LOUDONVILLE — Tess Shultz put the exclamation point on a remarkable high school cross country career.
The Loudonville senior and North Central Ohio Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Shultz placed fifth in the Division III race at the state meet at Fortress Obetz.
It was her third All-Ohio finish in three trips to the state meet. Shultz finished 19th as a sophomore and 10th as a junior.
“This season has gone better than I expected it to,” Shultz said at the time. “I’ve had the best senior season I possibly could have and I’ve had so much support and it’s all I could have hoped for.
“If you work hard, you can achieve anything you want.”
The Knox Morrow Athletic Conference Runner of the Year Shultz is the crown jewel of a nine-member all-area team. She is joined by five other All-Ohioans. Here’s a look:
Katya Prykhodko, Lexington
The Ohio Cardinal Conference Runner of the Year, Prykhodko led Lady Lex to a fifth-place finish at state. The junior was 12th in 18:30.93. Prykhodko finished 20th at the Galion district (21:39.05) and sixth at the Tiffin regional (18:48.17).
Riley Patrick, Mansfield Christian
Patrick earned a podium finish at the Division III state meet, finishing 11th in 18:41.48. The junior finished second at the Galion district (19:15.35) and sixth at the Tiffin regional (18:54.12).
Meagan Them, Mansfield Christian
A senior, Them joined teammate Riley Patrick on the state podium. Them finished 16th in 18:46.44. She was third at the Galion district (19:18.26) and seventh at the Tiffin regional (18:55.44).
Jenna Halfhill, Lexington
Just a sophomore, Halfhill was an All-Ohioan after finishing 28th in the Division II state meet in 18:50.15). Halfhill was fourth at the Galion district (19:55.37) and 12th at the Tiffin regional (19:04.24).
Leyna Gerich, Crestview
A senior and the Firelands Conference champ, Gerich placed 28th in the Division III state meet in 18:59.41. Gerich was sixth at the Galion district (19:58.70) and fifth at the Tiffin regional (18:49.30).
Makayla Halbisen, Galion
A talented sophomore, Halbisen just missed All-Ohio honors after finishing 34th in the Division II state meet in 18:59.75. Halbisen was sixth at the Galion district (19:29.45) and eighth at the Tiffin regional (18:57.42).
Lucy Rush, Mount Vernon
A junior, Rush finished 57th in the Division I state meet in 19:03.74. She was 12th at the Hilliard Darby district (19:00.28) and 13th at the Pickerington regional (18:47.25).
Anna Will, Shelby
The sophomore finished 48th in the Division II state meet in 19:10.39. Will was second at the Galion district (19:25.88) and ninth at the Tiffin regional (18:57.73).