Versailles senior Jackson Spitzer won the Southwest Regional in 15:05.2. Photo: Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia)
Division III had the wildest regional Saturday in the state. The fastest time run at any of the 30 regional races came out of Pickerington. A boys team at Boardman scored 37 points and won by 187. A girls team at Boardman won a regional title on a tie, decided by its sixth runner.
Saturday at Fortress Obetz, the girls go at 1:40 PM and the boys at 2:20 PM. Both races have one runner who looks a step ahead and a team race that could swing on a few places.
Every time below is a real 2026 result. When a team "projects" somewhere, that is the actual 24-team state field scored with each runner's Oct. 31 regional time. Four different courses, not course-adjusted, so it is Projected · not official.
What to watch Saturday
- Four boys under 15:00. Fairless' Brice Fuller (14:49.4), Perkins' Joel Smelcer (14:56.7) and Margaretta's Cole Zang (14:59.3) broke 15:00 at regionals, and Versailles' Jackson Spitzer has a 14:54.9 season best. Fuller's time was the fastest in any division on Oct. 31.
- Woodridge defends. The champs scored 37 at Boardman and project 1st at 70, 47 points clear of Fairless.
- Spitzer's last run. Versailles' Jackson Spitzer was 7th at state as a sophomore and 13th last fall. He won Troy by 22.8 seconds.
- Huddle against the clock. Napoleon's Gwen Huddle ran 17:23.0, 32.9 seconds faster than any other Division III girl on Oct. 31.
- Oakwood vs. Huron. Oakwood projects 1st at 111 and Huron 2nd at 125.
- Season bests flip the girls title. On each runner's fastest 2026 time, Huron projects 138.5 and Oakwood 143.
Team projections are Projected · not official.
Boys Individual Race: Four Under 15:00
Fuller's statement. Fairless junior Brice Fuller won Pickerington in 14:49.4, 27.4 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Nobody in any division ran faster on Oct. 31. Fairfield Union senior Connor Runkle and Meadowbrook sophomore Vincent Campbell both clocked 15:16.8 behind him, and Portsmouth senior Ian Putnam (15:25.6) and Union Local senior Connor Bendo (15:27.1) made Pickerington the deepest front of the four regionals.
The Tiffin duel. Perkins senior Joel Smelcer and Margaretta junior Cole Zang had their own race up north. Smelcer won in 14:56.7, Zang was 2.6 seconds back in 14:59.3, and the next finisher was 49 seconds behind them. Saturday is the first time Fuller, Smelcer and Zang share a postseason course.
Spitzer's last run. Versailles senior Jackson Spitzer has been here before. He was 7th at the Division II state meet in 15:33.5 as a sophomore and was 13th last fall. He won Troy in 15:05.2, 22.8 seconds ahead of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy senior Nathaniel Gockerman (15:28.0). His 14:54.9 season best makes him the fourth boy in the field under 15:00 this fall.
Boardman's pack up front. Canton South junior Logan Howard won Boardman in 15:32.7. Woodridge senior John Brock was 2nd (15:37.9), Garfield (Garrettsville) junior Owen Thomas 3rd (15:38.7), Woodridge junior Remington Griffiths 4th (15:41.7) and Garfield freshman Lucas Thomas 5th (15:42.1). That is five runners inside 9.4 seconds, and Garfield's two run as individuals after their team was the first one out.
Canton South junior Logan Howard won the Northeast Regional in 15:32.7. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
Garfield and Woodridge in the lead pack at Boardman. Garfield's Owen and Lucas Thomas finished 3rd and 5th. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
| # | Runner | School | Regional | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brice Fuller, JR | Fairless | Pickerington (1st) | 14:49.4 |
| 2 | Joel Smelcer, SR | Perkins | Tiffin (1st) | 14:56.7 |
| 3 | Cole Zang, JR | Margaretta | Tiffin (2nd) | 14:59.3 |
| 4 | Jackson Spitzer, SR | Versailles | Troy (1st) | 15:05.2 |
| 5 | Connor Runkle, SR | Fairfield Union | Pickerington (2nd) | 15:16.8 |
| 6 | Vincent Campbell, SO | Meadowbrook | Pickerington (3rd) | 15:16.8 |
| 7 | Ian Putnam, SR | Portsmouth | Pickerington (4th) | 15:25.6 |
| 8 | Connor Bendo, SR | Union Local | Pickerington (5th) | 15:27.1 |
| 9 | Nathaniel Gockerman, SR | Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy | Troy (2nd) | 15:28.0 |
| 10 | Logan Howard, JR | Canton South | Boardman (1st) | 15:32.7 |
| 11 | John Brock, SR | Woodridge | Boardman (2nd) | 15:37.9 |
| 12 | Owen Thomas, JR | Garfield (Garrettsville) | Boardman (3rd) | 15:38.7 |
One more Troy note: Milton-Union missed as a team by six points, but Colin, Grant and Finn Hinkelman all qualified as individuals, running 16:00.5, 16:11.6 and 16:14.5.
