FINAL RESULTS
HARTVILLE, Ohio – In what has been a surging season of stories and rising results, the No. 15-ranked Otterbein men's cross country team continued a memorable run Saturday afternoon by claiming its first Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) championship since 2004.
The Cardinals, placing six runners in the top-20 overall, cruised their way to a 26-point victory over second-place John Carroll at a wet, windy and rainy Sable Creek Golf Course. Nine teams and 138 total competitors took part in the event.
"We have had a lot of moving parts on this team over the last few years," head coach
Dara Ford said. "There are some great transfers who have really bought into the program and the culture that this group of seniors has fought for since day one. It's an ego-less team that just wants to win for one another."
Junior
Chase Hampton, racing in his first OAC Championship since transferring from Lipscomb in the offseason, maneuvered his way to runner-up status by covering the 8K course in a solid time of 26:21. He finished only behind Ohio Northern standout Ian McVey.
The Cardinals were abundantly scattered behind Hampton, with five others earning All-OAC honors as a result of being in the top-18 finishers.
Jamey Ehret (5th– 26:32), who arrived at Otterbein two years ago from Bowling Green and
Max Hoffman (6th – 26:35), coming last winter from Xavier, both joined Hampton as members of the All-OAC first team.
Alex Clevinger finished 12th in 27:05,
Trevor Dilley was 13th in 27:07, and
Jacob Thompson also slipped in to earn second team All-OAC by running 27:16, good enough for 18th place. Freshman
Jason Mehalic was right on Thompson's heels and just missed the cutoff, still finishing an impressive 19th overall with a result of 27:18.
"To walk away from this event with two championship wins is something really special," said Ford when asked about both the men and women prevailing. "It doesn't happen very often. This is a day that we will never forget."
Ian Kellogg, who transferred from Michigan State a few years back, delivered a 27th-place finish while newcomers
Ryan Estes and
Ryan Bosworth also broke the top-35.
The Cardinals will now turn their attention to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on November 10 and look to qualify for their first NCAA's. Regionals will be hosted by Franklin University at Blue River Park in Shelbyville, Ind.