OBETZ — Seneca East’s Lilly Schiefer spent the moments after last year’s Division III Cross Country State Championship in the medical tent dealing with pain after crawling across the finish line to place 155th.
This year was different in the 5,000 meters on Saturday morning at Fortress Obetz.
Schiefer took her spot on the podium, placing 18th and clutching a Kermit the frog figure. She was all smiles after posting a time of 18:56.75.
“All season it’s kind of been in the back of my mind. It never really affected me until the post season and I’m like I’m going to state,” Schiefer said.
“Last year my numbers were off, and I was sick like the week before.”
Blocking out the exhaustion and collapse from a year ago wasn’t easy.
“I was fine all through the race. But coming into the finish I was having flashbacks remembering the pain in my legs, but I just pushed through,” she said. “I was confident it wouldn’t happen again but it’s still back there mentally.”
The 25-degree difference in temperature may have been a factor for all the runners. Schiefer and Colonel Crawford’s Cecilia Chase ran much of the race together.
Chase finished 14th in a time of 18:54.2. The pair ran together in last spring’s state track meet in the 1600 meters, with Chase fifth and Schiefer seventh.
“My coaches and I walked through the plan but when you’re in the race, it’s all yours. You have to fight it on your own,” Schiefer said.
“I wanted to get my position right away and hold on as best I can. I can base it off the girls up front, but I gotta achieve no matter what the girl ahead of me is doing. I just gotta go for that place.”
The Lady Eagles placed 14th as a team with junior Gabby Roston, sophomore Rylinn Edgington, senior Izzy Roston, sophomore Brynn Bruner and sophomore Lexi Dure.
“It was kind of a rough season coming back (from injury) and all of our team issues,” Chase said.
“That’s why I wanted to come back and get top 10 again. I wanted a PR today but I’m happy with what I did. It’s great weather and it was a lot more competitive this year than it was last year.”
Chase was chasing a huge pack at the front of the race.
“By the end as soon as you go down that hill it’s balls to the wall, like going as fast as you can to the finish to make it … not kick too early and die.”
Chase said a change in the workout routine helped the team.
“Our coach was very concerned with how many people were quitting so our workouts were made a little easier, a little less pressure. It may have affected me throughout the season, but honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing we did. I love our team and how we finished,” she said.
Parts of the course were damp.
“A few spots over here and over there you sunk in. I’ve got no complaints about it. This is my fourth year going to state and this is definitely the best weather and condition the course is in,” Chase said.
“Overall, Colonel Crawford cross country has helped me grow so much as a person and taught me so much mentally and physically.”
FRESHMAN HONORS:
Galion freshman Makayla Halbisen placed 29th to earn all-Ohio honors. She was 33rd and had maneuvered her way up from 102nd an 62nd earlier in the race.
“I passed a few people and really didn’t know. I knew later I would regret not passing them. I just found a person and kept passing them,” Halbisen said.
“It was different here. It’s big. I just kept telling myself I can do it. I was able to move side to side and try not to step outside.”
Halbisen’s coach Cindy Conner praised her effort.
“We’ve talked a lot this week. She was seeded 25th and only one of 6 freshmen to get here as an individual. She’s a very smart runner and never goes out too fast. She’s an aggressive middle-of-the-race runner,” Conner said.
“That first mile is not your part of the race, so I told her don’t panic if you’re around 40-50. I was pretty confident that she was going to keep attacking.”
Halbisen had help preparing for the race from her sister Makenzie and Nora Harding.
“They stayed and continued to train her. We had her pushing and shoving because until you run this race … it’s a physical game.”
TIGERS, AUCK PLACE:
The Seneca East boys’ unit of Leo Schreiner, Brycen Lantz, Bradley Smith, Evan Schiefer, Owen Gahring and Nevin Holmes took 8th place with 256 points.
Schreiner was 35th, Schiefer 42nd and Lantz 65th. Smith was 138th and Gahring 157th.
Crawford sophomore Shawn Auck finished 97th in 17:29.32.