MOUNT VERNON — A pair of Freddies take top honors on the Mount Vernon News All-Area cross country team.
Nick Gaumer and Emily Roberts, the sole qualifiers to the state cross country event, are the All-Area Runners of the Year.
Gaumer, a junior at Fredericktown High School, ran the Division III race in a time of 17:36.15 at National Trail Raceway in Hebron.
Gaumer had spent the season building to a peak, which he reached at the Mid-Buckeye Conference championship. He won that race with a time of 17:16. His times remained steady through the following weeks, allowing him to qualify for state.
Roberts, a sophomore, finished fourth at the state meet. Her time of 18:46.75 was her best of the season. Roberts had finished second the previous year.
Mount Vernon’s Perry Studebaker was named First Team All-Area by the News. Studebaker was the best runner for the Yellow Jackets, finishing 31st at the Division I district meet at Watkins Memorial.
Logan Ebersole of Highland is also on the First Team. Ebersole qualified for Division II regionals with a time of 18:09.14, placing him 13th.
Centerburg’s William Thatcher is also named First Team. Thatcher earned his PR at the MBC championship with a time of 17:25. He then qualified for regionals with a time of 17:46.04 at the district meet.
Gaumer’s teammate Colin Roddy rounds out the boys First Team. Roddy, a freshman, had dominated the year before in middle school. He carried that over to high school, finishing with a time of 17:36 at the Centerburg Invitational and helping the Freddies qualify for regionals.
On the girls’ side, Mount Vernon’s Lindsey Studebaker is named to the First Team. Studebaker, a senior, peaked with a time of 20:37 at the Fredericktown Invitational. Although she didn’t qualify for regionals, she did register the fastest time for any Yellow Jacket at districts (21:49.61).
Centerburg’s Torrie Purdy is also named First Team. Purdy led the Trojans to regionals by finishing third at districts (20:15.95). Purdy would have finished 12th at regionals, except for a controversial call that got Purdy disqualified for carrying a hairband on her wrist.
Purdy’s teammate Alyssa Burton is also on the First Team. Burton peaked at the MBC championship with a time of 20:17.
Rounding out the girls’ All-Area First Team is Fredericktown’s Rebekah Haip. The sophomore finished 15th at districts with a time of 22:20.32, helping her team advance.
For helping lead both Centerburg teams into regionals, Belinda Pinkerton is the All-Area Cross Country Coach of the Year.
The All-Area First Team is voted on by Mount Vernon News sports writers and editors.
