State Championships. Her times of 4:48 in the 1600 and 10:24 in the 3200 were both significant personal bests—made even more impressive by the fact that the 3200 was her second race of the day. She also clocked the fastest split on Lancaster’s 4x800 squad, which finished as state runners-up.

For Heil, “this season was about proving to myself that I could do more than I believed was possible.” Last postseason, she pursued the 1600-800 double, but this year, she took on the more demanding 1600-3200 double. Few athletes choose to double in both distance events, yet Heil executed both with top-four finishes.

With her success at states, she proved that she could exceed her own expectations, also demonstrating “how hard the team and I worked this season.” Heil ended her high school career on a high note. Looking ahead, she will continue her running journey at Miami University in Ohio, where her future is undoubtedly bright.