Winning one state title is hard. Winning three in one school year, across two seasons and three distances, is something most great Ohio distance runners never do.
OHSAA calls it the Distance Triple Crown: a state cross country title in the fall, then the 1600 and the 3200 at the state track meet in the spring. OHSAA's list goes back to the 1977-78 school year. Since then, it has happened 35 times, by 32 different runners: 16 boys and 16 girls.
Where it started
Alan Scharsu of Austintown-Fitch is the first name on the list, in 1977-78. A year later, two more boys did it: Earl Ziles of West Liberty-Salem in Class A and John Ziska of Lancaster in Class AAA. OHSAA's list marks the cross country titles for all three as team race wins, from the era when the state meet held separate team and individual races.
The first girl came in 1984-85: Kristy Orre of Clayton Northmont in Class AAA.
Two years later, Bob Kennedy of Westerville North won all three in Class AAA. He went on to run in two Olympics. Bridget Franek of Mantua Crestwood, the 2005-06 Division II winner, became an Olympian too.
The twice club
Three runners have won the Triple Crown twice.
Brian Hesson, Caldwell. Division III in 1990-91 and again in 1991-92. He is still the only boy to do it twice.
Sunni Olding, Minster. Division III in 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Sophia Szolosi, The Plains Athens. Division II cross country both years, with track titles in Division II in 2024-25 and Division III in 2025-26.
Droughts, then a flood
The Triple Crown can disappear for years. No boy did it in the nine school years after Sam Prakel of Versailles in 2011-12. No girl did it in the eight school years after Franek in 2005-06.
Lately, it has been a different story. Starting with Grace Hartman of Dayton Oakwood in 2020-21, Ohio has seen 11 Triple Crowns in six school years. That is almost a third of the all-time total.
Four in one school year is the record, and it has happened twice. In 2022-23, it was Connor Ackley of Hilliard Davidson, Brylan Holland of East Canton, Katie Clute of Olmsted Falls and Bella Butler of Dayton Oakwood. Then came last year.
Four last year
In 2025-26, four more runners joined the club:
- Dom Ellis, Cincinnati St. Xavier: Division I cross country (15:07.9) and Division I track
- Bennett Lehman, Ansonia: Division IV cross country (15:17.9) and Division V track
- Kaitlyn Carr, Smithville: Division IV cross country (17:29.2) and Division V track
- Sophia Szolosi, The Plains Athens: Division II cross country (17:02.5) and Division III track, her second Triple Crown
Every Triple Crown in Ohio history
| School year | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Dom Ellis, Cincinnati St. Xavier; Bennett Lehman, Ansonia | Kaitlyn Carr, Smithville; Sophia Szolosi, The Plains Athens |
| 2024-25 | Sophia Szolosi, The Plains Athens | |
| 2022-23 | Connor Ackley, Hilliard Davidson; Brylan Holland, East Canton | Katie Clute, Olmsted Falls; Bella Butler, Dayton Oakwood |
| 2021-22 | Brady Yingst, Lima Perry | |
| 2020-21 | Grace Hartman, Dayton Oakwood | |
| 2015-16 | Abby Nichols, Kettering Alter; Athena Welsh, Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas | |
| 2014-15 | Dominique Clairmonte, Lexington | |
| 2011-12 | Sam Prakel, Versailles | |
| 2005-06 | Bridget Franek, Mantua Crestwood | |
| 2003-04 | Braden Martinez, Stryker | Sunni Olding, Minster |
| 2002-03 | Sunni Olding, Minster | |
| 1999-2000 | Jim Sjostrom, Aurora | |
| 1998-99 | Brianna Shook, Attica Seneca East | |
| 1993-94 | Doug Bockenstette, Cincinnati La Salle | Nicole LaSelle, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne |
| 1991-92 | Brian Hesson, Caldwell | |
| 1990-91 | Brian Hesson, Caldwell | |
| 1989-90 | India Ford, Euclid | |
| 1987-88 | Kimberly Haluscsak, Olmsted Falls; Laurie Gomez, Youngstown Boardman | |
| 1986-87 | Bob Kennedy, Westerville North | |
| 1985-86 | Bob Henes, Peninsula Woodridge | |
| 1984-85 | Scott Fry, Sandusky Perkins | Kristy Orre, Clayton Northmont |
| 1978-79 | Earl Ziles, West Liberty-Salem; John Ziska, Lancaster | |
| 1977-78 | Alan Scharsu, Austintown-Fitch |
OHSAA also keeps a calendar year list: a track double in the spring, then a cross country title that fall. Five runners appear only on that list: Rachel Sauder of Archbold (1990), Katie Radkewich of Cleveland Heights Beaumont (1994), Amy Arnold of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (2001), Stephanie Morgan of Barnesville (2007) and Katie Gillespie of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (2008).
2027: Eight runners, one third of the way there
On Nov. 7 at Fortress Obetz, eight runners won individual state titles. Each one has now done the first part. The rest comes at the state track meet in the spring.
| Division | Runner | School | Grade | State title time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys I | Ryne Reynolds | Little Miami | Senior | 15:01.4 |
| Boys II | Ian Res | West Geauga | Senior | 15:22.8 |
| Boys III | Brice Fuller | Fairless | Junior | 14:50.7 |
| Boys IV | Bennett Lehman | Ansonia | Senior | 15:30.7 |
| Girls I | Reese Galinger | Teays Valley | Senior | 17:51.0 |
| Girls II | Julia Bocik | Sylvania Southview | Sophomore | 17:37.7 |
| Girls III | Gwen Huddle | Napoleon | Junior | 17:35.7 |
| Girls IV | Natalie Nixon | Ottawa Hills | Junior | 17:34.0 |
Lehman goes for two
Bennett Lehman has already done this. He won the Division IV cross country title in 2025, then swept the 1600 and 3200 in Division V last spring. On Nov. 7, he won Division IV again.
If he wins both races at state this spring, he becomes the fourth runner ever to win the Triple Crown twice, and the first boy since Hesson in 1991-92.
The fastest of the day
Brice Fuller has won two straight Division III cross country titles. His 14:50.7 on Nov. 7 was the fastest winning time of the four boys races. He is a junior, so if this spring doesn't go his way, he gets one more try next year.
Time on their side
Julia Bocik is a sophomore. Gwen Huddle, Natalie Nixon and Fuller are juniors. All four can chase the Triple Crown again next school year if this spring doesn't go their way.
For Reynolds, Res, Galinger and Lehman, this is the last chance.
What a record year would take
Four Triple Crowns in one school year is the record. If five of these eight win the 1600 and the 3200 this spring, 2026-27 stands alone.
The odds say that won't happen. In 49 school years, Ohio has never had more than four. But the last six years have rewritten what's normal.
We'll find out in the spring.
Sources: OHSAA Distance Triple Crown list (updated June 2026); OHSAA individual cross country champions; official 2025 and 2026 OHSAA cross country state championship results.
More info at podiumwatch.org
