Orange Cross Country Teams Punch Ticket to Regionals After Strong District Meet Performances

MADISON, OH- The Orange High School cross country teams are headed to the OHSAA Regional Meet after impressive showings at the Division III District Championships held at Madison. The girls team secured a 3rd-place finish, while the boys claimed 4th, earning both squads a spot in next week’s regional competition at Boardman High School.

Leading the way for the girls was Marina Campbell, who delivered a standout performance, finishing 4th overall with a time of 19:34.88. Zahra Navadeh followed with a strong race of her own, clocking in at 21:07.06 to finish 14th. Solid pack running rounded out the team score with Grace Breininger (31st, 22:35.02), Panka Karman (37th, 23:06.74), and Emily Moderick (40th, 23:09.14) all finishing in the top 40. Noomi Levine (53rd, 23:55.11) and Elizabeth Moody (69th, 25:56.51) also contributed to the team effort.

On the boys side, Ishan Bhatt led the Lions with a strong finish, placing 15th in 17:20.11, closely followed by Griffin Berlin, who was 19th with a time of 17:27.95. The team's depth was on display with Landon Bell (25th, 18:05.53), Calvin Schroer (43rd, 18:32.06), and Spencer Wolinetz (47th, 18:36.60) rounding out the scoring five. Sam Melvey (48th, 18:38.13) and Chase Lepene (60th, 19:08.77) provided additional support for the team’s top-four finish.

Both teams will now prepare for the OHSAA Regional Meet at Boardman High School next week, where they will compete for a spot at the state championships. With momentum on their side and strong pack running, the Orange Lions are ready for the next challenge.