Orange Cross Country Shines at Weekend Meet: Campbell Breaks School Record, Boys and Girls Earn Top Finishes

MIDDLEFIELD, OH- The Orange High School cross country teams put together a standout performance over the weekend, highlighted by a new school record, multiple personal bests, and strong team finishes in a highly competitive field.

The Orange girls cross country team turned heads with a 4th place finish out of 15 teams, led by Marina Campbell, who delivered a historic performance. Campbell placed 4th overall individually, crossing the finish line in 19:17.72—shattering the school record previously held by Kate Halloran (19:23.9, set in 2021).

Sophomore Zahra Navadeh also had a breakthrough race, placing 13th with a new personal best time of 20:40.83. She was followed by Grace Breininger, who clocked in at 22:41.53 to round out the top three scorers for the Lions.

In total, six out of ten Orange female runners set season or personal bests, showcasing the team’s depth and momentum as the season heads into its final stretch.

The Orange boys team matched the energy, finishing an impressive 5th out of 20 teams in a deep and competitive field.

Junior Ishan Bhatt led the way with a stellar 11th place finish, running a time of 17:06.07. He was closely followed by Landon Bell (17:56.41) and Chase Lepene, who broke the 18-minute barrier with a personal best of 17:58.13.

In a remarkable team effort, 24 of the 27 Orange male runners posted season or personal bests, marking one of the most successful outings of the season for the boys program.