State cross-country: Hard work, heart bolster Bellbrook girls


Teams qualifying to state cross country championships from the Troy Regional:

DIVISION 1 BOYS — Cin. St. Xavier, Beavercreek, Centerville, Mason, Lakota East

DIVISION 1 GIRLS – Centerville, Troy, Cin. Ursuline Academy, Mason, Beavercreek

DIVISION 2 BOYS – Carroll, Indian Hill, Springfield Shawnee, Badin

DIVISION 2 GIRLS – Bellbrook, Tippecanoe, Springfield Shawnee, Oakwood

DIVISION 3 BOYS — Fort Loramie, Summit Country Day, Anna, Clark Montessori

DIVISION 3 GIRLS – Covington, Fort Loramie, Russia, West Liberty-Salem

The experts projecting the outcome at the Division II state cross-country meet put the Bellbrook High School girls around sixth or seventh.

The Golden Eagles’ reaction? You can’t forecast heart and hard work.

Bellbrook surprised the D-II field — and even coach Jeanne Johnson — at last Saturday’s regional meet with the team championship. The team takes that same pack mentality to National Trail Raceway in Hebron for the state championships this Saturday.

“They’re kind of pumped,” Johnson said. “They want to make the top four. I’m not going to dissuade them. I’m kind of excited that’s what they’re going to shoot for. I think they’re going to leave it all out on the course.”

To conserve energy for the next two weeks, Bellbrook backed off at the district meet that Tipp won convincingly over runner-up Bellbrook 49-74. But the Golden Eagles went all out at the regional meet for a 70-94 victory over the Red Devils.

“I thought we had the potential during the summer when I saw we were Division II,” Johnson said of the OHSAA restructuring how schools were placed into divisions, which moved the Bellbrook girls out of D-I. “As the season progressed, I knew we could get through districts. Did I think we could win regional? No. I was a little surprised by that one.”

At the regional meet, senior Madison Pelfrey finished sixth overall in 19:42.6. Then came the pack. Senior Lauren Kemper was 15th, sophomore Elise Kemper 16th, senior Kayla Parker 18th and senior Emi Ford 19th. Senior Kylee Parker came in 46th and junior Maddie Crane 73rd.

Bellbrook had its fifth runner finish before Tipp’s fourth and fifth runners crossed the line.

“I’m looking at my No. 6 runner and she’s beating a couple of Tipp runners,” Johnson said of the finish. “I started thinking to myself maybe we actually won this. … I consider (Tipp coach Byron Kimmel) a guru and I consider Tipp one of the best programs in the state. That was kind of cool.”

The Eagles are looking for a similar effort Saturday against the state’s top teams, including No. 3-ranked Tipp. Bellbrook is ranked No. 7 in the coaches’ state poll.

“They’re very blue collar. They just work so hard,” Johnson said. “They really like each other a lot. Because of that we have kids that run together through races and pull each other along. We sneak up on people because we don’t have that lead runner. We just make a nice pack. I didn’t see them doing as well as they are. They really surprised me even this season.”

This is Bellbrook’s third state appearance in the girls meet and first since finishing eighth in 2011. They also qualified in 2009 (15th). Kayla Parker is the lone Golden Eagle with state experience. She qualified as a freshman.

“The seniors have been really great leaders,” Johnson said. “Madison Pelfrey has a great work ethic. Kayla Parker is our comic relief. She keeps us all laughing so we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Emi Ford is our intellectual. She’s kind of a character as well. I give a lot of credit to the seniors. … They’re just a good group of hard-working girls.”

The Dayton area will be well represented at the state meet. Beavercreek and Centerville qualified in D-I boys. Carroll advanced in D-II boys and Fort Loramie and Anna in D-III boys. Centerville, Troy and Beavercreek qualified for the D-I girls meet. Tippecanoe and Oakwood join Bellbrook in D-II girls and Minster, St. Henry, Covington, Fort Loramie and Anna all advanced in D-III girls.

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