Milton-Union's Colin, Grant and Finn Hinkelman all qualified as individuals at Troy. Photos: Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia)
Boys Team Race: Woodridge Defends
The Division III boys leave the line at Boardman, where defending champion Woodridge scored 37. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
The champs look like the champs. Woodridge won last year's Division III title with 65 points, and this fall it scored 37 at Boardman. Senior John Brock was 2nd (15:37.9), junior Remington Griffiths 4th (15:41.7), junior Eli White 8th (16:13.0), senior Nathan Adams 9th (16:15.4) and junior Devin Pietrowski 14th (16:37.7). Runner-up Berkshire had 224.
The scary part for everyone else is the sixth man. Junior Frankie Teston was 15th in 16:38.3, six-tenths behind Pietrowski. On regional times Woodridge projects 1st at 70, 47 points clear of Fairless (Projected · not official).
Defending champion Woodridge scored 37 points at Boardman. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
Fairless has the best runner. Fairless won Pickerington with 55 behind Fuller. Freshman Cohen Amos was 10th (16:07.2), junior Rowan Askren 21st (16:35.3), freshman Calvin Kegley 22nd (16:36.8) and junior Nolan Kutz 29th (16:51.6). Fuller is a one-point head start every team wants, and Fairless projects 2nd at 117.
The Troy pair. Versailles won Troy with 79 behind Spitzer, junior Max McKibben (11th, 16:18.4) and senior Tony Spitzer (12th, 16:23.5), then senior Ben Pitsenbarger (26th, 16:57.9) and junior Jack DeMange (32nd, 17:09.7). It projects 3rd at 151.
The Division III boys state qualifiers at Troy, led by regional champion Versailles. Photo: Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia)
West Liberty-Salem was last year's state runner-up with 162 and was 2nd at Troy this time with 97. Junior Asher Cole, 17th at state a year ago, was 3rd in 15:41.6. Junior Brayan Gullett (9th, 16:16.7) and junior Zeke Longshore (23rd, 16:44.2) back him up. It projects 4th at 188.
West Liberty-Salem, last year's state runner-up, took 2nd at Troy with 97. Photo: Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia)
Up north. Bryan won Tiffin with 106 behind juniors Colton Sheline (5th, 16:04.3) and Josiah Cummins (6th, 16:17.5). Van Wert was 2nd with 117 and ran the tightest pack there, 49.1 seconds from one to five. Elmwood was 3rd at 121 behind sophomore Henry Good (3rd, 15:48.4).
Waynesville (133), Wyoming (140) and Madeira (158) filled out the Troy qualifiers. Wyoming's five finished 59.7 seconds apart, led by senior Fletcher Barnes (15th, 16:28.1).
| Projected | Team | Regional finish | Projected points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodridge | 1st at Boardman (37) | 70 |
| 2 | Fairless | 1st at Pickerington (55) | 117 |
| 3 | Versailles | 1st at Troy (79) | 151 |
| 4 | West Liberty-Salem | 2nd at Troy (97) | 188 |
| 5 | Bryan | 1st at Tiffin (106) | 239 |
| 6 | Elmwood | 3rd at Tiffin (121) | 268 |
| 7 | Waynesville | 3rd at Troy (133) | 269 |
| 8 | Van Wert | 2nd at Tiffin (117) | 271 |
Projected · not official. Scored on Oct. 31 regional times across four courses.
Girls Individual Race: Huddle Out Front
A minute and change. Napoleon junior Gwen Huddle won Tiffin in 17:23.0, 1:17.6 ahead of the runner-up. Napoleon finished two spots out of the team cut, so Huddle runs as an individual, and her time is 32.9 seconds faster than any other Division III girl ran on Oct. 31.
