Region 4 Regional Recap

The Region 4 cross-country championships showcased thrilling races, marked by intense competition and surprising outcomes. In the boys' event, Landon Kimmel from Tippecanoe claimed the individual title in a close finish against Alex Bruns from St. Xavier, while the Mason Comets pulled off an impressive upset to win the team championship, narrowly defeating Little Miami by just five points. On the girls' side, reigning state champion Evelyn Prodoehl from Lakota West dominated the individual race; however, it was Talawanda that stunned the field by taking the team title, edging out Mason despite being seeded third in the region. Both races highlighted the depth and competitiveness of Region 4, setting the stage for an exciting state meet ahead.

Boys

Individual Champion: Landon Kimmel (Tippecanoe)

Team Champions: Mason Comets

Team Qualifiers: Mason

Little Miami

Centerville

St. Xavier

Beavercreek

In a thrilling showdown at the Region 4 cross-country championships, Tippecanoe junior Landon Kimmel narrowly defeated St. Xavier senior and Ohio's top-ranked runner, Alex Bruns, for the individual title, finishing just seconds apart. This race was marked by intense competition, as Mason High School emerged as the regional champion, pulling off an impressive upset over Little Miami by a mere five points.

The battle for the team title was captivating, though drama was limited to the top five finishers. Mason, Little Miami, Centerville, St. Xavier, and Beavercreek all finished within an 18-point spread, highlighting the quality and competitiveness of this region. In contrast, Tippecanoe placed sixth, managing to qualify two individuals for state but finishing a considerable 80 points away from team qualification.

Mason entered the race as the underdog against Little Miami, the pre-race favorite. However, Mason’s strong performance showcased their depth, with their top six runners all finishing within the top 30 scorers in the region. Little Miami also had a solid outing, placing all five scoring runners in the top 30 scorers; however, their lack of depth in the sixth and seventh positions could pose challenges at the state meet if one of their top five has a subpar performance. The most surprising outcome was Centerville's third-place finish, which saw them best St. Xavier. St. Xavier, a perennial powerhouse, finished fourth due to an off day from their typical fifth runner, bleeding critical points. Beavercreek nearly managed to upset St. Xavier as well, finishing just two points behind, thanks to a commendable performance from Jackson Davis.

The individual race primarily developed into a two-man competition, with Bruns and Kimmel establishing a substantial 20-second gap over the rest of the field. Centerville senior Kasem Kaheal secured third place, closely followed by Piqua senior Noah Burgh. The top seven finishers also included Beavercreek junior Jackson Davis, Mason junior Caden Winship, and Springboro senior Samuel Darmanie, who is committed to IUPUI. Little Miami's sophomore standout, Ryne Reynolds, rounded out the top group, while the next wave of runners trailed by a significant ten seconds. Other individual qualifiers included Loveland’s Ronan Wolfer, Northmont’s Dominic Lopez, Wayne’s Yohannes Birhane, and Tippecanoe’s Everett Muhlenkamp.

Girls

Individual Champion: Evelyn Prodoehl (Lakota West)

Team Champions: Talawanda Brave

Team Qualifiers: Talawanda

Mason

Lakota West

Milford

Centerville

While the individual competition wasn't as closely contested as the boys' race, the battle for the team title in Region 4 proved to be highly intense and thrilling. The individual regional champion, by a significant margin, was Evelyn Prodoehl, a senior from Lakota West, who arrived at the race as the reigning state champion. However, the standout story of the day was Talawanda, which pulled off a surprising upset to claim the team title, narrowly defeating Mason.

Talawanda's unexpected victory was particularly notable since they entered the race seeded third in the region, trailing behind both Lakota West and Mason. Their success was largely due to an outstanding collective effort, with their top six runners finishing within the top 25 scorers. This performance allowed Talawanda to secure the title by a mere three points. Despite Mason's stronger performances at the front, they were hindered by a lack of depth, as their fifth runner contributed a hefty 36 points. Lakota West, originally projected to finish ahead of both teams, ultimately placed third due to similar issues with depth beyond their top three runners. Meanwhile, both Milford and Centerville managed to qualify comfortably for the state meet, rounding out the list of teams advancing.

After Prodoehl's commanding 30-second victory, the next best finisher was Lucia Rodbro from Talawanda, who showcased her talent by securing second place. Prodoehl's teammate Ava Shepard finished in a strong third place, indicating the depth of their team. Following them were Molly Deardorff from Lakota East, Efa Paschka from Mason, and Heidi Harmeyer from Seton. Delaney Cilley from Loveland rounded out the top seven, finishing just 13 seconds behind. The individual qualifiers were completed by Ava Dickinson from Lakota East, Allison High from Bellbrook, Caroline Murnan from Loveland, Hannah Glassmeyer from Lebanon, Aleah Coster from Oak Hills, Kendall Hoeffel from Lebanon, and Sophia France from Little Miami.

Notably, the girls' race featured a larger number of individual qualifiers compared to the boys' event, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of the girls' field this season.

As the dust settles on the Region 4 cross-country championships, the impressive performances from both individual runners and teams set a promising tone for the upcoming state meet. The intense competition not only showcased the athletic prowess of established stars like Landon Kimmel and Evelyn Prodoehl, but also highlighted the potential for underdogs like Talawanda and the resilience of teams like Mason. With the top runners and teams now equipped with the momentum of their regional successes, all eyes will be on the state competition, where every second counts, and the stakes are even higher. As we look forward to the state meet, it’s clear that Region 4 has cultivated an environment ripe for exciting races and unexpected outcomes, ensuring that the journey to the podium will be as thrilling as ever.