LEXINGTON — Brailey Slone’s career is on an historic trajectory.
Lexington’s sophomore distance ace and the newly-crowned area girls cross country Runner of the Year, Slone placed fifth in the Division II race at last month’s state meet at Fortress Obetz. She finished in 18:38, helping Lady Lex to a second straight third-place finish in the team standings.
Her fifth-place finish was the top individual finish by a Lady Lex runner since Halle Hamilton placed third in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020.
Slone placed 18th at state as a freshman, putting her at the head of a wildly-talented class of recent Lady Lex runners. Hamilton was 26th as a freshman in 2017. Mackenna Curtis-Collins placed 23rd at state as a freshman in 2013 and 2014 state champ Dominique Clairmonte was 33rd as a freshman in 2012.
“Me and (Lex coach Denise Benson) were discussing at the beginning of the season what my goals should be and one of them was to get Top 10,” Slone said shortly before collecting her second All-Ohio award in as many years last month. “It feels really good to know that all my hard work is paying off at the end of the season.”
Slone, who won a district championship at Owens Community College in 19:08.38 and placed third at the Tiffin regional (18:46.70), is joined on the all-area team by two of her Lexington teammates. Here’s a look at the all-area team:
Tess Shultz, Loudonville: A junior, Shultz got faster at each stop in the postseason. She was third at the Lorain Community College Division III district meet in 20:01.90. At the Youngstown Boardman regional, Shultz finished fourth in 19:14.80. She was 10th at state in 18:49.8. Shultz is a two-time cross country All-Ohioan after finishing 19th at state as a sophomore.
Elyana Weaver, Lexington: A senior, Weaver finished second to Sloan at the Owens Community College district meet in 19:15.94. She was fourth at Tiffin (8:56.30) and capped her career with a 23rd-place finish at the state meet (19:14.4).
Makayla Halbisen, Galion: Just a freshman, Halbisen earned All-Ohio honors by finishing 29th at the state meet in 19:22.8. She was fifth at the Galion district meet in 20:03.50 and finished eighth at the Tiffin regional in 19:21.00.
Cecelia Chase, Colonel Crawford: Chase capped her career with a 14th-place finish in the Division III state race, crossing the line in 18:54.5. Chase was fourth at the Galion district (19:49.20) and ninth at the Tiffin regional (18:59.80). Chase placed eighth at state as a junior.
Jenna Halfhill, Lexington: Another of the area’s talented freshmen, Halfhill placed 48th at the state meet in 19:39.7. She was sixth at the Owens district meet in 19:45.90 and placed 10th at the Tiffin regional in 19:23.40.
Anna Will, Shelby: A freshman, Will made her state meet debut with a 71st-place finish in the Division II race (20:07.3). Will was second at the Galion district in 19:35.60 and placed 22nd at the Tiffin regional in 20:01.40.