LEXINGTON — It was perhaps the most entertaining three-plus weeks in Richland Country cross country history.
The three-leg postseason battle between Lexington’s Kyle Johnston and Shelby’s Caleb Brown was even better than advertised.
Johnston won the final two stages to secure the Richland Source Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year honor. He is the second member of his family to claim the title, following older brother Ryan (2016-17).
Johnston and Brown traded blows in the opening two rounds of the postseason. Brown won the Division II Galion district title before Johnston repaid the favor at the Tiffin regional.
In the rubber match, Johnston won the Division II state title in 15:52.9. Brown was second in 16:05.8.
“It’s all friendly competition. I love racing against him,” said Johnston, who finished fourth at the 2017 state meet while Brown was third. “It’s always a joy. It’s good to race him one last time.”
Johnston kicked off the tournament season with a first-place finish at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet (15:46.26). He was second to Brown at the district (15:35.4) and won the regional title in 15:32.89.
Johnston was a part of two state title teams for Lex. The Minutemen won the Division II championship in 2015 and again in 2017. Lex was runner-up in 2016.
Caleb Brown, Shelby: A junior, Brown is the heir apparent to the individual state title. He finished third as a sophomore in 15:56.9. Brown won the district title in 15:21.8 and was second at the regional in 15:48.76. He was the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference champ finishing in 15:32.7.
Sam Logan, Shelby: A senior, Logan helped the Whippets to a third-place team finish at the state meet. He was fourth individually in 16:17.1. Logan was second to Brown at the MOAC championships, finishing in 15:41.6. He was third at the Galion district (15:48.1) and third at the Tiffin regional (15:51.09). Logan was 34th at the state meet in 2017, finishing in 16:45.4.
Daniel Arimi, Ashland: The senior raced to a podium finish in the Division I state meet, taking 17th place overall in 16:30.1. Arimi was second to Johnston at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet (16:44.08) before placing fourth at the Division I district meet at Owens Community College (16:18.10) and at the Tiffin regional (16:04.2).
Braxton Tate, Galion: Just a junior, Tate could challenge Brown for the Division II state title next fall. He finished third at the MOAC meet in 15:50.5 before back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the Galion district (16:05.1) and the Tiffin regional (15:58.63). Tate was ninth at the state meet in 16:33.7. Tate was 57th at state in 2017, finishing in 16:55.8.
Blake Lucius, Shelby: A senior, Lucius finished 21st at the state meet in 17:00. He was seventh at both the Galion district (16:38.3) and the Tiffin regional (16:24.9). He finished behind teammates Brown and Logan and Galion’s Tate at the MOAC meet, finishing in 16:36.3). Lucius was a member of Shelby’s 2017 state-qualifying team, placing 54th in 16:54.7.
Gavin Shindeldecker, Lucas: A poor performance in brutal conditions at the state meet couldn’t dampen an otherwise sensational senior season for Shindeldecker. He won the Mid-Buckeye Conference championship in 16:52.28 and was second at the Division III Galion district (16:40.0). He was fourth at the Tiffin regional (16:30.25) before placing 87th at the state meet in 17:54.9. Shindeldecker was a three-time state qualifier.