Johnson leads the chase. Marlington senior Irelyn Johnson won Boardman in 17:55.9, 14.9 seconds ahead of Hathaway Brown junior Caroline Valentino (18:10.8). Behind them came two freshmen, Berkshire's Claire Passow (18:45.0) and Crestwood's Luci Maschek (18:46.1).
Hathaway Brown junior Caroline Valentino was 2nd at Boardman in 18:10.8. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
A freshman at Pickerington. West Holmes freshman Ava Reiheld won Pickerington in 18:02.9, ahead of Claymont senior Kali Wallace (18:19.2) and Ironton senior Marlena McCown (18:30.2). West Holmes missed as a team, but Reiheld and junior Iriel Mena (18:50.3) both go as individuals.
Troy's close one. Oakwood sophomore Evelyn Reinoehl won Troy in 18:36.4, and Miami East junior Tessa Kress was 1.7 seconds behind in 18:38.1. Greenon senior Ruby Clark was 3rd in 18:56.2.
Oakwood's Evelyn Reinoehl held off Miami East's Tessa Kress by 1.7 seconds at Troy. Photos: Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia)
| # | Runner | School | Regional | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gwen Huddle, JR | Napoleon | Tiffin (1st) | 17:23.0 |
| 2 | Irelyn Johnson, SR | Marlington | Boardman (1st) | 17:55.9 |
| 3 | Ava Reiheld, FR | West Holmes | Pickerington (1st) | 18:02.9 |
| 4 | Caroline Valentino, JR | Hathaway Brown | Boardman (2nd) | 18:10.8 |
| 5 | Kali Wallace, SR | Claymont | Pickerington (2nd) | 18:19.2 |
| 6 | Marlena McCown, SR | Ironton | Pickerington (3rd) | 18:30.2 |
| 7 | Evelyn Reinoehl, SO | Oakwood | Troy (1st) | 18:36.4 |
| 8 | Tessa Kress, JR | Miami East | Troy (2nd) | 18:38.1 |
| 9 | Sadie Schultz, SO | Fairfield Union | Pickerington (4th) | 18:40.0 |
| 10 | Laney Schlessman, SO | Huron | Tiffin (2nd) | 18:40.6 |
| 11 | Claire Passow, FR | Berkshire | Boardman (3rd) | 18:45.0 |
| 12 | Luci Maschek, FR | Crestwood | Boardman (4th) | 18:46.1 |
Three freshmen and three sophomores are in that top 12. Whoever wins Saturday, this division is not going anywhere for a while.
Girls Team Race: Oakwood vs. Huron
Oakwood's 41. Oakwood won Troy with the lowest girls score of the Division III regionals. Reinoehl won, senior Sylvia Gallagher-Yerman was 5th (19:16.5), sophomore Bella Fulton 10th (19:42.5), senior Katherine Erwin 11th (19:44.0) and freshman Ava McManamon 14th (19:48.3). Junior Maggie Basom was right behind as the sixth runner in 17th (20:01.5). On regional times Oakwood projects 1st at 111 (Projected · not official).
The Division III girls state qualifiers at Troy, led by Oakwood's 41 points. Photo: Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia)
Huron's three up front. Huron won Tiffin with 51 and projects 2nd at 125, only 14 points back. Sophomore Laney Schlessman, senior Rylie Towns and sophomore Andrea Lesnak went 2-3-4, from 18:40.6 to 19:09.6. The question is the back: seniors Claire Putman (20:05.1) and Sasha Fry (20:09.0) were 20th and 22nd.
The tie at Boardman. Marlington and Crestwood both scored 127, and Marlington won the title on the sixth-runner tiebreaker. They got there in opposite ways. Marlington had the winner in Johnson, then scored 27th, 30th, 34th and 39th. Crestwood had four in the top 25, led by Maschek (4th), seniors Piper Seibold (8th, 19:11.2) and Madiegrace Gonczy (9th, 19:16.2), but its fifth runner was 88th. Berkshire was only 10 points back at 137 with four freshmen among its five scorers.
