OBETZ — The way Fredericktown senior Brandon Hogg sees it, competing at state never gets old.
Hogg finished 71st in the Division III boys race and the Freddies finished 12th as a team on a sun-drenched Saturday at Fortress Obetz.
Fredericktown was making its eighth straight state championship appearance and 10th in the past 11 seasons. Fredericktown has qualified for state meet 20 times overall and is one of the most successful small-school programs in Ohio.
“We’ve been here a lot, but it’s always exciting to run in the state meet,” Hogg said. “You enter the stadium when you’re coming to the finish line and you hear that roar, there’s nothing like it.”
Hogg, who finished in 16 minutes, 46.17 seconds, was one of four Fredericktown seniors competing Saturday. Noah Smith was 102nd in 17:03.75, while Josh Alexander was 111th in 17:07.64 and Aiden McManis was 138th in 17:31.00. Sophomore Anson Wenger was 119th in 17:13.71 and classmate Lincoln Snyder was 134th in 17:26.85. Junior Darren Hartley was 153rd in 17:50.41.
“I think the team did very well. I’m very happy with it,” Hogg said. “We were all right there with each other.”
Mount Gilead, Fredericktown’s Knox Morrow Athletic Conference rival, won the Division III team title with a score of 109 as Will Baker was second overall in 15:06.23. Rittman’s Luke Snyder won the individual title in 14:58.13.
Mount Vernon’s Lucy Rush had a strong showing in the Division I girls race. A junior, Rush finished 57th overall in 19:03.74.
Centerburg’s Payton Tucker was 69th in the Division III girls race. The junior finished in 19:55.73.