Region 3 Regional Recap - Boys

There's something special about Ohio's Region 3 cross-country meet each year. The energy is electric, the stakes are high, and the races consistently deliver nail-biting finishes. This past weekend was no exception, as teams and individuals brought their all to the course. Coaches, teammates, and spectators lined the course, cheering each runner who left everything out there. From start to finish, it was a thrilling day of racing that showcased the best of Ohio’s Region 3.

Individual Champion: Charlie Guerrera (Dublin Jerome)

Team Champion: Westerville North Warriors

Team Qualifiers: Westerville North

Dublin Jerome

Olentangy Orange

St. Francis DeSales

Olentangy Liberty

In our Regional preview, we suggested that Westerville North could challenge Dublin Jerome for the title if Jordan Mazak delivered a standout performance. Surprisingly, North didn’t even need an exceptional race from Mazak; they took home the title regardless, thanks to Gabe Wise’s emergence as a postseason force, finishing in a solid 15th place. Jeffery Kerns (7th), Casey Carlos (18th), and Charlie Bosler (24th) also had key performances that helped North edge past Jerome by four points, proving that team success often hinges on more than just its top runner.

Dublin Jerome, favored to win comfortably, was expected to place four runners in the top 20 but managed only three, with their fourth runner placing 29th—costing them nine critical points. Still, Jerome’s season isn’t over; they’ll look for redemption against North at the State meet this weekend, which promises another thrilling race. A head-to-head analysis shows a race of razor-thin margins, as each team’s scorers finished within four points of their counterpart. Ultimately, North’s Gabe Wise and Charlie Bosler had standout races, while Jerome’s Ethan Ishida and Graham Tyler slipped a few places. Both teams' fifth scorers, North’s Jordan Mazak and Jerome’s Graham Tyler, finished outside the top 40, underscoring just how close this race was. With a return to form from Mazak, North could contend for the State title, while better races from Ishida and Tyler would strengthen Jerome’s chances.

The third-place team, Olentangy Orange, was in a league of its own, with a 20-point gap both above and below. They were neither in contention to challenge for the win nor in danger of being caught by the fourth-place team. Senior Bradyn Allender had a breakthrough day, finishing 4th overall, ahead of usual top scorer Matthew Schroff. If Allender and Schroff can team up for top-10 finishes this weekend, and Orange’s pack maintains momentum, they could achieve a high team finish at the State Championships.

Olentangy Liberty earned a State berth without placing two runners in the top 20—a rare feat. Despite their second runner finishing 28th, the lowest finish for a State-qualifying team in the past four years, Liberty’s tight pack in 28th, 35th, 36th, and 38th allowed them to edge out Dublin Scioto for the last qualifying spot. Dublin Scioto missed State qualification by just one point, which prevented back-to-back State appearances for the Irish. Despite placing three runners ahead of Liberty’s second, their final two scorers contributed 98 points, sealing their narrow defeat. DeSales also showed strength with a powerful scoring trio in 4th, 12th, and 19th, but their backend scorers added a costly 109 points, preventing them from placing higher.

On the individual side, recent Syracuse commit Charlie Guerrera reclaimed his season after a stumble at Olentangy Berlin, securing the individual title with an impressive 15:12. Close behind was runner-up Tate Ruthers, who clocked an almost equally impressive 15:19, setting himself up as a strong State contender. Junior Mick Temple finished in 15:27 and is likely to push for the regional title next season as the top returner. Bradyn Allender was the breakout runner of the meet, surprising with a 15:37 and finishing ahead of top competitors like Jacob Bolton (5th) and Charles Rizek (6th).

Freshman Austin Benedict made headlines by becoming the first freshman State qualifier since 2022, proving he’s here to stay with an impressive regional performance. Seniors like Owen Towler, Marcus Speed, and Jacob Reash also saw years of hard work pay off, each securing their first State qualifications. Junior Brock Jarrett continued his recent momentum, finishing 13th in the region after breaking the 16-minute barrier for the first time last week at Districts.

Other top 20 finishers included Gordon Kimberly, McKinley Norman, Justin Rona, Ethan Ishida, and Cayden McClure. Kimberly’s 9th-place finish was pivotal for the Patriots, as Liberty wouldn’t have qualified without his breakthrough. Dublin Scioto’s McKinley Norman will be the only Irish representative at State after Scioto missed qualifying by a single point. Hilliard Davidson’s Justin Rona qualified individually as well, despite his team’s 15th-place finish. Dublin Jerome teammates Ishida and McClure took the final two qualifying spots and will aim to help Jerome’s title ambitions at State.

This year’s Region 3 Championship at Pickerington North delivered once again, with thrilling battles for both titles and qualifying spots. From close-fought state title hopefuls to intense competition for the fifth and final team berth, it was a race to remember. Now, with regional titles settled, Central Ohio’s top teams and individuals are ready to bring their best to the State meet at Fortress Obetz.