Week of 8/30 Girls Race Recap

As the second week of the cross-country season unfolded in Central Ohio, the competition only sharpened. Two big meets, the Hot Summer Bash and the Westerville North Classic, delivered another round of standout performances and early-season marks.

Hot Summer Bash

Individual Champion: Elena Aldrink (Olentangy Liberty)

Team Champion: Gahanna Lincoln Lions

At the Hot Summer Bash, Liberty senior Elena Aldrink put on a show. She torched the course in 17:24, not just winning but looking untouchable against what was arguably the strongest field in the state so far this year. Natalie Fouts followed as the second Central Ohio runner, finishing in 17:45, while Gahanna Lincoln’s Ruby Lewis and Olivia Smeck packed up close behind. Brooke Chapman, the two-time 1600m state champion, battled her way to 18:01, with Davidson’s Erica Kaulen crossing in 18:05.

The team battle was just as fierce. Gahanna Lincoln’s depth carried them to the win, Olentangy Liberty rode Aldrink’s low stick to second, and Hilliard Davidson secured fourth with Kaulen at the helm. With so many stars clashing in one race, it felt less like an early-season invitational and more like a November preview.

Westerville North Classic

Individual Champion: Katy Zang (Teays Valley)

Team Champion: Jonathan Alder Pioneers

The Westerville North Classic brought a different kind of drama. Katy Zang didn’t look like her fiery Week 1 self, but even on an off day she found a way to win, clocking 18:47 and holding off teammate Reese Galinger. Freshman Chelsee Fischer from Hilliard Bradley kept things interesting by sneaking into third, while Jonathan Alder’s Ella Luker and Addison Ranly packed it up in fifth and sixth to help secure the team title for the Pioneers.

Teays Valley had to settle for second in the team standings behind Jonathan Alder, while Hilliard Darby showed surprising depth, finishing fourth despite their top runner placing only 21st. Their 34-second spread kept them competitive, once again proving that pack running can close big gaps.

Looking Ahead

If Week 1 gave fans a taste of what’s to come, Week 2 left no doubt: Elena Aldrink is back, and she’s not just winning — she’s dominating. Her 17:24 at the Hot Summer Bash was commanding, the kind of performance that sends shockwaves through the state when you consider who was behind her. Fouts, Chapman, and Kaulen are all names you’d expect to headline most Central Ohio meets, and yet none of them could touch Aldrink’s lead. After an uneven track season, this race raises the question of just how far she can go this fall.

That’s not to say others aren’t making noise. Natalie Fouts showed she’s ready to hang with the state’s best, Chapman continues to grind back into form, and Kaulen remains the heart of a Davidson squad built to contend. And while it wasn’t her sharpest effort, Katy Zang remains unbeaten despite an off day, her grit shining through at Westerville North.

But right now, the story is Aldrink. Two weeks in, she’s running like an athlete with something to prove, and with every stride she’s putting distance between herself and the rest of Central Ohio. If she keeps this up, the question might not be whether she can win a state title, but whether anyone else can even make her sweat along the way.