Marlington with the regional championship trophy. It tied Crestwood at 127 and won on the sixth runner. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
Berkshire freshman Claire Passow and Crestwood freshman Luci Maschek finished 3rd and 4th at Boardman, 1.1 seconds apart. Photo: Christian Lisle (@lislephotog)
Packs to watch. Tuscarawas Valley had four runners finish 16th through 19th at Pickerington, inside 2.8 seconds of each other. Wyoming's five at Troy were 25.3 seconds apart, the tightest pack in the field. Canal Fulton Northwest scored with two sophomores and three freshmen inside 38.6 seconds at Boardman.
Minerva won Pickerington with 95 behind junior Tateum Richard (6th, 18:56.7) and projects 3rd at 191. Madeira was 2nd at Troy with 82, led by junior Lucy Folger (4th, 19:09.4).
| Projected | Team | Regional finish | Projected points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakwood | 1st at Troy (41) | 111 |
| 2 | Huron | 1st at Tiffin (51) | 125 |
| 3 | Minerva | 1st at Pickerington (95) | 191 |
| 4 | Crestwood | 2nd at Boardman (127) | 218 |
| 5 | Marlington | 1st at Boardman (127) | 240 |
| 6 | Madeira | 2nd at Troy (82) | 256 |
| 7 | Ottawa-Glandorf | 2nd at Tiffin (108) | 257 |
| 8 | Berkshire | 3rd at Boardman (137) | 262 |
Projected · not official. Scored on Oct. 31 regional times across four courses.
The Season-Best View
Regionals were one race on one course. Season bests use each runner's fastest 2026 time from the Podium Watch season-best roster, the Oct. 24 district or the Oct. 31 regional, whichever is fastest, as of Oct. 31 at 7:00 PM ET. Different courses, not course-adjusted, so it is Projected · not official.
Boys. On season bests four boys have broken 15:00. Brice Fuller's 14:49.4 at Pickerington is still the fastest, but Cole Zang has run 14:52.9 and Jackson Spitzer 14:54.9, both faster than Joel Smelcer's 14:56.7. Wellston senior Elijah Goodell makes the biggest jump, from 19th by regional time to 8th.
| # | Runner | School | Season best | Regional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brice Fuller, JR | Fairless | 14:49.4 | 14:49.4 |
| 2 | Cole Zang, JR | Margaretta | 14:52.9 | 14:59.3 |
| 3 | Jackson Spitzer, SR | Versailles | 14:54.9 | 15:05.2 |
| 4 | Joel Smelcer, SR | Perkins | 14:56.7 | 14:56.7 |
| T5 | Connor Runkle, SR | Fairfield Union | 15:16.8 | 15:16.8 |
| T5 | Vincent Campbell, SO | Meadowbrook | 15:16.8 | 15:16.8 |
| 7 | Ian Putnam, SR | Portsmouth | 15:18.3 | 15:25.6 |
| 8 | Elijah Goodell, SR | Wellston | 15:20.5 | 15:54.0 |
Boys team. Woodridge is 1st either way, 66 points clear on season bests. Van Wert jumps from 8th to 4th, and Chagrin Falls goes from 14th to 8th.
| Team | On season bests | Rank on regional times |
|---|---|---|
| Woodridge | 1st, 88 | 1st |
| Fairless | 2nd, 154 | 2nd |
| Versailles | 3rd, 183.5 | 3rd |
| Van Wert | 4th, 197 | 8th |
| West Liberty-Salem | 5th, 199.5 | 4th |
| Bryan | 6th, 222 | 5th |
Girls. Gwen Huddle's 17:05.5 season best is 43.2 seconds faster than anyone else in the field. Irelyn Johnson (17:48.7), Caroline Valentino (17:54.6) and Ava Reiheld (17:59.9) are the only others under 18:00. Chagrin Falls junior Gabby Byrne climbs from 18th by regional time to 5th.
| # | Runner | School | Season best | Regional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gwen Huddle, JR | Napoleon | 17:05.5 | 17:23.0 |
| 2 | Irelyn Johnson, SR | Marlington | 17:48.7 | 17:55.9 |
| 3 | Caroline Valentino, JR | Hathaway Brown | 17:54.6 | 18:10.8 |
| 4 | Ava Reiheld, FR | West Holmes | 17:59.9 | 18:02.9 |
| 5 | Gabby Byrne, JR | Chagrin Falls | 18:16.7 | 19:00.6 |
| 6 | Kali Wallace, SR | Claymont | 18:19.2 | 18:19.2 |
| 7 | Luci Maschek, FR | Crestwood | 18:21.6 | 18:46.1 |
| 8 | Marina Campbell, JR | Orange | 18:24.0 | 19:10.8 |
Girls team. Season bests flip the top two. Huron projects 1st at 138.5, 4.5 points ahead of Oakwood, and Ottawa-Glandorf climbs from 7th to 3rd.
| Team | On season bests | Rank on regional times |
|---|---|---|
| Huron | 1st, 138.5 | 2nd |
| Oakwood | 2nd, 143 | 1st |
| Ottawa-Glandorf | 3rd, 204.5 | 7th |
| Crestwood | 4th, 210 | 4th |
| Madeira | 5th, 214.5 | 6th |
| Minerva | 6th, 218 | 3rd |
Around the Regionals: Tiffin and Pickerington
Tiffin, boys. Perkins senior Joel Smelcer (14:56.7) and Margaretta junior Cole Zang (14:59.3) both broke 15:00, and Elmwood sophomore Henry Good was next in 15:48.4. Bryan won the team title with 106, ahead of Van Wert (117), Elmwood (121) and Upper Sandusky (167). The cut was tight. Archbold missed by four points and Edison (Milan) by five. Kenton junior Wade Manns was 4th in 15:55.2 and goes as an individual.
Tiffin, girls. Napoleon junior Gwen Huddle won by 1:17.6, and Huron went 2-3-4 behind her on the way to 51 points. Ottawa-Glandorf (108), Van Wert (126), Bellevue (181) and Coldwater (201) also qualified. Shelby missed by two points and Napoleon by seven. Shelby senior Anna Will was 5th in 19:13.6 and goes as an individual.
Pickerington, boys. Fairless junior Brice Fuller ran 14:49.4, 27.4 seconds clear of Fairfield Union senior Connor Runkle and Meadowbrook sophomore Vincent Campbell, who tied at 15:16.8. Fairless won with 55. Pickerington sent eight teams, the most of any Division III boys regional: Fairless, Fairfield Union, Minerva, Tuscarawas Valley, Bellaire, St. Clairsville, Utica and Centerburg. London missed by eight points.
Pickerington, girls. West Holmes freshman Ava Reiheld won in 18:02.9, 16.3 seconds ahead of Claymont senior Kali Wallace. Minerva won the team race with 95 and Tuscarawas Valley was 2nd with 120. Fairless took the last of seven spots with 226, two points ahead of West Holmes, so Reiheld and junior teammate Iriel Mena go as individuals.
Every Team Headed to Obetz
Regional team scores in parentheses.
Boys
- Boardman: Woodridge (37), Berkshire (224), Chagrin Falls (227), Gilmour Academy (233), Canal Fulton Northwest (235), Marlington (254), Norwayne (265)
- Pickerington: Fairless (55), Fairfield Union (126), Minerva (163), Tuscarawas Valley (165), Bellaire (282), St. Clairsville (312), Utica (324), Centerburg (331)
- Tiffin: Bryan (106), Van Wert (117), Elmwood (121), Upper Sandusky (167)
- Troy: Versailles (79), West Liberty-Salem (97), Waynesville (133), Wyoming (140), Madeira (158)
Girls
- Boardman: Marlington (127), Crestwood (127), Berkshire (137), Woodridge (155), Canal Fulton Northwest (169), Salem (173), Akron SVSM (258), Hathaway Brown (287)
- Pickerington: Minerva (95), Tuscarawas Valley (120), Indian Valley (182), Claymont (210), Fairfield Union (212), Northmor (215), Fairless (226)
- Tiffin: Huron (51), Ottawa-Glandorf (108), Van Wert (126), Bellevue (181), Coldwater (201)
- Troy: Oakwood (41), Madeira (82), Versailles (111), Wyoming (197)
Photo Credits
All Troy photos by Lauren Palmer (@laurenpmedia). All Boardman photos by Christian Lisle (@lislephotog).
Sources
- Regional places, times and team scores: Athletic.net official results, Oct. 31, 2026 regionals at Boardman, Troy, Pickerington and Tiffin, pulled Oct. 31.
- 2025 Division III boys results (Woodridge 65, West Liberty-Salem 162, Asher Cole 17th): Peak of Ohio.
- Jackson Spitzer's 2025 place: Hometown Stations. His 2024 place: Daily Advocate.
